Agenda and minutes

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting.)

There were no appeals.

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 or information have been identified on the agenda

There was no exempt information.

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 formal late items, however, supplementary information was circulated to Members prior to the start of the meeting. This related to item 10 - Outer North East Community Committee Finance Report.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor M Robinson.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

No declarations of interest were made.

In accordance with Paragraphs 4.16 and 4.17 of the Community Committee Procedure Rules, at the discretion of the Chair a period of up to 10 minutes may be allocated at each ordinary meeting for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Area Committee.  This period of time may be extended at the discretion of the Chair. No member of the public shall speak for more than three minutes in the Open Forum, except by permission of the Chair.

In accordance with the Community Committee Procedure Rules, the Chair allowed a period of up to 10 minutes for members of the public to make representations or ask questions within the terms of reference of the Community Committee.

A resident from Scholes attended the meeting, outlining the following information as part of the Open Forum:

A message of thanks was extended to Harewood Ward Members, Councillor R Stephenson, Councillor M Robinson and Councillor S Firth, for their work to get the railway bridge repaired and painted and the arrangement for play equipment for older children to be relocated and installed at Scholes Primary School. It was noted that residents and the Scholes in Bloom organisation had been working with Councillor Stephenson on the railway bridge and that the local Parish Council had not taken up either project.

Traffic lights had recently been installed at Scholes Lane End, part of the A64, and although it was well received infrastructure, litter had increased, with drivers discarding waste out of their cars when stopped at these lights. The roadworks signage had been left there after the works had been completed and it was queried when this was to be removed and what methods can be implemented to reduce littering at the traffic lights.

In response the resident was thanked for their kind words, and it was noted, as point of clarity, that the Parish Council had not turned down the playground facilities project but had been in conversation with Elected Ward Members in regard to the preferred location for the equipment. The original identified site was adjacent to the East Leeds Orbital Road (ELOR) and, thus, the play area would have been next to a building site for a number of years; that being the case, the equipment was relocated to Scholes Primary School in order to be retained. Work was ongoing to replace the equipment at the playground in Scholes at Station Road as it was no longer fit for purpose. It was confirmed that the issues at the traffic lights were to be reported and a response with an update was to be sent to the resident.

To confirm, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on the 11^th of December 2023.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on the 11^th of December 2023 be confirmed as a correct record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes (If any)

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

To receive and consider the report of the Head of Locality Partnerships providing an overall update on the work that the Communities Team is engaged in, based on priorities identified by the Community Committee. It also provides opportunities for further questioning, or to request a more detailed report on a particular issue.

The Committee received a report which provided an update on the key activities being undertaken by the Localities Team based upon the priorities identified by the Community Committee. In presenting the report, it provided the Committee with an opportunity to discuss or seek further information on the range of actions currently being undertaken. 

The Localities Officer in attendance introduced the report, outlining the following information:

• An update was provided by the Environment and Community Safety Champion in relation to the EPOSS Cluster (Wetherby, Boston Spa and Villages West and South), noting, the meetings required re-invigorating to improve the content and outcomes. Methods for this were to extend the invite to the Neighbourhood Police Team, Youth Service and primary care providers, which had been done at the last cluster meeting with positive results and being well received by local schools.
• Although there had not been an Environment and Community Safety sub-group meeting since the last Committee, a message of thanks was extended to the Localities Officer for their focus and efforts in prioritising essential work. Work to set up an accessibility working group in Boston Spa was ongoing.
• The Children’s and Families Champion provided an update, outlining that the funds for the second Jubilee Games had been secured, an event which had been successful two years previously. It was hoped that the model was to be applied across the Outer North East and then the city as it was a great opportunity for young people and provided diverse sport options. The event was scheduled for July 2024 and the proceedings were to be reported back to the Committee after the event.
• It was noted by the Employment, Skills and Welfare Champion that no sub-group meeting had taken place since the last Committee meeting.
• The Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Champion outlined that a sub-group meeting had taken place since the last time the Committee met but had not been able to attend due to a diary clash. The notes of the meeting were to be provided by the relevant Executive Member and then shared with Committee Members.
• Point 40 on page 25 of the report referred to the meeting of the Housing Advisory Panel (HAP) held on the 14^th of March 2024, which was the last HAP meeting for the Outer North East.
• The most recent Town and Parish Council Forum had been held on the 19^th of February 2024 and the next was scheduled for June 2024, which was to focus on transport and the exact date and location was to be confirmed.

