Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence received.

If, by virtue of the date by which a decision must be taken, it has not been possible to follow Rule 15 (i.e. a matter which is likely to be the subject of a key decision has not been included on the Forward Plan) then the decision may still be taken if:

a)    The Chief Operating Officer, on behalf of the Leader, obtains the agreement of the Chairman of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the making of the decision cannot be reasonably deferred,

b)    The Chief Operating Officer, on behalf of the Leader, makes available on the Council’s website and at the offices of the Council, a notice setting out the reasons that the decision is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred.

There were no items of special urgency.

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 20 January 2023 .  A copy of the public speaking protocol and form to be completed is attached.

There were no items under this heading.

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.)

1.     Councillor J Wilkie (Tenant of a Council flat/house) declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in relation to items 6(a) 'Draft Decant Policy' 6(b) 'Draft Housing Allocations Policy' and 8(a) ‘Draft HRA Budget 2023/24' for the reasons indicated but were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption (nothing in these reports relates particularly to their respective interests arising from the tenancy or lease).

2.     Councillor Coughlan (Tenant of a Council garage) declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in relation to items 6(c) 'Draft Garage Allocations and Management Policy and 8(a) ‘Draft HRA Budget 2023/24' for the reasons indicated but were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption (nothing in these reports relates particularly to their respective interests arising from the tenancy or lease).

3.     Councillors Vicki Cummins and Yvonne Gagen declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda items relating to Lancashire County Council (LCC) as  employees of Lancashire County Council and did not enter into detailed discussions, which affected LCC.

To receive as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on Tuesday 15 November 2022.

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday 15 November 2022 be received as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

Consideration was given to reports relating to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 657 to 800, 865 to 908 and 913 to 920 of the Book of Reports:

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor N Pryce-Roberts)

Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which sought approval of the Housing Decant Policy.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minutes of Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group), the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the Decant Policy attached at Appendix 1 to the report be approved 

B.     That the Head of Housing, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, be given delegated authority to make minor updates and changes as required to this policy.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor N Pryce-Roberts)

Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which sought approval of the Housing Allocations Policy, subject to statutory consultation.

The Portfolio Holder advise that the agreed comment from Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee had recommended that all rural villages be added to the existing local connection areas detailed in Appendix 1 of the Policy. This proposal was put forward after a discussion around Lathom and the new build properties being developed.

She further advised that Draft Policy already allowed these areas to be adjusted as there is a delegation to the Head of Service, and Lathom would now be considered.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minutes of Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group), the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the Draft Allocations Policy attached at Appendix 1 of the report be approved for consultation. 

B.     That the Head of Housing, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, be given delegated authority to make minor updates and changes as required to this policy following public consultation, and to implement and deliver the policy.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor N Pryce-Roberts)

Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which sought approval of the Garage Allocations & Management Policy.

Cabinet was advised that an Addendum had been circulated to insert at the end of section 13, the following words "This Policy covers requests to purchase garages from private individuals who wish to utilise a garage to store car or other permitted items only, any other requests to purchase garage sites will be dealt with outside this policy".

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minutes of Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group), the Addendum circulated prior to the meeting, the contents of the report and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the Garage Allocations & Management Policy attached at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

B.     That the Head of Housing, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, be given delegated authority to make minor updates and changes as required to this policy.

To consider the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

Councillor Yates introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services, which set out the updated Medium-Term Financial Forecast (MTFF) for 2023/24 to 2025/26, the latest forecast budget gap for the three years of £1.505m, comprising £0m in 2023/24, £0.751m in 2024/25 and £1.504m in 2025/26.

The report detailed the reserves position as at 31 March 2022 and forecast to

2025/26 and set out the annual budget setting process for 2023/24.

The Portfolio Holder advised that given the unavoidable delay in the preparation of reports, consideration of the budget items had not been undertaken by the Budget/Council Plan Committee or Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee.  He suggested that this report and the Capital Programme report should be referred to a Special Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee prior to Council on 22 February 2023.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the above comments of the Portfolio Holder, report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the latest Medium-Term Financial Forecast (MTFF) for 2023/24 to 2025/26 be noted.

B.     That the latest reserves position as at 31 March 2022 and forecast to 2025/26 be noted.

C.     That the annual budget setting process for 2023/24 be noted.

D.     That the Draft GRA Budget Report and MTFS Update 23-24 be considered at a special meeting of Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee, prior to full Council on 22 February 2023.

This item will be considered under the report at Item 6(F)

This item was withdrawn as it had been combined with the next item on the agenda.

To consider the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

Councillor Yates introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services, which set out the Capital Strategy and Capital Programme 2023/2026.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the Capital Strategy and Capital Programme 2023/26 document and the comments of the Portfolio Holder during consideration of the GRA Budget item.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the Capital Strategy and Capital Programme 2023/26 be noted.

