Agenda item 8 - Report of the YNYERH Directors of Development Group

1  Purpose of the 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:

  • 26 February 2021
  • 24 March 2021
  • 30 April 2021

2.2       The following are the key items that have appeared before Directors over these meetings.
 

3.0       Covid Impact

3.1       At all three meetings, representatives from North Yorkshire County Council Public Health team have attended to update Directors on Covid-19 rates and response measures as lockdown has been eased across the County, for example work with schools and business as they prepare to re-open. LEP officers have attended to update on economic and business support offered and impact on sectors. This has included discussion around impact of EU exit transition arrangements.

 

4.0       Community Renewal Fund and Levelling Up Fund

4.1       Directors met separately on 15th March to discuss an approach to the Community Renewal Fund.

4.2       Fund details

  • For delivery throughout the County and York with a split of 90% revenue and up to 10% capital.
  • £3 million maximum bid per place (defined as District Council boundaries in North Yorkshire)  This equates to £21m across North Yorkshire  and £3m for city of York)
  • Round 1 bid deadline is 18 June 2021 for projects to be completed by March 2022.
  • The Lead Authorities are North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council for administering the fund.
  • Government advised larger project packages ideally of £0.5 million.
  • This is a one off fund to test approaches to delivering the Shared Prosperity Fund.

4.3   Local authority areas for both Community Renewal Fund and Levelling up are prioritised as:

  • Richmondshire and Scarborough 1
  • Ryedale and Selby 2
  • Selby, Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate and York 3

4.4       Key Priorities of CRF

  • Communications & place
  • Business
  • Skills
  • People into employment

4.5       Directors agreed a programme approach as follows:

a) Town Centres

b) Community Investment

c) Smart Places

d) Tourism, Heritage & Culture

e) Business & Employment

f) Skills

g) Green Future

4.6       By the scheduled DODs meeting on 24 March working groups for the these themes had met.

4.7       By April it was noted that the programme approach had worked well and support had been provided where required. 4 Webinars had taken place and been well received.

4.8       Levelling Up Fund

4.9       Fund Details:      

  • £4.8bn for delivery through the districts with one priority bid per Parliamentary constituency area, district and one bid from the county
  • This is Round 1, with deadline of 18 June 2021 for projects to commence before March 2021 with any future rounds to be confirmed
  • Capacity funding of £125k to Richmondshire and Scarborough – for future rounds
  • Funding – 10% local contributions and expected private sector contribution
  • Maximum bid per place £20m
  • Collaboration and packages encouraged
  • NYCC can submit one transport project (up to £50m)

4.10     Directors discussed a collaboration approach and how the CRF and the levelling up fund complimented each other.

4.11     Directors discussed which districts would look to bid in round 1. Only Craven DC would be in a position to do so which has two projects ready to start on site in July, creative industries and sustainable transport in Skipton.

4.12     Other Districts would not be ready for round 1 and would look to submit bids in Round 2

4.13     All of those districts looking to round 2 for submission of bids would be open to a partnership approach.

4.14     Areas outside of Craven represent a good opportunity for collaboration.

 

5.0       Local Authorities Climate Action Progress

5.1       Development for an online module for Climate Awareness and Low Carbon aspirations for all staff was considered following the report to Directors about face to face training previously.  It was agreed to develop a short 45 minute on‐line training module on the concepts of climate change and how Local Authorities are tackling this  with a specific tailor made section for the individual authorities.

5.2       Carbon Speak Yorkshire will develop the content of the module before NYCC develop the module and share with the other LA’s

5.3       The cost of £1,000 for Local Authorities using the Learning Zone and £2,800 for those using other training systems will be covered by the Directors of Development budget.

 

6.0       Homes England Update presentation

6.1       Tamsin Hart-Jones, Homes England attended to present a Homes England update to Directors

6.2       Homes England objectives included a Strategic Plan which was set in October 2018 to set the direction for Homes England. There have been a number of changes since this date and a recognition that the plan needs to include sustainability as a broader objective.

6.3       Objectives are:

  • To unlock private and public land
  • Invest to support housebuilding and infrastructure
  • Improve construction productivity
  • Create a more resilient and competitive market
  • Offer expert support for priority locations
  • Deliver home ownership products.

6.4       The main role of THJ and KA is developing a pipeline of opportunities in North Yorkshire with the local authorities. It is also to looking at the tools the HE and their partners have to unlock any sites.

6.5       The current Home England (HE) tools that are available include:

  • Home building fund
  • Affordable Homes Programme ‐ a £7 billion programme
  • Land assembly fund
  • Frameworks – range of frameworks including asbestos, multi‐disciplinary panel, delivery partner panel, and property panel.

 

7.0       North York Moors National Park

7.1       New management plan for the National Park and will be the most important document and sets a vision and a pathway to achieve that vision over a 20 year period and is reviewed every five years.

7.2       The success of its delivery is reliant on partners as the National Park cannot do everything required. Current plan is out of date and was last reviewed in 2016. Since then there have been huge changes and challenges since that time including climate change, nature recovery and future of farming.

7.3       April 2022 plan needs to be completed and adopted.

7.4       National park authority board will adopt it and developed by steering group. The park have set up three thematic working groups:

1. Leading Nature Recovery

2. Access for All – Health and Wellbeing

3. Living and Working Landscapes – Social and Economic issues

7.5       Key issues are:

  • The impact of changes in agricultural policy and support for the farming sector.
  • Overcoming the tensions between the recreational shooting and broader conservation interests.
  • The future of moorland management.
  • Creating the conditions that foster new sources of growth from the green economy and better digital infrastructure.
  • The implications of a declining and ageing population within the National Park.
  • High housing costs in a low‐wage economy.
  • How to improve broadband and mobile connectivity.
  • How to fully value our historic buildings, including the potential for reducing their carbon footprint.

7.6       It was explained that there was a synergy with the devolution asks with business growth, green economy, carbon neutral, nature recovery, digital connectivity, zero carbon homes and affordable housing

 

8.0       NY Towns Digital Project

8.1       Robert Ling joined the meeting to provide an update on the North Yorkshire Digital Strategy which has been developed in a partnership approach including the County Council, District Councils, National Parks and North York Moors National Park Authority, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, the LEP and Health Services.

8.2       It was explained that there are five core objectives to the strategy:

  • Thinking and working smarter
  • Digital and Smart communities
  • Skills for a Digital Age
  • Connected North Yorkshire
  • Smart Businesses and Growth.

8.3       An update on Connected North Yorkshire was then provided and RL informed DoDs that the strategic actions of this objective were that Digital North Yorkshire would work in partnership to:

  • Improve access to broadband coverage
  • Rollout of superfast broadband
  • Improve access to free public Wi Fi
  • Increased access to 3 & 4G networks
  • Incorporate new technologies as they emerge
  • Develop a strategy for 5G and LORAWAN

8.4       Funding of £3M for this piece of work had been obtained from the Getting Building Fund provided by MHCLG and the scope was to have public Wi‐Fi in 17 towns, LPWAN (LoraWan) covering 95% of the geographical area to enable Internet of Things connectivity and to extend Local Full Fibre Networks to six Business Parks.


9.0     Recommendations

9.1     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

June 2021