Agenda, decisions and minutes

  The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting

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.

  The following Members declared 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

  A summary of key work – Councillor McKenna declared a personal interest through being a member of the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority as the report referred to proposals for that service (minute 22 refers)

  (A further declaration was made, minute 23 refers)

  Apologies were received from Martin Hackett, Area Management Officer who had been unexpectedly delayed

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 paragraphs 6.24 and 6.25 of the Area Committee Procedure Rules, the Chair allowed a period of up to 10 minutes for members of the public to make representations or to ask questions on matters within the terms of reference of the Area Committee

  On this occasion, there were no matters raised by members of the public

To approve the minutes of the East Outer Area Committee meeting held on 5^th July 2011

(minutes attached)

  RESOLVED -  That the minutes of the East Outer Area Committee meeting held on 5^th July 2011 be approved

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) setting out priority work within the Outer East area in recent months, together with details of the working arrangements for PACT (Police and Communities Together) meetings and minutes relating to community engagement activities, partnership meetings and meetings of Area Committee Chairs

(report and minutes attached)

(Executive Function)

  RESOLVED –

   To note the contents of the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) and the comments now made

  The South East Area Leader submitted a report providing information on work carried out in the Outer East area in recent months.  Appended to the report were copies of minutes from neighbourhood forums, the Environmental Sub Group, the Health and Wellbeing Partnership and the Area Chairs Forum, for Members’ information

  Councillor Grahame stated that she had sent her apologies for the Environmental Sub Group meeting but these had not been recorded in the minutes

  The Chair welcomed Mr Nigel Kirk, Assistant District Manager for Leeds District Fire Prevention Team to the meeting

  Mr Kirk gave apologies from Mr Ambler, Station Commander, who had been unable to attend

  Mr Kirk referred to the recent cut backs to the service which had been necessary due to the current economic situation

  Some cut backs had been undertaken through internal consultation, ie changes to crewing arrangements and fire appliances with savings having already been made.  However there were proposals to reduce personnel through retirement and to merge some fire stations, with Stanks and Gipton being considered and that a consultation exercise was being undertaken on the next set of proposals from the Fire Authority, with Members being urged to participate in this consultation.  Mr Kirk also referred to the importance of fire prevention and that through smarter working with other agencies and shared data it might be possible to identify people who were vulnerable and at risk in order to provide fire prevention information and equipment and reduce serious harm

  Members commented on the following matters raised by Mr Kirk:

·  the likely level of staff reduction in West Yorkshire

·  whether unforeseen absences could be accommodated without any detrimental impact to the service

Mr Kirk stated that the staffing levels were expected to decrease in

West Yorkshire from 1350 to 1100 over a five year period.  In terms of cover arrangements, an operational resource pool of 65 officers existed to provide cover where it was needed.  The view was expressed that the level of cover was low but Mr Kirk reiterated this was considered to be sufficient

  RESOLVED -  To note the report, the presentation by Mr Kirk and the comments now made

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services providing information on work being carried out across the city to ensure there are sufficient school places to address an increasing birth rate.  Whilst no schools in the area covered by Outer East Area Committee are directly affected, the report seeks to advise Members of plans in adjacent areas

(report attached)

(Council Function)

  The Committee considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services providing information on consultation on proposals to expand primary school provision in some parts of the city, for September 2013.  Although the proposals were not regarded as affecting schools in wards covered by Outer East Area Committee, the report had been submitted to inform Members of plans in adjacent areas

  Lesley Savage from Children’s Services presented the report and informed Members that four proposals were out for consultation, two relating to expansions of existing primary schools and two for proposed new schools

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  the expansion of Whitkirk Primary School with concerns that this had been managed without the need for planning permission

·  that this had meant there had not been the opportunity to consider and address the traffic and parking issues associated with the school and that increased pupil and staff numbers would add to the highways problems being faced by residents

·  that no Green Travel Plan existed

·  that at certain times of the day due to on-street parking, emergency vehicles could face access problems, leading to health and safety concerns

·  that previously, Members’ suggestions for traffic measures, ie the provision of a turning circle, had been accepted, however the officer with responsibility for this had moved sections and no further action had taken place

