Agenda and minutes

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

Agenda item 7 – Appendix A of the report is designated exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to information Procedure Rule 10.4 (3)

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

Agenda item 7 – Appendix A of the Executive Board report is designated exempt from publication under the provisions of Access to information Procedure Rule 10.4 (3) ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).’  (Minute no.17 refers).

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, however Councillor C Townsley drew the Board’s attention to the fact that he was President of Horsforth Historical Society. 

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillors K Maqsood, R Stephenson, M Robinson and K Wakefield.  Notification had been received that Councillor M Lyons was to substitute for Councillor K Maqsood, Councillor P Latty for Councillor R Stephenson, Councillor C Anderson for Councillor M Robinson and Councillor C Towler for Councillor K Wakefield.

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development advising the Scrutiny Board on the procedural aspects of Calling In the decision.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report in relation to the procedural aspects of the call in process.

Members were advised that the options available to the Scrutiny Board in respect of this particular called in decision were:

Option 1- Release the decision for implementation

Having reviewed this decision, the Scrutiny Board may decide to release it for

implementation. If the Scrutiny Board chooses this option, the decision will be immediately released for implementation and the decision may not be Called In again.

Option 2 - Recommend that the decision be reconsidered.

The Scrutiny Board may decide to recommend to the decision maker that the decision be reconsidered. If the Scrutiny Board chooses this option a report will be submitted to the decision maker.

In the case of an Executive Board decision, the report of the Scrutiny Board will be prepared within three working days of the Scrutiny Board meeting and submitted to the Executive Board. Any report of the Scrutiny Board will be referred to the next Executive Board meeting for consideration.

In reconsidering the decision and associated Scrutiny Board report, the Executive Board may vary the decision or confirm its original decision. In either case, this will form the basis of the final decision and will not be subject to any further call-in.

Failure to agree one of the above options

If the Scrutiny Board, for any reason, does not agree one of the above courses of action at this meeting, then Option 1 will be adopted by default, i.e. the decision will be released for implementation with no further recourse to Call In.

RESOLVED – That the report outlining the call in procedures be noted.

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting background papers to an Executive Board decision which has been called in in accordance with the Council’s Constitution in relation to the Community Hubs Phase 2 Business Case.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report, together with relevant background papers, in relation to an Executive Board decision dated 22 June 2016 in relation to ‘Community Hubs - Phase 2 Business Case’

The decision had been called in for review by Councillors C Campbell,

J Bentley, J Chapman, C Townsley and S Lay on the following grounds:

‘There has been a complete failure to consult with service users around the proposed closure of Horsforth Area Housing Office. The paper misrepresents the level of discussion that has taken place with Horsforth Historical Society.  No discussion had taken place with the museum about the specific proposal to close the building at the time the paper was published. The only discussion with the historical society to have taken place was arranged after the publication of the report and at the instigation of ward members.

The lack of consultation means that serious issues, such as the Historical Society's lease on the building until 2029, have not been considered. This lease was drawn up following a Heritage Lottery funded refurbishment of community space at the site. lt is not at all clear what the implications are of prematurely removing from its intended a heritage lottery funded asset, but this is precisely the sort of issue that should have been resolved by consultation.

The report fails to address the wider issues of the selling off of assets in outer towns and districts and the proceeds diverted to other areas and the lack of any community facilities at all in some areas.’

The Scrutiny Board considered the following written evidence:

-  Copy of the completed Call In request form

-  Report of theAssistant ChiefExecutive (Citizensand Communities)presented to Executive Board atits meeting on 22 June 2016

-  Scrutiny Inquiry reporton thedevelopment ofCommunity Hubs(as referencedin the Executive Board report)

-  Extract from thedraft minutesof theExecutive Boardmeeting heldon 22 June 2016.

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Chris Townsley, Signatory to the Call In

-  Councillor Jonathan Bentley, Signatory to the Call In

-  Councillor Debra Coupar, Executive Board Member for Communities

-  James Rogers, Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities)

-  Lee Hemsworth, Chief Officer – Customer Access

-  Dayle Lynch, Executive Manager, Strategic Asset Management.

Councillors C Townsley and J Bentley presented the reasons for calling in the decision. 

These included:

·  Misinformation and a lack of consultation regarding the proposal to close Horsforth Area Housing Office.

·  Concern about the impact of closure on members of Horsforth Historical Society.

·  The need to ensure equality of provision across the city and meeting the needs of communities.

In response to the concerns raised, the following points were made:

·  An outline of the community hub programme and development of a phased approach, which included a specific focus on identifying gaps in provision.

·  Confirmation that a Community Hub is already formed in Horsforth library as previously agreed as part of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

In accordance with Scrutiny Board Procedure Rules, to consider the Board’s formal conclusions and recommendations arising from the consideration of the called-in decision.

RESOLVED – That the decision be released for implementation.

Monday, 25^th July 2016 at 10 am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 am)

Monday, 25 July 2016 at 10.00 am

(Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 am)

(The meeting concluded at 10.40 am)