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 12 of the Members Code of Conduct.

Councillor Lyons declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 7, Session 2 Inquiry on the Integrated Transport Strategy Transport Governance:  Leeds City Region and West Yorkshire, due to his position on the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority.  Minute No. 49 refers.

Councillor Driver declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 9, City Region Governance Arrangements due to his position on the corporation of Leeds College of Building.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Hussain and Shelbrooke.

To receive and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 December 2009

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2009, be confirmed as a correct record.

Minute No.43 – Recommendation Tracking

It was reported that Board Members had been issued with further information that they had requestedregarding the Inquiry into the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector.

Minute No.41 – Yorkshire Forward

A Member requested that the concern expressed about democratic accountability be regarded with all the Council’s partnership arrangements.

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

The report of the Head and Scrutiny Member Development provided an update on Transport Governance Work that had taken place.  Also included in the report was a submission from the Director of City Development and additional papers included a report of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) which outlined proposals for their governance and terms of reference for the ITA Executive Committee.  A submission was also made by Parish Councillor George Hall.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

• Councillor Ryk Downes, Chair of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (WYITA)
• Mr Kieran Preston, Director General, Metro
• Councillor G E Hall, Scholes Parish Councillor
• Gary Bartlett, Chief Officer, Highways and Transportation

Apologies for absence were sent on behalf of Mr Ian Williams, Director of Business Representation and Policy, Chamber of Commerce.

Gary Bartlett, Kieran Preston and Councillor Downes addressed the meeting.

Key issues highlighted included the following:

• Transport governance issues were being considered at two levels – on a City Region basis and across West Yorkshire.
• Members’ attention was brought to the proposed terms of reference for the Leeds City Region Transport Panel.
• With regard to the establishment of a formal Governance Scheme for  West Yorkshire, it was reported that meetings had been held with representatives of the Department of Transport (DfT).  Some points of concern had been raised by the DfT regarding the proposed levels of legislative change that was being suggested and the possibility of some legal advice and support. A response from them was awaited.
• The role of the interim ITA and accountability issues.
• Detailed working arrangements for the ITA would be produced for the AGM in June 2010.
• Audit and scrutiny issues for the ITA
• Private sector involvement – key private sector objectives included economic growth and regeneration.
• The bus operators who determine the level and frequency  of bus services based on commercial criteria and  ITA proposals to introduce quality bus contracts that will  impose on operators a level and frequency of bus service on specific routes.

Parish Councillor George Hall referred to a submission that he had made to the Board and highlighted issues including the Local Transport Plan and the strategy for community involvement.

In response to Members’ comments and questions, the following issues were discussed:

• Representation on the West Yorkshire ITA Executive Board needed to involve all 5 local authorities as well as being able to demonstrate a political balance.
• The 8 Member ITA Executive Board and the remit of the wider 22 Member ITA.
• How could you make any revised City Region Transport Governance arrangements more democratic and accountable?
• Ways in which to involve the community and make best use of public knowledge.

RESOLVED

-  That the report and discussion be noted.

-  Endorse the report of the Director of City Development on the transport governance work that has been  undertaken since the last meeting. 

-  To reaffirm the Board's  decision on 16th October 2009 to endorse the establishment of an 8 Member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Assistant Chief Officer (Planning, Policy and Improvement)

The report of the Assistant Chief Officer (Planning, Policy and Improvement) informed Members of Total Place, a government initiative that brought a ‘whole area’ approach to public services that sought to identify and avoid overlap and duplication and so deliver a step change in both service improvement and efficiency.

The Board was requested to note the ‘Total Place’ approach; receive key findings of national pilots as they became available and invite further feedback about the implementation of a ‘Total Place’ approach in Leeds.

The Chair welcomed Jane Stageman, Senior Project Manager - Planning, Policy and Improvement to the meeting.

In response to Members comments and questions, the following issues were discussed:

• The Council’s Strategic Planning and Policy Board was an officer led body.  It did not have a decision making role and reported to the Locality Pathfinder programme.
• Thirteen local authority pilots had been set up across the country to identify whether partner organisations could deliver certain services more effectively and at a reduced cost which did not include Leeds
• Members attentions was brought to the following areas of work covered by the pilots:
  • Children’s health
  • Health and Social Care
  • High cost/high need communities
  • Crime/reducing re-offending
  • Alcohol and drugs
  • Total community; housing and regeneration
  • Asset Management
  • Access to public services

• The importance of community engagement – it was reported that this was part of the Locality Pathfinder programme.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the discussion and report be noted.

(b)  That the Board receives a further report after May 2010.

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

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development reminded the Board of their previous request for a further report on City Region Governance arrangements with particular reference to the democratic deficit and proportionality.  A report  of the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement), ‘Leeds City Region Forerunner Agreement’,  that had been considered by the Executive Board on 6 January 2010 was also attached to the agenda.

The Chair welcomed Kathy Kudelnitzky, Chief Officer, Leeds Initiative & Partnerships and Rob Norreys, Head of Regional Policy to the meeting.

The Board was given an update regarding recent developments surrounding City Region Governance arrangements.  The following issues were highlighted:

• The City Regions Forerunner Agreement.  This had been signed off in November 2009 and gave devolved arrangements to the Leeds City Region Leader’s Board in the following areas:
  • Transport
  • Innovation
  • Housing
  • Skills

New bodies under the Leeds City Region were being established to deal with these.

• Meetings had been planned with the Chief Executive and Chief Planning and Housing Officers to discuss how the Council’s housing agenda was aligned to be fed into the City Region’s Housing & Communities Agency (HCA) Leader’s Board.  Leeds City Council would be represented on this Board.
• Council legal officers were due to meet to look at wider issues for the Council under the Forerunner Agreement.
• The Forerunner Agreement was considered by Executive Board at its meeting on 6 January 2010.  Following this, it was agreed that arrangements and information would be disseminated to all Leeds City Council Members.
• Members were advised that  an electronic City Region Newsletter would be introduced  to inform  Elected Members across the Leeds City Region of the work being undertaken in this regard .
• Arrangements for the HCA Leaders Board and the Employment and Skills Board.

In response to Members comments and questions, the following issues were discussed:

• How Leeds City Council Members could be involved and have an influence at City Region Level.
• How to inform the public of the role of the Leeds City Region Leaders Board.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report and discussion be noted.

(b)  That a further report be brought to the Board.

(Councillor Dunn left the meeting at 11.30 a.m. during the discussion on this item).

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

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report that outlined the Board’s Work Programme.  Also attached was a copy of the Executive Board Minutes of  24 November and 9 December 2009 and Members were also issued with a copy of the Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Work Programme be amended as necessary.

Thursday, 4 February 2010 at 10.00 a.m. (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 a.m.)

Thursday, 4 February 2010 at 10.00 a.m. (pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 a.m.).

The meeting concluded at 12.00 p.m.