Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall

Contact: Sharon Guy 0113 3783195  Email: sharon.guy@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

39.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

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:

 

   No exempt items have been identified.

Minutes:

None

40.

Late Items

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

Minutes:

None.

41.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Maureen Lillywhite, Peter Middleton, Jackie Worthington.

42.

Minutes - 11th October 2017 pdf icon PDF 80 KB

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 11th October 2017.

Minutes:

The Chair noted that the item “Chairs Update” will no longer form part of future meetings and the update given here today will be the last one. This will occur instead in the pre meeting and the minutes for the Scrutiny Board (Environment, Housing and Communities) will appear at the back of the pack of papers sent out in future meetings.

 

The Chair noted his attendance at the Environment, Housing and Communities Scrutiny Board on 6th November and noted the discussion around the 10 year high rise strategy. The Chair explained that the report on Grenfell Towers will be presented at their board in their December meeting. The Chair noted that the Environment, Housing and Communities Scrutiny Board will be discussing Housing Advisory Panels at their January meeting.

 

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2017 be approved as a correct record.

 

43.

Discussion with Managers around the Anti-Social Behaviour Service pdf icon PDF 90 KB

A Team Leader from the Anti-Social Behaviour Service and a Housing Manager from Housing Leeds have been invited to attend today’s meeting. The Board is requested to discuss with managers invited, matters relating to the Anti-Social Behaviour Service to further the current inquiry.

Minutes:

The Chair reviewed from the last meeting attendance of the Head of Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team, and also Lead Officer for Housing Leeds on this.

 

The Chair asked those in attendance today to give an overview of their job role to the Board as an introduction.

 

Neil Bowden, ASB Team Manager explained that he is one of the managers in the East area of the City and manages a multi-agency team consisting of the Police, Victim Support and Youth Offending Service. His team also field Councillor and MP inquiries. NB noted that his team also deal with private rented and housing association properties, as well as Council properties.

 

Jamie Martin, Housing Manager, explained his role as managing the local housing service in the Gipton and Harehills area. Claire Smith was also in attendance, also as a Housing Manager for the Swarcliffe area. JM explained that local Housing Officers deal with some of the ASB issues which arise. He explained although Housing Officers have a general knowledge, that they use the expertise of LASBT where appropriate, and also do this through monthly meetings with them. Other ways of sharing best practice for dealing with ASB is through Tasking meetings which are multi-agency meetings where an issue is looked at and it is targeted by several agencies, an example was given of youths congregating in a lobby area of a block of flats. As it was the summer, the Tasking team got together the local Breeze team who do activities to give the youths something to do other than loiter in the lobby. JM also explained that audit checks are carried out by manager at the local office to ensure correct ASB processes are being followed.

 

The Board were presented with performance data showing types of ASB along with the number of cases and broken down by Ward area. The figures showed Killingbeck and Seacroft and Gipton and Harehills to have the highest number of cases, with the outer areas of Leeds having less. The Chair asked if the number of cases relating to noise in the Headingley ward were caused by students. NB confirmed this was the case.

 

NB explained that there is a slightly different approach taken with these cases and on the first instance of noise occurring, a notice will be served. NB noted we work with universities and housing providers in the area to try and prevent this from occurring in the first place. This is in contrast to other areas in Leeds where this wouldn’t be the approach if it was a first incident. The Chair asked if there was more staff working in West Leeds because of the noise issues. It was confirmed this is the case.

 

NB explained how mobile vehicle monitoring is used and there is one team working Monday to Thursday, with an extra team working on Friday to Sunday. When visiting incidents, they will ask the person causing the noise to turn the volume down and then this will be passed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

44.

Draft Work Programme pdf icon PDF 105 KB

At the August meeting, the Board agreed by vote to focus their next inquiry around Anti-Social Behaviour Service. The Board deferred a decision from the October meeting, to the November meeting around the draft work programme.

 

Therefore, this report introduces the draft 2017/18 municipal work programme and members are asked to discuss and agree this using the draft work programme provided. The work programme also includes other actions which require follow up, such as recommendations from previous year municipal inquiries.

Minutes:

The Chair presented the daft work programme which was an item deferred from the last meeting. The Board were requested to view the programme and make any comments.

 

RESOLVED – The Board agreed to the work programme for this inquiry.

 

45.

Election Process for a Vice Chair of Tenant Scrutiny Board pdf icon PDF 97 KB

The Chair has previously discussed with Board Members arrangements in respect of election of a Vice Chair. 

 

Members are asked to make an expression of interest if candidates wish to apply for the role.

Minutes:

The Chair introduced this item. It was noted that the Vice Chair would be involved in the setting of the agenda so that if the Chair could not attend a meeting then the Vice Chair would have knowledge about how and why the agenda was set that way.

 

RESOLVED – That members who wished to be considered for the Vice Chair role let the Scrutiny Officer know and return a completed form no later 29th November 2017 so that a vote could be carried out at December’s meeting.

 

46.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

Wednesday 13th December 2017 at 1:15pm.

(pre meeting for all board members at 1:00pm)

Minutes:

Wednesday 13th December 2017 at 1:15pm

(Pre meeting for all Board members at 1:00pm)

 

THE MEETING CLOSED AT 2:45 PM