Agenda item 7 - Report of YNYERH Directors of Development Group

Chief Executives' Group - North Yorkshire and York

12 February 2021

Report of the York, North Yorkshire, East Riding and Hull (YNYERH) Directors of Development Group

 

1.0 Purpose of report

1.1 To update members of the Chief Executives' Group as to the work and progress of the YNYERH Directors of Development.

 

2.0 Background

2.1 This report updates the Chief Executives’ Group on the work of the YNYERH Directors of Development (DoDs). This report covers the DODs meetings that took place virtually on:

29 October 2020
27 November 2020
18 December 2020 and
29 January 2021

2.2 The first item of the report will cover the Directors of Development Forward Work Programme.

2.3 The other key agenda items covered and summarised here are as follows:

1. Covid Impact, intelligence sharing and economic response plan
2. LEP, North Yorkshire and York Devolution Update
3. Local Authorities Climate Action Progress
4. Spatial Development Zone Corridors 2-6
5. Scarborough and Whitby Town Deals
6. North Yorkshire Market Town Masterplan Commission
7. YNY & ER&H LNP Action Plan
8. Welcome to Yorkshire
9. Levelling Up / Pipeline of Projects Update
10. Brexit Impact Briefing

3.0 Directors of Development Forward Work Programme

3.1 The request to carry out a Forward Work Programme was first put to Directors at the meeting on 27 November 2020. Directors were asked to submit items for the programme.

3.2 Prior to the meeting in December a first draft of the programme was circulated and at the meeting Directors discussed additions. These comprised:

  • Low Carbon
  • Devolution Deal Submissions
  • Housing Delivery
  • Design Theme – consistent approach to design guides being developed.

3.3 At the meeting on 29 January (not included in this report), the updated draft of the forward work programme was approved and is attached as Appendix A.
 

4.0 Covid Impact, Intelligence Sharing and Economic Response Plan

4.1 At the meeting on 29 October the Chief Operating Officer York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (YNY LEP) confirmed that the joint Covid 19 economic response plan, - ‘A Plan to Re-shape our Economy’ had been published. This plan includes actions towards delivering ten pledges towards a Greener, Fairer, Stronger Economy and a page per YNY Local Authority with key priorities and activities.

4.2 A key action from the meeting was the need to be in a position to bid for impending central government funding opportunities. Covid recovery was likely to be a key driver to these funding opportunities. Following that meeting a spreadsheet was circulated for YNY Authorities to return to the LEP with project ideas that would be developed to full business cases.

4.3 Directors also discussed the move to Tier 2 restrictions and the lack of funding that will be received in their areas and impact on financial asks if moved to tier 3. A LEP led intelligence group is in operation and has taken forward the action to pull that work together.

4.4 Directors have been given public health updates in November and December including plans to support businesses and events to be Covid secure as well as discussions on community testing and vaccination.

5.0 LEP and North Yorkshire and York Devolution Update

5.1 The YNY LEP have used the Directors of Development meeting to discuss the case for Devolution to be part of the Local Government Reorganisation submissions.

5.2 In November, Chief Operating Officer YNY LEP confirmed that following a paper taken to Leaders, each Unitary bid will include the Devolutions Asks. The purpose of the November meeting was therefore to review the Asks to ensure they were ready for submission.

5.3 The group considered and reviewed the following Asks:

  • Transport,
  • Digital,
  • Towns and Cities,
  • Housing and Planning,
  • Skills,
  • Business Innovation,
  • Energy and Natural Capital.

5.4 By the December meeting all feedback had been received by the meeting and the final version was ready to submit to government following approval by Ryedale Chief Executive on Monday 21 December.


6.0 Local Authority Climate Action Progress

6.1 Updates have been given over each of the four meetings which have included:

  • Funding opportunities and opportunities for collaboration including
  • The public sector decarbonisation scheme
  • The green homes grant scheme
  • Local Area Energy Planning
  • Carbon Abatement Plan

6.2 Discussions were being had with Local Authority asset managers and it was noted that there was opportunity for joint procurement where bids were being submitted.


6.3 Action plans are in the development stage and current actions are:

  • Low carbon and awareness
  • Awareness campaigns
  • Electric vehicle seminar

6.4 Future work in the coming months will be fleet management, leisure and sustainable tourism and Local Energy area plans.

6.5 In December, Directors were given a presentation on the Green Homes Grant Local Delivery Scheme, delivery phase 2, the purpose of which is to raise energy efficiency rating of low rating homes (D, E, F or G). The allocation for York and North Yorkshire authorities was £5.36M. The offer of support from YNY LEP officers was made.

