Agenda and minutes

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 13 of the Members Code of Conduct

Councillor Lancaster declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Minute 69, 2006/07 Well-Being Fund – application for funding from Meanwood Elders, due to her role as Vice Chair of the organisation and withdrew from the meeting during discussion and voting on this item. She also declared an interest  in the application for Fieldhouse Drive Improvements as she is a Member of the Leeds North East Homes ALMO.

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Harris.

To confirm as a correct record the attached minutes of the meeting held on 16^th October 2006.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th October 2006 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Children’s Services.

Time – 15 Mins (Council Function)

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report regarding Children’s Trust Arrangements for Leeds.  The Chair welcomed Rosemary Archer, Director of Children’s Services, who was in attendance to present the report.

 It was reported that the Executive Board had formally agreed proposals for children’s trust arrangements to provide a framework to improve the lives of children and young people within Leeds.  There was a need to connect strategy to local area thinking  as a statutory requirement of the Children Act and Councillors and Area Committees would be consulted as part of the overall plan.

The Committee was informed of the Council’s responses to the 2004 Children Act.  These included the following:

• The appointment of a Lead Member for Children’s Services.
• The creation of a Director of Children’s Services – would give a route to accountability.
• The establishing of Children Leeds – city wide partnership which included all agencies in Leeds that dealt with children’s issues.
• Children and Young People’s Plan – this was a statutory requirement of the act; had first been produced in June 2006 and was currently under revision.

Members were informed of the six main elements of Children’s Trust Arrangements:

• Integrated Strategic Commissioning Board
• Children Leeds Partnership – this was a themed board of the Leeds Initiative.
• Locality Arrangements – this included consulting with Area Committees.
• Local Safeguarding Children Board -  covering a range of protection issues for children and young people.
• Open Forum
• Directorate of Children’s Services Unit.

Further issues discussed included the targeting of vulnerable groups, funding, Youth Service input and working with relevant partners such as the District Partnership and District Children’s Partnership.

The Chair thanked Rosemary Archer for her attendance.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the North East Area Manager.

Time – 10 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager submitted a report which contained recommendations of the Well-Being Fund Working Group on applications that had been received for funding.

An application for £5,000 had been received from Radio Asian Fever who had recently been awarded a full-time community radio license to broadcast from February 2007. A representative of Radio Asian Fever attended the meeting to support the application and answer Members questions.  It was reported in the Radio Asian Fever business plan that funding had been assured from East Inner Area Committee, East Safer Stronger Communities Funding and North West Inner Area Committee.  South  Inner Area Committee had been unable to provide funding due to other commitments and Members expressed disappointment as this area had a large Asian population.  Subject to approval of funding from other sources, it was reported that match funding would be made available from European Regional Development Funds.  An application had also been made for big lottery funding.  Concern was expressed regarding the sustainability of this project and how it would be funded in future years.

RESOLVED –

(i)  Leeds Reach - £3,000 – Approved.

(ii)  Meanwood Elders - £2,418 – Approved as a one off payment.

(iii)  East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC) Youth Club - £3,000 – Approved.

(iv)  Air Training Corps North Leeds Squadron - £3,190 – Approved.

(v)  Fieldhouse Drive Improvements - £11,000 – Approved. (£2,415 from capital and £8,585 from revenue).

(vi)  Radio Asian Fever - £5,000 – Approved as a one off payment.

(Councillor Harker declared a personal interest in the application from East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre due to his position as Executive Member for Children’s Services and under the provision of Council Procedure rule 16.5, requested it to be recorded that he abstained from voting in this matter).

(Councillor Dowson declared a personal interest in the application for Fieldhouse Drive Improvements as she is a member of the Leeds North East Homes ALMO).

(Under the provision of Council Procedure rule 16.5, Councillor Hamilton requested that it be recorded that she abstained from the voting in relation to the application from Air Training Corps North Leeds Squadron).

To receive and consider the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report regarding the Scrutiny Action Learning Project around Community Development in Health and Wellbeing.  Leeds City Council had been one of only 9 local authorities to receive £20,000 funding to carry out an action learning project around Community Development in Health and WellBeing and Area Committees were being consulted to ensure awareness was raised city wide.

One of the main aims of the project was to progress community development in the commissioning of health services.  This would involve community engagement and assist with the development of local services to improve access to health care and enable people to remain in their own homes.  It was recognised that there was a need to establish what services were already available and which organisations could provide local services.

RESOLVED – That the Area Management team co-ordinate the response of North East Inner Area Committee Members.

(Councillor Wadsworth joined the meeting at 4.50 p.m. during the discussion of this item).

To receive and consider the attached report of the North East Area Manager

Time – 15 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager provided the Committee with a report that summarised recent community safety actions and achievements including the work of Neighbourhood Wardens.

The Chair welcomed Trudie Canavan, Locality Co-ordinator for North East Leeds to the meeting.

It was reported that gating orders would be submitted to the technical board in January 2007 for Carrhome Drive/Road and Wensley Crescent.  Successful approval of these orders would then lead to a public notice and consultation period.

