PROGRESS on York’s Community Stadium is rated as green by council project managers - despite the scheme already being months overdue.

Councillors questioned the ranking system - which rates City of York Council’s major projects as red, amber or green - saying some residents could see the green label for the stadium project as a “sign of poor judgement”.

A council meeting heard how the authority publishes monthly reports about ongoing big projects - including the Guildhall refurbishment, York Central development and the outer ring road upgrades.

Cllr Aisling Musson said the Community Stadium rating “jumps out” - saying: “Green means being within all acceptable parameters but this is an issue which I would say most of the people living in York would say is not within any acceptable parameters in terms of delivery.

“These reports are all public.

“If you go and look at an overview and see that the overall rating of the Community Stadium is green - if I was a member of the public - I would see that as a sign of poor judgement. I agree that there is more detail in the report.

“But that would concern me - if I thought this is how they think that project is going - it wouldn’t necessarily fill me with confidence in the council.”

Councillors were told that the ratings are decided by the manager of each project and the sponsors.

Dave Atkinson, head of programmes and smart place at the council, said: “The importance is what’s happening in the project, not just what colour the RAG (red, amber, green) rating is.

“Lots of these projects are complicated - for example on York Central there is a lot that is in control of the York Central Partnership rather than the council. Sometimes they depend on central Government policy. There is a complicated stakeholder mix.

“The value is within the content of the highlight report, not the rating.”

Councillors also raised concerns over the rating of other projects.

Cllr Jonny Crawshaw highlighted York Central which is rated amber despite essential Government funding - without which the scheme cannot currently go ahead - still not having been announced.

The older person’s accommodation programme is rated green - but as Cllr Paul Doughty pointed out, the sudden closure of two private care homes left the council with the responsibility of finding alternative homes for 78 people at a cost of more than £1 million. Cllr Doughty said: “We’ve seen in the last year two or three home care homes close and at very short notice the council has had to look for alternate providers and that has had had an effect on budgets. I can see this potentially being an issue in the future. I was a little bit surprised to see a green there - I thought amber at least.”