6.6 An implementation plan will be pulled together and would be owned by everyone and early next year discussions will start with the local authorities to develop policy and projects. A route map will be pulled together and brought to DoDs in the summer of 2021 for sign off.

6.7 Further updates were given on what asset managers can do now, including work on decarbonisation of buildings and the electrification of fleet vehicles.

6.8 Directors were informed that York and North Yorkshire LEP Low Carbon and Environment Team are hosting a pilot programme of free circular economy support for Business to Consumer SMEs across York and North Yorkshire. The programme will support 20 SMEs to identify circular economy opportunities for their business, develop action plans and undertake carbon footprint analysis of their products/services. This will launch in February 2021 and recruitment of businesses is currently underway.

6.9 In January updates were given to the Directors including:

  • Development of York and North Yorkshire’s Routemap Towards Carbon Negative.
  • Local Area Energy Plan development
  • Green Homes Grants Local Authority Delivery (LAD) - update
  • Local Authority Project Progress
     

7.0 Strategic Development Zones 2-6

7.1 Senior Policy Officer (Planning) NYCC and representatives from the planning consultants Tibbalds and SQW attended the meeting in November to present the final drafts of strategic development zone (SDZ) statements covering these areas:

  • SDZ 2 – ‘Harrogate Line’ Corridor
  • SDZ 3 – ‘Central’ A168 Corridor
  • SDZ 4 – York Growth Zone
  • SDZ 5 – Coastal Growth Zone
  • SDZ 6 – Airedale Corridor

7.2 The presentation covered the process, non-statutory status of the plans, and explanation of outcomes which present data on the scale and type of growth within each Spatial Development Zone (SDZ).

7.3 It was agreed that Local Authority would take these statements forward either as technical pieces to inform their evidence base or through a more statutory process.

8.0 Scarborough and Whitby Town Deals

8.1 Commercial Directors Scarborough Borough Council provided information on the Scarborough and Whitby Town Deals:

8.2 Scarborough Borough Council’s Town Deals are part of the £3.6bn National Towns Fund announced as part of the Levelling up agenda. Scarborough and Whitby were both deemed eligible and part of the process to improve the socio economic standing of both towns. Bids have been pulled together for £25m each, outlined in the Town Investment plan documents.

8.3 January and February 2021 saw significant stakeholder engagement to visualise what the two towns would look like in 2030. Due to covid restrictions, engagement work continued on social media.

8.4 Master planning work continued in March feeding into the two Project Boards enabling a “shopping list” to be pulled together. Project prioritisation was agreed May – July.

8.5 There was notification in August of FastTrack schemes.

8.6 Both applications were submitted at the end of October 2020. The full list of schemes is set out below:

Whitby Town Deal Scarborough Town Deal
Maritime Academy Cycling Infrastructure
Town Centre WiFi and Wayfinding Harbour Regeneration
Nature Tourism (Wild Eye) Whitby Nature Tourism (Wild Eye) Scarborough
Part Pedestrianisation and harbour to Mayfield cycleway FabLab
Carbon Neutral Village Woodend Plus
Eastside Scarborough Fayre
Town Hall and Market Place Improving Scarborough Cricket Club
Pannett Art Gallery Strategic Acquisition of Property
Flowergate Station Gateway
  Green Construction Village


9.0 North Yorkshire Market Town Masterplan Commission

9.1 It was agreed by Directors that a split approach to the commissions would take place with those Authorities that currently have master planning commission underway would be able to use the funds to forward that work as a ‘phase 2’ under a separate commission and therefore use the same consultants. The split of the Authorities under that approach is as follows:
 

District Town Commission
Selby Selby Separate commission following on from Local Growth Fund (LGF) funded work - the places and movements study at Selby, Sherburn and Tadcaster.
Richmondshire Catterick (Shute Road) Separate commission following on from LGF funded work at Shute Road.
Harrogate Ripon, linkages between Clotherholme Urban Village and Ripon town centre Separate commission following on from LGF and HBC funded work at Clotherholme Village.
Hambleton Easingwold NYCC procurement
Craven Bentham NYCC procurement
Ryedale Malton/Norton NYCC procurement


9.2 A workshop to link the future towns work and the historic environment work being undertaken by YNY LEP officers together with the master planning work will take place in the new year.


10.0 York and North Yorkshire, East Riding and Hull LNP Action Plan

10.1 The action plan for the Hull and East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Partnership will be the focus of work for the LNP Development Officer until March 2022. DoDs were asked to note that there will be further resource implication to deliver some areas of work but the cost of these are as yet unknown until the release of future Government policy and guidance. Government has indicated some funding may be available to cover additional burdens for local authorities following publication of the Environment Bill, and the LNP Development Officer will work with local authorities and DoDs to secure this once further information is available.

