Agenda and minutes

To agree the appointment of a Chair for the meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Mohammed Rafique be appointed Chair for the duration of this meeting.

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.

The Chair advised that in relation to agenda item 7, ‘Leeds City Council Input to Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan’, Members of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority had a disclosable pecuniary interest, but benefitted from a dispensation which meant they could take part in the meeting. 

The following Councillors advised that they were members of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority; Councillors Vonnie Morgan, James Lewis, Mick Lyons and John Procter. (Minute No. 80 refers) 

In addition, Councillor Mick Lyons drew the Scrutiny Board’s attention to his membership of the Combined Authority.  (Minute No. 80 refers)

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillors Judith Chapman, Pauleen Grahame, Roger Harington, Sandy Lay and Joseph Marjoram.  Notification had been received that Councillor Sue Bentley was to substitute for Councillor Judith Chapman, Councillor Josie Jarosz for Councillor Roger Harington and Councillor James Lewis for Councillor Pauleen Grahame.

To comment on the recommended main proposals from Leeds City Council to be incorporated into the Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provided the Scrutiny Board with an opportunity to comment on the main proposals from Leeds City Council to be incorporated into the Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Report to Executive Board on 22 January 2014 ‘Leeds City Council Input to Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan’.

The following were in attendance for this item:

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

-  Tom Bridges, Chief Economic Development Officer, City Development.

The key areas of discussion were:

·  Greater sense of ambition needed, particularly on transport.

·  Concern about the role and make-up of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

·  Greater detail needed in terms of the actual projects that had been put forward.

·  Developing the role of the private sector, particularly in terms of encouraging investment.

·  Suggestion that housing growth and supporting infrastructure featured as a stronger theme.

·  Suggestion that the section on West Leeds could be strengthened in terms of transport, and supporting businesses to invest and grow.

·  The economic benefits of joined up working between cities.

·  Tackling poverty, worklessness, low pay and health inequalities.

RESOLVED – That the comments raised at the meeting be forwarded to the Executive for incorporation into Leeds City Council’s submission to the Leeds City Region Strategic Economic Plan.

(Councillor Bernard Atha joined the meeting at 10.08am during the consideration of this item.)