Agenda and minutes

The meeting was called at short notice due to the availability of Members to transact business for the coming municipal year.

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

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes)

The Chair admitted the following late item to the agenda as follows:

Local Authority Appointments to the Governing Body of Leeds West Academy (minute 9 refers)

To allow urgent consideration of the matter in order that nominations can be made to the Governing Body of the Academy prior to its opening in September 2009.

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct

Councillor Dowson declared a personal interest in the item relating to the update on Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) (minute 8 refers) as an employee of Vodaphone.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th May 2009.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th May 2009 be approved as a correct record.

(a)  Member Management Committee Terms of Reference

  The Chief Democratic Services Officer reported that a report proposing an amendment to this Committee’s Terms of Reference would be considered by the General Purposes Committee prior to approval at a meeting of Council.

(b)  Members’ Information Technology (minutes 54(f) and (g) refer)

  Further to minute 54(f) and (g) Members requested that the ICT officer who has the ability to access Members’ email accounts be invited to a future meeting of the Committee to discuss the protocol in respect of this.

To consider the report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer advising Members of changes to legislation regarding the safeguarding of vulnerable children and adults and the likely implications in relation to arrangements for carrying out CRB checks on Members.

The Chief Democratic Services Officer submitted a report advising Members of changes to legislation regarding the safeguarding of vulnerable children and adults and the likely implications in relation to arrangements for carrying out CRB checks on Members.

RESOLVED –

(a)  To receive and note the report.

(b)  To note that Members of certain bodies are likely to be deemed to be undertaking regulated activities and consequently require registration and vetting under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

(c )  That this Committee were of the opinion that further consideration should be given to Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services) being added to those bodies.

(d)  To note that there was nothing further Members needed to do at this moment in time in respect of this Act.

To consider the joint report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer and Chief Officer(ICT) responding to a request from Member Management Committee to report on Performance Indicators. Following consultation with the Members IT Reference Group it was agreed to report on the performance indicators detailed in the report which relate mainly to calls received from councillors by Service Help Desk officers.

Further to minute 49 of the meeting held on 14^th April 2009 the Chief Democratic Services Officer submitted a report responding to a request from Member Management Committee to report on Performance Indicators. Following consultation with the Members IT Reference Group it was agreed to report on the performance indicators detailed in the report which relate mainly to calls received from councillors by Service Help Desk officers.

Detailed discussion on the report ensued and officers responded to comments and queries particularly in relation to:-

·  the total number of monthly incidents logged and resolved

·  the hours that support is available to Members.

RESOLVED -  That the following performance indicators be reported to this Committee on a regular basis:

·  The number of unresolved calls carried forward each month

·  The number of calls received ‘our of hours’

·  The performance/reliability of the network each month

·  Call Pick Up Rate – Time taken to answer calls

·  Call Abandonment Rate – Number of calls queued to an operator but abandoned prior to pick up

·  Average Call Handling Time – Average time taken in servicing a call.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer(ICT) providing Member Management Committee with an update on Personal Digital Assistants.

The Chief Officer (ICT) submitted a report providing Member Management Committee with an update on Personal Digital Assistants.

RESOLVED –

(a)  To note the report.

(b)  To note the switch over for elected Members was a quarter away and interim handsets would be provided between now and the end of the year.

(c)  That two Members should trial the new handsets in order that user feedback can be provided to ICT.

The Chief Executive of Education Leeds submitted a report seeking nominations for local authority appointed governors to the Leeds West Academy Governing Body.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That in accordance with the Appointments to Outside Bodies Procedure Rules the Leeds West Academy Governing Body be categorised in the Strategic and Key Partnerships category.

(b)  That the representative from the Council Administration be a Whip’s nominee.

(c)  That the representative from the Council ward from which the majority of students will be drawn (Bramley and Stanningley) be Councillor Ted Hanley).

(d)  That future appointments / nominations to Academy Governing Bodies be considered at this Committee.

To consider the report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer seeking the views of Member Management Committee on the proposals for a revised process for authorising attendance by Members at conferences and seminars, including Members of the Standards Committee. The report also details arrangements for informing Members of forthcoming conference events.

The Chief Democratic Services Officer submitted a report seeking the views of Member Management Committee on the proposals for a revised process for authorising attendance by Members at conferences and seminars, including Members of the Standards Committee.  The report also detailed arrangements for informing Members of forthcoming conference events.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That officers write to Directors to obtain suggestions of useful and relevant conferences which could be incorporated into the approved list of seminars and conferences to be attended by Members.

