Agenda Item 7
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AGENDA ITEM 7 EAST (INNER) AREA COMMITTEE 7TH DECEMBER 2005 PRESENT: Councillor Taylor in the Chair Councillors Akhtar, Brett, M Davey, Harington, Hollingsworth, G Hyde, Pryke and Selby CO-OPTEES: Derek Barker, Killingbeck and Seacroft Forum Mr A Armstrong, Gipton Community Forum Mr D Foster, Harehills Community Forum Mr P McArdle, Richmond Hill Community Forum 51 Chair’s Opening Remarks The Chair welcomed David Foster, Co-opted Member for Harehills Community Forum and Pearle McArdle for Richmond Hill Community Forum to their first meeting as official co- optees on the Area Committee. 52 Declarations of Interest No declarations of interest were reported at the meeting. 53 Apologies for Absence Apologies for absence from the meeting were submitted on behalf of Mrs M Carroll and Mrs S Fisher, both of the Burmantofts Community Forum. 54 Open Forum The agenda made reference to the provision contained in the Area Committee Procedure Rules for an Open Forum session at each ordinary meeting of an Area Committee, for members of the public to ask questions or to make representations on matters within the terms of reference of the Area Committee. On this occasion, no matters were raised under this item by those members of the public who were in attendance. 55 Minutes – 12th October 2005 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 12th October 2005 be confirmed as a correct record. 56 Street Lighting PFI The Area Committee considered a report by the Director of City Services summarising the progress to date on the street lighting PFI initiative, involving the replacement of the existing orange light source with a better quality light Draft Minutes for approval at the meeting held on 8th February 2006 source and generation of £1m per year for the 25-year life of third party income Helen Finister, Chief Streetscene Officer presented the report and responded to Members’ questions and comments. Members discussed the following issues arising from the report: ¾ Members asked if there were to be a consultation process with each Area Committee wedge on a phased basis; ¾ Should street column advertising go ahead, what control will there be on the nature of the adverts; ¾ The Pilot Scheme at Temple Drive had been viewed by one Member of the Area Committee who was very impressed but there was concern that advertisement should never be placed on columns on busy main roads; ¾ What effects the new lighting may have on CCTV, traffic calming and whether this had been taken into consideration; ¾ The Area Committee inquired whether, like in Birmingham, political posters would be allowed during the Elections times on those columns allocated for advertisements; ¾ Members were concerned that the new lighting system may be so bright that it may shine into bedrooms during the night and requested more information should provided to the Area Committee on the type of proposed lighting. RESOLVED - (a) That the progress on the lighting solution and the third party income proposals as outlined in the report be noted. (b) That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of this Area Committee on the type of lighting proposed for the East Inner area. 57 Pilot Co-ordinated Environmental Enforcement Project Referring to Minute 47, 12th October 2005 the East Area Manager submitted a further report on proposals for funding from the Cleaner Streets, Greener Places Well Being Budget stream, of a full time secondment from City Services to undertake targeted environmental enforcement work in three of the most deprived SOAs in Inner East, one from each Council ward in the area. Stephen Boyle, East Area Manager attended the meeting and responded to Members’ queries and comments. In summary, the main issues discussed were:- ¾ The types of enforcement and whether this included untidy gardens or gardens where rubbish had been dumped in the back yard etc; ¾ Members were concerned that there had as yet been no prosecutions on residents with untidy gardens. RESOLVED – To approve an allocation of £13,699 from the Well Being Cleaner Streets, Greener Spaces workstream to fund a secondment from City Draft Minutes for approval at the meeting held on 8th February 2006 Services from January until March 2006 to deliver the proposed Co-ordinated Environmental Enforcement Project. 