Agenda and minutes

Contact: Phil Garnett (0113) 395 1632  Email: philip.garnett@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

57.

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 the refusal of inspection of documents.

58.

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.

59.

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 formal late items submitted to the agenda. However supplementary information relating to Agenda Item 6 – ‘Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy – Appendix 2 maps’ had been previously circulated and published.

 

Also circulated at the meeting were summarised comments from the Scrutiny Board (Health and Wellbeing and Adult Social Care) on Leeds’ draft Local Development Framework Core Strategy. It was noted that this document was only received immediately prior to the meeting and as such had not been fully considered by Members present.

 

60.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Interests

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011and paragraphs 13-18 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.  Also to declare any other significant interests which the Member wishes to declare in the public interest, in accordance with paragraphs 19-20 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

 

There were no declarations made.

 

61.

Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors P Wadsworth (J Procter substituting), J Chapman (S Bentley substituting) and J Marjoram (B Anderson substituting).

 

62.

Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy pdf icon PDF 53 KB

To receive a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Management inviting formal comment on the Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy before the final draft is submitted to the Executive for recommendation to full Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which presented the Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy (Core Strategy) to the Board. The Core Strategy forms part of the Council’s budget and policy framework and the Board was invited to make formal comments before the final draft is considered by the Executive Board for recommendation to full Council.

 

Present to discuss the Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy with Members were:

 

Cllr P Gruen – Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning and Support Services;

Cllr N Taggart – Chair of Development Plan Panel;

Cllr J Illingworth – Chair of Scrutiny Board (Health & Wellbeing and Adult Social Care); and

Steve Speak – Deputy Chief Planning Officer.

 

Councillor Gruen introduced the Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy to the Board. He highlighted the challenges faced by the Council both currently and in the future. He highlighted that new homes will be built across Leeds but that the Council had an opportunity to make sure that these properties are built in the right places.

 

Steve Speak went on to take Members of the Board through the chronology of the development of the Leeds Local Development Framework Core Strategy from its inception in 2006. Further to this Councillor Taggart confirmed that this Strategy has been scrutinised throughout its development through the work of the Development Plan Panel.

 

Councillor Illingworth addressed the Board and voiced his concerns about the importance of the links between spatial planning and public health. It was highlighted to the Board that deprivation is a serious issue in Leeds which is often masked by the affluence of outer suburbs.

 

Members went on discuss the report in detail firstly welcoming the Core Strategy and highlighting the importance of the Strategy being approved and adopted as soon as possible, and given a chance to succeed.

 

The Board expressed concern about the potential for confusion and future dispute arising from the current format of the key diagram, particularly in relation to the indicative depiction of potential new housing locations.

 

Having been informed that the diagram was a required element of the strategy, Members welcomed the support of the Executive Member and officer present to the proposal to add an appropriate note to the diagram and to emphasise the overriding importance of policy SP7 (Distribution of Housing Land and Allocations).

 

Members considered it important that the Core Strategy should be able to stand up to legal challenges and appeals that might occur in the future. The Board were informed of the engagement that had taken place with Counsel in the preparation of the strategy.

 

Members also commented that there were a number of drafting issues with the Core Strategy and thought it important that such documents are proof read before they are published.

 

Members debated the meaning of sustainable development and how this can be achieved economically, environmentally and in terms of education. At this point Members also highlighted the importance of maintaining allotments as green spaces and suggested that the Core Strategy should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

63.

Date and time of next meeting

10am, Thursday 22nd November 2012 (A pre meeting  will take place at 09:30am for Board Members).

Minutes:

10 am, Thursday 22nd November 2012, Civic Hall, Leeds. (A pre-meeting will take place for Members at 09:30am.)