Agenda, decisions and minutes

To elect an Area Committee Chair for the 2010/11 municipal year.

Report of Chief Democratic Services Officer attached.

RESOLVED – That Councillor D Blackburn be elected Chair of the West Outer Area Committee for the 2010/11 municipal year.

(COUNCILLOR D BLACKBURN IN THE CHAIR.)

It was agreed to elect a Vice-Chair, purely for the purpose of chairing meetings in the potential absence of Councillor D Blackburn.

RESOLVED – That Councillor M Coulson be elected Vice-Chair the 2010/11 municipal year.

The Chair instructed that Councillor Coulson be invited to attend Chair’s briefing meetings prior to agenda despatch to aid continuity.

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

The following declarations of interest were made:-

-  Councillor D Blackburn – Agenda Item 14 (Minute No. 11 refers) – Wellbeing Fund Applications – Application in respect of Wadlands Farm Wetlands feasibility study – personal interest in his capacity as Chair of Green Leeds.

-  Councillor A Blackburn – Agenda Item 14 (Minute No. 11 refers) – Wellbeing Fund Applications – Applications from Groundwork, Leeds, relating to the Wadlands Farm Wetlands feasibility study and the Hillside Hall Community Centre greenspace – personal and prejudicial interest in her capacity as a Director of Groundwork, Leeds.

-  Councillor M Coulson – Agenda Item 14 (Minute No. 11 refers) – Wellbeing Fund Applications – Application from Pudsey in Bloom – personal and prejudicial interest in his capacity as a member of Pudsey in Bloom.

Apologies for absence from the meeting were submitted on behalf of Councillors A Carter and R Wood.

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

Reference was made to the provision contained in the Area Committee Procedure Rules for an Open Forum session to take place at every ordinary meeting of an Area Committee, whereby members of the public could ask questions or make representations on any matter which fell within the remit of the Area Committee.  On this occasion, no such matters were raised.

To confirm as a correct record the attached minutes of the meeting held on 26^th March 2010.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 26^th March 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 25 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 25, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Chief Democratic Services Officer at least 24 hours before the meeting)

Children’s Services – Performance Monitoring at Area Committee Level (Minute No. 95 refers)

A Member indicated that the more up to date information regarding teenage pregnancy rates requested at the last meeting had not been circulated.

Amanda Jackson, Locality Enabler, Children’s Services, responded that there had been some difficulties in this regard as the latest information had not been disaggregated.  However, she would arrange for Members to receive what information she had.

To receive for information purposes the attached minutes of the Tyersal Community Forum meeting held on 19^th May 2010.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Tyersal Community Forum held on 19^th May 2010 be received and noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report regarding the proposed appointment of Co-optees to serve on the Area Committee, and the proposed appointment, from amongst the Area Committee, of Members, to act as ‘Champions’ in respect of specific themes contained within the Area Delivery Plan.

RESOLVED –

a)  That Howard Bradley (Youth Representative), Reverend Kingsley Dowling (Faith Representative) and Liz Navin-Jones (Business Representative) be re-appointed as Area Committee Co-Optees for 2010/11.

b)  That the proposed re-appointment of ‘Champions’ in respect of the following themed partnership groups be deferred to a future meeting:-

-  Harmonious Communities.

-  Enterprise, Economy and Transport.

-  Culture and Environment.

-  Health and Wellbeing.

-  Thriving Neighbourhoods.

-  Learning.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

RESOLVED – That the progress report be received and noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Acting Area Manager.

The Acting Area Manager submitted a report updating Members regarding progress on a variety of issues within the Committee’s area.

In brief summary, the main points of discussion were:-

·  Armley Juniors – Reference was made to a recent hitch with the quarterly payments made by the Youth Service to this organisation, which had now been addressed.

·  Transport – Problems regarding the timetable for the operation of the Numbers 9 and 90 services operated by First Bus. 

The Area Management Officer undertook to raise the issue with First Bus.

·  Youth Service Surveys – Members noted Appendix 1 to the report, the results of the Inquiry by the Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services) relating to the annual Youth Service user consultation and survey exercise.

The view was expressed that future surveys should give consultees more detailed information regarding the kind of options and services available across the City, so that their responses could be more informed regarding what they might like to see operating in their particular area.

It was accepted that this would be beneficial, but there were practical difficulties in terms of:-

a)  trying to summarise the variety of initiatives in operation across the City;

b)  producing possibly different consultation packs for different areas; and

c)  the system relied on the co-operation of schools, which were largely responsible for distributing and collecting the packs, and the survey system therefore needed to be relatively quick and easy.  An added complication was the fact that many children attended schools away from their home area, where they would access the Youth Service, and results could be affected by this factor.