·  that an expansion of Colton Primary School was much needed as a high percentage of local parents were unable to obtain a place for their children in their first preferenced school yet this had not been included in the proposals

·  that a new residential development in the area was being constructed but that this increase in the number of dwellings – many being family homes – was not translating into school places, with the problem of a lack of school places in Colton moving to the next nearest primary schools, these being Austhorpe Primary and Whitkirk Primary

·  the need to ensure there was a link between Planning Services and Children’s Services to better understand and plan for proposed residential developments

·  that sustainability which included school provision was a material planning consideration

·  that the issue of Section 106 Agreements in relation to education contributions had been a cause for concern to Plans Panel East Members and that a simple method for calculating education contributions should be devised.  There was also the need for Children’s Services to re-examine the contributions agreed on developments not yet built, as the situation had changed dramatically since these had been negotiated, with many schools now being full or above their capacity; that funding for new schools had been reduced or withdrawn and that the relatively small sums being offered per head were no longer sufficient to off-set the impact of residential developments.  On this matter there were concerns that if these issues were not dealt with, the opportunity to acquire contributions of an adequate level would be lost

·  the need for Ward Members to meet with Senior Officers in Children’s Services and Highways to discuss  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Further to minute 13 of the East Outer Area Committee meeting held on 5^th July 2011 where Members received a progress report on work towards the delegation of certain environmental services to Area Committees, to consider a report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods providing details of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) which has been drawn up for the Outer East area and seeking approval of the SLA

(report attached)

PLEASE NOTE: The appendices to this report, due to their size, have been supplied to the Committee in CD format.   Further copies can be requested from the report author

Executive Function

  RESOLVED – To approve the Service Level Agreement for the delivery of delegated environmental services for the Outer East area

  Further to minute 13 of the Outer East Area Committee meeting held on 5^th July 2011 where Members received a progress report on work towards the delegation of some environmental services to Area Committees, Members considered a report of the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods providing details of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) which had been drawn up for the Outer East area and seeking approval of this document

  Members welcomed Mr Tom Smith, the Locality Manager for South and Outer East Leeds for street cleansing, who had taken over from Andy Beattie who had recently retired

  Tom Smith presented the report and informed Members that the comments made at the workshops organised for the proposed new service had been included and that one of the key proposals in the SLA was for a deliverable mechanical sweeping service which would also have built in capacity to enable staff to be proactive and reactive

  Some of the key priorities identified for the Outer East area were outlined, these being:

·  School routes

·  Overflowing litter bins

·  Dog fouling

·  Working with other partners

·  A maintenance programme for ginnels

·  Engagement, particularly with Parish Councils

The importance of the Environmental Sub-Group was highlighted in the new arrangements and it would be to this group that any requests for additional cleansing would be made if it was felt the request could not be accommodated without an impact on the service

The new service would be outcome focused and aimed to provide an equal standard of cleanliness for all residents.  A multi-agency approach would be adopted in the priority neighbourhoods, with Halton Moor and Osmondthorpe being the first two priority areas for the Outer East

Further work would be needed for the next SLA as it had been found that some information collected as part of the process needed to be validated, an example of this being the location of litter bins

Members commented on the following matters:

·  whether the new arrangements could work as proposed

·  staffing levels and vacancy levels.  Tom Smith stated that there had been some staffing issues earlier in the year but that a recruitment exercise had been carried out and currently there were no vacancies

·  that the proposals would lead to a better integrated service and one which focussed foremost on service delivery rather than matters about land ownership

·  that different levels of service had been a frustration for Members and that the arrangements provided the opportunity to make improvements and provide accountability

·  the need for Village in Bloom to be given support along with other groups.  Members were informed that the enforcement team would be engaging with groups and communities as part of their role

I

RESOLVED – To note the report and the comments now made and to approve the Service Level Agreement for the delivery of delegated environmental services for the Outer East area

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) providing information on the benefits and added value of capital Well being funding in South East Leeds together with details on where funding has been provided and the benefits gained from this

(report attached)

Executive Function

  RESOLVED -  To note the contents of the report and the comments now made

  The South East Area Leader presented a report providing details of how the capital Well Being budget in the South East had been spent and the benefits gained from this expenditure.  Appended to the report was a breakdown of the amount received between 2004 and 2010 for use by the Outer East Area Committee, this being £725,000, with Members being informed that the use of this money for projects in the area had led to additional funding being provided from other organisations, for the benefit of the area

