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 formal late items of business to consider.  However the Chair agreed to accept the following items as supplementary information:

-  Request for Scrutiny – submission from Mr George Hall (agenda item 8) (Minute 45 refers)

-  Tour de France – Grand Depart Tour de France Location Plan v2 (agenda item 9) (Minute 46 refers)

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 at the meeting. However, in relation to the item entitled Request for Scrutiny, Councillor Wilkinson drew the Board’s attention to his son in law’s part ownership of a Protected Area of Search (PAS) site in Wetherby (minute 45 refers).

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor D Cohen, with Councillor G Wilkinson in attendance as a substitute.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2013.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

To agree the terms of reference for the Scrutiny Board’s proposed inquiry on apprenticeships.

The Board considered the draft terms of reference for its planned inquiry on apprenticeships, due to start in November. Members stressed the importance of action to support young people who do not have the necessary qualifications to access apprenticeship schemes.

Councillor Chapman agreed to keep the Children and Families Scrutiny Board informed of the inquiry, in her role as Chair of that Board. It was also agreed that the recent report of the Children and Families Scrutiny Board on increasing the number of young people in employment, education or training would be circulated as background for this inquiry, along with the latest recommendation tracking information.

RESOLVED – That the terms of reference for the inquiry be agreed, subject to the inclusion of the above comments.

To consider a request for scrutiny regarding developers and the planning process.

The Board considered a request for scrutiny in relation to developers and the planning process.

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

-  Mr George Hall, presenting the request

-  Phil Crabtree, Chief Planning Officer.

Mr Hall outlined his request, in line with the document he had previously submitted, relating to the activities of developers in the planning process.

Phil Crabtree clarified that the council operated good practice guidance, but that developers could not be made to abide by this guidance. There was evidence of good practice by some developers, but this was not always the case. The council was also unable to prevent the submission of applications for Protected Area of Search (PAS) sites.

In discussion, Members expressed their sympathy with Mr Hall’s concerns about developers who did not follow good practice guidelines. They also noted the work undertaken last year by the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Board (of which Mr Hall was a co-opted Member) on pre-application guidance.

RESOLVED

i)  That Mr Hall be thanked for bringing his concerns to the attention of the Scrutiny Board, but that the request for scrutiny be refused on the grounds that it was unlikely that any useful outcome could be achieved.

ii)  That the Joint Plans Panel be recommended to consider and adopt the revised good practice guidance on pre-application engagement, following the input of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Board last year.

To consider a report on the progress of preparations for the Tour de France 2014, with particular reference to the opportunities for Leeds residents to enjoy the event, and the legacy proposals.

Members considered a report on engaging local people in the Tour de France. In introducing the report, a short DVD was shown.

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

-  Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Executive Member for Leisure and Skills

-  Councillor Roger Harington, Cycling Champion

-  Cluny Macpherson, Chief Officer (Culture and Sport)

-  Peter Smith, Tour de France Team

-  Ed Mylan, Chief Officer, Resources and Strategy

-  Mark Allman, Head of Sport and Active Lifestyles

-  Andrew Hall, Acting Head of Transport Policy

-  Dinah Clark, Policy and Performance Manager

-  Nicola Lockwood, Tour de France Team

Members were provided with an update on the preparations and planning for the Grand Depart in July 2014, but they were also asked to put forward their own ideas for ways in which to make the event as widely accessible as possible.

The following issues were raised in discussion:

·  The logistics operation that was underway for the event itself

·  Plans to keep the rest of the city functioning during the event

·  The importance of good, early communication, particularly around any restrictions on traffic movement

·  Making local people aware of the scale of the event and how many spectators there are likely to be trying to view the event

·  The opportunity to promote the city

·  Plans for a number of spectator hubs along the route

·  The cultural festival and the availability of grants

·  The Travel Plan for the event

·  Public transport access from the airport

·  Park and Ride provision

·  Regional coordination between highways authorities to prepare the route

·  Encouraging people to avoid planning big events for the same weekend

·  Coordination with Harewood House

·  Safe cycle access to the event

·  The cycling legacy

The following ideas were also put forward for further consideration:

·  The possibility of having hub areas away from the route where people could watch the event on big screens and take part in local celebration events

·  Providing low-cost accommodation for travelling spectators in tented areas, with dedicated transport to and from the event

·  Young people cycling the route or creating local routes through other parts of Leeds during the build-up

·  Having an event during the build-up like the Olympic torch relay

·  Getting cycling clubs and famous cyclists into schools

·  Taking the DVD to all Area Committees to encourage them to think about the opportunities in their area and to consider contributing funding for local activities connected with the main event

·  Approaching local landowners to negotiate additional park and ride provision and encourage public transport access to the city for the event

·  Providing advice on safe cycling and good routes, including roadshows and website presence

·  Developing schemes where volunteers restore unwanted bikes and pass them on for free, based on the example at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm

RESOLVED – That the ideas put forward be noted and that a further report on the preparations for the event be brought to the Board in spring 2014.

(Councillor J McKenna left the meeting at 11.10 and Councillor M  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

To consider and comment on progress in bringing forward proposals to introduce charges for residents’ parking permit schemes.

The Board considered a report which provided an update on proposals to introduce charges for residents’ parking permit schemes, including a summary of the findings of the consultation process carried out over the summer.

Following a request for scrutiny from a member of the public, Ms Kath Field, in July, the Board decided to scrutinise the proposals, following the consultation period and prior to final proposals being presented to the Executive Board.

In attendance to address the Board and respond to Members’ queries were:

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

-  Andrew Hall, Acting Head of Transport Policy

-  Mark Jefford, Parking Manager Enforcement

-  Simon Criddle, Head of Finance, City Development

-  Kath Field, resident

The following issues were raised in discussion:

·  The high response rate to the consultation

·  Residents’ parking permit schemes as a traffic management tool

·  The implications of the Barnet judgement and how this might impact on the viability of the proposals.

·  The concerns of residents expressed in the consultation responses

·  A concern that the costs of collecting the charge could exceed the income generated

·  A query about the proposal to move to an annual charging cycle

·  The potential drop-out rate, especially from those opposed to the introduction of schemes in the first place, and those with drives

·  The potential for parking problems to be displaced as people parked outside zones instead of buying permits

·  The number of schemes that might require reviewing in the light of consultation responses and the lack of current budgetary provision to undertake such reviews

·  The additional financial burden for residents on low incomes

·  The role of parking enforcement, both for residents’ parking permit areas and more generally, as part of the overall suite of traffic management and parking control measures available to the council

·  Acknowledgement of the need to consider the introduction of charges, in the context of the council’s difficult financial position, but that not all ideas that are considered in this way should necessarily be implemented

·  Alternative options for covering the costs of this service, for example through parking enforcement

RESOLVED – That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser produce a summary of the Board’s comments to be submitted with the report to the Executive Board.

(Councillor J Marjoram left the meeting at 12.10, Councillor G Wilkinson left at 12.20 and Councillor R Harington left at 12.30 during discussion of this item. Councillor P Wadsworth left at 12.40 at the conclusion of this item)

To consider a progress report on outstanding recommendations from previous scrutiny inquiries.

The Board considered a report tracking outstanding recommendations from its inquiry report on young people’s engagement in cultural, sporting and recreational activities. Members agreed to stop monitoring recommendation 9 relating to sponsorship, on the grounds that it was likely that as much progress had been achieved as could reasonably be expected in the current financial climate.

RESOLVED – That the Board receive a further progress report in relation to recommendation 3 in spring 2014, and that the Board stops monitoring recommendation 9.

To confirm the Board’s work schedule for the remainder of the year.

The Board received a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which set out the latest version of the Board’s work schedule.

RESOLVED – That the work schedule be agreed.

Tuesday 19 November 2013 at 10.00am in the Civic Hall, Leeds (pre-meeting for Board members at 9.30am)

Tuesday 19 November at 10.00am (a pre-meeting will start at 9.30am for Board members.)

(The meeting finished at 12.45pm)