·  The excellent project recently undertaken to tidy up an area in Stonebridge Lane, Old Farnley, and the co-operation received from a number of agencies, including the ALMO.  It was agreed that the Chair should write in particular to Marie-Pierre Dupont, West North West Homes, thanking her for her efforts in this regard.

RESOLVED – That, subject to the above comments, the report be received and noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods submitted a report summarising the Committee’s Wellbeing Budget situation for 2010/11, and highlighting applications which needed either ratification or a decision at today’s meeting.

Two representatives of the Hindu Cultural Society attended the meeting and responded to Members’ queries and comments regarding their application (deferred on 26^th March 2010 for further information).

RESOLVED –

a)   That the amount of revenue and capital funding available to the Committee for 2010/11 be noted.

b)   That the previous in-principle decisions on funding applications (Para 2.4 refers) be ratified.

c)   That the following decisions be taken in respect of the applications before the Committee today for consideration:-

Revenue

i)   Hindu Cultural Society - £3,000 – Approved.

ii)   Wadlands Farm wetlands feasibility study - £4,430 – Approved.

Capital

I)   1st Pudsey Scout Group – improvements to Scout Hut - £4,000 – Approved.

II)   Hillside Hall Community Centre – Greenspace improvements - £7,500 – Approved, subject to further consultation and match funding being obtained from other sources.

d)   That the current situation regarding the small grants and community skips funds be noted.

e)   That Wellbeing applications which are part of the extended schools project be capped at no more than £2,000.

(NB:  1.  Councillor A Blackburn left the meeting during the consideration of the applications on behalf of Groundwork, Leeds (see Minute No. 2) and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

2.  Councillor M Coulson took no part in the discussion or voting in respect of the ratification of the Committee’s previous decision to make a grant to Pudsey in Bloom (Min No. 99, 26^th March 2010 refers.)

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the following appointments to outside bodies be made for the 2010/11 municipal year:-

·  ALMO West Outer Area Panel – Councillors R Lewis and J Marjoram.

·  Borough of Pudsey Charity – Councillors R Lewis and A Carter.

·  Divisional Community Safety Partnership* - Councillor J Jarosz.

·  Area Children’s Partnership – Councillor M Coulson.

·  Area Health and Social Care Partnership - Councillor J Jarosz.

·  Area Employment, Enterprise and Training Partnership – Councillor D Blackburn.

b)  That the Farsley Charity be contacted to ascertain whether ex-Councillor F Robinson is eligible to continue as a Trustee, should he wish to.

(*NB:  Dates of meetings to be reviewed, in consultation with Councillor Jarosz, to avoid potential clashes with other Council Commitments.)

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and noted, and the officers be thanked for re-formatting the report to make the information clearer and more meaningful for local Members.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Health and Wellbeing Improvement Manager.

RESOLVED – That the item be deferred to a future meeting.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

Inspector Richard Cawkwell and Gill Hunter, Divisional Community Safety Co?ordinator, presented a report updating Members on issues within the Committee’s area.

In response to a Member’s query, Inspector Cawkwell undertook to circulate separately to Members some context information in respect of the statistical data circulated at the meeting.  Inspector Cawkwell was congratulated in respect of the prompt police response to problems with travellers camping illegally on amenity land in the area.  Gill Hunter was congratulated in respect of, once again, being nominated for a Divisional Commanders Award in recognition of the tremendous work she carries out on community safety matters in the area.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Leeds Civic Trust.

The Committee considered a report submitted by Leeds Civic Trust encouraging organisations and property owners to participate in the annual Heritage Open Days initiative in September.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and noted.

To receive for information purposes the attached minutes of the Outer West ALMO Area Panel minutes for the meetings held on 10^th February and 14^th April 2010.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Panel meetings held on 10^th February and 14^th April 2010 be received and noted.

Attached.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Friday 10^th September 2010, Pudsey Park Visitor Centre

Friday 15^th October 2010, Farnley Hall

Friday 17^th December 2010, Pudsey Civic Centre

Friday 28^th January 2011, Pudsey Leisure Centre

Friday 25^th March 2011, Farnley Hall

All at 2.00pm.

Friday, 10^th September 2010 - Pudsey Park Visitor Centre.

Friday, 15^th October 2010 – Farnley Hall.

Friday, 17^th December 2010 - Pudsey Civic Centre.

Friday, 28^th January 2011 - Pudsey Leisure Centre.

Friday, 25^th March 2011 – Farnley Hall.

All at 14:00 hours.

The meeting concluded at 16:00 hours.