Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed all in attendance to the September meeting of the South (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)

In accordance with his powers under Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman admitted to the agenda a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods entitled, ‘Car Parking – Morley’ (Minute No. 36 refers).

The report had been unavailable at the time of the agenda despatch and due to the timescales involved, Members needed to determine the proposal for funding, as detailed within the report, prior to the next scheduled meeting of the Area Committee.

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct

Councillors Dunn, Grayshon, Renshaw, Wilson, Finnigan, Leadley and Gettings all declared personal interests in relation to agenda item 11 entitled, ‘Outer South Area Committee Wellbeing Budget Report’, due to their respective positions as governors of local Primary Schools in the area (Minute No. 29 refers).

Councillor Grayshon declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 10 entitled, ‘Scatcherd Park War Memorial’, as he had initially requested that Parks and Countryside investigated the possibility of restoring the war memorial (Minute No. 28 refers).

A further declaration of interest was made at a later point in the meeting (Minute No. 31 refers).

To receive any apologies for absence from the meeting

Apologies for absence from the meeting were received on behalf of   Councillor L Mulherin (maternity) and Councillor S Smith.

To confirm as a correct record the attached minutes of the previous meeting held on 2^nd July 2007

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous South (Outer) Area Committee meeting held on 2^nd July 2007 be approved as a correct record, subject to Minute No. 3 being amended to read, ‘Councillor Beverley - Personal Interest - Due to a member of his family being an Elected Member of Morley Town Council’.

Agenda Item 13 – Wellbeing Budget – West Yorkshire Police Community Safety Proposals – (Minute No. 11 refers)

Having received an update on this issue, Members sought further clarification on whether all community based events in Outer South Leeds, regardless of their nature and geographical location would be policed without charge. In response, Members were advised that although an agreement to this had been received, further clarification would be sought.

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 Chairman allowed a period of up to ten minutes for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Area Committee.

Ward Forums

A Member of Drighlington Parish Council raised concerns over the possible formation of Ward Forums in the area, an issue which was to be considered later in the meeting. Having emphasised the considerable efforts which had been made by the Parish Council to improve the area, he feared that the formation of such Forums may limit the role of the Parish Council in the local decision making process.

Members then discussed several issues which related to the proposed establishment of Ward Forums in the area.

Ragwort

A local resident raised concerns over the growing problem of Ragwort across the city. Having commented upon what he believed to be the legal obligations of the Local Authority in this area, he enquired whether the Area Committee would consider the possibility of providing financial support towards the cost of addressing this issue in Outer South Leeds.

In response, the Committee noted that the resident’s concerns, made reference to the Council’s legal position, stated that the issue of Ragwort was to be considered by Executive Board on 11^th September 2007, and that it would be inappropriate for the Area Committee to comment upon this issue further, until the outcome of Executive Board’s deliberations were known.

(Councillor Golton joined the meeting at 4.15 p.m., during the consideration of this item)

To receive a report from the Chief Recreation Officer which provides Members with background information concerning the development of Rothwell Country Park, updates the Committee on the current situation at the site and advises Members of proposed future developments

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

The Chief Recreation Officer submitted a report updating Members on the developments which had taken place at Rothwell Country Park, and advised the Committee of the plans for further development in the future.

Following a brief summary of the key issues detailed within the report from Steve   Bumby, Parks Area Manager for South Leeds, a discussion ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  Members welcomed the report on Rothwell Country Park and emphasised the need for the park to establish a management strategy which would enable the site to be developed further;

·  The Committee highlighted the possibility of utilising Section106 monies to assist with the park’s development, and proposed that other sources of funding which may be available for this purpose could be pursued;

·  Members discussed the geographical location of the park, highlighted the need to improve security measures on site and noted the positive impact that a possible link to other sites, such as the Lower Aire Valley, could have upon Rothwell Country Park.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted.

(Councillor Elliott joined the meeting at 4.25 p.m., during the consideration of this item)

To consider a report from the Chief Recreation Officer which updates Members on the environmental improvements to Rothwell Pastures which has been partly funded by the Area Committee

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

A report was submitted by the Chief Recreation Officer updating Members on the environmental improvements made to Rothwell Pastures, which had been partly funded by the Area Committee.

Following a brief summary of the key issues detailed within the report from Mandy Spry, Wildlife and Countryside Manager, Members acknowledged the installation of the dam, but   raised concerns over the extent to which other environmental improvements had been completed.

The Committee highlighted dog fouling as a particular problem on site, and stated that much of the area surrounding the dam had become overgrown. Members then discussed the procedures in place to tackle such instances of overgrown foliage.

In response to Members’ enquiries, the Committee was advised of the extent to which local schools and community groups had been involved in the project.

At the conclusion of the discussion, a local Ward Member for Rothwell offered to guide a representative of the Parks and Countryside Division around the site in order to illustrate his concerns.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted.

