Agenda item

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) summarising the quarter 4 performance data relevant to the Scrutiny Board.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) submitted a report summarising the quarter 4 performance data relevant to the Scrutiny Board for 2011/12.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

·  Appendix 1a – Performance Reports for the 3 City Priority Plan

·  Appendix 1b – Directorate Priorities and Indicators

·  Appendix 2 – Proposed changes to the Council Business Plan

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:-

-  Martin Farrington, Director of City Development (also representing the 

  Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods)

-  Phil Crabtree, Chief Planning Officer, City Development

-  Ms Liz Cook, Chief Officer, Statutory Housing, Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate

-  Paul Maney, Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance,

City Development

The Board noted that Councillor P Gruen, Executive Board Member and Neil Evens, Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods had conveyed their apologies for this item.

The Chair invited comments from Board Members on the performance data contained in the report and appendices.

Discussions also ensued on a number of general issues relating to the remit and role of the new Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Board.

The Director of City Development referred specifically to three issues. The first being his wish to review the performance indicator on how the Council monitors, develops and protects the green character of the city. This was currently measured by the number of parks that had green flag status. This does not relate in any way to promoting brown field sites for housing development. The Directors would like to bring forward a new indicator that was about the percentage of new housing that takes place on brown field sites as opposed to green field sites. The Director also referred to and highlighted the reasons for the missed targets in relation to the number of houses enhanced by energy efficiency measures and the delivery of large planning applications.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• Accreditation system for our parks and the need for a separate performance indicator on the percentage of new housing that takes place on brownfield sites. Reference was made during these discussions to the Red Hall playing fields
• Clarification if Section 106 monies stay in the ward where developments take place

(The Director of City Development responded and confirmed that Section 106 agreements were levied on the specific planning application and therefore this income was spent locally)

• Reference was made to the number of empty properties in the city. The Chair responded and congratulated the Environment and Neighbourhood directorate for reducing the number of void Council houses to around 1% of the total stock available. The problem now related specifically to the number of private properties which were empty and reference was made to the report of the Scrutiny Board (Safer and Stronger Communities) which was published in April 2012 on this matter and to the work currently being undertaken to bring more private empty properties back in to use. It was agreed that the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser circulate a copy of this report to all Members of the Board for their information
• The view that there were a number of Council houses which were designated as offices and that these ought to be brought back in to the housing stock wherever possible
• Clarification as to the definition of Protected Areas of Search (PAS)  It was explained for the benefit of new Members that certain land on the periphery of urban areas which were not allocated for development in the Plan but which were not considered appropriate either for inclusion in the Green Belt. These areas were designated 'Protected Areas of Search”. They acted as areas to help protect green belt from development by being contingency areas to be considered for potential development. Reference was made to the need for planning officers to address the inspectors concerns at recent inquiries in relation to the conditions for PAS sites that sustainability appraisals had not been undertaken

(The Chief Planning Officer responded and confirmed that a sustainability appraisal would be undertaken on all PAS sites before including them in the Council’s Core Strategy site allocation processes)

• Reference to the success of ‘Wrap up Leeds’ (home insulation scheme)
• Clarification was sought on what independent assessments were undertaken on the 5 year land supply and suitability of specific sites (The Chief Planning Officer explained that the government guidance that had to be met was that the housing land must be available, suitable and achievable for development. It was this third condition that was preventing a number of brownfield sites in the current climate from being developed. The first two conditions may be met but the third was determined by a consortium of a variety of people from the development industry. The Chief Planning Officer agreed to circulate details of this consortium to the Board)
• Concern was expressed that some staff in the planning enquiry team answering calls from the public were not even aware of major planning applications being brought forward and were therefore unable to provide even the basic information

(The Chief Planning Officer responded and explained his expectations on this issue and who should be able to respond)

• Concern that Ward Members were not being consulted regarding Section 106 agreements and Wetherby Ward and the North East quadrant of the city were given as examples. The Chair asked the Chief Planning Officer to submit a report on this issue to the Board’s next meeting in July 2012.The Chief Planning Officer also agreed to check on and report back to the Board as to whether the Council could require rather than encourage developers to submit their Section106 agreement with their planning application. It was noted that Draft Heads of Terms had been submitted as part of the applications and formed part of the pre-application presentation to the East Plans Panel
• Concern that issues raised by the former (Regeneration) Scrutiny Board on 27^th March 2012 under the Quarter 3 performance report had not been reported back and the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser agreed to confirm the position and report back any outstanding issues to this Board in July 2012

• The need for a protocol /guidance note to be developed quickly which sets out the expectations of the Council on developers consulting with Ward Members, the community, Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Forums at an early stage in the planning process

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That this Board notes the quarter 4 performance information and the 

  issues which had been highlighted.

 (Councillor M Iqbal joined the meeting at 10.55am during discussions of the above item)