Agenda and minutes

Hazel Boutle – Armley Ward

Eric Bowes – Armley Ward

Kimberly Frangos – Armley Ward

Annabel Gaskin – Bramley & Stanningley Ward

Stephen McBarron – Bramley & Stanningley Ward

The Chair welcomed all present and brief introductions were made.

Councillor Venner led the meeting in a round of applause in memory of Ted Hanley, former Bramley ward Councillor and Chair of this Community Committee who had recently passed away. Councillor Gruen, in her role as Governor of Leeds West Academy reported that the Academy was to establish a “Ted Hanley Award” for students achieving a high level of attainment.

The Chair also expressed thanks to Councillor Ritchie for his work as Chair of the Community Committee during the previous year.

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Chief Democratic Services Officer at least 24 hours before the meeting.)

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.

1 To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information within the meaning of Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2 To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3 If the recommendation is accepted, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That, in accordance with Regulation 4 of The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 or Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as appropriate, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of those parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:-‘

The agenda contained no exempt information.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

No formal late items of business were added to the agenda, however one further application to the Wellbeing and Youth Activity Fund was tabled at the meeting for consideration as the scheme ‘Jaily Field Summer Project’ was due to be held before the next Community Committee meeting. (minute 69 refers)

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Smart and Sam Meadley.

In accordance with Paragraphs 4.16 and 4.17 of the Community Committee Procedure Rules, at the discretion of the Chair a period of up to 10 minutes may be allocated at each ordinary meeting for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Community Committee.  This period of time may be extended at the discretion of the Chair.  No member of the public shall speak for more than three minutes in the Open Forum, except by permission of the Chair.

No matters were raised under the Open Forum item.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd March 2017.

RESOLVED – That, subject to an amendment to record the attendance of the co-optees, the minutes of the previous meeting held 22^nd March 2017 were approved as a correct record.

Minute 52 – Universal Credit – A further request to email all Members with an update on the implementation of Universal Credit was noted for action.

Minute 55 – Corporate Parent role – Councillor Gruen requested that all future reports should pick up a commitment to ensure that all reports and decisions comment on the impact on looked after children, where relevant

The report of the City Solicitor requests the Outer West Community Committee to note the appointment of Councillor Venner as Chair of the Community Committee for 2017/18 as agreed at the recent Annual Council Meeting, and also to invite the Committee to make appointments to the following, as appropriate:-

•Those Outside Bodies as detailed at section 19 / Appendix 1 of this report;

•One representative to the Corporate Parenting Board;

•Community Committee Champions, as listed; and

•Those Children’s Services Cluster Partnerships, also as listed.

The Committee considered the report of the City Solicitor seeking nominations to appointments to Outside Bodies, the Corporate Parenting Board, Children’s Services Clusters and the Community Committee Champion roles as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

The Committee noted that the Inner West Community Committee had no vacancies on the Outside Bodies this Municipal Year.

RESOLVED – That the following appointments be agreed:

The report of Chief Officer Housing Management seeks Ward Councillor nominations from the Community Committee to the Inner West and Inner North West Housing Advisory Panels (HAPs)

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Officer, LCC Housing Management, sought nominations from the Community Committee to the Inner West and Inner North West Housing Advisory Panels (HAP’s). One Ward Member from each of the Bramley & Stanningley and Armley wards was sought for the Inner West HAP with up to one Ward Member from the Kirkstall Ward sought for the Inner North West HAP.

In introducing the item, Councillor Venner referred to the recent fatal fire at Grenfell Tower, London and invited officers from Leeds City Council Resources & Housing to provide an update on the current situation in respect of Leeds’ high rise homes.

Lynne Hampshire, Patrick Gibbons (Corporate Fire Safety Manager) and David Longthorpe (Head of Housing Management) attended the meeting and provided an update and also reassurance, on the actions being taken since the Grenfell Tower fire:

·  Checks undertaken on the cladding systems used on 22 of Leeds’ blocks showed that none of the systems were comparable to those at Grenfell Tower.

·  Reassurance was also provided on the ‘compartmentation’ system used in Leeds high rise blocks, established in order to contain fires.

·  A fire safety leaflet had been drafted in conjunction with West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service and distributed to high rise residents on 16/6/17

Additionally, the Committee was provided with information on the work done throughout the year including daily inspections to identify and remove hazards along with detailed fire inspections undertaken on a rota basis.

Discussion followed on:

-  The ‘stay put if it is safe to do so’ advice to high rise tenants – to allow the emergency services access to stairwells;

-  How information is transmitted to tenants in the event of a fire/emergency and who takes responsibility for communication;

-  Whether future leaflets could be produced in accordance with Institute for the Blind Guidelines, although the committee appreciated that the production of the additional leaflet had been done at very short notice and in response to the Grenfell Tower fire;

-  Sprinkler installation, noting that installation had been prioritised for those 8 blocks housing elderly and/or vulnerable tenants; sprinklers were installed within every apartment in these blocks. In other blocks, sprinklers were installed in shared/communal areas particularly bin-chutes and storage;

-  Whether high rise housing was appropriate for elderly tenants or tenants with limited mobility;

-  Whether the WYFRS Firefly scheme was still in operation and could it be promoted – a reflective safety marker system fitted on the base of external/internal doors and door frames, to identify rooms where vulnerable people sleep which are visible to fire fighters in normal or low light levels and atmospheres with high concentrations of smoke or dust.