To receive a report from the Chief Recreation Officer which invites the Area Committee to consider a request for the Area Committee to contribute £10,000 capital Wellbeing funding to the £21,180 required to restore Scatcherd Park War Memorial

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

The Committee considered a report from the Chief Recreation Officer which invited Members to consider a request for the Area Committee to contribute £10,000.00 capital Wellbeing funding towards the £21,180.00 required to restore Scatcherd Park War Memorial.

Having received an overview of the report from Steve Bumby, Parks Area Manager for South Leeds, Members emphasised the time and effort which had been invested in this project to date, and paid tribute to all those who had been involved.

The Committee then noted the successful restoration of the war memorial in Rothwell, and emphasised the fact that such memorials were as relevant today as they had been when they were first erected.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the contents of the report be noted;

(b). That £10,000.00 capital funding be allocated from the Area Committee’s Wellbeing budget towards the restoration of the Scatcherd Park War Memorial.

To consider a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which updates Members on both the revenue and capital elements of the Committee’s Wellbeing budget, invites Members to determine the capital and revenue proposals as detailed within the report and provides the Committee with a monitoring update on capital projects funded by the Area Committee Wellbeing budget

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report which updated Members on both the capital and revenue elements of the Committee’s Wellbeing budget, gave a progress report on the capital and revenue projects which had been commissioned to date, invited Members to determine the proposal for Wellbeing funding as detailed within the  report, and provided the Committee with a monitoring update on the capital projects previously funded by the Area Committee.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report, which includes the current position statement of the Area Committee’s Wellbeing budget (including the additional £50,000.00 revenue allocation), details of both the revenue and capital projects agreed to date and a monitoring update on the capital projects previously funded by the Area Committee, be noted;

(b). That £500.00 revenue funding from the Area Committee’s 2007/08 budget and £500.00 revenue funding from the Committee’s 2008/09 budget be allocated towards the proposal received from the Partnership of Outer South Primary Schools entitled, ‘Outer South Primary Schools Mini Tennis Scheme’.

To consider a report from the Director of City Development and the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which provides the Committee with information relating to Conservation Areas and recommends an approach towards Conservation Area Reviews

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

A joint report was submitted by the Director of City Development and the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which provided the Committee with detailed information relating to Conservation Areas, and which recommended to Members an approach towards Conservation Area Reviews.

Members received an overview of the key issues detailed within the report from Rob Murphy, Senior Conservation Officer, and noted that Executive Board had identified Conservation Area Reviews as one of a possible two ways to spend the additional £50,000.00 from General Fund Reserves which had been allocated to each Area Committee. Members were recommended, that due to the pressure of site development work within City Development, to nominate Morley for immediate review, with Rothwell as the next priority.

A question and answer session then ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  Members suggested that consideration was given to alternative ways in which Conservation Area Reviews could be undertaken in Outer South Leeds;

·  Clarification was sought on the parameters established by Executive Board on how the additional £50,000.00 allocation to Area Committees could be spent;

·  The Committee discussed the lack of progress which had been made to date on the Morley Town Centre Conservation Area;

·  Having sought assurances on the resources which would be made available to complete any reviews commissioned by the Area Committee, Members received a breakdown of how the £15,000.00 required for a consultant to undertake a review would be allocated;

·  With regard to the list of conservation areas appended to the report, the Committee made enquiries into the number of reviews undertaken each year, the number of conservation areas already appraised and the number which were currently under review;

·  Members sought information on the criteria used to identify new conservation areas. In response, the Committee was advised that although the criteria was available on the Council’s website, the present exercise was only concerned with the review of existing conservation areas, because they needed written appraisal.

In conclusion, it was proposed that a further report was submitted to the November meeting of the Area Committee which identified the range of options available to each Ward in respect of spending the additional £50,000.00 revenue allocated from Executive Board to the Committee’s Wellbeing budget.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That any decisions on this issue be deferred, pending a further report being submitted to the November Area Committee meeting which identifies all of the options available to each Ward in respect of spending the additional £50,000.00 revenue allocated from Executive Board. 

To receive a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which outlines the role of Ward Forums as a way of ensuring that the Area Committee is engaging with all sectors of the local community. The report also invites Members to consider the possibility of Area Management conducting a consultation exercise with all interested parties in order to determine the level of support in the area for the formation of Ward Forums

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/10 mins discussion)

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report which outlined the role of Ward Forums as a way of ensuring that the Area Committee engaged with all sectors of the local community. The report also invited Members to consider the possibility of Area Management conducting a consultation exercise with all interested parties, in order to determine the level of support in the area for the formation of Ward Forums.

Having received a summary of the report, a question and answer session ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  Members enquired whether the formation of such bodies would enable a reduction in the volume of multiple meetings which currently took place;

·  The Committee discussed the status of the proposed Forums, and the level of officer attendance at such meetings;

·  Members acknowledged the valuable role played by Ward Forums in other areas of the city, but indicated that the geography of local communities was not always consistent with Ward boundaries;

·  Members highlighted the vital role played by the local town and parish councils in the area, in addition to the significant number of community groups which currently operated in Outer South Leeds;

·  The Committee then emphasised the importance of localised decision making, and highlighted the fact that currently there was no formal structure to enable issues which affected the whole of the area to be formally considered at a local level;

·  Members then discussed the methods which would be used to consult with local organisations on the proposed formation of Ward Forums.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That officers of the Area Management Team undertake a brief consultation exercise with those interested parties listed in paragraph 6.3 of the report, in order to determine the level of support for Ward Forums in the area.

