Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the July meeting of North East (Outer) Area Committee.

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

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

There were no formal late items of business to consider, however the Chair agreed to accept the following as supplementary information:-

• North East (Outer) Area Committee – Minutes of the meetings held on 19^th March 2012 and 10^th May 2012 (Agenda Item 7) (Minute 6 refers)
• Open House (79/81 Lingfield Drive) – Report of the East North East Area Leader (Agenda Item 13) (Minute 12 refers)
• Wellbeing Fund – Late request for funding from Moor Allerton Care Centre (Methodist Homes Association) (Agenda Item 13) (Minute 13  refers)

The documents were not available at the time of the agenda despatch, but subsequently made available to the public on the Council’s website.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors A Castle and R Procter.

The Chair informed the meeting that apologies had also been received from Rory Barke, East North East Area Leader; Inspector N Hunter, West Yorkshire Police and Beverley Yearwood, Area Community Safety Co-ordinator, Environment and Neighbourhoods.

The Committee noted that Sharon Hughes, East North East Area Improvement Manager was deputising for the East North East Area Leader.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-18 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.  Also to declare any other significant interests which the Member wishes to declare in the public interest, in accordance with paragraphs 19-20 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests made at the meeting.

However, a other significant interest was declared later in the meeting under the Well-being Fund Budget (Minute 13 refers).

In accordance with Paragraphs 6.24 and 6.25 of the Area 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 Area 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.

In accordance with paragraphs 6.24 and 6.25 of the Area Committee Procedure Rules, the Chair allowed a period of up to 10 minutes for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Area Committee. 

On this occasion, there were no matters raised under this item by members of the public.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 19^th March 2012 and 10^th May 2012.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meetings held on 19^th March 2012 and 10^th May 2012 be confirmed as a correct record.

a)  Matters Arising from the Minutes – Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Area Profiles (Minute 89 c) refers)

The Chair enquired if any progress had been made in relation to this issue.

Sharon Hughes, Area Improvement Manager responded and confirmed that the East North East Area Leader did meet with Mr N Richardson, Director of Children’s Services on this issue. Proposals around joint working were discussed and Ms Hughes agreed to circulate details to the Area Committee in due course.

b)  Children’s Services Performance Report (Minute 90 refers)

Councillor A Lamb referred to the above issue and enquired if any progress had been made on this issue.

Sharon Hughes, Area Improvement Manager responded and agreed to follow up this issue with the East North East Area Leader with a report back on progress at the next meeting.

  c)  Proposals to develop Integrated Health and Social Care teams (Minute

  92 refers)

  Councillor N Buckley referred to the above issue and enquired if this

  related to proposals for a surgery on King Lane.

On behalf of the Area Committee, Councillor P Harrand responded

and confirmed that this was issue part of a wider picture with ongoing proposals currently being discussed..

 d)  Environmental Services – Consultation on the 2012/13 Service Level 

Agreement (Minute 94 refers)

Councillor N Buckley referred to the above issue and enquired if contractors had attended any Parish Council meetings to explain the new arrangements relating to the grass cutting contract.

John Woolmer, East North East Locality Manager, Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate responded and confirmed that their attendance was only at the request of each Parish Council. The Contractor had given a willingness to attend these meetings and had attended the Wetherby and Harewood Town and Parish Council Forum.

e)  Well-being Fund Capital and Revenue Budgets (Minute 96 refers)

The Chair informed the meeting that the East North East Homes Area Panel had agreed to further funding in relation to WISE and Tempo fm.

To consider a report of the Chief Officer (Democratic and Central Services) outlining the Area Committee’s role in relation to Elected Member Appointments to Outside Bodies and requests the meeting to determine the appointments to those organisations which fall into the Committee to make an appointment in accordance with the submitted schedule.

