Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The Executive is asked to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 26 May 2022.

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 26 May 2022.

RESOLVED:

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 26 May 2022.

A copy of the Register of Interest for each Selby District Councillor is

available for inspection at www.selby.gov.uk.

Councillors should declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary

interest in any item of business on this agenda which is not already

entered in their Register of Interests.

Councillors should leave the meeting and take no part in the

consideration, discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a

disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors should also declare any other interests. Having made the

declaration, provided the other interest is not a disclosable pecuniary

interest, the Councillor may stay in the meeting, speak and vote on that

item of business.

If in doubt, Councillors are advised to seek advice from the Monitoring

Officer.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To consider E/22/7 and approve the Selby Town Centre Design Guide for publication.

The Executive Member for Communities and Economic Development presented the Selby Town Centre Design Guide that had been developed to help Council Officers, building owners and tenants, and professional agents working in Selby understand the historic character of Selby town centre. This included how buildings could be improved through appropriate design schemes which reflected this character and subsequently allow for appropriate and confident decisions to be made in planning development.

The Executive were asked to approve the Selby Town Centre Design Guide for publication, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Committee noted that the Town Centre Design Guide was an informal document for guidance in making decisions regarding sites of heritage interest in Selby. The intention was that it provide the basis for a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) following the completion of the Local Plan. The Design Guide had been prepared as part of the Selby High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) and would be used throughout the HSHAZ project to assist in developing the repair, conservation, and sensitive new development to buildings and the streetscape in Selby town centre. As an informal planning document, it would also be used to inform decisions on applications with heritage interest in Selby.

Members expressed their support for the Design Guide and the importance of recognising the heritage of the town. The Executive Member endorsed the Selby Town Centre Design Guide for approval by the Executive.

RESOLVED:

The Executive approved the Selby Town Centre Design Guide for publication.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The Selby Town Centre Design Guide would provide robust guidance to Council planning teams when considering development in Selby town centre. 

To consider and note the contents of report E/22/8 and refer the trial outcomes to North Yorkshire Council for consideration when markets and price differentials return to pre-2022 levels.

The Executive Member for Health and Culture presented the report which detailed the outcomes of the trial of alternative fuel to fossil diesel.

The Executive Member explained that Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) was an alternative fuel to fossil diesel that had significant carbon reduction benefits. A 12-week trial had been undertaken between December 2021 and February 2022 to assess carbon reductions together with vehicle and driver impacts of using HVO fuel as an alternative to fossil diesel. The trial was funded and conducted by Urbaser Ltd who produced the outcome report; the trial was successful and demonstrated the expected carbon reductions. Additionally, there were no vehicle or driver issues arising from the HVO fuel trial.

Members noted that HVO fuel was more expensive per litre than fossil diesel and since the trial outcomes were reported, HVO fuel had increased at a faster rate per litre than fossil diesel. This had resulted in the adoption of HVO fuel currently being financially unsustainable. However, the trial results had been shared with fleet operations for the new North Yorkshire Council to assist any future decisions regarding alternative fuel for a much larger fleet.  

The Committee were encouraged by the results of the trial and expressed their support but acknowledged that the implementation of the use of HVO fuel would need to be postponed due to cost implications.

The Executive Member commended the report for noting and referral of the trial outcomes to North Yorkshire Council.

RESOLVED:

The Executive noted the contents of the report and refer the trial outcomes to North Yorkshire Council for consideration when markets and price differentials return to pre-2022 levels.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The implementation of HVO fuel would save 890 tonnes of carbon from Environmental Services fleet operations for Selby and make a significant contribution to carbon zero by 2030. However, due to current market conditions and world events the increased cost was currently unsustainable and likely to increase in the short to medium term.

To consider report E/22/9, the Corporate Performance Report for Quarter 4 2021-22.

The Leader of the Council presented the report that provided a progress update on delivery of the Council Plan 2020-2030 as measured by a combination of: progress against priority projects/high level actions; and performance against KPIs. 

Members considered the report and asked Officers for further information on bringing empty council homes back into use, details of stage 2 corporate complaints, targets for the delivery of affordable housing and problems with car park ticket machines in the district.

The Leader commended the report for noting and approval.

RESOLVED:

The Executive noted and approved the report and requested further information from Officers on the following matters:

·         bringing empty council homes (voids) back into use;

·         stage 2 corporate complaints;

·         reviewing the target for delivery of affordable housing; and

·         the problems with car park ticket machines across the district.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The reporting of performance data enables the Council to demonstrate progress on delivering the Council Plan Priorities to make Selby District a great place.

That, in accordance with Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, the meeting be not open to the Press and public during discussion of the following items as there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act.

It was proposed, and seconded, that the Executive sit in private session for the following business due to the nature of the business to be transacted.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, in view of the nature of business to be transacted the meeting be not open to the press and public during discussion of the following items as there will be disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act.

Appendix B to agenda item 7 – Programme for Growth – Review of Projects and Funding Reallocation (E/22/10). Not for publication.

The Leader of the Council presented the report which asked for the approval to re-allocate £2.4m of unspent project budgets to fund the key staff needed to deliver Selby’s key priorities beyond March 2023, amend the scope of the previously agreed £2m funding for Levelling Up and agree the proposed approach in respect of the former NatWest Bank in Tadcaster.

Discussion took place regarding the recommendations and the Executive asked questions of Officers in relation to the content of the report.

Whilst there was consensus on the majority of the proposals, some Members expressed hesitancy regarding the reallocation of unspent budgets to finance the transfer of key staff and associated funds to the new North Yorkshire Council, following the termination of Selby District Council as an authority at the end of March 2023.

Other Members were supportive of the proposals to transfer the resources in order to maximise the chances of successful delivery of already approved multi-year projects in the Selby district.

Following extensive discussions, the Executive agreed the recommendations as set out in the report, including the disposal of the NatWest Bank in Tadcaster.

Votes were taken on each point detailed in the report’s recommendations and were carried.

RESOLVED:

1.     The Executive approved the following:

                                         i.       the re-allocation of £2.4m budgets to extend the P4G funding of key staff posts; and

                                        ii.       the change of scope of the Levelling Up project to dedicate the funding to:

a)         £1m for the Selby Abbey Quarter project;

b)        £1m as contingency for delivering TCF and the Station Plaza, with any funds not required being allocated to deliver a further phase of the Selby Abbey Quarter project; and

c)        the reallocation of the remaining Selby Town Enterprise Partnership funds to the Selby Abbey Quarter project.

2.     The Executive:

                                      i.          declared the former NatWest Bank at Tadcaster to be surplus to the Council’s requirements;

                                     ii.          agreed, subject to consent from North Yorkshire County Council pursuant to the S24 Direction, the disposal of the building on the open market via a sealed bids tender process following marketing to achieve best consideration; and

                                   iii.          delegated authority to the Director of Corporate Services and Commissioning, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Lead Executive Member, to agree the terms of the disposal subject to achieving best consideration.

REASON FOR DECISION:

To re-allocate funding within the Programme for Growth Programme to support delivery of approved multi-year projects, and to ensure the key staff needed to deliver these are funded beyond March 2023. This is to ensure Selby’s key priorities continue to be delivered into the new North Yorkshire Council.