North Yorkshire Council approved the Revenue Budget 2024/25, the Council Tax Resolution Report, the Capital Five Year Spending Plan and the Treasury Management Strategy, and the Housing Revenue Account. The council also approved the Council Plan 2024-28, School Admission Arrangements 2025/26, and the Allocations Scheme for the Provision of Social Housing. They voted to submit the Maltkiln New Settlement Development Plan Document to the Secretary of State and to approve a revised scheme for applying a Council Tax premium to second homes. They also approved the Revised Publication Draft of the Selby District Local Plan for public consultation.

Revenue Budget and Council Tax

Councillors discussed a motion to reduce the proposed 4.99% rise in council tax, by amending the Medium Term Financial Strategy to provide for a 3.99% rise in 2024/25 and then a 3.99% rise in 2025/26 instead of 2.99%. The motion, moved by Councillor Bryn Griffiths, argued that this would:

smooth out the bump in tax rises and still match the 2026/27 Medium Term Financial projection given in Paragraph 2.7 on Page 42 of the Council report.

The motion also proposed increasing spending on social care and the council's Net Zero ambitions.

The amendment was defeated 13 for and 70 against.

The council then approved a 4.99% council tax rise, with 61 for, 4 against and 14 abstentions.

The Maltkiln New Settlement

The council voted to approve the Maltkiln New Settlement Development Plan Document with 68 for and 2 abstentions.

This decision was made despite the submission of a motion to delay submitting the DPD and amend it to include a policy of providing at least 30% affordable housing. The motion, moved by Councillor Arnold Warneken, argued that the lack of such a policy:

takes seriously the concerns of residents and Parish Councils regarding the lack of affordable housing in the draft DPD (Maltkiln) and is therefore will take action on their behalf.

This amendment was rejected, with 19 for and 50 against.

Second homes premium

The council agreed to introduce a 100% Council Tax premium on second homes with 75 for, 1 against and 3 abstentions.

This premium will take effect from 1 April 2025.

Selby Local Plan

The council voted to approve the Revised Publication Draft of the Selby Local Plan for public consultation.

Councillor John McCartney proposed that:

The reduction of the affordable housing targets in the emerging Selby Local Plan is unacceptable to this Full Council.

He argued that:

Currently the Selby district has a 40% affordable housing target. The emerging plan has sites with 5%, 10% and 20% allocations. So the overall affordable target would be at most, 13%. But the developers of the 20% sites will inevitably put in Viability Assessments to get that 20% lowered, thereby reducing, even further, the overall target in the emerging plan.

This amendment was rejected, with 14 for and 60 against.

Councillor Mike Jordan then proposed that:

the proposal for Heronby be re-included in the plan for Selby.

This amendment was also rejected, with 2 for and 74 against.

The plan was approved with 74 for, 2 against and 2 abstentions.

Public Questions

Members of the public asked questions about a number of topics including: road safety; 20mph speed limits; the second homes premium; and the Selby Local Plan.

Hazel Peacock, representing Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign, asked what the council is doing to improve road safety on arterial roads in Harrogate where there are schools.

Ian Conlan asked about the timescale for the rollout of 20mph speed limits across North Yorkshire.

David Watson raised concerns about the proposed council tax premium on second homes, and the impact that it may have on people like him who own second homes.

Mary McCartney asked about the reduction in the affordable housing target in the Selby Local Plan, arguing that the council is letting down people in the Selby area who need affordable housing.

Jeff Bramley, Chair of Hambleton Parish Council, asked about the inclusion of the site known as HAMB-A in the Selby Local Plan for 128 new homes, arguing that this would be unsustainable.

James Clark raised concerns about the level of development proposed for Hambleton.

Alex Smith, from Kirk Hammerton Parish Council, asked about the proposed Maltkiln New Settlement.

Paul Townsend, representing Green Hammerton, Hunsingore, Walshford with Ribston and Cattal Parish Council, Kirk Hammerton and Whixley Parish Councils, also asked about the proposed Maltkiln New Settlement.