(Councillor Gettings declared a personal interest in relation to this item, due to his wife being Chairperson of Gildersome Parish Council)

To consider a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which provides Members with a summary of the work of the Town Centre Management Project in Morley and Rothwell since April 2007, details recent progress and gives Members the opportunity to explore the work of the project and request further information if required

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/10 mins discussion)

Members received a report from the Director of Environment and Housing which provided the Committee with a summary of the work which had been undertaken as part of the Town Centre Management Project in Morley and Rothwell since April 2007.

Having received a brief summary of the key issues detailed within the report, Members paid tribute to the progress which he had made by Peter Mudge, in his role as Town Centre Manager

RESOLVED – That the report and information appended to the report be noted.

(Councillor Gettings left the meeting at 6.00 p.m., during the consideration of this item)

To consider a report from the Chief Community Safety Officer which provides Members with information on West Yorkshire Police’s current community contact points, summarises good practice and invites the Area Committee to suggest further potential contact points, and to support the use of Council premises if these are so identified

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

A report was submitted by the Chief Community Safety Officer which informed Members of West Yorkshire Police’s current community contact points and invited the Area Committee to suggest any additional locations for further contact points in the area.

Members discussed the effectiveness of community contact points, welcomed the presence of Police Community Safety Officers (PCSOs) at local residents’ meetings, and enquired whether more senior representatives of the Police could attend such meetings in the future. In response, the Area Manager undertook to pursue this issue.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That Members be invited to forward any further suitable community contact points to the South Leeds Area Manager, who will in turn relay all such proposals to the relevant Neighbourhood Policing Team for consideration.

To receive a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which sets out the function schedule for services delegated to the Outer South Leeds Area Committee

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report which advised Members of the function schedule for services which had been delegated to the South (Outer) Area Committee for the 2007/08 municipal year.

Members made reference to the resources which had been allocated to the Area Committee for the provision of Youth Services in the area, and requested that further information which clearly illustrated how this allocation was being spent, was submitted to the Area Committee for consideration.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That further information, which clearly illustrates the ways in which the £323,930.00 funding allocated towards Youth Service provision in the Outer South Leeds is spent, be sought and presented to the Area Committee in a comprehensible manner.

To consider a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which provides Members with details of the range of activities currently taking place within the Outer South area of Leeds

(Executive Function)

(5 mins presentation/5 mins discussion)

The Committee received a report from the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods which detailed the range of activities currently taking place throughout the Outer South area of Leeds.

Members received an update on several ongoing issues which included the ‘Rothwell 600’ celebrations and the Town and District Centre Regeneration Scheme. In addition, the Committee was invited to approve the terms of reference for the Cleaner Neighbourhood Sub Group.

With regard to the preparations for the Morley Literature Festival, Members paid tribute to the work which was being undertaken by the Festival Director and the Area Management Team.

The Committee then received an update on the work currently being undertaken by South Leeds District Partnership, and made enquiries into the most effective ways in which the Area Committee could engage with the local business community. It was then requested that the minutes from South Leeds District Partnership meetings were added to future Area Committee agenda for Members’ consideration.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That a further report relating to the implications of supporting the ‘Rothwell 600’ celebrations be submitted to the November Area Committee   for consideration;

(c). That the draft terms of reference for the Cleaner Neighbourhoods sub group, as appended to the report, be approved;

(d). That a report outlining the options available to the Area Committee in terms of spending the balance of the additional £50,000.00 revenue allocation received from Executive Board, be submitted to the November Area Committee meeting for consideration.

To consider a report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods

(Executive Function)

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report which invited Members to consider a proposal to allocate £1,875.00 from the £50,000.00 additional funding received from Executive Board, in order to cover the cost of a survey which would assess the introduction of waiting restrictions at Queensway Car Park, Morley.

Following a brief summary of the main points detailed within the report, a discussion then ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

·  Members discussed the procedures currently in place to manage the car park, and the role of local businesses in the running of the site;

·  Whether any penalties would be imposed on those motorists who did not adhere to any proposed restrictions, and how such penalties would be enforced;

·  The potential impact that the introduction of any restrictions could have on local trade.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the contents of the report be noted;

(b). That £1,875.00 from the £50,000.00 additional revenue funding received from Executive Board, be allocated to fund the cost of a survey which will assess the introduction of waiting restrictions in Queensway Car Park, Morley.

Monday, 5^th November 2007 at 4.00 p.m.

(Venue – Rothwell One Stop Centre, Marsh Street, Rothwell, LS26 0AD)

Monday, 5^th November 2007 at 4.00 p.m.

(Venue – Rothwell One Stop Centre, Marsh Street, Rothwell, LS26 0AD)

(The meeting concluded at 6.35 p.m.)