The Chief Officer (Democratic and Central Services) submitted a report outlining the Area Committee’s role in relation to Elected Member Appointments to Outside Bodies and requested the meeting to determine the appointments to those organisations which fall into the Committee to make an appointment in accordance with the submitted schedule.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

• Appointments to Outside Bodies Procedure Rules (Appendix 1 refers)
• Area Committee Appointments to Outside Bodies Schedule (North East Inner) (Appendix 2 refers)
• Decision Notice of the Charity Commission in relation to the Lady Elizabeth Hastings‘ Charities (Appendix  3 refers)

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That approval be given to the following annual appointments for 2012/13:-

Outside Body  Appointee

Aberford Almshouse Trust  Councillor M Robinson

  (Four year appointment until 2016)

East North East ALMO  Councillor N Buckley

  Area Panel   Councillor G Wilkinson

c)  That this Committee notes the recent decision of the Charity 

  Commission to agree a new Charity Scheme for the Lady Elizabeth

  Hastings’ Charities and the impact this has had on Council’s ability to  

  appoint a local elected Councillor to the charity.

d)  That a letter be sent, on behalf of the Chair, to the Directors of the

Lady Elizabeth Hastings’ Charities expressing this Committee’s concern that there was no local elected Councillor on the new company.

To consider a report of the North East Divisional Community Safety Partnership updating the meeting on the overall performance of the North East Divisional Community Safety Partnership and Neighbourhood Policing Teams for 2011/12.

The report also provides an overview of the work undertaken by the partnership within the locality to reduce crime and disorder.

The North East Divisional Community Safety Partnership submitted a report updating the meeting on the overall performance of the North East Divisional Community Safety Partnership and Neighbourhood Policing Teams for 2011/12.

The report also provided an overview of the work undertaken by the partnership within the locality to reduce crime and disorder.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

• North East Police Divisional Targets (Appendix 1 refers)
• Structure chart for the North East Divisional Community Safety Partnership (Appendix 2 refers)
• Summary of POCA projects funded in the Outer North East area (Appendix 3 refers)

John Woolmer, East North East Locality Manager, Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate presented the report and responded to Members’ queries and comments.

Inspector P Dwyer, West Yorkshire Police was also in attendance and provided the meeting with background details.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report and appendices.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• Clarification of the operations and procedures undertaken with regards to the reduction of drugs supply in the prison service and whether or not they were successful

(Inspector Dwyer responded and commented on the internal and external procedures that were undertaken within the police force. Members noted that the Prison Service was the lead agency on reducing drugs in prison. He informed the meeting that the police took the issue seriously and offered support in line with their agreement between the West Yorkshire Police Service and the Prison Service)

• To welcome the fact that the Boston Spa youth club had been launched as a partnership activity
• Clarification of the hate crime figures in Wetherby and whether or not they were racist incidents
• To welcome the reduction in Anti Social Behaviour and to congratulate the police on their work undertaken in Wetherby
• Clarification of the reasons behind a drop in the burglary dwelling/burglary other figures within the three wards and how the crimes were classified
• Clarification of the procedures in place for increasing the awareness of burglary initiatives
• Clarification of the POCA funding allocation and the need to encourage more applications from within the three wards

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and agreed to obtain a full analysis from the Area Community Safety Officer for disseminating to Area Committee Members for their information/retention)

RESOLVED-

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted and welcomed.

b)  That this Committee continues to support the Divisional Community Safety Partnership in relation to prioritising and tackling Burglary Dwelling during 2011/12 through partnership work at neighbourhood level in accordance with the report now submitted.

To consider a report of the East North East Area Leader providing the meeting with an update of the work undertaken in the east north east to support the work of the citywide welfare reform strategy.

The report also sets out the actions developed focussing on the east north east ensuring that customers, service providers and stakeholders are prepared for and are able to respond to, the issues and requirements arising from the welfare reform strategy.

The East North East Area Leader submitted a report providing the meeting with an update of the work undertaken in the east north east to support the work of the citywide welfare reform strategy.

The report also highlighted the actions developed focussing on the east north east ensuring that customers, service providers and stakeholders were prepared for and are able to respond to, the issues and requirements arising from the welfare reform strategy.

Appended to the report was a copy of the timetable for welfare reform and cuts in benefits for the information/comment of the meeting.