10.2 The Action Plan is structured around three key areas of activity: strategic project activities, strategic policy support, and existing project activities.

10.3 Directors noted that there is a need to be clear on what the top priorities are for the next three years. As capacity is an issue there is a need to be specific, an updated plan will be brought to a future meeting.

11.0 Welcome to Yorkshire

11.1 Welcome to Yorkshire Chief Executive Officer James Mason attended the meeting and gave a presentation to Directors on the priorities and upcoming agenda for the organisation.

11.2 Directors noted, discussed joint working arrangements with regard to a tourism app development for Welcome to Yorkshire and thanked James for his time.

12.0 Levelling Up and Pipeline of Projects Report

12.1 Two reports were set out by Project Office YNY LEP and by Assistant Director Growth Planning and Trading Standards NYCC.

12.2 The Report presented by the LEP focused on the review of the pipeline of projects carried out in the latter part of 2020 and how that review highlighted the need to develop a programme framework to prioritise investment in the right areas.

12.3 The proposed investment plan is focused on delivering the following areas:

  • Quality Places
  • Business and People
  • Green Future

12.4 As well as these regional priorities, the plan will also contribute significantly to the national priorities of levelling up, climate change and becoming a science super power.

12.5 The report set out the development of the pipeline of projects and Directors were asked to comment on the priorities as set out and the upcoming pipeline development.

12.6 The report from NYCC set out the potential funding sources expected from programmes announced in the 2020 spending review. These included the:
1. The levelling up fund
2. Shared Prosperity Fund
3. National Home Building Fund

As well as pre spending review programmes including:
a. 10 point plan for new low carbon industrial revolution
b. Towns Fund
c. Future High Streets Fund
d. Cycling and Walking

12.7 The report also set out the financial position in relation to the York and North Yorkshire Devolution asks.

12.8 Directors were asked to note the contents of the report and comment on the prioritisation and co-ordination of the funding asks. Directors welcomed both reports and advised that a transparent system of allocating priority for funding to projects be adopted.

13.0 Brexit Impact Briefing

13.1 Programme Manager (Economic Response (YNY LEP) attended the meeting to present to Directors on the impact of Brexit.

13.2 The report included setting the context of the region within Europe and the key changes to EU Trade and Movement.

13.3 The report discussed the emerging challenges for the region including a ‘head in the sand attitude’ as well as the size of businesses in the region and the resource implication of increased administration would have on these smaller and micro businesses.

13.4 The paper set out the NNY LEP response including

  • Outreach
  • YNY Brexit Support Helpdesk
  • Bank of Specialist advisors.

13.5 The Directors of Development welcomed the report as an excellent summary of the lengthy trade deal.

14.0 Recommendations

14.1 The Chief Executives note the recent and on-going work of the YNYERH Directors of Development Group.

Karl Battersby
Corporate Director - Business and Environmental Services, NYCC
in the capacity of Chair of the YNYERH Directors of Development Group

 

APPENDIX 1

Tabled Report 29 January 2021 YNYERH DoDs


YNERYH Directors of Development Forward Work Programme January 2021 – 2022


Sharing of best practice and coordination. DoDs has representatives from LEP, Public Health and Housing

Areas of Focus

Economic Recovery and Reshaping the Economy

  • Implementation and ongoing shaping of Regional Recovery Plans
  • Development and Implementation of Economic Growth Plans
  • Coordination of intelligence and projects to support reshaping of the Economy including BREXIT impact, Levelling Up, Devolution Asks, pipeline of projects – feasibility and delivery
  • Devolution deal submission – negotiation discussions
  • Monitoring and coordination of Funding and Investment Opportunities

Strategic Planning and Development

  • Implications of new legislation and Government plans e.g. Planning White Paper, Environment Bill, Ten Point plan etc.
  • Implementation of Spatial Framework and Strategic Development Zone work
  • Commissioning and reporting on North Yorkshire Market Town masterplans
  • Support for Local Plan development and delivery
  • Housing Policy

Low Carbon

  • Decarbonisation R&D
  • Planning and implementation of low carbon technologies and infrastructure
  • Climate Change intel and mitigation

Delivery

  • Housing Delivery
  • Design theme – consistent approach to the design guides being developed
  • Updates and support for regeneration initiatives such as 21st Century Towns, Town Deals, Town Investment plans
  • Updates and coordination for infrastructure: Transport, Housing, Digital, Industry, R&D, Low Carbon, Green Infrastructure, Natural Capital

Standard Items: Coordination, Links to and Feedback from:

  • Climate Change Action Plans
  • Housing Partnership
  • Heads of Planning
  • Economic Development Officers
  • Local Nature Partnerships
  • Integration with Public Health initiatives