58 Making Leeds Better Making Leeds Better Programme submitted a detailed report on the vision for Making Leeds Better which is a strategic programme aimed at improving health and wellbeing of the people who use health and social services in Leeds by providing them with speedy access to high quality care and treatment that is responsive to their needs and provided in the best possible settings. Jill Copeland and Liam Hughes, Leeds East PCT presented the report and responded to Members’ questions and comments. In summary, the main points discussed were:- ¾ The prioritisation for parking especially on the site being considered on the Shakespeares; ¾ Patient transportation when considering new developments, such as the proposed Children’s Hospital; ¾ The processes in place to maintain and improve the quality of existing surgery, hospital buildings and whether proper planning procedures had been established when considering any new developments; ¾ The implications of a greater number of patients being treated in the community as opposed to being treated in hospitals; ¾ Members asked that proper deadlines be given to any proposed consultation period next year. RESOLVED - (a) That this Area Committee notes the progress made in developing the Making Leeds Better programme for health and social care services in Leeds. (b) That the Community Forums, Area Committee and District Partnerships are the appropriate local engagement mechanisms and opportunities for Making Leeds Better in preparation for the formal consultation period next year. (c ) That all East Inner Area Committee Members, through East Area Management, be regularly informed about each phase taking place. 59 Delegated Function: Six Month Youth Service Performance/Monitoring and Update Report Referring to Minute 69, 22nd February 2005 the Director of Learning & Leisure submitted a further report on general developments within the Leeds Youth Service, in particular the impact of the Youth Matters green paper. The report also informs the Area Committee about current Youth Service programmes of work, achievements and proposed developments in the Inner East area to ward level which includes a half year report on “Reach“ targets as agreed through the Area Committee to monitor as part of its delegated function/ responsibilities. Draft Minutes for approval at the meeting held on 8th February 2006 The report also suggested ways in which the Area Committee can be meaningfully engaged in influencing and approving Youth Service planning and delivery of youth work in order to meet their delegated executive functions and responsibilities. Pat Brooke, Youth Service, Learning and Leisure presented the report and together with Pat Toner, Education Leeds responded to Members’ questions and comments. In summary the main points discussed were:- ¾ Members questioned the facts and statistics within the submitted report, especially the REACH figures and those figures obtained by the GIS census; ¾ The Area Committee asked to be reminded of the resources obtained from this Area Committee for Youth Workers in the East Inner Leeds area and the allocation of hours; ¾ Members expressed their concern at the problems with anti-social behaviour in the East Inner area, especially with those youths under the age of 13 and as young as 7 being involved with drugs and stealing cars; ¾ The need to review legislation in order that the Youth Service and other agencies are able to work with younger children; ¾ What training is in place for Youth Workers especially for those working in areas with a large number of children with ASBOs; ¾ The Area Committee requested a viewing of the recently aired documentary on the pressures of working with people in the Richmond Hill area and the pressures of having ASBOs placed upon them; RESOLVED - (a) That the report be noted. (b) That this Area Committee feels that there should be a change in policy to allow the Youth Service and other agencies to work with children under the age of 13 and that this Area Committee requests the Council to lobby Central Government to change this policy. 60 Public Reassurance – Neighbourhood Warden Structure in Inner East Leeds Referring to Minute 44, 12th October 2005 the Director of Neighbourhoods and Housing submitted a further report in response to their request for separate discussions about how the various elements of public reassurance, for which they have delegated responsibility, could be deployed across the Inner East area with a clear rationale and an accountable structure. The report presented proposals for the future development of Neighbourhood Wardens across the area and the use of Wellbeing funds to ensure an effective, base resource is provided in each ward. John Woolmer and Gillian Mayfield, East Leeds Area Management presented the report and responded to Members’ questions and comments. RESOLVED – (a) That the report be noted; Draft Minutes for approval at the meeting held on 8th February 2006 (b) To establish a Neighbourhood Wardens structure for Inner East Leeds as described in section 3 of the report, which allows for a base team of four Wardens, plus one Senior Warden per ward; (c ) That subject to the conditions set out at paragraphs 3.3 and 3.4 of the report, the release of Well-being funds up to the value of £96,940 per annum to allow an additional 3.5 Wardens to be recruited and to pay for the enhancement of one post to Senior Warden; (d) That recruitment of the additional posts will be subject to maximising opportunities that may be provided through restructuring and redeployment exercises. 61 Area Well-Being Budget Update – Capital and Revenue Referring to Minute 90, 12th April 2005 when the Area Committee approved principles by which the Capital element of the Wellbeing budget was to be split by ward and how decisions were to be made on how each allocation was to be spent.