Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone and in particular to new Members to the first meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Development) for the current municipal year.

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 13 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest at this point in the meeting, however Councillor Hollingsworth declared a Personal Interest later in the meeting for Item 7 (Minute No. 5 refers), as a member of the Aire Valley Regeneration Board.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Lowe and Latty.

To receive the attached minutes of the meeting of Scrutiny Board (City Development) held on 25^th April 2006.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Board (City Development) held on 25^th April 2006 be approved as a correct record.

To receive a presentation from the Director of Development and Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing outlining current and future issues facing the departments in the preparation for setting the initial work programme for the Board 2006/07.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report inviting the Directors of Development and Neighbourhoods and Housing to attend the first meeting of the Board in order to discuss current and future issues facing the departments.

  Members were notified that the Directors were unavailable, however Steve Speak, Chief Strategy and Policy Officer, Development Department and Phil Joyce, Project Development Manager, Neighbourhoods and Housing, attended the meeting on their respective Directors’ behalf.

First Steve Speak for the Development Department outlined for Members subjects that the Board might like to include in their work programme under the following themes:

·  Sustainability

-  Climate Change and development of a climate change strategy

-  Production of a Sustainable Construction Design Guide which supported sustainable construction techniques and which had less environmental impact

-  Managing Urban Europe – An on-going project for which a baseline study has recently been completed

-  Environmental Management and Audit System (EMAS) – identifying gaps and determining whether it was adding value and reflecting corporate priorities

-  Environmental communication and data – was it co-ordinated

-  Preparation of Strategic flood risk assessment – brief going to consultants shortly.

·  Transportation

-   Continue to monitor Local Transport Plan (LTP) and outer ring road

-  Monitor delivery of major highways schemes-Inner Ring Road stage 7 and the East Leeds Link Road being completed simultaneously in one area of the city and consequential traffic implications

-  Work of the city region development plan which included a vision for transport in the city region

-  Transport strategy for the city centre including the issue of car parking, particularly given the loss of longstay parking spaces and how this could be managed

-  Outcomes of LTP1 - West Yorkshire wide delivery report at the end of July 2006

-  Consider softer transportation measures under the travelwise agenda embracing the contribution that cycling and travel plans could make

-  Brief being developed for town and district centres to consider the differing car parking needs of the centres and addressing a number of issues, for example the displacement of short stay parking by commuters.

·  Other Issues

-  Planning a Better Future – Review

-  City Centre Public Realm – where longer term sources for funding would come from and development of a supplementary planning document on public realm contributions

-  Night time and Evening Economy and impact of Licensing laws and whether partnership working was effective - policing of city centre and night buses for example and lack of facilities for the new burgeoning residential community

-  Local Development Scheme with major pieces of work being prepared Area Action Plans for regeneration areas, city Centre Area Action Plan and the Core Strategy Vision for Planning

-  Submission of the Annual Monitoring Report.

Phil Joyce then outlined for Members information on two major area based regeneration initiatives within Neighbourhoods and Housing which had an economic development aspect to them: the Lower Aire Valley and the West Leeds Gateway.

Members questioned officers on and discussed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development proposing guidelines for the development of a work programme for Scrutiny Board (Development).

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report proposing guidelines for the development of a work programme for the Scrutiny Board. 

Nicole Brock, Head of Regional Policy, and Catherine Hall, Senior Project Officer, both Chief Executive’s Department, were welcomed to the meeting to update new Members of the Board on the subject of the Leeds City Region, and to give a quick summary of the inquiry that the Scrutiny Board (City Development) had held the previous year on this topic.  The summary of the evidence to the Board was circulated to Members by way of a PowerPoint handout.

Members expressed their concern, in particular regarding the practicalities of the Governance arrangements and accountability.  It was suggested that it would be useful to look at other city region models around the world. The officers responded that a great deal of work had been carried out in this regard.

Members were requested to make suggestions for areas of inquiry and to agree the details of the Board’s work programme.  Members were advised that the Board’s final report and recommendations on the Leeds City Region had still to be finalised and was scheduled for the September meeting and that ‘Planning a Better Future – Planning and Development Services’ had been scheduled for scrutiny at the December meeting of the Board. 

As well as the topics listed under the previous item (Minute No. 5 refers), the following issues were also raised as possible subjects for further scrutiny:

·  The governance aspect of the Leeds City Region

·  A travel plan for the LCC, in particular the gaps in planning requirements needed to encourage cycling

·  The Public Realm, in particular public art.

RESOLVED – That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser present a list of the topics that Members expressed an interest in to the next meeting of the Board in order to determine the work programme.

To agree the proposed dates and times of future meetings:

20^th June 2006, 18^th July 2006, 12^th September 2006, 10^th October 2006, 21^st November 2006, 19^th December 2006, 23^rd January 2007, 20^th February 2007, 20^th March 2007 and 24^th April 2007.

All meetings to be held at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

RESOLVED – That the dates and times of future meetings be agreed as:

18^th July 2006, 12^th September 2006, 10^th October 2006, 21^st November 2006, 19^th December 2006, 23^rd January 2007, 20^th February 2007, 20^th March 2007 and 24^th April 2007, and that all meetings be held at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds.