Agenda and minutes

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 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 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

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

There were no resolutions to exclude the public.

There were no resolutions to exclude the public.

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.

No declarations were made.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A McKenna, P Grahame and R Wood,

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 20^th March 2015.

RESOLVED – The minutes of the meeting held on 20^th March 2015 were approved as a correct record.

Minute No 54. Leeds City Council Fraud Briefing

Members noted that the Head of Governance Services had, on behalf of the Committee, written to KPMG about their non-attendance at the meeting held on 20^th March 2015 and that a response had been received from KPMG. Members felt that as a principal client of KPMG priority should have been given to attending the March meeting of the Committee and not the internal training session referred to by KPMG in their response.

RESOLVED – The Committee resolved to request that the Head of Governance Services pass on their views to the Director of KPMG in Leeds.

To receive a report of the Deputy Chief Executive This report accompanies the 2014/15 Annual Accounting Statement and Annual Governance Statement for Leeds City Region Leaders Board Joint Committee.

The report explains why the responsibility of approving these statements has fallen to this Committee, and outlines what assurances the Committee can rely on in approving the statements.

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report which accompanied the 2014/15 Annual Accounting Statement and Annual Governance Statement for Leeds City Region Leaders Board Joint Committee.

The report explained why the responsibility of approving these statements has fallen to this Committee and outlined what assurances the committee could rely on in approving the statements.

Members discussed the report in detail. Specifically Members asked about the reasons behind the increase in staffing costs from 2014 to 2015. Members were informed that in part this was down to the move to becoming the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) which was a growing organisation with more responsibility. Further detailed information was requested to be circulated to the Committee.

The Committee considered the reasons behind the need for £464k being held in the general reserve fund and where this would be transferred to now that the Leeds City Region Leaders Board Joint Committee was being dissolved. It was confirmed to Members that this fund would be transferred to the WYCA.

Members quested the reasoning for the accounts being drafted on the basis of a smaller body and received assurances from officers about this On the basis of the assurances received the Committee confirmed they were happy for the Chair of the Committee to sign the accounts.

RESOLVED – The Committee resolved to:

(a)  Approve the Leeds City Region Leaders Board Joint Committee draft 2014/15 Accounting Statement and the Chair to acknowledge approval on behalf of the Committee by signing the appropriate section;

(b)  Confirm that they have received and accepted the Declaration on Governance Arrangements for 2014/15 which has been provided by the Chair and the responsible officers of the Leeds City Region leaders Board Joint Committee, and the Chair to acknowledge this on behalf of the Committee by signing the abbreviated Annual Governance Statement; and

(c)  Request a detailed breakdown of the reasons behind the increase in staffing costs from 2014 to 2015.

To receive a report of the Director of Public Health which provides the Committee with an annual update on Public Health’s Risk management and Governance arrangements, reporting on progress since the last report was presented to members on 10 July 2014.

The Director of Public Health presented his report which provided the Committee with the annual update on Public Health’s risk management and governance arrangements.

Members discussed the reasons behind being able to achieve better value for money as part of Leeds City Council compared to when services were run by the NHS. The Director of Public Health stated that this was in part due to now having a one service approach which had made different services work together.

The risks to the Public Health budget were considered by the Committee, in particular the implementation of the requirements from the National Institute of Care and Health Excellence (NICE). A further risk identified was the proposed cut to Public Health funding by Central Government, the formula for which is yet to be determined.

Members noted the money that had been saved through commissioning and were informed that this had been committed for the 2015/16 budget.

Members discussed how the reporting regime at the NHS compared to that at Leeds City Council with the Director of Public Health.

RESOLVED – The Committee resolved to:

(a)  Receive the annual governance report of the Office of the Director of Public Health; and

(b)  Note the assurance processes that the Office of the Director of Public Health.

To receive a report of the Deputy Chief Executive which provides assurances in respect of the financial management arrangements relating to the planning service. This report sets out the financial management arrangements in the Planning and Sustainable Development Service and aims to provide assurance to members that the arrangements are fit for purpose, embedded and being complied with.

The Head of Finance (Strategy and Resources) presented a report of The Chief Planning Officer which set out the financial management arrangements in the Planning and Sustainable Development Service and aimed to provide assurance to Members that the arrangements are fit for purpose, embedded and being complied with.

Members discussed the scrutiny of planning decisions and noted that these could not be “called in” for consideration by a Scrutiny Board. Members noted that the Joint Plans Panel gives consideration to how the Planning Services is provided.

Members considered the financial information received and commented that income for 2014/15 was less than in 2013/14. The Head of Finance (Strategy and Resources) informed the Committee that there had been a dramatic increase in income in 2013/14 and that this had levelled off in 2014/15.

Members queried why staffing costs had increased. This was explained as being due to planning staff leaving and the associated severance costs and also the 1% pay rise received by staff. Members requested further details in relation to the increase in staffing costs be circulated before the next meeting.

RESOLVED  - The Committee resolved to:

(a)  Request a breakdown of the costs of staffing the Planning Service.

(b)  note the assurances provided that the appropriate systems and procedures are in place to ensure that the Council delivers sound financial management and planning.

To receive a report of the Deputy Chief Executive which provides an update of current progress towards completion of Phase 2 by the target date of September 2015 as requested by the Corporate Governance & Audit Committee at the April 2015 meeting.

The Business Continuity Manager presented a report of the Deputy Chief Executive which provided an update of current progress towards completion of Phase 2 by the target date of September 2015 as requested by the Committee at the March 2015 meeting.

Members considered that it would be helpful if the Committee highlighted the importance of completing Phase 2 plans to the Corporate Leadership Team.

Members discussed what the biggest risks to the City were with the Business Continuity Manager.

It was confirmed to the Committee that despite Phase 2 plans not yet being completed that Leeds City Council was compliant with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

RESOLVED – the Committee resolved to:

(a)  Request that the Head of Governance Services write to The Chief Officer (Strategy and Improvement) to highlight the Committee’s wishes to see all Phase 2 Plans completed by September 1^st 2015; and

(b)  to note the progress made to date with completion of Phase 2, and that the target completion date of September 2015 currently remains achievable.

To receive a report of the City Solicitor which notifies Members of the Committee of the draft work programme for the 2015/16 year. The draft work programme is attached at Appendix 1.

The City Solicitor submitted a report which notified the Committee of the draft 2015/16 work programme.

It was commented that Leeds City Council could improve its engagement with citizens via mapped based technology. The Head of Governance Services commented that a request for a report on this subject might be more appropriate to a Scrutiny Board and agreed to make contact with the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development to discuss this.

RESOLVED – The Committee resolved to:

(a)  Request The Head of Governance Services to make contact with the Head of Scrutiny and Member Management to identify the possibility of a Scrutiny review looking into ways in which Leeds City Council could improve its mapping service for its citizens; and

(b)  Note the contents of the work programme attached at Appendix 1 of the submitted report.