  RESOLVED -  To note the contents of the report and the comments now made

To consider a joint report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) and the Chief Executive of Aire Valley Homes Leeds outlining the current involvement Aire Valley Homes Leeds has with East Outer Area Committee and exploring ways of furthering that involvement

(report attached)

Council Function

  The Area Committee considered a joint report of the South East Area Leader and the Chief Executive of Aire Valley Homes Leeds (AVHL) outlining the current involvement AVHL had with Outer East Area Committee

  The Chair welcomed Simon Costigan, the Chief Executive of AVHL to the meeting and congratulated him on his recent appointment to that post

  Mr Costigan presented the report and highlighted some of the work carried out, particularly in respect of the integrated locality working agenda and referred to the following matters:

·  home visits, with each new tenant receiving a home visit

·  walkabouts

·  the work of the ASB team

·  garden enforcement

Members commented on the following matters:

·  that Members were not always able to take part in the walkabouts but this was not due to a lack of interest, but due to their many other commitments

·  the likely effects of the Welfare Reform Bill, whether help and advice with money management or financial support was being considered

·  the need to carefully balance the requirements of collecting rents with dealing sensitively and compassionately with difficult circumstances presented by tenants

·  that the closer working with all 3 ALMOs was to be welcomed

Mr Costigan responded and stated that he was aware of how the

changes from a range of benefits to a single benefit could impact on tenants and the ALMO’s income stream, particularly as over 70% of AVHL tenants were on some  kind of benefit

  Shaid Mahmood, the South East Area Leader referred to joint working; that different approaches had been piloted in the South and South East Area and that Yvonne Crowther, leader of the resident-led model in South Leeds had been awarded the Regional Pride of Britain Award and was now going forward to the national awards.  The East Outer Area Committee wished Yvonne well

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services providing key performance information in relation to the East Outer area together with Children’s Services inspection information and key developments taking place in Children’s Services

(report attached)

Council Function

  Members considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services which provided key performance information at a local level in line with the new Children and Young People’s Plan 2011 – 2015

  Mr Ken Morton from Children’s Services presented the report and informed Members that this was the first of two reports to be presented to East Outer Area Committee on a yearly basis.  The report before Members related more to social care data whereas the report to be presented to a future meeting would focus on educational attainment

  Information was provided on:

·  the number of Looked After Children across wards

·  the increase in Child Protection Plans and additional resources to address this

·  the information behind the data which was enabling providers to identify children and their families and target resources more effectively

·  that a more detailed breakdown was available which clearly showed the problem to be more intensive in some parts of the city

·  the NEET agenda and the need to focus on employment

Members welcomed the report but raised concerns that the Youth

Service had not been referred to; that there was a desire to have greater local involvement in this area to ensure the Youth Service provision was appropriate for the needs of the area and that further information was requested on this

  In response to table 3, new referrals, Mr Morton agreed at the request of the Chair to investigate any possible hotspots in the Kippax and Methley Ward and report back to him on this

  Concerns were raised about data in table 8 referring to school inspection judgement grades which showed a high number of primary schools achieving a ‘satisfactory’ judgement which was not considered to be sufficient.   Members were informed that this matter was likely to be focussed on when the debate around primary academies began

RESOLVED – To note the report and the comments now made

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) setting out the draft 2011/2012 Area Committee Annual Business Plan setting out the work to be undertaken in relation to each of the Area Committees delegated roles and functions along with the methods of monitoring performance and forward plan of reports to be presented to Outer East Area Committee for the 2011/2012 Municipal Year

(report attached)

Council Function

  Members considered a report setting out the draft 2011/2012 Area Committee Annual Business Plan which would replace the Area Committee’s Area Delivery Plan

  The South East Area Leader presented the report and highlighted the progress made in relation to implementation of the Plan

  RESOLVED -  To note the contents of the report, to approve the business plan for 2011/2012 and to approve the forward plan of reports to East Outer Area Committee

Tuesday 18^th October 2011 at 3.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds

  18^th October 2011 at 3.00pm in the Civic Hall, Leeds