Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR. View directions

Contact: Andy Booth Telephone: (0113) 24 74325 

Items
No. Item

1.

Chair's Opening Remarks

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the first Scrutiny Board (City and Regional Partnerships) meeting of the municipal year 2009/10.

 

2.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations made at this point, however a declaration was made at a later point in the meeting (Minute No. 09 refers).

 

3.

Apologies for Absence

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillors Armitage and Davey.

 

4.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 67 KB

To receive and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 May 2009

Minutes:

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

 

5.

Constitutional Amendments pdf icon PDF 89 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provided the Board with information and guidance reflecting recent amendments to the Council’s Constitution, as agreed by Council on 21 May 2009.

 

Appended to the report was the following information:

 

-  Guidance on the process for administering a Councillor Call for Action (CCfA);

-  Guidance on the process for administering a Local Crime and Disorder referral; and

-  Guidance on the process for administering a Health and Social Care referral.

 

One Member requested clarification about the range of partners and outside organisations scrutinised by the Board.  It was agreed to circulate this information to Board Members.

 

RESOLVED

 

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted;

(b)  That the amendments to the Council’s constitution, as outlined in the

report, be noted;

(c)  That the likely changes resulting from the Secretary of State regulations regarding the provision of information from partner authorities be noted; and

(d)  That the Principal Scrutiny Adviser circulates information on the range of partners and outside organisations scrutinised by the Board.

 

(Councillor C Fox joined the meeting at 10.06 am during the consideration of this item).

 

6.

Appointment of Co-opted Members pdf icon PDF 87 KB

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

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which outlined the provision to allow the appointment of co-opted members to Scrutiny Boards.  It was reported that up to five non-voting co-opted members could be appointed to the Board for a term of office which did not go beyond the next annual meeting of Council and up to two non-voting members for a term of office which related to a particular scrutiny inquiry.

 

The Board agreed not to appoint any co-opted members at this stage, although it was acknowledged that there might be a need to appoint co-opted members for a particular scrutiny inquiry as and when appropriate.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  That the contents of the report be noted; and

(b)  That no appointments for co-opted members be made at this stage.

 

7.

Input to the Work Programme 2009/10 - Sources of Work and Establishing the Board's Priorities pdf icon PDF 78 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report presenting information and guidance to assist the Board in developing its work programme for 2009/10.

 

The following information was appended to the report:

 

-  Council Business Plan 2008-11 – Executive Summary;

-  Council Business Plan 2008-11 – Improvement Priorities;

-  Council Strategic Plan 2008-11;

-  Leeds City Region Agenda for 2008-09; and

-  List of work undertaken by Scrutiny in the last 5 years.

 

The Chair welcomed the following representatives to the meeting to contribute to the discussion about the Board’s Work Programme and respond to queries and comments from the Board:-

 

-  Paul Rogerson, Chief Executive;

-  James Rogers, Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement); and

-  Rob Norreys, Head of Regional Policy.

 

The Board was provided with suggested topics for inclusion in its programme.  The main areas of discussion were:

 

City Region

 

 

Transport

 

  • The Transport Act 2008 and implications for wider decision making.
  • Developing arrangements with partner organisations to deliver better services, especially the Integrated Transport Authority.

 

Employment and Skills

 

  • The need to review roles and responsibilities for the skills agenda and contributing to the development of terms of reference.
  • The need to co-ordinate training programmes, particularly focussing on how partner agencies deliver services and ensuring that less skilled workers were not left behind.
  • The enterprise agenda and work being developed to bring forward proposals to support the modern construction industry.

 

Vision for Leeds

 

·  Assessing the Vision for Leeds and how strategic plan priorities were being delivered in the context of refreshing the Vision for Leeds up to 2030 / 2040.

·  Overview of the process for refreshing the Vision for Leeds.

 

(Councillor Lyons declared a personal interest in this item as Chair of West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority).

 

(Councillor Shelbrooke left the meeting at 11.02 am and Councillor Fox at 11.04 am during the consideration of this item).

 

RESOLVED – That the information presented with the report and discussion with those present be used towards the development of the Board’s Work Programme.

 

8.

KPMG - Scrutiny Review - May 2009 pdf icon PDF 74 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the findings of the recent KPMG external audit review of the Scrutiny function in Leeds.  It also detailed management’s response to the review recommendations.

 

Peter Marrington, Head of Scrutiny and Member Development, attended the meeting and responded to Members; queries and comments.

 

In brief summary, the main areas of discussion were:

 

  • Existing and previous Scrutiny Board arrangements reflecting departments, directorates and strategic outcomes.
  • Concern about the lack of provision to scrutinise police functions.
  • Clarification that the Scrutiny Board (Environment and Neighbourhoods) had been designated as the Council’s Crime and Disorder Committee.

 

RESOLVED – That the report and information appended to the report be noted.   

 

(Councillor Hussain left the meeting at 11.08 am during the consideration of this item).

 

9.

Determining the Work Programme 2009/10 pdf icon PDF 83 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which requested Members to determine the Work Programme for 2009/10.

 

The Board discussed the following issues for possible inquiry, update reports required and topics to be included in the work programme for the year:

 

Transport

 

  • Conducting an inquiry into transport and the Integrated Transport Authority was identified as the Board’s main priority.
  • Members requested terms of reference for consideration at an early Scrutiny Board meeting.

 

City Region

 

  • Members requested a report back outlining the main governance issues relating to the City Region with a view to developing terms of reference for an inquiry later in the year.

 

Employment and Skills

 

  • Members discussed work being undertaken to review the roles and responsibilities for the skills agenda and contributing to the development of terms of reference.

 

Vision for Leeds

 

  • Members discussed the need to re-evaluate the Vision for Leeds and how strategic plan priorities were being delivered.

 

Other Issues

 

  • There was a request for information about the Road Safety Partnership.  The Chair agreed to raise the matter with the Chair of the Scrutiny Board (Environment and Neighbourhoods) and report back.
  • Universities and links with the community.  It was agreed to address some of the issues at Area Committee level.

 

RESOLVED – That the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Advisor be requested to update and timetable the Board’s work programme with a view to incorporating the above areas of work.

 

10.

Dates and Times of Future Meetings 2009/10

Thursday, 25 June 2009

Thursday, 23 July 2009

Thursday, 10 September 2009

Thursday, 8 October 2009

Thursday, 5 November 20009

Thursday, 10 December 2009

Thursday, 7 January 2010

Thursday, 4 February 2010

Thursday, 4 March 2010

Friday, 16 April 2010

Minutes:

  • Thursday, 23 July 2009
  • Thursday, 10 September 2009
  • Thursday, 8 October 2009
  • Thursday, 5 November 2009
  • Thursday, 10 December 2009
  • Thursday, 7 January 2010
  • Thursday, 4 February 2010
  • Thursday, 4 March 2010
  • Friday, 16 April 2010.

 

All at 10.00 am (pre-meetings at 9.30 am).

 

 

(The meeting concluded at 11.30 am).