Sharon Hughes, East North East Area Improvement Manager presented the report and responded to Members’ queries and comments.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• Clarification if vulnerable people would be affected by removing the option of having benefits paid direct to landlords

(The Area Improvement Manager responded and confirmed that this group of people would not be affected under the welfare reform strategy)

• The concerns expressed that many people would go into arrears
• The concerns expressed that the report failed to address such positive issues such as working initiatives, skills or part-time employment and with a requirement for the Area Committee to receive more information on the number of people affected, where they were and on the skills strategy to support them as opposed to being on benefit

(The Area Improvement Manager responded and agreed to include this detail within the next update report and to illustrate what other work was going on with Jobs and Skills)

• Clarification of the date when the strategy would be making an impact and the need for the Area Committee to see a previous Executive Board report on this issue which covered the proposals in greater detail

(The Area Improvement Manager responded and confirmed that it would be September 2012 when the strategy would be making an impact)

• The concerns expressed that 5,000 people would be affected by the proposals
• Clarification of the under occupancy procedures in place
• Clarification of how successful the voluntary, community and faith sector event was on 27^th June 2012

(The Area Improvement Manager responded and outlined the theme of the event. She agreed to forward a spread sheet to Area Committee Members showing the groups who attended)

• The need to acknowledge that Aire Valley Homes covered other parts of the Harewood ward and that this element should have been incorporated within the context of the report

(The Area Improvement Manager responded and agreed to address the work being undertaken by Aire Valley Homes in future reports)

• Clarification of the figures in paragraph 3.3 of the report in relation to the DWP letters issued to households effected by the new benefits cap and the need for the area Committee to see a breakdown of the figures for each ward

(The Area Improvement Manager responded and agreed to forward this information to Area Committee Members in due course)

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To consider a report of the Manager of Street Cleansing and Enforcement (ENE Locality) on progress in relation to the Environmental Service Level Agreement.

The East North East Locality Manager, Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate submitted a report in relation to the Environmental Service Level Agreement for 2012/13.

Appended to the report was a copy of the following document for the information/comment of the meeting:-

‘Outer North East Area Committee – Services Level Agreement 2012/13 – Delegation of Environmental Services’

John Woolmer, East North East Locality Manager, Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate presented the report and responded to Members’ queries and comments.

For the benefit of the meeting, the new issues in relation to the Service Level Agreement were highlighted.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• Clarification if there was an underspend or overspend in relation to the ENE Locality Team – Budget for 2011/12 (Appendix B refers)

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and informed the meeting that he did not have the final position yet for 2011/12, but he was confident that the budget was on target with possibly a very limited overspend. He agreed to supply Area Committee Members with a copy of the specific details in due course)

• Clarification of the past pension costs as referred to in Appendix B of the report

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and informed the meeting that this could relate to a corporate figure supplied by the Finance Section and there were no plans to delegate this budget/cost. He agreed to obtain more information on this issue)

• Clarification of the fleet and transport costs and whether or not the hire and repair costs in relation to a path sweeper were correct

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and confirmed that the costs were correct. He agreed to provide a breakdown of the £170,000 fleet hire costs to Area Committee Members in relation to value for money and confirmed that the current interim contract was due to end in 2012 and that looking at value for money and other options would be part of the procurement process for a future longer term contract)

• The need for drivers to be fully trained when driving sweepers to avoid any un-necessary repair costs

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and acknowledged this suggestion)

• Clarification of the range of activities that were enforced by Enforcement Staff

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and outlined the range of activities that were highlighted on page 80 of the document)

• A suggestion to incorporate Planning enforcement within the Environmental Services team

(The East North East Locality Manager responded and welcomed any moves to look at services becoming more locality based/accountable and learning from the experience and successes of the Environmental Services enforcement delegation. It was agreed to discuss this further at the Ward Member meetings)

• Clarification if a cost benefit analysis had been undertaken for the procurement of road sweepers

(The East North East Locality Manager responded an agreed to look into this issue)

• Clarification of the procedure for the removal of overgrown vegetarian on path ways
• Clarification if litter picking  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To consider a report of the East North East Area Leader on the latest developments in relation to Open House.

(Report to follow)

The East North East Area Leader submitted a report on the current position regarding the Open House Community Centre, 78/81 Lingfield Drive.

Carole Clark, East North East Area Officer presented the report and responded to Members’ comments and queries.

The Chair also allowed Mr I Greenburg, Lingfield Tenants and Residents Association who was in attendance to make representations on this issue.

Discussion ensued on the contents of the report and appendices.

Arising from discussions, the Alwoodley Ward Members informed the meeting that they were currently awaiting more details in relation to the peppercorn rent.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report be noted.

b)  That the Alwoodley Ward Members be requested to meet with the East

  North East Area Leader and the Director of Environment and

  Neighbourhoods to discuss the peppercorn rent with a view to bringing 

  this issue to a satisfactory conclusion.

