Decision details

The following Motion was moved and seconded:

"Council notes:

-       West Lancashire Borough Council have had large bollards in place on Bobby Langton Way, Burscough for many years, initially arising from issues linked with planning permission for housing at the former Victoria Park and the new football ground

-       Burscough Football Club’s new ground has been operating with both Burscough FC and Skelmersdale United playing home games

-       The new housing development on the former Victoria Park is now completed (or nearing completion)

-      West Lancashire Borough Council’s recent £3.188million refurbishment of Burscough Wellbeing & Leisure Hub, formerly Burscough Sports & Racquet Centre, and its relaunch and reopening in early 2025

-       Community concerns raised about lawfulness of existing highways and access arrangements in the area

Council believes:

-       In light of the area bearing new housing, a new football ground, the new wellbeing and leisure hub, the general area around Bobby Langton Way is blighted by an increasingly derelict Barons Club and seemingly now wasteland of Bobby Langton Way

-      Traffic flow in and through Burscough village is exacerbated by the presence of the bollards and lack of access via Bobby Langton Way to local amenities including the football ground, wellbeing & leisure hub, Tesco and the train station

-      A mutually agreeable solution must be agreed between all parties, not least the inadvertently but evidently adversely affected owners of the Barons Club, and indeed the wider community of Burscough for whom the Barons Club is now no longer available to them

Council resolves:

-       That officers of the council, across all departments including, leisure, estates and planning, engage urgently and meaningfully with local partners to progress towards a solution to the current situation

-      Local partners could include, but not limited to, Burscough Wellbeing & Leisure Hub, Tesco Burscough, Lancashire County Council (Highways), Burscough Football Club and the Barons Club

-       That work towards a resolution be progressed immediately, with Members appraised of progress on a quarterly basis until such point as a resolution is agreed, which itself may be a decision for Members at a future Full Council meeting

-       That the owners of the Barons Club be communicated with on a monthly basis to ensure continued progress towards a resolution and a named senior officer be appointed as a central point of contact to ensure continuity

-       That any resolution must retain the commemoration of Bobby Langton, whatever the outcome"

An Amendment to the Motion, circulated prior to the meeting, was moved and seconded.

A vote was taken on the Amendment, which was LOST.

A vote was taken on the original Motion, which was CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

A.       That Council notes:

1.     West Lancashire Borough Council have had large bollards in place on Bobby Langton Way, Burscough for many years, initially arising from issues linked with planning permission for housing at the former Victoria Park and the new football ground

2.     Burscough Football Club’s new ground has been operating with both Burscough FC and Skelmersdale United playing home games

3.     The new housing development on the former Victoria Park is now completed (or nearing completion)

4.     West Lancashire Borough Council’s recent £3.188million refurbishment of Burscough Wellbeing & Leisure Hub, formerly Burscough Sports & Racquet Centre, and its relaunch and reopening in early 2025

5.     Community concerns raised about lawfulness of existing highways and access arrangements in the area

B.       That Council believes:

1.     In light of the area bearing new housing, a new football ground, the new wellbeing and leisure hub, the general area around Bobby Langton Way is blighted by an increasingly derelict Barons Club and seemingly now wasteland of Bobby Langton Way

2.     Traffic flow in and through Burscough village is exacerbated by the presence of the bollards and lack of access via Bobby Langton Way to local amenities including the football ground, wellbeing & leisure hub, Tesco and the train station

3.     A mutually agreeable solution must be agreed between all parties, not least the inadvertently but evidently adversely affected owners of the Barons Club, and indeed the wider community of Burscough for whom the Barons Club is now no longer available to them

C.       That Council resolves:

1.     That officers of the council, across all departments including, leisure, estates and planning, engage urgently and meaningfully with local partners to progress towards a solution to the current situation

2.     Local partners could include, but not limited to, Burscough Wellbeing & Leisure Hub, Tesco Burscough, Lancashire County Council (Highways), Burscough Football Club and the Barons Club

3.     That work towards a resolution be progressed immediately, with Members appraised of progress on a quarterly basis until such point as a resolution is agreed, which itself may be a decision for Members at a future Full Council meeting

4.   That the owners of the Barons Club be communicated with on a monthly basis to ensure continued progress towards a resolution and a named senior officer be appointed as a central point of contact to ensure continuity

5.   That any resolution must retain the commemoration of Bobby Langton, whatever the outcome