Agenda and minutes

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)

There were no appeals against the refusal of inspection of documents.

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2   To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3   If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:-

There were no resolutions to exclude the public

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 late items added to the agenda. However supplementary information had been received by the Committee with regards to Agenda item 9 – The Chief Planning Officer Delegation report. The supplementary information had been circulated for greater clarification.

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.

Councillor Finnigan declared a personal  interest in Agenda Item 8 – (Minute 43 refers) as a Member of the Morley Borough Independent Party which had instigated the boundary review.

To receive any apologies for absence from the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor A Carter.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes held on 5^th November 2011.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the General Purposes Committee meeting held on 5^th November 2010 were approved as a correct record.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) confirmed that in relation to Minute 33, Petitions Scheme, that an electronic petitions facility has been introduced by the Council although the legislation requiring this is now likely to be repealed.

To receive a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) informing the committee of the response of the Minster of State for Policing and Criminal Justice to the White Paper Resolution in respect of the Police accountability White Paper approved at the council meeting on 15^th September 2010.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) presented her report which detailed the response of the Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice to the White Paper Resolution in respect of the Police Accountability White Paper approved at the Council meeting on 15^th September 2010.

Members of the Committee discussed the response of the Minister for State for Policing and Criminal Justice and agreed that the comparison between the proposed West Yorkshire’s Policing arrangements and London’s was unfair as London still maintained the Metropolitan Police Authority.

RESOLVED – Members of the General Purposes Committee resolved to respond to the Minister for State to convey their dissatisfaction with his reasoning and to highlight the areas of difference between the proposed arrangements for West Yorkshire and those already in place in London.

(At 9.10am during the discussion of this item Councillors Lobley and Taggart entered the meeting.)

To receive a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) detailing the proposals of the Electoral Working Group to align ward and parish boundaries and  in particular to make amendments to parish boundaries in Morley North and Morley South.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) presented her report which presented the recommendation of  the Electoral Working Group to align ward and parish boundaries and in particular to make amendments to parish boundaries in Morley North and Morley South.

Members raised the importance of ensuring that voters were allocated to the nearest polling station to their residence.

RESOLVED – Members of the General Purposes Committee resolved to:

(a)  agree the proposals of the Electoral Working Group to review the parish boundaries in Morley North and Morley South;

(b)  agree the involvement of  the Electoral Working Group undertake a community governance review as proposed in the report;

(c)  agree the terms of reference for the community governance review attached to the report;

(d)  agree that final recommendations should be considered and agreed by the General Purposes Committee; and

(e)  agree the timetable for conducting the community governance review as attached at appendix A.

To receive a report of the Chief Planning Officer proposing amendments to the delegation scheme of the Chief Planning Officer.

The Head of Development and Regulatory (Legal, Licensing and Registration) presented a report of the Chief Planning Officer. The report proposed amendments to the constitution in respect of the delegation to the Chief Planning Officer.

The Committee discussed the proposed changes in detail. Members particularly discussed the importance of ward Members being able to recommend planning applications to be heard at Plans Panel. Members also debated the ‘21 day representations rule’ and the difficulties in submitting representations within this deadline, but that the proposed amendments allow for representations to be made after this deadline.

Members also discussed Section 3 (f) of Appendix 1 where the word ‘technical’ had been removed from the sentence. It was considered that the term ‘statutory technical consultee’ should be maintained as is.

RESOLVED – Members of the General Purposes Committee resolved to recommend to full Council to approve the amendments to the delegation to the Chief Planning Officer as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, as amended by the supplementary information and also  subject to the term ‘statutory technical consultee’ remaining unchanged.

To receive a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) notifying and inviting comment from the Committee upon the work programme for the remainder of the 2010/11 municipal year.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) submitted a report notifying Members of the draft work programme for the 2010/11 municipal year.

RESOLVED - Members of the General Purposes Committee resolved to agree that the draft work programme for 2010/11 be noted.