Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR

Contact: Phil Garnett (0113) 39 51632  Email: phil.garnett@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

10.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

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 Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting.)

Minutes:

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

 

11.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, 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 so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following 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:-

Minutes:

There were no resolutions to exclude the public.

 

12.

Late Items

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

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

Minutes:

The Chair admitted one late item of business to the agenda.The report set out the process for nominating local authority governors to academies and free schools and was required at this meeting at the request of the Committee.

A copy of the report had been circulated to committee Members in advance of the meeting and published on the Council’s website.

13.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

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. 

Minutes:

No declarations were made.

 

14.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dawson, Leadley and Selby (Councillors Ingham, Gettings and M Dobson were in attendance as substitutes)

15.

Minutes - 7th July 2015 pdf icon PDF 154 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 7th July 2015.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – The minutes of the meeting held on 7th July 2015 were approved as a correct record.

 

16.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

Local Authority Appointments to Outside Bodies - members noted that officers had not needed to contact Leeds Mind regarding the possibility of an additional place for the Labour Group as the Group were happy with the Council having one place which has been allocated by this Committee to the Green Group. 

17.

Late Item - The process for nominating local authority governors to academies and free schools

Minutes:

Further to the meeting held on the 7th July 2015 the Governor Support Service Children’s Services submitted a report to the Committee informing Members of the legislative changes to the appointment of LA governors to academies and free schools, the current legislation for the allocation of local authority seats to particular political groups and recommending that a simpler appointment process be considered for the nomination/appointment of LA governors to academies and free schools.

 

Detailed discussion followed on this report, particularly in respect of the need for officers to have a dialogue with academies and free schools with a view to explaining the benefits of having Local Authority representatives serving on their Governing Bodies. 

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  That the report to modify the nomination/appointment of LA governors to Academies and free schools be supported and to note that the Member Management Committee would no longer act as the appointing body for such school types.

(b)  That the relevant officers within the Children’s Services Department carry out a piece of work that;

·  Will allow an understanding as to why academies and free schools currently do not have/want Local Authority representatives.

·  Will identify what could be done to encourage academies and free schools to appoint Local Authority representatives.

 

During discussion on the item above Councillor A Blackburn arrived at 3.10pm and Councillor Campbell arrived at 3.20pm.

 

 

18.

Members Mandatory Safeguarding Training pdf icon PDF 103 KB

To receive a report of the City Solicitor to outline the proposed safeguarding training and to seek approval of Member Management Committee to make the training mandatory for all Members. 

Minutes:

The City Solicitor submitted a report outlining the proposed safeguarding training and seeking approval of Member Management Committee to make the training mandatory for all Members. 

 

It was agreed by all members that training on safeguarding was something that all members should take part in, but members recognised that there were no sanctions available to full Council that could be used to require Member attendance.

 

However the Chair informed the Committee that the administration felt that this issue was of such significance that the training should be mandatory and enforced by whips via their internal group arrangements, not all Members were supportive of this approach and therefore as a compromise the word essential was agreed upon, and it was.

 

RESOLVED –

(a)  That safeguarding training for all members be deemed as essential for all Members, with take up by Members overseen by Group Whips. 

(b)  That a report be brought back to a meeting of this Committee setting out the detail of the training.

(c)  That further reports on the uptake of training be provided to Group Whips and Leaders. 

 

 

19.

Local Authority Appointments to Outside Bodies pdf icon PDF 103 KB

To receive a report of the City Solicitor which provides an update on the current position regarding Member appointments to outside bodies and seeks to confirm Member nominations to remaining vacancies.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The City Solicitor submitted a report which provided an update on the current position regarding member appointments to outside bodies; and sought to confirm Member nominations to remaining vacancies.

 

Members considered a number of issues in respect of appointment to Outside Bodies and:

 

 

RESOLVED –

 

a)  To note the current position in relation to elected member appointments to outside bodies.

b)  That the vacancy identified on the Private Rented Sector Forum be allocated to the Green Group.

c)  That the position in respect of appointments to the Leeds College of Building be noted.

d)  That the position in respect of appointments to IGEN be noted.

e)  That the position in respect of appointments to the Equality and BME Governor’s Network be noted.

f)  That the position in respect of appointments to Leeds Mind be noted.

g)  That the appointments made since July 2015 and set out in the report be noted.

20.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

3pm, Tuesday, 23rd February 2016.

Minutes:

3.00pm Tuesday 23rd February 2016.