Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Officer, Parks and Countryside, on the relationship between the Parks and Countryside service and the East Inner Area Committee, as agreed at Executive Board and providing an overview of the service including some of the challenges faced along with key performance management initiatives.

(Report attached) (Time 10 minutes)

Members received a report from the Chief Officer, LCC Parks & Countryside Service, seeking to further develop the relationship between the Service and the East Inner Area Committee, as agreed at Executive Board. The report provided an overview of the service and set out some of the challenges faced along with key performance management initiatives in addition to setting out proposals to provide a positive way forward for delivering the extended role of the Area Committee.

Mr S Frosdick attended the meeting and presented the report which provided an overview of the works undertaken by the service within the EIAC locality and sought Members comments on those works and priority areas for the future. Members were also in receipt of a map showing local greenspace areas and noted the results of a review of the major parks.

(Councillor Khan withdrew from the meeting for a short while at this point)

Members discussed the following matters

-  current condition of East End Park

-  links established with the Youth Service and schools to encourage volunteering amongst young people

-  the role of the new Green Spaces Fund available for small grants in Leeds to volunteer/community groups for works to their local green spaces

-  the role of Section 106 Agreement funding to support the Service and the likely impact of the introduction of the new Community Infrastructure Levy

Members noted the comment that ward members would have several resources available to them to utilise in respect of CIL, ward based initiative money, the Capital Incentive Scheme and the new Green Spaces Fund and that a strategy would be required to target priority greenspaces and co-ordinate funding resources

EIAC noted that funding and responsibility for youth service provision would be devolved to the area committees at the start of the next financial year and agreed to establish a Youth Services Sub Committee in order to develop a strategy and priorities for provision in the area.

In response to a request for direct involvement of local residents in the decision making, EIAC noted the response that formal decision making on grant funding was retained by the Area Committee and that there was no facility for a local resident or community group leader to make personal representations or take part in the decision making.

RESOLVED-

a)  That the content of the report be noted

b)  That Members give further consideration to priorities for investment in community parks, playing pitches and fixed play facilities in light of the issues raised and communicate those priorities to the Service for follow-up action

c)  That information on proposals to address the vandalism at East End Park be provided to Councillor Grahame

d)  That a report back on the establishment of the Green Spaces Fund be presented in three months time, to include information on the application criteria and how the Fund had been publicised

e)  That the Environmental Sub Group be tasked with drafting a strategy to tackle and prioritise EIAC green spaces, having regard to the resources available to EIAC during the 2013/14 financial year