Agenda and minutes

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.

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 disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notifications of substitutes.

An apology for absence was submitted by Councillor J L Carter.

Notification was received that Councillor B Anderson was substituting for Councillor J L Carter.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2014

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 September 2014 be approved as a correct record.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development providing Members with an opportunity to ask Richard Corbett MEP a broad range of questions.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report providing Members with an opportunity to ask Richard Corbett MEP a broad range of questions.

In summary the main areas of discussion were:

·  The role of an MEP and the role of Parliament and Council of Ministers.

·  The implementation of the European budget, particularly the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) and the role of MEPs and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPS).

·  The Leeds City Region ESIL strategy and the role of central government in its approval.

·  The limited European funding directed at the health agenda.

·  The opportunities provided by Horizon 2020, a EU Research and Innovation programme with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) with €1.7 billion available for health.

·  The need to work with other partners to get match funding for the ESIF strategy and to pursue opportunities for other partners to deliver programmes.

·  The priorities identified in the LEP ESIF strategy around ‘investing in Education, skills and lifelong learning’.

·  The Democratic accountability of LEPs and the role of local councillors in relation to ESIF.  It was noted that a LEP representative will be attending Scrutiny Board (Sustainable Economy and Culture) in the near future.

·  The consequences of not having a regional voice at the Yorkshire and Humber level.

·  The amount of trade undertaken from the Yorkshire and Humber with the EU.

·  The auditing of the effectiveness of spend.

·  The need to view Yorkshire as a diverse county with different areas having different needs.

·  The role of City Regions in Europe.

·  The recent publicity around the recent budget surcharge announcement.

·  The positive effects of migration and the need to recognise consequences on front line services.

RESOLVED –

(i)  That Mr Corbett be thanked for his attendance at the meeting

(ii)  That those Elected Members who submitted a question and do not sit on the Scrutiny Board be given a written reply.

(iii)  That the Scrutiny Board (Sustainable Economy and Culture) raise with the LEP the issue of democratic accountability.

To consider the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2014/15 municipal year.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the draft work schedule for the forthcoming municipal year. 

RESOLVED – That the Board’s work schedule be updated to reflect the work areas identified during today’s meeting.

Monday, 24 November 2014 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 a.m.)

Monday, 24 November 2014 at 10.00 am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 am)

(The meeting concluded at 11.30 am).