The following points were discussed:

• It was queried whether the Covid-19 update, contained at point 25 on page 22 of the report, could be removed in future iterations of the update report as the pandemic and vaccination programme had ended and it was felt that it was time to move forward.
• Communication issues for Members had been raised at the recent HAP meeting, however, it was outlined that the HAP’s were to be dissolved  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

To receive and consider the report of the Head of Locality Partnerships which provides an update on the budget position for the Wellbeing Fund, Youth Activity Fund Capital Budget, as well as the Community Infrastructure Levy budget for 2023/24.

The Head of Locality Partnerships submitted a report to update the Community Committee on the budget position for the Wellbeing Fund, Youth Activity Fund (YAF), Capital Budget as well as the Community Infrastructure Levy Budget (CIL) for 2023/24.

The Localities Officer highlighted the following information:

• The remaining Wellbeing Budget balance for the Committee was outlined as £41,367.79, with the Ward split as Alwoodley £12,091.76, Harewood £12,466.65 and Wetherby £16,799.38.
• The remaining YAF balance was £15, 940.43, with the Ward split as Alwoodley £7,911.80, Harewood £8,028.63 and Wetherby £0.
• The remaining Capital balance was £33, 895.01 with the Ward split as Alwoodley £12,953.68, Harewood £11,487.66 and Wetherby £9,453.67.
• Since the last Community Committee meeting on the 11^th of December 2024, there had been four projects approved by DDN for:

o  Wetherby Ward. Grange Park Solar Panels, £12,500 from the Wetherby and District Development Fund.

o  Harewood Ward. Two new litter bins in Collingham, £498 from the Harewood Environmental Fund

o  Harewood Ward. Compost for the bee pollinators £84 from the Harewood Environmental Fund

o  Alwoodley Ward. Small grant for Lingfield Living Local towards kitchen upgrade.

The Committee discussed the following:

• The Wigton Moor Woods Provision application was approved; a full breakdown of costs by the Climate Energy and Green Space department was to be requested and provided back to Members.
• There was a project to refurbish a children’s play area within a park at King Lane in Alwoodley with Elected Ward Members, along with relevant partners, planning substantial work, with a significant amount of funding to be allocated. This was noted as reassurance to interested parties as the Wigton Moor Woods Provision application had been agreed, but more play provision was planned for the Ward.

Projects set out in the report were discussed, and agreed as follows:

 RESOLVED –

1.)  That the Wellbeing & Youth Activities Fund (YAF) applications be determined as set out above.

2.)  To note;

a. Minimum condition arrangements for 2023/24

b. Details of the Wellbeing Budget position (Table 1)

c. Wellbeing proposals for consideration and approval (paragraph 21)

d. Details of the Youth Activities Fund (YAF) position (Table 2)

e. Youth Activity Funding proposals for consideration and approval (paragraph 28)

f. Details of the Capital Budget (Table 3)

To receive the report of the City Solicitor requesting Members to give consideration to agreeing the proposed Community Committee meeting schedule for the 2024/2025 municipal year.

The Committee considered a report of the City Solicitor which presented a draft schedule of Community Committee meeting dates for the 2024/25 municipal year for Members’ consideration.

The Governance Officer presented the report outlining the proposed dates as:

·  Mon, 15 July 24, 5.30pm

·  Mon, 7 October 24, 5.30pm

·  Mon, 16 December 24, 5.30pm

·  Mon, 17 March 25, 5.30pm

Members discussed the following:

·  Venues and webcast facilitation were to be discussed as part of the ongoing Community Committee review, with further information to be provided after a workshop.

·  The Chair thanked Members for their work on the Committee over the municipal year 2023/2025 and hoped for it to continue over 2024/2025.

RESOLVED – That the Outer North East Community Committee meeting dates for 2024/25 municipal year be agreed as follows:-

·  Mon, 15 July 24, 5.30pm

·  Mon, 7 October 24, 5.30pm

·  Mon, 16 December 24, 5.30pm

·  Mon, 17 March 25, 5.30pm