To consider a report of the East North East Area Leader providing Members with an update on the current position of the capital and revenue well being budget for the Area Committee and highlighting the applications made for consideration by the Area Committee.

The East North East Area Leader submitted a report providing Members with an update on the current position of the capital and revenue well being budget for the Area Committee and highlighting the applications made for consideration by the Area Committee.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

• Outer North East Area Committee Well-Being Budget 2012-13 (Appendix 1 refers)
• Outer North East Wellbeing Fund Monitoring Reports (Appendix 2 refers)
• Capital allocated at North East (Outer) Area Committee (Appendix 3 refers)

The late request for funding from the Moor Allerton Care Centre (Methodist Homes Association) was also circulated at the meeting for consideration.

Carole Clark, East North East Area Officer presented the report and responded to Members’ comments and queries.

Detailed discussion ensued on the contents of the report and appendices.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That this Committee notes the spend to date and current balances for the 2012/13 financial year in accordance with the report now submitted.

c)  That the following projects be dealt with as follows:-

d)  That the East North East Area Leader be requested to clarify with West Yorkshire Police the current position with regards to the continuing use of their land rovers with a report back on progress at the next meeting.

e)  That in relation to the Open House project, the East North East Area Leader be requested to set aside the monies required for future discussion.

f)  That in relation to the remaining capital allocation of £284 from the Wetherby ward, this issue be discussed further at the next Ward Members meeting with a report back on the outcome at the next Area Committee meeting.

(Councillor P Harrand declared a other significant interest in his capacity as a Member on the Management Committee who were responsible for the running of Treetops Community Centre. He took no part in the discussion or voting thereon)

To consider a report of the East North East Area Leader seeking the Area Committee’s approval for the 2012/13 priorities.

The East North East Area Leader submitted a report seeking the Area Committee’s approval for the 2012/13 priorities.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

• Performance Plan (Quarter 1) (Appendix 1 refers)
• Localism Project Plan: Update July 2012 (Appendix 2 refers)

Carole Clark, East North East Area Officer presented the report and responded to Members’ comments and queries.

Discussion ensued on the contents of the report and appendices.

Members sought clarification on where the detail contained within the report would be reported to next and identification of the responsible officer for this process.

Sharon Hughes, Area Improvement Manager responded and informed the meeting that, to her knowledge, the detail would be included within a report to be presented to a future Executive Board meeting via the Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance).

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That approval be given to the revised Area Committee priorities in accordance with the report now submitted.

c)  That approval be given to the three key priorities and to note the framework for reporting these as outlined in the report.

d)  That the update from the Localism Officer be noted and welcomed.

e)  That the East North East Area Leader be requested to make further 

  enquiries in relation to the reporting mechanism of the detail contained

within the report and to e mail Area Committee Members on the  outcome.

To consider a report of the East North East Area Leader providing the Area Committee with the minutes from the meeting of the Wetherby and Harewood Town and Parish Council Fora a held on 19^th January 2012 and 19^th April 2012.

The East North East Area Leader submitted a report providing the Area Committee with the minutes from the meeting of the Wetherby and Harewood Town and Parish Council Forum a held on 19^th January 2012 and 19^th April 2012.

Appended to the report was a copy of the notes of the Harewood and Wetherby Town and Parish Council Forum held on 19^th January 2012 and 19^th April 2012 for the information/comment of the meeting.

RESOLVED -

a)  That the contents of the report of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That the issues raised be noted and through this Area Committee, the Parish Council Forum be supported in resolving those issues.

c)  That the East North East Area Leader be requested to invite one of the new Sports Development Officers to attend the Ward Member meetings following a recent restructuring exercise.

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) on the Area Chairs Forum minutes held on 13^th January 2012.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) submitted a report on the Area Chairs Forum minutes held on 13^th January 2012.

Appended to the report was a copy of the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th January 2012 for the information/comment of the meeting.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That this Committee notes the contents of Area Chairs Forum minutes

  held on 13^th January 2012.

Monday 10^th September 2012 at 6.00pm at Boston Spa Village Hall, High Street, Boston Spa, Leeds 23.

MAP OF TODAY’S MEETING

East Keswick Village Hall, School Lane, East Keswick, Leeds LS17 9DA.

Monday 10^th September 2012 at 6.30pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

(The meeting concluded at 8.15pm)