THREE years after setting it up, city council bosses are cutting funding to York’s “destination management body” and bringing some of its work back to the authority’s own staff.

Make it York was established in 2015 to “deliver a new approach to marketing, culture, tourism and business development”, according to a report being considered by councillors tonight.

With three years now passed since its inception, City of York Council bosses are drawing up a new contract for the wholly-owned body, and staff will be asking senior councillors to approve their plans at a meeting tonight.

Another £100,000 is being taken off Make it York’s budget on top of £100,000 slashed in the last financial year, according to Charlie Croft, the council’s assistant director for communities and equalities.

In a report prepared for this evening’s meeting, Mr Croft wrote: “It must be stressed that the council is seeking not to merely carve up a particular area of work slightly differently but rather to signal a more fundamental shift in the way MIY is perceived in the city.”

MIY needs to build “entrepreneurial partnerships” he added, while the council itself needs to take back control of economic and cultural strategy for York.

Papers show MIY is missing its targets to bring high value jobs into the city and keep them here - and although council executives do not think this reflects the organisation’s performance, it does show a need to bring a change in the new contract.

Other “learning points” show that while the council needs to play a stronger strategic role in York’s economy and cultural sector, it also needs to be clearer which work falls to the authority and which to MIY.

A review has also highlighted problems caused by Make it York being set up before the city’s key economic development strategy was finished - meaning the new body didn’t have the resources or structure to help the strategy.

At the same time, the council has been left without the flexibility to get services - like special support to keep graduates in York - from people other than Make it York.

Although things like the Shambles Market have done better under MIY, problems have cropped up in the city centre as well, with a “grey area” over who looks after things like benches and the Parliament Street fountain, and no budget for maintenance and improvements. If ruling councillors agree the proposals later today, council staff will draw up a more detailed three year contract for MIY - with priorities on boosting average wages, making sure there is enough business space and housing in the city, and improving things like skills and connectivity.