Agenda and minutes

Contact: Helen Gray (0113) 247 4355  Email: helen.gray@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

84.

Appeals Against Refusal of Inspection of Documents

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 25* of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

 

(* In accordance with Procedure Rule 25, notice of an appeal must be received in writing by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting).

 

Minutes:

There were no appeals against refusal of inspection of documents.

85.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

 

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

 

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:-

  No exempt items on this agenda.

Minutes:

There were no resolutions to exclude the public.

86.

Late Items

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

 

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

 

Minutes:

There were no late items.

87.

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:

Councillor Groves declared a personal interest in Agenda item 7, Call In  - Three Year Grants to Cultural Organisations. Due to her position as a Trustee of Middleton Equestrian Centre. Minute No. 90 refers.

 

Councillor J Procter, signatory to the Call In, declared a personal interest in Agenda item 7, Call In  - Three Year Grants to Cultural Organisations. Due to his position as a Director of the  Leeds Grand Theatre Board and Opera House Board of Management and as a Director of Northern Ballet. Minute No. 90 refers.

 

Councillor Ogilivie, as the Executive Board Member for Leisure, declared  a personal interest in Agenda item 7, Call In  - Three Year Grants to Cultural Organisations. Due to his position as a Director of the  Leeds Grand Theatre Board and Opera House Board of Management and a Board Member of Yorkshire Dance. Minute No. 90 refers.

 

88.

Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Atkinson, Lyons, Bentley and Mathews.

 

Councillors Graham, Groves and Chapman were in attendance as substitutes.

 

89.

Call In of Decision - Briefing Paper pdf icon PDF 70 KB

To Consider the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development  advising the Scrutiny Board on the procedural aspects of Calling In the decision.

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development informed Members of the Call In arrangements in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the options of action available to the Board.  It was reported that the following options were available to the Board:

 

  • Release the decision for implementation; and
  • Recommend that the decision be reconsidered.

 

 

90.

Call In - Three Year Grants to Cultural Organisations pdf icon PDF 52 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting the background papers to a decision which has been Called In in accordance with the Council’s Constitution regarding Three Year Grants to Cultural Organisations.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the background papers to a decision which had been Called In in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.  The decision was a Delegated Decision Notice of the Three Year Grants to Voluntary Organisations.

 

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

 

  • Councillor J Procter – Signatory to the Call In;
  • Councillor D Collins – Signatory to the Call In;
  • Councillor A Ogilive – Executive Board Member for Leisure;
  • Catherine Blanshard – Chief Officer (Libraries, Arts and Heritage);
  • Mathew Simms – Arts and Venues Manager.

 

Councillor Procter outlined the reasons for the Call In of the decision. These included the following:

 

  • The background to grants and the process for allocation agreed last municipal year which attempted to ensure greater transparency about all monies received by external organisations from Leeds City Council;
  • The process which has been followed, which did not specify the difference between the arts grants and the recreational grants process;
  • Concern around the loss of West Yorkshire Grant and the move the Leeds Inspired Grant, and the effect on funding for cultural organisations;
  • Failure of the delegated decision to have regard for the Member Management Committee decision on 1st July 2011  Appointments to Outside Bodies in receipt of Grants (Minute No.13) that asked ‘where a significant financial contribution is given to an organisation then the matter of representation on that organisation’s management board be considered if it is felt to be appropriate in that particular circumstance’. It was expressed that more elected Member representation was needed on  the Boards of organisations spending  large amounts of public money.

 

In response to the concerns raised , officers present raised the following issues:

 

  • That the report and decision in question was not attempting to be an assessment of all funding it was the allocation of the three year grants.  It was proposed that at the end of the year a report could be given on performance against funding received.
  • The report encompassed two grant schemes the recreation grant scheme which is a long standing scheme that has been allocated on a 3 year basis for a number of years.  This scheme is currently on its second of three year cycle and so is reported as an allocation only.  The second grant in the report is the new Arts@Leeds scheme which this year introduced a robust new process following discussions at Scrutiny.  This implemented a three year grant scheme for the first time and lines up with the Arts Council funding cycle.  Overtime it is planned to line up both grant schemes to the same cycle.
  • It was discussed and acknowledged that every organisation receiving grants over £100,000 had an elected member on their board either in a formal or personal capacity it would be good to record this to avoid confusion later
  • The close working relationship which now exists between the Council and organisations in receipt of grant funding which had previously not been the case, further that all organisations will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.

91.

Outcome of Call In

In accordance with Scrutiny Board Procedure Rules, to consider the Board’s formal conclusions and recommendation(s) arising from the consideration of the called-in decision.

Minutes:

Following a vote by Members present, it was

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  to release the decision for implementation;

(b)  to request that the appropriate Scrutiny Board considers Member representation on grant funded bodies and considers the year end report.

 

92.

Date and time of next meeting

To be confirmed for the municipal year 2012/13 after the Annual Meeting on 23rd May 2012.

Minutes:

The date and time of the next meeting will be confirmed after the Annual meeting of the Council on May 21st 2012.