Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed all those in attendance to the meeting.

The Mayor’s Chaplain for the evening, Rev Pauline Bicknell led Members and Officers in Prayer.

The Mayor thanked Rev Pauline Bicknell for her support during her Mayoral year in office.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor K Lockie.

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 his Chaplain for the year would be Father Michael of St. Francis of Assisi.

B.        That Civic Sunday would be arranged as soon as it was safe to do so.

C.        That fund raising activities for his year in office would be in aid of the Women's Refuge, Skelmersdale Veterans, Skelmersdale Junior Football League, the Evermoor Hub and the Birchwood Centre and he sought the support of Members at the various fund raising events to be held throughout the year.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation and Resources, as contained on pages 5 to 6 of the Book of Reports, which sought to elect the Leader of the Council until the Annual Meeting in 2021, receive notification of the Leader's appointment of a Deputy Leader for the same term and Cabinet for the Municipal Year 2020/21 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 2021.

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 2020/21, 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 Cummins – Health and Wellbeing

·         Councillor J Wilkie – Housing and Landlord Services

·         Councillor K Wilkie -  Street Scene

·         Councillor Yates – Resources and Transformation

·         Councillor D Evans – Planning

·         Councillor Wright – Emergency Planning, Preparation and Implementation

·         Councillor Dowling – Communities and Community Safety

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 had been appointed as the Deputy Leader of the Group.  Details of the Shadow Cabinet and Spokesmen had been circulated prior to 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 had been appointed as the Deputy Leader of the Group.  Details of Spokesmen had been circulated prior to the meeting.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation and Resources, as contained on pages 21 to 22 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 2020/21.

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, subject to Councillor Gordon Johnson being appointed to the Electoral Review Working Group, and the appointment of the Independent Person and Reserve Independent Person and the 2 Parish Council Representatives on the Standards Committee, be as detailed in the appendix.

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

D.   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.

To appoint the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees as indicated in the Appendix to be circulated as part of Agenda Item 6.

Consideration was given to the appointment of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees for the ensuing year. 

A motion to appoint the Members detailed in Appendix 1 to the report considered at agenda item 6, was moved and seconded.

An amendment to the Motion 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:   That Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees for 2020/21 be appointed as indicated in Appendix 1 to the report at agenda item 6.