Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed all those in attendance to the meeting, particularly the new Members, Councillors Blundell, Coughlan, Finch, Johnson, Mitchell, Monaghan, O'Neill, Rigby, Sutton and Thompson.

The Mayor’s Chaplain for the evening, Father Godric, led Members and officers in prayer.

The Mayor presented Father Godric with a token of appreciation for his support during his Mayoral year in office.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Mrs Carolyn Evans and Adrian Owens.

The Mayor paid tribute to those who were no longer Councillors following the elections held on 2 May 2019, namely, John Bullock, Paul Cotterill, Nikki Hennessy, John Hodson, Phil Hudson, Charles Marshall, Frank McKenna, Liz Savage and Chris Wynn, and thanked them for their service to the Council.  He advised that the election results were available on the Council's website.

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 received.

(See attached Procedural Note.)

A.

The Mayor announced:

A.          That her Chaplain for the year would be Rev Pauline Bicknell of Ormskirk Parish Church

B.          That Civic Sunday will be held on Sunday, 15 September 2019 at 2pm at Ormskirk Parish Church

C.          That fund raising activities for her year in office would be in aid of Up Holland Scout Group (51st Ormskirk) and Crawford Village Hut and Play Park and she sought the support of Members at the various fund raising events to be held throughout the year.

D.          That an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council would be held on Wednesday, 10 July 2019 at 7.30pm, to consider the Sustainable Organisation Review Project final report.

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor, as contained on pages 5 to 8 of the Book of Reports, which sought to elect the Leader of the Council until the Annual Meeting in 2020, receive notification of the Leader's appointment of a Deputy Leader for the same term and Cabinet for the Municipal Year 2019/20 and to confirm the 'Proper Officer Provisions and Schemes of Delegation'.

RESOLVED:A.    That Councillor Ian Moran be elected as the Leader of the Council for a term of office expiring on the date of the Annual Meeting in 2020.

B.   That the Member appointed by the Leader as Deputy Leader for the same term of office, and the Members appointed by the Leader as Members of the Cabinet for 2019/20, with the Portfolios identified by the Leader, be noted as follows:

·       Councillor Moran – Leader, Economic Regeneration

·       Councillor Gagen – Deputy Leader, Leisure and Human Resources

·       Councillor Wright – Health and Community Safety

·       Councillor D Evans – Planning

·       Councillor Forshaw – Housing and Landlord Services

·       Councillor Wilkie – Street Scene

·       Councillor Yates – Resources and Transformation

C.   That the ‘Proper Officer Provisions and Scheme of Delegation to Chief Officers’, insofar as they are Council functions be confirmed and insofar as they are Cabinet functions it be noted that the Leader has delegated these to the officers stated therein.

D.   That the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation to Cabinet members, as updated to reflect the Portfolios/Portfolio Holders now appointed, be noted.

The Council noted that Councillor David Westley had been appointed Leader of the Conservative Group and that Councillor Iain Ashcroft was the Deputy Leader of the Group and members were advised that details of the Shadow Cabinet and Spokesmen would be circulated after the meeting.

The Council also noted that Councillor Adrian Owens had been appointed Leader of the Our West Lancs Group and that Councillor Ian Davis was Deputy Leader of the Group.

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor, as contained on pages 9 to 10 of the Book of Reports, which set out the appointment of Committees etc. and their terms of reference and allocation of seats thereon to the political groups for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

Members were advised that details listing the nominations from Labour and Our West Lancashire had been circulated prior to the meeting and Conservative nominations would be circulated following the meeting.

A Motion was moved and seconded in relation to the appointment of Parish Council representatives on the Standards Committee.

A vote was taken, the Motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED    A.   That, for the period ending with the next Annual Meeting of the Council, or such lesser period should the political balance or allocation to political groups change during the year requiring a review under the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Committees, Sub-Committees etc be appointed as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and that the allocation of seats to the political groups be as indicated.

B.   That the representatives of the political groups on the Committees etc now appointed shall be as indicated on Appendix 1 to the report.

C.   That the appointment of the Independent Person and Reserve Independent Person on the Standards Committee and the appointment of 2 Parish Councillor representatives, shall be as indicated on Appendix 1 to the report and that the Borough Solicitor establish a procedure for the nomination and appointment of those Parish Representatives. 

D.   That the terms of reference for the Committees etc now appointed be agreed as set out in the Constitution.

E.   That it be noted that the Leader has appointed Cabinet Working Groups as indicated on Appendix 1 to the report, with the terms of reference included in the Constitution and set out in Appendix 2 as follows:

(i)   The addition of the Flooding & Drainage Cabinet Working Group

(ii)  The change of title of the Estates Revival Cabinet Working Group to the Estates Regeneration Cabinet Working Group and its wider terms of reference to incorporate the functions of the Hall Green Cabinet Working Group.

To appoint the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees as indicated in the Appendix to be circulated as part of Agenda Item 8.

Consideration was given to the appointment of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees for the ensuing year.  Members noted that details of nominations had been incorporated in Appendix 1 to the report considered at agenda item 8.

RESOLVED:   That Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees for 2019/20 be appointed as indicated in Appendix 1 to the report at agenda item 8.