Agenda and minutes

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.)

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents

There was no exempt information.

There were no late items on the agenda however there was a supplementary document published and circulated to members in relation to the Item in respect of New Locality Services (minute 86 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.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests.

Apologies were received from Councillor P. Gruen, Councillor T. Murray and Councillor K. Mitchell.

To approve the minutes of the East Outer Area Committee meeting held on 11^th February 2014

(minutes attached)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 11^th February 2014 be agreed as a correct record.

No matters were raised in the open forum.

To consider a report of the City Solicitor seeking agreement to dates, times and venues for the new Community Committee covering the East Outer area and the date for the meeting to elect a Chair for the 2014/2015 municipal year

(report attached)

Members considered the report of the City Solicitor detailing the Committee’s proposed meeting schedule for 2014/15. A discussion took place surrounding the dates, times and venue arrangements, and it was,

RESOLVED-

(a)   That the dates and times as detailed in the report be agreed.

(b)  That the four Community Committee’s meetings should be held in the Civic Hall, Leeds. 

(c)   That the date to elect a Chair for the 2014/2015 municipal year be agreed as Friday 6^th June 2014 at 11am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive Citizens and Communities providing information on priority work carried out in the East Outer area in recent weeks and providing minutes relating to forums, partnerships, sub-groups and Area Chairs meetings

(report attached)

Members considered a report of the East Outer Area Leader which set out the priority work carried out in the area over recent weeks. Appended to the report were minutes of forum, partnership and sub-group meetings and those of the Area Committee Chairs Meeting.

Thorpe Park

Members welcomed representatives of Scarborough Developments and a Planning Officer to provide an update on the proposals for a major retail-led scheme at Thorpe Park. Members were thanked for their continuous support and guidance in respect of the scheme.

Members were informed that Scarborough Developments had confirmed a key business for the Thorpe Park expansion was joined up with Surgical Innovations and that this will bring apprenticeship opportunities and specialist jobs to the area.

Members discussed the continuous work that is on-going with local schools and clusters to ensure that young adults have the correct skills to apply for such jobs and are aware of the opportunities. A discussion took place regarding a planning application that should be determined in May 2014 for a new road that will be a direct route through Thorpe Park with a bridge that will be built over the road.

Meetings have been arranged with Pedestrian Action Groups and advanced discussions are taking place. Members will receive regular updates at future Committee Meetings.

Area Leads

The meeting of the Area Lead Members was held on the 13^th March 2014 and members agreed it was a success and that regular updates would be provided.

Naming New Committee

As part of the Area Working Review, elected members have been asked to consider and agree a place-based name for their new community committee, so that the new committees can be formally constituted at the Council’s AGM on 9^th June 2014. It was agreed that members will email their suggestions to the Chair and to Area Support.

Community Safety

Chief Inspector Nick Adams from West Yorkshire Police gave members a verbal update regarding The Programme of Change which has been introduced to improve force performance and transform the way services are delivered. Members were informed that each ward will now have a named manager and that there shall be a greater focus at ward level, also that the skill sets of Police have changed significantly and that there are now just three Chief Inspector’s across Leeds. West Yorkshire Police want to work with the authority to ensure that communities are safe. Councillor M. Harland was thanked by West Yorkshire Police and Safer Leeds for her support as an Area Lead Member.

RESOLVED-

(a) That members note the content of the report.

(b) That members would provide the Chair and the Area Lead Officers with suggestions on a place based name for their new community committee.

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services providing information on performance data and issues within the East Outer area

(report attached)

The Director of Children’s Services attended the meeting and was joined by  Martyn Stenton, the  Area Head of Targeted Services - SE Leeds,and together they presented a report which provided an update on local outcomes for young people in the East Outer Area.

Members were informed that there had been a restructure in Children’s Services and a configuration of the Clusters. The Lead Member for Children’s Services commented that the Cluster issue was improving and that good progress was being made. It was noted that the report templates used by Children’s Services were much more user friendly than they had been in the past.

Members were also informed that there had been an increase in persistent absence in the area and that the NEET figure had risen. There had also been a reduction in the take up of free school meals, and this is something that will be discussed in more detail at the next Children’s Services Update.

RESOLVED-

 (a) That the local priorities that have been agreed with the local Lead Member for Children’s Services in addition to the Children’s Services obsessions be endorsed.

(b) That the basic need workshops will be used to provide local intelligence for consideration in school place planning, and instruct officers on improved methods of member engagement in school place planning.

(c) To promote igen and the Leeds Pathways website to NEET young people/their families

To consider a report of the Director of Public Health outlining the action being taken to discharge the statutory responsibilities of the Council to lead and deliver the public health agenda and to inform the Area Committee of the current position and future progess regarding public health work in the East Outer area

(report attached)

Victoria Eaten and Bash Uppal attended the meeting to provide members with feedback on public health information for the Outer East Area that included the new duties to be undertaken by Leeds City Council to provide local leadership for public health.

Members noted that there were five mandated services which had been transferred to the local authority:

•Protecting the health of the local population.

•Ensuring NHS commissioners receive the public health advice they need.

•Appropriate access to sexual health services.

•The National Child Measurement programme.