The Committee also received assurance that the current measures in place were sufficient and had been successful in the past at dealing with fires in high rise accommodation.

Additionally, in response to a query from Councillor Lowe regarding Burnsall Court, officers confirmed they were due to attend a meeting with residents on Friday 23^rd June 2017.

RESOLVED –

a)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The report of the City Solicitor invites Members to give consideration to appointing co-optees to the Community Committee for the duration of the 2017/2018 municipal year.

(Report attached)

The report of the City Solicitor invited Members to consider appointment of co-optees to the Community Committee for the duration of the 2017/18 Municipal Year.

The Inner West Community Committee had previously nominated 9 co-optees, 3 for each ward.

RESOLVED – That the Inner West Community Committee appointed the following co-optees to the Committee for the duration of 2017/18.

Armley Ward:- Hazel Boutle; Eric Bowes and Kim Frangos

Bramley Ward:- Annabel Gaskin; Stephen McBarron and Marvina Newton

Kirkstall Ward:- Sam Meadley and Mick Park. One vacancy

The report of the Area Leader, West North West is to update Members on the projects funded through the Inner West Wellbeing Fund and Youth Activities Fund budgets. It also presents new projects for approval.

The report also requests that the Community Committee review the minimum conditions as set out in the submitted report.

(Report attached)

The report of the West North West Area Leader updated the Members on the projects funded through the Inner West Wellbeing Fund and the Youth Activities Fund budgets. The report also presented new projects for consideration and sought consideration of the minimum conditions by which applications could be considered.

The total Wellbeing revenue allocation £141,226 for 2017/18 comprised of £128,500 award and carry forward from 2016/17 (split between the three wards as follows:  Armley: £46,062; Bramley & Stanningley: £55,214 and Kirkstall: £39,948).

In considering the applications, Members asked about capital funding granted in 2005/6 for the demolition of the former New Wortley Liberal Club. It had been agreed at the time that when this land was sold the capital investment would be returned to the Armley Councillors. Officers reassured Armley Members that as soon as a sale had taken place the money would be credited back to Armley.

RESOLVED –

a)  To note the minimum conditions set out for Wellbeing applications at paragraphs 1 & 2 of the submitted report

b)  To note the balance of the Wellbeing budget for 2017/18 as set out at paragraph 4 (Armley:£8,538; Bramley & Stanningley: £12,466 and Kirkstall: £10,504)

c)  That the new Wellbeing Applications outlined in paragraph 5 to 8 be approved as follows:

d)  Note the Capital Fund balance of £35,100.00 as detailed in paragraph 15 of the report

e)  Note the Youth Activities Fund balance of £36,887.00 as detailed in paragraphs 16 to 18

f)  To note the small grants approved since the last meeting as detailed at paragraphs 7 to 13

The report of The West North West Area Leader (Citizens and Communities) updates the Community Committee on the work of the sub groups of the Committee: Children and Young People and Environment.

This report updates the Committee on community events, local projects and partnership working that has taken place in the area since the last meeting.

(Report attached)

The West North West Area Leader submitted a report to update the Community Committee on the work of the sub groups of the Committee. The report also provided an update on community events, local projects and partnership working that had taken place in the area since the last meeting.

Children & Young People – Members noted that the date of the Children & Young People Event, proposed for 13^th October 2017 would be moved. It was agreed that the associated Community Committee workshop would be held on 29^th November 2017 – so that feedback from the Event could be presented.

Breeze 2017 – Dates for events in the locality were confirmed as:

16^th & 17^th August – Armley Park – Big Breeze

11^th August – Kirkstall Abbey Playing Fields  }

22^nd August – Bramley Park    } Mini Breeze

23^rd August – Jaily Fields, Armley  }

Bramley ward members noted the revised date for the Bramley Park event which they had asked to be held in July to link with the local festival. Discussion followed on the lack of consultation and information provided by the Breeze Team; particularly in light of publicity for last year’s event which arrived one day before the event itself. It was agreed that these concerns would be raised with the Team. Officers also undertook to check that publicity for the events was despatched to all local schools prior to the end of the summer school term.

Environment - Members noted the site visit undertaken to the RERF on 21^st April 2017

RESOLVED – To note the contents of the reports and discussions; and to note the key outcomes from the sub groups.

The next meeting of the Inner West Community Committee will be 11^th October 2017. The venue will be confirmed closer to the date.

RESOLVED – To note the date and time of the next meeting as 11^th October 2017.