Agenda item

To receive a report of the Head of Governance Services. This is the annual report to the Committee concerning the Council’s decision making arrangements.  This report provides one of the sources of assurance which the Committee is able to take into account when considering the approval of the Annual Governance Statement. Members are asked to consider the results of monitoring documented within the body of this report and to note the assurances given by the Head of Governance Services, the Head of Licensing and Registration and the Chief Planning Officer, that the decision making framework in place within Leeds City Council is up to date, fit for purpose, effectively communicated and routinely complied with.

The Head of Governance Services presented this report with the Head of Licensing and registration, Chief Planning Officer and the Principal Legal Officer in attendance to answer Members questions.

This was the annual report to the committee concerning the Council’s decision making arrangements.

This report provided one of the sources of assurance which the Committee is able to take into account when considering the approval of the Annual Governance Statement.

Members were asked to consider the results of monitoring documented within the body of the report and to note the assurances given by the Head of Governance Services, the Head of Licensing and Registration and the Chief Planning Officer, that the decision making framework in place in Leeds City Council is up to date, fit for purpose, effectively communicated and routinely complied with.

Members discussed a number of issues in relation to the report including:-

·  Monitoring of planning applications determined and overturned

·  Monitoring of complaints and customer satisfaction surveys

·  Monitoring of Licensed Hackney Carriage drivers from other authorities who are operating as Private Hire drivers in Leeds.

Members requested further information on:

·  An estimate of speed of decision making on planning applications not taking account of agreed extensions of time

·  Corporate customer complaints handling

·  Improving website and customer feedback

RESOLVED - Members considered and noted the positive assurances provided in the report in relation to executive decision making, licensing, planning and the regulation of investigatory powers.  Particularly:

A)  In relation to executive decision making:-

•  The assurances that the Council’s Constitution has been reviewed and maintained as an accurate reflection of Council practice and procedure;

•  the monitoring which has taken place in relation to publication of agendas and minutes of committee meetings and the publication and call in of Key Decisions;

•  the monitoring of the use of officer delegations together with the reporting of one use of special urgency provisions; and

•  the steps taken to continue to embed the decision making framework

B)  In relation to Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA):

•  The appointment and training of authorising officers;

•  Steps taken to embed and ensure compliance with guidance and procedure; and

•  That there have been no applications for directed surveillance or CHIS authorisations and that there has been no use of the powers to obtain communications data.

C)  In relation to licensing:-

•  The monitoring of entertainment and miscellaneous licensing decisions;

•  The monitoring of taxi and private hire licensing decisions; and

•  The procedure adopted for review of the Statement of Licensing Policy for the Gambling Act.

D)  In relation to planning:-

•  The framework for planning decisions;

•  Assurances in relation to officer conflict of interest;

•  The monitoring of workload and the improvement in performance around decisions being made in time;

•  The monitoring of committee decision making contrary to officer recommendation;

•  The ongoing review of appeals and complaints as indicators of quality decision making;

•  Ongoing training to ensure planning framework is embedded with both officers and Members ; and

•  Assurances in relation to steps taken to engage with partners and customers.