In response to a question of concern regarding anti-social behaviour around the shops at Reginald Row and a request for fencing,  it was reported that this had been identified by North East Homes and funding was to be approved.  Further issues discussed included the future of the Latvian Club following recent problems, the deployment of mobile CCTV units and City Services Wardens.  Trudie Canavan agreed to supply members of the Committee with information on Neighbourhood Wardens and Police Community Support Officers.

The Chair thanked Trudie Canavan for her report, positive work and attendance.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Director of Development.

Time - 15 Mins (Council Function)

The Chief Planning and Development Services Officer submitted a report regarding progress on the replacement and refurbishment of school buildings under phase 1 of the Build Schools for the Future programme.  The report focussed in detail on Allerton Grange High School which is based in the North East Inner Area and Members were informed that presentations would be made to Area Committees as part of the consultation towards planning applications.

Members were shown plans of the proposed new school building, which would be on the current Allerton Grange High School site and were also informed of local considerations such as vehicular access and public transport services.  A short animated presentation that gave an overview of the interior of the buildings and the school site was also shown.

In response to a Members question it was reported that students had been consulted regarding the proposals.  Consultations sessions had been held and students had raised their concern regarding social spaces within the School which had been reflected in the proposals.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

(Councillor Wadsworth declared a personal interest in this item due to his position as a Governor of Allerton Grange High School).

In accordance with Paragraphs 6.24 and 6.25 of the Area 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 powers outlined in the Area Committee Procedure rules for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions within the terms of reference of Area Committees, the committee received a representation from the Chapeltown Community Centre Action Group (CCCAG).

The CCCAG had raised concerns regarding the review of community facilities in Chapeltown following the Area Committee’s decision not to support the release of land for the purposes of building a new community centre in Chapeltown and a group representative attended the meeting to address these concerns. 

Concerns focussed on the data and conclusions of the community facilities review along with gaps in provision and it was reported that CCCAG had planned meetings with community facility providers in Chapeltown to gather further information on facilities available and their views on a new community centre.  There was also to be a public meeting to update people on progress with the Joint Service Centre and to present options for the group and decide the way forward as a community.  The CCCAG reported that should the outcome of these meetings be that a new community centre for Chapeltown was considered to be the best way forward then they would seek the support of the Council and the provision to purchase land at market value.

In response to the CCCAG representations, Members were reminded that the review of community facilities in Chapeltown had been instigated following a deputation to full Council.  Area Management staff were due to meet with community facility providers in the new year and a further update would be provided to the Committee in February or March 2007.  It was also recognised that Chapeltown already had a large number of community facilities for a small area and there were other considerations such as the Chapeltown Road Development Plan.

To receive and consider the report of the North East Area Manager.

Time – 10 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager submitted a report which provided Members with a summary of recent actions and achievements of the North East District Partnership.

Issues highlighted in the report included progress on delivering the District Neighbourhood Action Plans; Chapeltown redevelopment; community facilities review of Chapeltown; organisational restructures of the PCTs; Police ; Adult and Children’s Services and the Primary Review which proposed the closure of Fir Tree and Archbishop Cranmer primary schools.

RESOLVED – That the recent actions and achievements of the North East District Partnership be noted.

To receive and consider the report of the North East Area Manager.

Time – 10 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager submitted a report which provided information on the development of the priorities that would inform the Action Plan Content of the Area Delivery Plan 2007/08.

It was reported that the Area Delivery Plan priorities had been re-ordered in line with the Local Area Agreement which was structured into the following four blocks:

• Children and Young People
• Safer and Stronger Communities
• Healthier Communities and Older People
• Economic Development and Enterprise

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the priorities proposed under each of the four blocks of the Local Area Agreement be approved.

To receive and consider the report of the North East Area Manager.

Time – 10 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager submitted a report with a summary of recent actions and achievements of the Area Committee and Area Management Team.

Appended to the report was a list of actions arising from Area Committees and their progress.  It was further reported that the Chapeltown Community Facilities Review would be reported to the January meeting of the Executive Board and not December as stated and that a meeting with the Yes Cyber Management Committee was to be arranged within the next week.  The Area Management Team also agreed to e-mail Members with details of the 2007 Celebrations programme.

RESOLVED -  That the report and recent actions and achievements be noted.

To receive and consider the report of the North East Area Manager.

Time – 5 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager submitted a report which informed Members of the issues raised at the Area Committee Working Groups held since the last meeting of the Area Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive and consider the report of the North East Area Manager.

Time – 5 Mins (Executive Function)

The North East Area Manager submitted a report which provided the Committee with feedback from the consultative forums that had been held in the North East Inner Area.

Since the last Area Committee meeting there had been consultative Forums in Chapel Allerton Village and Roundhay Ward - Talbot Area.  Disucssion items included Policing Issues, Yorkshire Bank Site, Parks & Countrised, the Chappel Allerton Arts Festival and Street Scene.

In response to comments regarding Christmas lights, it was reported that contact had been made with the PFI streetlighting contractors and the provision of banner hangers and hanging baskets had also been discussed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Monday, 5^th February 2007 at 5.00 p.m. at St Gemma’s Hospice, Prout Conference Centre, Harrogate Road, LS17

Monday, 5^th February 2007 at 4.00 p.m. at St Gemma’s Hospice, Prout Conference Centre, Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS17 6QD