Agenda item

(a)  To hear from the Director and officers on current issues and ask questions

(b)  To consider a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development providing information to assist the Board to develop its work programme for 2008/09 on:-

  (i)   Board’s Terms of Reference.

  (ii)  Core information on relevant aspects of the:- 

·    Local Area Agreement/Leeds Strategic Plan

·  Corporate Assessment Actions 2008

·  Corporate performance management  information (PIs) and any identified areas for improvement;

·  Details of any forthcoming external  audit  reviews;

·  Outstanding Issues from previous Municipal Year

(iii)  Current Forward Plan and minutes of last Executive Board  meeting.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report providing Members with information and guidance to assist the Board to develop its work programme for 2008/09.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

(i)  Board’s Terms of Reference

(ii)  Core information on relevant aspects of the:-

·  Local Area Agreement/Leeds Strategic Plan

·  Corporate Assessment Actions 2008

·  Corporate performance management information (Pls) and any identified areas of improvement

·  Details of any forthcoming external audit reviews

·  Outstanding issues from previous municipal year

(iii)  Current Forward Plan and minutes of last Executive Board meeting held on 14^th May 2008

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Councillor J L Carter, Executive Member with portfolio responsibility for Neighbourhoods and Housing; Stephen Boyle, Chief Regeneration Officer, Environment and Neighbourhoods and Paul Langford, Chief Housing Officer, Environment and Neighbourhoods, who were in attendance to respond to questions from the Board.

The Executive Board Member with portfolio for Neighbourhoods and Housing outlined some of the pressures on the department for the coming year and also raised some topics for possible scrutiny by the Board.

The Chief Regeneration Officer and Chief Housing Officer summarised the key activities and priorities of the Environment and Neighbourhoods Department for the year ahead and suggested topics that the Board might like to consider including in their work programme.

Members commented on and sought further clarification on a number of particular issues for possible inclusion in the Board’s future work programme.

Following detailed discussions, the Chair thanked the Executive Board Member and officers for their attendance.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(Councillor G Hyde joined the meeting at 2.05 pm during discussions of the above item)

(Councillor A Taylor left the meeting at 2.15  pm during discussions of the above item)