Council agrees major strategies to shape city’s future

City councillors at a meeting of Full Council considered and approved the York 2032 strategy framework for the city. Comprised of a city vision and three interrelated strategies (Climate change, health and wellbeing and economic), York 2032 sets out the key priorities, ambitions and targets for the city over the decade ahead.

The strategies are the result of an extensive 18-month programme of engagement which included Council’s scrutiny committees, ‘Our Big Conversation’, stakeholder roundtable workshops, focus groups and sessions in Explore York. The engagement sought to find out from residents, businesses and communities what they want York to look like in 10 years, focusing on three major strategic challenges- reaching net zero by 2030, strengthening the economy post covid and improving the health and wellbeing of residents. Thousands of comments were received, which shaped the final strategies and informed the action plans.

The three strategies lay out aspirations and a vision for the city in the coming years that ‘York will be a vibrant, prosperous, welcoming and sustainable city, where everyone can share and take pride in its success’ and sets targets which include:

• Increasing number of green jobs
• Reducing York’s gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest communities
• York being among the top 25% of local economies in the UK in terms of productivity, pay and skills
• Reducing poverty, with actions around food, fuel, housing, financial inclusion and the resilience of the community sector
• Being among the first cities in the UK, and lead the region, to be carbon net zero, with carbon emissions reduced every year

Councillor Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council said: “The York 2032 strategy framework follows extensive engagement with residents, businesses and partners, so I would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their thoughts and ideas.

“It is great news that these plans have been approved by full Council, setting the priorities and ambitions for the city for the next ten years. Now our focus is on delivering against these ambitious targets, working across the city to bring about lasting improvements to the health of our residents and economy whilst working to become carbon neutral.

“With the challenges we all face during this cost of living crisis, now more than ever we need certainty about the direction for the future to help us tackle the challenges we face and make best use of York’s opportunities.”

Councillor Andy D’Agorne, Deputy Leader of City of York Council said:“Local engagement and expertise have helped shape these strategies, which a focus on becoming a net zero carbon city whilst improving the lives of our residents and businesses.

“We want to make York an even better place to live and work, in order to do this we will work with our communities and organisations across the city to rise to the challenge of achieving zero net carbon by 2030, reduce health inequalities and ensure York’s economy and businesses can thrive and residents can access well paid and secure jobs fit for the future.

“Following the adoption of the York 2032 strategy framework, we will now work to achieve these goals and will continue to monitor progress over the coming months and years, as we look to improve the York’s sustainability and the health and wealth of our communities.”

Find out more: Strategies policies and plans – City of York Council

The Full Council meeting took place on Thursday 15 December. The meeting is available to view on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts and the agenda and reports are available at https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=331&MId=13697