• NHS Health Check

The Public Health Team will be working with local GP services and will progress ideas with the Area Lead member for Health and Wellbeing, Councillor A. McKenna.

It was also noted that the female admission rates for alcohol related hospital admission was relatively high in the Outer East and that the Public Health Team were looking into restricting high strength alcohol in ‘hotspot’ areas as well as takeaway food ‘free zones’ around schools. More work is to be done around health checks, fuel poverty, domestic violence, women’s health groups and mental health.

Members further noted that there was no mention of diabetes in the report and that this should be included in the Health Workshop that will take place before the end of the year, as well as the need for GP’s to be present at the workshop.

The East Outer Area Committee thanked the Public Health Team for the work they have done, especially at ward level.

RESOLVED-

(a) That the changes in terms of Leeds City Council’s responsibility around public health be noted.

(b) That members recognise and support the Area Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing and make suggestions for future development of the public health agenda.

(c) That a Health Workshop be arranged.

(Councillors K. Wakefield, J. Lewis and P. Grahame left the meeting at the conclusion of this item)

To consider a report of Director of Environment and Housing providing an update on proposed changes to the operating model and structure of Environmental Action Service Locality Teams to deliver zonally based services and the process for developing the Service Level Agreements with Area Committees for 2014/15

(report attached)

Members considered the report of the Director of Environment and Housing which gave an update on proposed changes to the operating model and structure of Environmental Action Service Locality Teams to deliver zonally based services.

Tom Smith informed members that the zonal based service would deliver all services through a multi-skilled team of people and that there would now be a named contact in each zone.

 Environmental Action Services proposed to move to a zonally based service delivering all the services described above through a multi-skilled team of people.

The service would be directly responsible for all current aspects of Locality Team street cleansing services (excluding gully cleansing) as set out in the Service Level Agreement:

•Manual litter picking

•Litter bin emptying

•Mechanical path & road sweeping

•Flytipping removal

•Graffiti removal

•Needle removal

•Ginnel clearance

•Cleaning of arterial routes

•Cleaning around recycling (e.g. bottle banks) facilities

•Leaf clearing

In addition to the above in future Locality teams would also be responsible for:

•Scheduled bulky waste collections

•Void garden clearances (responsibility for clearing the interior of void houses will remain with Housing Leeds)

•Maintenance of Housing Leeds land and estates.

Members were informed that ward based workshop sessions are in place to cover the three main issues:

•Review SLA priority areas;

•Consult on proposals for resources in each zonal area based on an analysis of need;

•Consult on proposals for future waste management arrangements for areas where fortnightly black bin collections will not be implemented.

RESOLVED-

(a) That the proposals for a new working model for Locality Team Services be noted.

(b) Members agreed to consult on proposals for changes to the Locality Team operating model, the priorities within the SLA for 2014/15 and proposals for future waste management arrangements.

(Councillor M.Lyons left the meeting during the consideration of this item)

To consider a report of the Chief Officer Parks and Countryside providing an area profile of key assets and services provided in the East Outer area, together with information on the current progress towards Leeds Quality Park status for community parks in the area; details of improvements undertaken and proposed as well as information on events and volunteering

(report attached)

The Chief Officer for Parks and Countryside submitted a report providing the East Outer Area Committee with an area profile of key assets and services provided in the area.

Kris Nenadic, Parks Operations Manager, was in attendance and informed members of the improvements that had taken place in community parks in 2013, they were as follows:

•Manston Park – New signage (Barnbow Lasses)

•Barley Hill Park – Playground refurbishment, pitch drainage ongoing

•Temple Newsam – De-silting of lakes, new farm yard playground

•Whinmoor Park – Path resurfacing

•The Staithes – Infrastructure works

•Methley, Church Lane – Changing facility (2 teams)

The planned and proposed improvements for the next 12 months were:

•Whinmoor Park – sports courts to be resurfaced.

•Manston Park – New tennis courts, refurbished playground and outdoor gym

•Fieldhead Carr – Play area

•Skelton Woods – Development of orchard

•Kippax Meadows – Signage

•Kippax – Proposal for a skate park within the area

•Great & Little Preston – proposals developed for Glencoe, Hollinghurst Wood and Parish Meadow.

Members were told that the success of 2013 had been the work carried out with apprenticeships and that Groundwork Partnerships had funded an additional year of this at Temple Newsam.

RESOLVED- To note the content of the report and to communicate priorities for investment in community parks, playing pitches and fixed play facilities.

To receive a report of the Assistant Director Citizens and Communities presenting the completed 2013/14 Area Committee Annual Business Plan and to consider new priorities for 2014/15

(report attached)

The Area Improvement Manager presented the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) which highlighted the priorities agreed by the Area Committee in September 2013.

Members were asked to sign off the business plan for 2013/14 and to consider the new priorities and objectives that were set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

RESOLVED-

(a) That the business plan for 2013/14 be signed off.

(b) That the new priorities for 2014/15 be considered and note that they will be considered at the first meeting of the new municipal year.

Friday 6^th June 2014 at 11.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds

The next meeting was scheduled for Friday 6^th June at 11am in the Civic Hall, Leeds, LSI 1UR. Members noted that this meeting was primarily scheduled to elect the Chair for the 2014/15 municipal year.