A vote was taken to appoint a Chair and the Committee, having failed to appoint a Chair in accordance with Procedure Rule 35.2 the meeting was adjourned.  On reconvening it was,

Resolved –

That Councillor Ali be appointed Chair of the Keighley Area Committee for the 2016/2017 Municipal Year.

ACTION:       City Solicitor

Councillor Smith (Chair of the Ilkley Youth and Community Centre and a Member of the Incommunities Foundation Trust) disclosed an interest in the items relating to the Youth Service, Minutes ? and ? in the interests of clarity. 

Members were advised that the decision referred to in Minute 61 had been reviewed and the listing of the former Fire Station at Haworth as an Asset of Community Value had been removed.

Resolved  –

That, with an addition to report that the listing of the former Fire Station at Haworth as an Asset of Community Value had been removed,  the minutes of the meeting held on 14 April 2016 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

There were no questions submitted by the public. 

Previous reference: 80 (2014/15)

The report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Sport, (Document “A”) provided an update on work undertaken by the Youth Service in the Keighley area from April 2015 to March 2016.  The report also gave details of the budget for the Youth Service in 2016/17. 

The report revealed that, as part of the budget decisions taken by the Council for the financial years 2016-18 the Youth Service budget must find savings of £550,000 over two years. The ways in which those savings would be found was reported.  It was explained that staffing would be affected in 2017/18 and that management were currently working on restructure plans.  It was believed that as staffing resources were reduced the amount of open access work provided may have to be reduced.

Members raised grave concerns about those budget reductions and the subsequent  impact on a service which it was felt paid dividends for young people.  It was felt that unless more resources were  made available  for support services properties could not be maintained.   

Two young people involved in the youth service in the area were in attendance and reported their involvement in a number of activities and projects.  Those projects included cycling in local parks to promote a healthy lifestyle and increase community cohesion; inclusion groups to enable disabled children to access the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and a Wellness Recovery Action Plan which had resulted in the participants going on to present that programme to other young people.   The young people involved were congratulated for their commendable involvement in youth services in the area. 

Resolved –

(1)     That the work undertaken by the Youth Service in the Keighley Area as detailed in Document “A” be acknowledged as a crucial service of the Council.

(2)     That it be noted that the deployment of current Youth Service budgets as set out in Document “A” meets local need.

(3)     That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator be requested to submit a report on the work of the Youth Service to Keighley Area Committee on an annual basis.

(4)       That the commendable preventative work being undertaken by the Youth Service be acknowledged and the concerns of Members about the impact of budget cuts and the ability to continue with that work be noted.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Children’s Services

ACTION: Strategic Director, Environment and Sport         

Previous reference: Minute 14 (2015/16)

The report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Sport, (Document “B”) provided an update for 2015/16 on the Bradford District wide provision undertaken by the Youth Service, which included, but was not specific to any one constituency area.

The report also proposed a way forward to establishing a new Youth Offer for the Bradford district in response to recommendations made in the Youth Offer Review report produced in November 2014.

Appended to Document “B” were proposals on a way forward to establishing a new Youth Offer for the Bradford district in response to recommendations made in the Youth Offer Review report produced in November 2014.

Resolved –

(1)       That the district wide provision undertaken by the Youth Service across all youth sectors, as detailed in Appendices A-E of Document “B” be noted.

(2)       That the work undertaken by the Youth Offer Working Group as detailed in Appendix F of Document “B”  be noted.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Corporate

ACTION: Strategic Director, Environment and Sport          

Previous reference: Minute 38 (2015/16)

The report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Sport, (Document “C”) outlined the work of the Community Development Workers on behalf of the three commissioned organisations during the period October 2015 to March 2016 to support Ward priorities within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2015-16.

The report reminded Members that  £21,000 per year of Community Development grants had been allocated for the two years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to the following three organisations: Keighley and Ilkley Voluntary and Community Action; Hainworth Wood Community Centre and Bracken Bank and District Community Association.

Appended to Document “C” were progress update summaries from those organisations and provided a snap shot of their activities over the six month period.

In response to questions about cohesion and inclusion activities it was stressed that the activities presented were by no means an exhaustive list of actions but were intended to give a flavour of the nature of activities that had been undertaken.  It was agreed to request that cohesion and inclusion projects be presented in future reports.

It was also suggested that future reports should present details of activities undertaken in the Ilkley ward.  In response the Ward Officer for that area explained that the Ward Plans Actions Summary, presented in April 2016, had detailed the extensive community development work being undertaken in Ilkley.  The appendices in Document “C” were focused on building sustainability in the Keighley East ward as that area did not have as proactive a community as Ilkley.  It was agreed that future reports would reflect the excellent community development work being undertaken in the Ilkley area.  

Resolved –

That the work of the Community Development Workers on behalf of the three commissioned organisations during the period October 2015 to March 2016 to support Ward priorities within the Keighley Area Ward Plans 2015-16 be noted.

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Corporate

Action: Strategic Director, Environment and Sport

Previous reference: Minute 24 (2015/16)

The Strategic Director, Environment and Sport, presented a report (Document “D”) which provided an update to information presented in 2015 relating to Council Wardens and Street Cleansing.  The report highlighted a developing approach that delivered on the cleaner/greener agenda at an area, ward, neighbourhood and street level that was supported by residents, businesses and community organisations as part of the People Can – Make a Difference Campaign. 

Appended to the report were performance details for street cleansing and revealed performance by ward in comparison to the Keighley area.  A concerning rise in litter in the Keighley Central ward was highlighted and it was explained that the issue was being monitored.

Members questioned the impact of enforcement measures undertaken and it was explained that since the work had been devolved to the area team the need to publicise enforcement had been stressed.  It was expected that the impact of that publicity would soon be reflected.  A Member questioned the statistics on convictions and, whilst the information was not available at the meeting, it was agreed that the information would be provided to him.

The performance in the Keighley Central Ward was discussed and Members expressed the view that the Keighley town centre should receive a distinct and separate budget for street cleansing as did the Bradford City Centre area.  It had been acknowledged that, for budget purposes, Bradford city centre was not included in the City ward allocation and it was felt that Keighley town centre should be considered similarly.

A Member reported two volunteer sessions which had been organised in the Ilkley ward to clear litter and that further sessions were being arranged.  He also reported an incident where the refuse collection team were not willing/able to remove a broken bin insert and it was agreed that the incident would be reported back to that service.

Health and safety concerns regarding grass verge mowing were raised.  It was explained that the concerns should be communicated to the Highways Service and it was agreed to provide details of the relevant contact officer.

Incident of fly tipping being dealt with in a speedy manner were reported by the Ward Member for the Worth Valley.

Resolved –

(1)       That the information in Document “D”, which is intended to inform decisions on the devolved service in Keighley, be noted.

(2)       That it be recommended to the Executive that Keighley Town Centre is treated as a separate entity when decisions on the allocation of devolved budgets for Council Wardens and Street Cleansing are made in a similar approach to the way Bradford City Centre is allowed resources distinct from the City Ward.

Overview and Scrutiny Area: Corporate

Action: Strategic Director, Environment and Sport

Previous reference: Minute 85 (2015/16)

The report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Sport, (Document “E”) informed Members of Community Chest Awards made to projects within the Keighley Area in the financial year 2015-2016.

Resolved -

(1)       That the strength of demand for assistance and diverse range of proposals from groups and organisations within the Keighley Area be noted.

(2)       That the Keighley Area Co-ordinator’s Office continues to ensure the effective allocation of community chest funding by providing appropriate support and advice to applicants.

(Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Committee)        

(Jonathan Hayes -01535 618008)