Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor McKenna.

To be apprised of any changes to the membership of the Committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4, Members noted the termination of membership of the Committee of Councillor McKenna and the appointment of Councillor D Evans for this meeting only, thereby giving effect to the wishes of the Political Groups.

Note:  No other business is permitted unless, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified at the meeting, the Chairman is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency.

If a member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Borough Solicitor in advance of the meeting.  (For the assistance of members a checklist for use in considering their position on any particular item is included at the end of this agenda sheet.)

There were no declarations of interest

In accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rule 16, Members must declare the existence of any Party Whip, and the nature of it, when considering any matter in the following categories:

-       The review of any decision of the Cabinet or

-       The performance of any Member of the Cabinet

N.B. The Secretary of State believes whipping is incompatible with Overview and Scrutiny.

There were no declarations of a Party Whip

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2019.

RESOLVED:     That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 31 January 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Residents of West Lancashire on giving notice, may address the meeting to make representations on any item on the agenda except where the public and press are to be excluded during consideration of the item.  The deadline for submissions is 10.00am on Friday 22 March 2019.  A copy of the public speaking protocol and form to be completed is attached.

The Chairman advised that one request to speak had been received, which would be dealt with under agenda item 8(b) 'Call In – Local Plan'.

To consider the following two call in items.

The following 2 items were called in by 5 members of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor contained on pages 931 to 938 of the Book of Reports, which advised on the reason for the call in of the decision on Leasehold Properties and the Planning Process, set out in Minute No.100 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 12 March 2019.

RESOLVED:     That the decision set out in Minute No. 100 'Leasehold Properties and the Planning Process', of the Cabinet meeting held on 12 March 2019, be referred back to Cabinet (as the decision making body) for reconsideration, asking it to make a different decision, as follows:

”That Cabinet asks the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to examine potential for any further measures that might be invoked, within existing legislation, which might reduce the onerous terms of  the kind of leaseholds which are of concern to members."

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

A Member of the public addressed the meeting to express the views of the Aughton Residents Group that it believes the vast majority of West Lancashire residents support the view that the Council continues with the current Local Plan until 2027.  That at the next review stage in 2022, the Council should commence the development of a new plan to run from 2027 to 2042, in order to enable the plan to be based on more accurate projections of what is required within the Borough and within neighbouring authorities

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor contained on pages 939 to 964 of the Book of Reports which was to advise of the reason for the call in of the decision on the Local Plan set out in Minute No.101 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 12 March 2019.

A Motion was moved and seconded.

A vote was taken, the Motion was CARRIED.

Comments and questions were raised in respect of:

• The reasons for producing a 30 year plan
• Safeguarded sites
• Plan B sites
• Changes to housing requirement
• Employment land review

A Motion, to include a further agreed comment, was moved and seconded.

A vote was taken, the Motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED:   That the Committee does not wish to ask for a different decision, however the following agreed comments be referred back to Cabinet:

A.    That the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee oppose the development of a 30 year local plan.

B.    That Cabinet considers the inclusion of safeguarded sites going forward.

C.    That the existing West Lancashire Local Plan 2012-2027 remains in place.

D.    That Plan B sites should continue to be protected until 2027.

(Note:     This item was dealt with prior to agenda item 8(a) 'Call In – Leaseholder Properties and the Planning Process')

To scrutinise the minutes of Cabinet held on Tuesday 12 March 2019.

Consideration was given to the minutes of Cabinet held on 12 March 2019, as contained on pages 965 to 974 of the Book of Reports.

RESOLVED:     That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 12 March 2019, be noted.

To consider the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion.

(Portfolio Holder: Councillor I Moran)

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion, as contained on pages 975 to 988 of the Book of Reports, which sought approval for the Suite of Performance Indicators to be adopted as the Council’s Corporate PI Suite 2019/20.

Comments and questions were raised in respect of the following:

• WL108 'Average answered waiting time for callers to the contact centre (seconds)
• Service Now progress

RESOLVED:   That the Suite of Performance Indicators 2019/20 (Appendix A) be noted and the Director of Housing and Inclusion be asked to prepare a report for a future meeting in relation to current performance levels for waiting times for callers to the contact centre and future performance targets, with a view to introducing a mechanism for answering calls within 30 seconds.

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

(Portfolio Holder: Councillor I Moran)

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Executive contained on pages 989 to 1016 of the Book of Reports, which sought approval of the Council Plan 2019/20 – 2020/21.

The Committee was advised that amendments may be required following the decision of Cabinet in relation to the Local Plan.

RESOLVED:   That the “Council Plan 2019/20 – 2020/21”, attached at Appendix A to the report, be noted. 

To consider the joint report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion and Borough Treasurer.

(Portfolio Holders: Councillors J Forshaw and A Yates)

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion contained on pages 1017 to 1022 of the Book of Reports that provides an update in respect of the current position of the 2018/19 Housing

Revenue Account (HRA) and Council Housing Capital Investment Programme.

RESOLVED:     That the financial position in respect of the 2018/19 HRA and Council Housing Capital Programme be noted.

It is recommended that members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs ??  (????) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED:   That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 (financial/business) of Part 1 of Scheduled 12A to the Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information

To consider the report of the Director of Leisure and Environment.

(Portfolio Holder: Councillor Y Gagen)

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Leisure and Environment, as contained on pages 1023 - 1038 of the Book of Reports, which sought authority to implement the proposed strategy for the Community Asset Transfer of Banks Leisure Centre.

RESOLVED:    That the content and recommendations contained within the report be noted.