Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed all those in attendance to the meeting, particularly the new Members, Councillors James Upjohn, Paul Turpin, George Clandon, Denise Hirrell, Ian Eccles, Anne Mary Fennell, Darren Daniels and Katie Juckes.

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

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor R Cooper.

The Mayor paid tribute to those who were no longer Councillors following the elections held on 6 May 2021, namely Gail Hodson, Sam Currie, Andrew Pritchard, Maureen Mills, Kevin Wright, John Cairns and Carolyn Evans 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 Legal and Democratic Services Manager 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 Godric of St Anne's Church, Ormskirk.

B.    That Civic Sunday would be held at the end of September.

C.   That fund-raising activities for his year in office would be the Birchwood Centre, St. Anne's Scouts and Guides, and the Alfie Lund Fund.

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 2021/22 and to confirm the 'Proper Officer Provisions and Schemes of Delegation'.

The Mayor invited nominations for the appointment of Leader.

The following nominations were moved and seconded:

·         Councillor Ian Moran

·         Councillor David Westley

Councillors Moran and D Westley accepted the nominations.

A vote was taken as follows:

Councillor Ian Moran – 26 (TWENTY SIX)

Councillor David Westley – 21 (TWENTY ONE)

Abstentions – 6 (SIX)  

Councillor Ian Moran indicated his acceptance to the position as Leader.

A Motion to move recommendations 2.2 to 2.4 in the report was moved and seconded.

A copy of the Labour nominations had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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 2022.

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 2021/22, 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 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 David Whittington had been appointed as the Deputy Leader of the Group.  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 had been appointed as the Deputy Leader of the Group.  Details of Spokesmen would be circulated after 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 24 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 2021/22.

The political balance on Committees and the Labour nominations had been circulated prior to the meeting.

A Motion to approve recommendations 2.1 to 2.4 in the report were moved and seconded.

An Amendment containing proposals from the Conservative and Our West Lancashire Groups, in respect of the allocation on seats on Committees, circulated prior to the meeting, was moved and seconded.

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

A vote was taken on the Substantive Motion, which 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 the revised Labour Appendix 1 circulated prior to the meeting and that the allocation of seats to the political groups be as indicated, with the following changes:

(i)            Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee (11 Members: 5 LAB  4 CON  2 OWL)

(ii)          Planning Committee (14 Members: 6 LAB  5 CON  2 OWL  1 IND)

(iii)         Licensing & Appeals Committee (12 Members: 6 LAB  5 CON  1 OWL)

(iv)         Licensing & Gambling Committee (10 Members: 5 LAB  4 CON  1 OWL)

(v)          Investigating Committee (6 Members: 3 LAB  2 CON  1 OWL)

(vi)         Chief Officers Committee (6 Members: 3 LAB  2 CON  1 OWL)

(vii)        Audit & Governance Committee (10 Members: 5 LAB  4 CON  1 OWL)

(viii)       Edge Hill University/West Lancashire Borough Council Forum (2 LAB  1 CON  1 OWL)

B.   That in accordance with the wishes of the group, the group Leaders submit names in relation to appointment to Committees etc 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 revised Labour appendix circulated prior to the meeting.

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 the revised 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.

Nominations for the appointment of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees for the ensuing year were submitted by the Labour Group as contained in the revised Labour Appendix 1 to the report, considered at agenda item 8, which were moved and seconded.

Nominations for the appointment of a number of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, from the Conservative Group, circulated prior to the meeting, were moved and seconded, subject to the removal of the nomination for Corporate & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Cllr James Upjohn).

Nominations for the appointment of a number of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, from the Our West Lancashire Group, circulated prior to the meeting, were moved and seconded.

At the request of a Member, where there was more than one nominee for the appointment of Chairman or Vice-Chairman, voting was recorded as follows:

(i)            Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee Chairman:

Councillor Carl Coughlan – 26

(TWENTY SIX) (Councillors: Aldridge, Coughlan, Cummins, Delaney, Dereli, Devine, Dowling, D Evans, S Evans, Fennell, Finch, Furey, Gagen, Gregson, Lockie, Monaghan, Moran, Nixon, O'Neill, Owen, Pryce-Roberts, Upjohn, West, J Wilkie, K Wilkie and Yates) 

Councillor Adrian Owens – 27

(TWENTY SEVEN) (Councillors: Mrs Baybutt, Mrs Blake, Blane, Blundell, Clandon, Daniels, Davis, Eccles, Gordon, Hirrell, Johnson, Juckes, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Mitchell, O'Toole, Owens, Pope, Rigby, Mrs Stephenson, Sutton, Thompson, Turpin, D Westley, Mrs Westley, Whittington and Witter)

(ii)          Planning Committee Chairman:

Councillor Gaynar Owen – 26

(TWENTY SIX) (Councillors: Aldridge, Coughlan, Cummins, Delaney, Dereli, Devine, Dowling, D Evans, S Evans, Fennell, Finch, Furey, Gagen, Gregson, Lockie, Monaghan, Moran, Nixon, O'Neill, Owen, Pryce-Roberts, Upjohn, West, J Wilkie, K Wilkie and Yates)

Councillor David O'Toole – 27

(TWENTY SEVEN) (Councillors: Mrs Baybutt, Mrs Blake, Blane, Blundell, Clandon, Daniels, Davis, Eccles, Gordon, Hirrell, Johnson, Juckes, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Mitchell, O'Toole, Owens, Pope, Rigby, Mrs Stephenson, Sutton, Thompson, Turpin, D Westley, Mrs Westley, Whittington and Witter)

(iii)         Audit & Governance Committee Chairman:

Councillor Neil Furey – 26

(TWENTY SIX) (Councillors: Aldridge, Coughlan, Cummins, Delaney, Dereli, Devine, Dowling, D Evans, S Evans, Fennell, Finch, Furey, Gagen, Gregson, Lockie, Monaghan, Moran, Nixon, O'Neill, Owen, Pryce-Roberts, Upjohn, West, J Wilkie, K Wilkie and Yates)

Councillor Eddie Pope – 27

(TWENTY SEVEN) (Councillors: Mrs Baybutt, Mrs Blake, Blane, Blundell, Clandon, Daniels, Davis, Eccles, Gordon, Hirrell, Johnson, Juckes, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Mitchell, O'Toole, Owens, Pope, Rigby, Mrs Stephenson, Sutton, Thompson, Turpin, D Westley, Mrs Westley, Whittington and Witter)

(iv)         Polling Districts & Polling Places Review Committee Vice-Chairman:

Councillor Gareth Dowling – 25

(TWENTY FIVE) (Councillors: Aldridge, Coughlan, Cummins, Delaney, Dereli, Devine, Dowling, D Evans, S Evans, Fennell, Finch, Furey, Gagen, Gregson, Lockie, Monaghan, Moran, Nixon, O'Neill, Owen, Pryce-Roberts, West, J Wilkie, K Wilkie and Yates)

Councillor David Whittington – 27

(TWENTY SEVEN) (Councillors: Mrs Baybutt, Mrs Blake, Blane, Blundell, Clandon, Daniels, Davis, Eccles, Gordon, Hirrell, Johnson, Juckes, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Mitchell, O'Toole, Owens, Pope, Rigby, Mrs Stephenson, Sutton, Thompson, Turpin, D Westley, Mrs Westley, Whittington and Witter)

Abstentions – 1 (ONE) (Councillor Upjohn)

(v)          Strategic Asset Purchasing Committee Chairman:

Councillor Ian  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.