Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence was received from Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Andrew Latchmore and Jacqui Gedman.

Cllr Jane Scullion asked it to be noted that she is member of the Yorkshire and Humberside Flood initiative.

There were no items on the agenda requiring exclusion of the press and public.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Place Panel held on 28 July 2020 be approved.

The Panel considered a report and verbal update on progress on the development of the Place Narrative’

An overview of progress towards a full draft of content was provided to the

Panel at the 28 July 2020 meeting. At that meeting it was confirmed that

following feedback from Panel members the narrative was to be progressed as a Storymap, which is a web-based application that enables maps to be shared in the context of narrative text and other multimedia content. The StoryMap includes maps, narrative text and images (videos and embedded items can also be included). This ability to include dynamic content helps to describe the places in our city region and allow the user to navigate the document to points of interest.

The Panel was asked to also consider the following questions:

Is the StoryMap tool is a useful way to present the Place

Narrative content and do you find it easy to use?

Does the ‘Our Places’ section help to describe the character and

diversity of the city region? and if not, how could this be further

strengthened?

Are the 6 challenges the right ones and if not, what do you think is

missing from this section that would help to explain / inform our

approach to infrastructure investment?

Is the summary of our infrastructure investments useful, and is it well

aligned with the challenges identified Place Narrative? If not, how

could this be further strengthened?

The Panel discussed the content of the report and asked that the slides be circulated following the meeting. The Panel was also asked to continue to provide further feedback which would be welcomed up until the deadline of 20 November.

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the direction of travel be endorsed.

The Panel considered a report and verbal update on achievements over the past 18 months on the urban design support programme being delivered by the Combined Authority and funded using an allocation of £180,000 from MHCLG.

Through surveys, workshops and meetings, an assessment was carried out of design capacity across the region’s planning authorities, producing a report in

January 2020 which was sent to panel members in February.

The programme has also included bespoke support to a several planning authorities, facilitating a knowledge-sharing network, providing a training programme and advising colleagues on programmes such as Mass Transit. Proposals for its evolution to reflect the changes brought by devolution and to take on board feedback from colleagues were outlined.

The Panel discussed the content of the report and provided feedback and said that the piece of work had been well received.

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the feedback and comments of the Panel be noted.

The Panel considered a report to update on the Towns Fund programme and a presentation on progress to date from the Cities and Local Growth Unit.

On 6 September 2019, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and

Local Government announced a £3.6 billion Towns Fund as part of the

Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda. A prospectus was released in November

detailing requirements for towns to consider in preparing for a Town Deal, with

further guidance issued in June. Each selected town can bid for up £25million.

Eight West Yorkshire towns have been selected to develop proposals:

The Place Panel was asked to note the report.

Resolved:  That the contents of the report be noted.

The Panel was presented with a report to discuss proposed changes to Spatial Priority Areas (SPAs).

Initiated by a request by one of the West Yorkshire partner councils to add a new Spatial Priority Area, the Combined Authority has refreshed all SPAs.

SPAs were established in the first version of the Strategic Economic Plan

(SEP) in 2014 under Priority 4: Infrastructure for Growth. They were defined as the largest and / or most strategic growth opportunities within our city region.

Additional SPAs were introduced as part of the SEP refresh in 2016.

Following a review of the existing SPA and call for new SPAs (West Yorkshire authorities only), it was considered that the current SPA categories, which were focused on growth opportunities, (Main Centres, Housing Growth Areas, Employment Growth Areas) were no longer aligned well with our strategic policy position and did not allow for the inclusion of the priorities being put forward by local authorities as new SPAs. In response, in partnership with all local authorities, new categories have been developed and these reflect wider policy priorities including regeneration and urban renewal, towns fund locations and economic and environmental resilience. Chief Planning Officers, Strategic Place Officer Group and Directors of Development have supported the SPA refresh process and inputted to the changes proposed.

The Panel was asked to note the contents of the report and provide any feedback on this revised approach to identifying and categorising SPA’s and discuss the draft list of proposed SPAs listed at Paragraph 1.8 of the report and to be included in the emerging Place Narrative and Strategic Economic Framework (SEF)

The Panel discussed and provided feedback on the revised approach

Resolved: 

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That feedback on the revised approach was noted.

The Panel considered a report to update on the Leeds City Region Housing Affordability & Need Study, commissioned as part of the emerging Connectivity Strategy

The Leeds City Region Housing Affordability & Needs Study was commissioned in February 2020 to provide an in depth understanding on

issues relating to the affordability of housing and its impact on access to good

quality housing in the region. Nationally, using house price to income/earnings

ratios (as used by ONS) many places across the City Region (particularly

West Yorkshire) are classed as affordable. This study recognises that these

measures do not fully take into account wider factors that impact affordability

such as transport and wider costs of living, including the quality of housing.

The Panel discussed the implications of the findings for the region and was gave their views regarding the findings of the study and noted that further engagement with district officers is underway regarding use of the study in shaping policy at a regional level.

Resolved:

(i)              That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the views and feedback of the Panel regarding the findings of the study and further engagement regarding use of the study in shaping policy at regional level be noted.

The Panel considered an updated report on an allocation for the Brownfield Housing Fund programme and to outline the assurance process for the programme (subject to Combined Authority approval).

The report highlighted the relationship between the Brownfield Housing Fund and revenue funding secured through the devolution deal and the Getting Building Fund.

The Panel discussed the report and provided feedback on the contents of the report.  

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That further feedback and comments provided by the Panel be noted.

Flood Risk Pipeline Refresh

The Panel considered a report to provide an update on the Combined Authority’s pipeline of priority Flood Risk Management (FRM) schemes which form the basis of the Combined Authority’s engagement with Government.

This report seeks endorsement of the updated priority schemes and asks that

the Panel consider how the programme can be submitted to government and

the role of any potential external communications.

The Panel discussed the progress made and endorsed the updated Combined Authority’s programme of priority flood risk management schemes for investment and considered what level of external communications would be appropriate alongside the Combined Authority’s engagement with government.

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the Panel considered how the programme can be submitted to government and agreed that the updated priority schemes be endorsed.

The Panel considered a report to inform that the invitation to apply for One Public Estate (OPE) Phase 8 revenue and capital funding was released on the 9 September 2020 with a deadline for submissions of 12 November 2020.

The Panel was asked to agree that the Place Panel Chair in liaison with Chief Executive Lead for Place Panel and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Managing Director approve a bid application by the OPE partnership (comprising all the Leeds City Region districts except York and Barnsley) by the submission deadline.

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the Place Panel Chair in liaison with the Chief Executive Lead for Place Panel and West Yorkshire Combined Authority Managing Director approve a bid application by the OPE Partnership be endorsed.

The Panel considered a report to provide information relating to the government consultations regarding changes to the Planning System. There are two consultations running in parallel, changes to the current planning system and planning for the future

The Panel discussed and provided comments on the contents of the report and agreed to endorse the direction of travel on the Planning White Paper consultation.

Resolved:

(i)             That the contents of the report be noted.

(ii)            That the Planning White Paper consultation response be endorsed.