York Councillors receive an BREXIT update as the transition period nears its end.

Senior councillors will receive an update on City of York Council’s preparations for the end of the Transition period scheduled to take place on 1 January 2021.

The end of the transition follows UK’s exit from the European Union on 31 January 2020. The Council continues to support businesses and residents to prepare as much as possible for the upcoming changes by ensuring they have access to information, advice and support and by linking up with relevant authorities at a local, regional and national level.

Work is ongoing to support residents with their EU settlement scheme applications and the council continues to encourage those yet to apply to do so.

The most recent figures by the Government suggest that there have been 6,650 applications to the Settlement Scheme by people living in York with 6,470 concluded applications. This is out of an estimated EU population of 7,000.

Of the concluded applications:

3,680 achieved settled status – those who had been in the UK for 5 years or more
2,690 achieved pre-settled status – for those who have lived in the UK for less than 5 years
100 were other (i.e. not eligible)

EU residents can visit GOV.UK for further information about applying to the EU Settlement Scheme: www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families. Information on the EU Settlement Scheme support in York is available at www.york.gov.uk/EUSettlementScheme. The deadline for applying is 30 June 2021.

At the meeting members will be asked to note the update on what the city is doing to prepare and request officers continue to monitor and prepare for the end of the transition period, working locally, regionally and nationally so the city continues to be as prepared as it possibly can be.

Coronavirus York updates; 8th December 2020

Deaths and test results

THREE (3) additional deaths announced by the York Hospital Trust today. One occurred on 3rd, one on the 6th and one yesterday. Over 100 patients have now died as a result of coronavirus at the York and Scarborough hospitals since the start of the second wave of infections in September.

There have been 22 new positive test results announced today. This brings the total to 5796

The case rate /100k population figure has now reduced to 60.3. That is the lowest rate recorded since 25th September.

No York neighbourhoods are now above the national or regional infection rates.

The most recent validated figures confirm a moderate reduction in case rates in York. Numbers in North Yorkshire are stable and those at regional level continue to fall. There has been a small increase at national level.

University test results

*Universities report to Outbreak Management Board 9th Dec 2020*

As of Monday 7th December, St Johns was reporting that they have “0 members of our University community self-isolating because they have had a positive COVID-19 test”.

York University say, “As of the morning of Tuesday 8th December, we are aware of 9 individuals within our University community who are currently self-isolating because they have had a positive Covid-19 test”.

City centre visitors mostly from York

A report to a meeting taking place tomorrow looks at how the profile of visitors to the City has changed since the pandemic took hold.

The report also looks at spending habits and reveals – to no one’s great surprise – that on line shopping has boomed.

Outbreak Management Board

Tomorrow’s City of York Outbreak Management Advisory Board will be webcast live from 5:30 pm. The agenda is as follows (click individual items for background information)

No.	Item
1.	Declarations of Interest
2.	Minutes of the Meeting held on 18 November 2020, and actions arising PDF 154 KB
3.	Verbal Update: Covid-19 Mass Vaccination
4.	Current Situation in York PDF 425 KB View item 4. as HTML 13 KB
5.	Communications and Engagement (including updates from campaign task and finish groups) PDF 2 MB
6.	Update from Sub-Group: Universities and Higher Education Establishments PDF 385 KB View item 6. as HTML 7 KB
7.	Analysis of the Impact of Covid-19 on the Economy PDF 735 KB
8.	Covid-19 Testing (a presentation will be given at the meeting)
9.	Covid-19 Contact Tracing (a presentation will be given at the meeting)
10.	Agenda Items for the Next Meeting
11.	Dates of Future Meetings
12.	Any Other Business

“Make it York” tourist organisation heading for £1 million loss.

Faces closure within weeks unless bail out agree by York Council

A report to a York Council meetings shows its “Make it York” subsidiary could post a £1.2 million loss during the present financial year.

It means that the Directors of the, wholly Council owned, tourist business could be forced to wind up the organisation within the next few weeks.

The Council is being asked to step in and provide a substantial financial subsidy. The proposals include plans to;

Waive the requirement for MIY to make a revenue return to the council in 20/21 in respect of trading activity across the city centre
Defer the first two quarters rent due from MIY in 20/21 for use of premises on Museum Street and Silver Street offices
A loan facility from the council of £300k to be accessed by MIY only if necessary
provide a letter of guarantee to MIY with access to a maximum of £1m over the next 2 years should it be required.

MIY normally produces a net income to the Council of around £35,000. The company is responsible for tourist information services in the City, runs the Shambles market, organises special events like the Christmas Fair (cancelled this year) and promotes the City as a business destination.

Private sector membership of the organisation has collapsed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic with the hospitality industry being one of the hardest hit. Redundancies at MIY are expected.

The immediate hit on the Councils budget will be the loss of income from the Shambles market. This will be in the order of £474,000. That figure may grow substantially if the organisations recovery plan is not successful during the next few years.

MIY is the second tourist organisation to seek taxpayers help. The Council agreed to provide a further £55,000 subsidy for Welcome to Yorkshire at its last meeting.