Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the April meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Sustainable Economy and Culture).

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 formal late items of business to consider, however the Chair agreed to accept the following as supplementary information:-

·  Scrutiny Board (Sustainable Economy and Culture) – Minutes of a Meeting held on 9^th April 2013 (Agenda Item 6)(Minute 146 refers)

The document was not available at the time of the agenda despatch, but made available to the public on the Council’s website.

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 and other interests declared at the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor D Cohen.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meetings held on 3^rd and 9^th April 2013.

(Copy of 9^th April 2013 minutes to follow)

RESOLVED –

a)  That, subject to the following minor amendment, the minutes of the meeting held on 3^rd April 2013 be confirmed as a correct record:-

Minute 128 Call In – Kirkgate Market Strategy – to delete in the attendance ‘Councillor R Lewis – Deputy Leader and Executive Board Member’ and insert ’Councillor R Lewis, Executive Member, Development and the Economy’

b)  That the minutes of the meeting held on 9^th April 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

a)  Outcome of Call In (Minute 129 refers)

The Principal Scrutiny Adviser informed the meeting that a response had been received to the Call In recommendations from the Executive Member, Development and the Economy and that Board Members had received a copy of the response.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting information as part of the Board’s inquiry into flood risk management.

Referring to Minute 71 of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2013, the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented information as part of the Board’s inquiry into flood risk management.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

·  Scrutiny Board (Sustainable Economy and Culture) – Flood Risk Management – Terms of Reference ( Appendix 1 refers)

·  Report of the Flood Risk Manager – Inquiry into Flood Risk Management – Background Report (Appendix 2 refers)

·  Report of the Director of City Development – Outline of flood risk policies and procedures (Appendix 3 refers)

·  Report of the Chief Officer Environmental Action, Head of Engineering Service – Briefing Note: Flood Risk Management: Gully Cleaning and Maintenance (Appendix 4 refers)

The Chair informed the meeting that the submission of evidence would cover the following specific areas:-

·  The role and contribution of the various relevant council services including the Flood Risk Management team, Highways, Planning and Neighbourhood Management/Locality Teams (with regard to gully maintenance) to managing flood risk in Leeds (Session One)

·  The role and contribution of Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency to managing flood risk in Leeds (Session Two refers)

In attendance to address the Board and answer Members’ questions were:-

-  Councillor Mark Dobson, Executive Member, Environment

-  Councillor Richard Lewis, Executive Member, Development and the Economy

-  Ms Jacqueline Simpson, Garforth Flood Support Group

-  Mr Roy Coello, Head of Engineering Services

-  Mr Peter Davis, Flood Risk Manager

-  Mr Martin Sellens, Head of Planning Services

-  Ms Helen Miller, Principal Planner

-  Ms Helen Freeman, Chief Officer, Environmental Action

-  Ms Wendy Kimpton, Yorkshire Water (Session Two)

-  Mr John Woods, Environment Agency (Session Two)

Apologies had been received from Mr Adam Tunningley, Partnership Manager, West Yorkshire, Environment Agency.

As part of Session One of the inquiry, the Chair invited Mr Peter Davis, Flood Risk Manager to give a brief overview of the background information into Flood Risk Management. Members also received a presentation which covered such issues as main rivers and watercourses; Leeds City Council flooding incident records (2001-2010); hotspot locations; photographs of different types of gullies/curbs and drainage examples etc.

The Chair then invited Councillor Mark Dobson, Executive Member, Environment to comment on his role as Executive Member in relation to this issue and as a Ward Member for Garforth where a number of flooding incidents had occurred over recent years. He commented on the excellent work undertaken by the Locality team who had remodelled the gully cleansing and maintenance issues. In conclusion, he referred to the continuing difficulties in relation to planning issues and how new developments fitted into the current structure around flooding.

The Chair then invited Ms Jacqueline Simpson, Garforth Flood Support Group to provide a brief overview of the history of the Garforth Flood Support Group. She commented on the work of the group which had been selected as a national pilot by DEFRA. She praised Leeds  ...  view the full minutes text for item 148.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development requesting Members to confirm the status of recommendations from previous inquiries.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which updated the Board on recommendations from previous inquiries which have not yet been completed.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That recommendations 4, 6, 8 and 10 be signed off, and that further progress reports be required in relation to recommendations 3 and 9.

As this was the last meeting within the current Municipal Year, the Chair thanked Board Members, Kate Arscott, Principal Scrutiny Adviser and officers for their contributions and support during the past year.

He also informed the meeting that Mr S Robinson, Governance Services would be leaving the Council on the Early Leavers Initiative at the end of May after 40 years service. Board Members conveyed their best wishes to Mr Robinson.

(The meeting concluded at 12.05pm)