(b)  That the revised Attendance at Conferences and Seminars procedure be endorsed subject to the following amendments/additions:

(i)  the arrangements for notifying group Whips of conference details should be incorporated into the procedure

(ii)  that procedure 9.0 should be amended to read

  “In the event of a negative decision, the Chair of Member Management Committee  will liaise and consult with the Whip of the rejected Member”

To consider the report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer presenting the Member Development Annual Report and detailing the achievements made this municipal year, and listing all the development courses, events and activities undertaken by elected Members during  the course of the year. 

The Chief Democratic Services Officer submitted a report presenting the Member Development Annual Report and detailing the achievements made in the 2008/09 municipal year, and listing all the development courses, events and activities undertaken by elected Members during the course of the year.

Councillor Latty briefly introduced the report and explained the work of the Member Development Working Group.

Members also noted the challenges for the coming year:-

·  IDeA Charter for Member Development and Charter Plus

·  Personal Development Planning (PDPs)

·  Health Scrutiny Training

·  Political Awareness Training (for officers)

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the Member Development Annual Report 2008/09 be noted.

(b)  That the Member Development Working Group continues to carry out its current role.

(c)  That Councillor Latty and Members of the Member Development Working Group be thanked for their efforts during 2008/09.

(d)  That better use of group meetings should be made in respect of delivering training.

(e)  That the Member Development Working Group be asked to look at the production of the Council Diary in terms of timeliness and layout, font size etc.

To consider the report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer report outlining the Member Management Committees role in relation to Elected Member Appointments to Outside Bodies and asks the Committee to agree a schedule detailing those organisations that the Council will continue to make an appointment to and agree the nominations to those organisations which fall to the Committee to make an appointment to.

The Chief Democratic Services Officer submitted a report outlining the Member Management Committee’s role in relation to Elected Member Appointments to Outside Bodies and asked the Committee to agree a schedule detailing those organisations that the Council will continue to make an appointment to and agree the nominations to those organisations which fall to the Committee to make an appointment to.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the Appointment to Outside Bodies Procedure Rules be noted.

(b)  That approval be given to the schedule detailing organisations that the Council will continue to make appointments to, subject to the deletion of those organisations that no longer require a representative of the Council;

(c)  That Councillor Smith or in his absence Councillor Driver be authorised to cast the Council’s vote at the meeting of Groundwork Leeds;

(d)  That Councillor Pryke be appointed to the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee and that Councillor Lyons be appointed as the deputy member (substitute) in accordance with schedule 5, paragraph 9 of the Environment Act 1995;

(e)  That the current position in respect of Joseph Priestley College be noted;

(f)  That the current position in respect of the Leeds City College be noted;

(g)  That officers liaise with group whips to receive any amendment to their appointments and these be processed in the usual manner and reported back to the next meeting of this Committee;

(h)  To note the following appointments confirmed by the Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance) since the last meeting of this Committee:

  Outside Body  Member Appointed

  Leeds College of Building  Councillor Driver

  Elmete Adoption Panel  Councillor Jarosz

  Yorkshire Indoor Cricket School  Councillor Wilkinson

  Council Housing Investment Review -  Councillor D Blackburn

  Councillor Consultation Group  Councillor Anderson

  Councillor Chapman    Councillor Hollingsworth

  Councillor Hanley

  Councillor Gruen

(Councillors Hanley, Latty and Nash left at the conclusion of this item at 6.45 pm)

To consider the report of the Director of Resources providing information regarding the Local Government Pension Scheme for Elected Members, this report has been prepared to provide details of the councillors pension scheme and outlines the differences between the councillors pension scheme and the pension scheme provided to employees of Leeds City Council.

The Director of Resources submitted a report providing information regarding the Local Government Pension Scheme for Elected Members, the report had been prepared to provide details of the councillors pension scheme and outlined the differences between the councillors pension scheme and the pension scheme provided to employees of Leeds City Council.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report be noted.

(b)  That officers arrange a ‘drop in’ session at a future Council meeting in respect of pensions.

To note the schedule of meetings for 2009/10

Tuesday 13^th October 2009 at 4.30pm

Tuesday 24^th November 2009 at 4.30pm

Tuesday 16^th February 2010 at 4.30pm

Tuesday 13^th April 2010 at 4.30pm

RESOLVED – To note that the future meetings of this Committee were scheduled as follows:

Tuesday 13^th October 2009 at 4.30 pm

Tuesday 24^th November 2009 at 4.30 pm

Tuesday 16^th February 2010 at 4.30 pm

Tuesday 13^th April 2010 at 4.30 pm