B.     That the Capital Strategy and Capital Programme 2023/26 be considered by a special meeting of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee, prior to the full Council meeting on 22 February 2023.

This item will be considered at Council on 22 February 2023.

This item was withdrawn from the Agenda and will be considered at the full Council meeting on 22 February 2023.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor J Wilkie)

Councillor J Wilkie introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community, which  provided an update on the Council's progress towards delivering the actions set out in the Climate Change Strategy (Strategy) and Action Plan 2030, and to approve the Council's Priorities for 2023/24.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   That the priority actions for 2023/24 be approved and a public consultation for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure be undertaken as set out in section 6 of the report.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community, and Legal & Democratic Services Manager.

(Relevant Portfolio Holders: Councillors J Wilkie, C Coughlan & V Cummins)

Councillor J Wilkie introduced the joint report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community and the Legal & Democratic Services Manager, which set out the minutes of the Community Environmental Improvements, including Community Orchards, Task and Finish Group Meetings held on 18 October 2022 (at Appendix 1) and 17 November 2022 (at Appendix 2).  The report highlighted areas recommended by Task & Finish Group for development of Community Orchards, and sought approval for Community Consultation around the areas identified, and for work to commence at sites which achieve  50%+ positive feedback from the consultation.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minute of the Corporate & Environmental Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the recommendations from Community Environmental Improvements, including Community Orchards, Task and Finish Group to Corporate and Environmental Overview & Scrutiny Committee, in relation to the potential development of Community Orchards at the following sites, be approved:

1.     The Community Garden in Elswick, Tanhouse, Skelmersdale

2.     Pocket greenspace in Tanhouse, Skelmersdale

3.     Kiln Lane playing fields in Greenhill, Skelmersdale

4.     Manor Road Estate play park and pocket greenspace, Burscough

5.     Thompson Avenue field, Ormskirk

6.     Pocket greenspace on Brookhouse Road and Cotton Drive, Ormskirk.

B.     That a 2 week consultation be undertaken within the areas of those sites identified as potential Community Orchards.

C.     That delegated authority be given to the Corporate Director of Place & Community, to commence work on those proposed Community Orchard Sites that receive a 50%+ positive feedback following consultation, to enable Planting to commence within the appropriate season.

D.     That the principal of installing Information Boards at each of the Community Orchard sites, subject to budget provision, be approved. 

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

Councillor Yates introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which presented the performance monitoring data for the quarter ended 30 September 2022.

Cabinet was advised the Corporate & Environmental Overview & Scrutiny Committee has agreed that future scrutiny of the quarterly monitoring reports should be undertaken by the Budget/Council Plan Committee.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minute of the Corporate & Environmental Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the Council’s performance against the Council Plan for the quarter ended 30 September 2022 be noted.

B.     That Cabinet continues to monitor the quarterly performance against the Council Plan.

This item is deferred to a future meeting.

This item was deferred.

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 paragraph 3 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 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the 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 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of that 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.

Consideration was given to the following reports relating to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 801 to 864 and 907 to 912 of the Book of Reports.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor N Pryce-Roberts)

Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Service, which sought feedback to enable the Council to set its Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget and capital investment programme for the next financial year 2023/24.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minutes of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group), the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the financial position and the budget matters set out in the report be noted.

B.     That the use of the Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources delegated authority in relation to rent and service charge changes be noted.

C.     That the minutes of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) be noted when finalising the HRA budget proposals to be approved by Council on 22 February 2023.

D.     That the Housing and Landlord Services Portfolio Holder be given delegated authority to submit firm proposals to Council on 22 February 2023 to enable the budget to be set.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director Transformation, Housing and Resources.

Councillor Yates introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which set out an approach for the Council to improve the corporate management of its property assets, the requirement to procure assistance from an external provider to collect and present data and to advise on the Council's non-housing property portfolio, and sought approval, subject to funding, to advertise the project to suppliers.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the report be noted and the principle to develop a strategy for the corporate management of General Revenue Account (GRA) property assets be approve, as, or broadly in line with the basic outline set out in Appendix A to the report.

B.     That, subject to the approval of the 2023/24 budget at Council on 24 February 2023, as part of the development of a strategy the Council procures, funds and implements the work set out in the brief in Appendix B.

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor C Coughlan)

Councillor Coughlan introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community, which provided an update on the revised leisure centre operator approach following the Council meeting dated 15th December 2021, highlighted key information concerning the proposed alternative leisure centre operator strategies following an Officer led optional appraisal and set out a cost forecast for each of the alternative leisure centre operator strategies 

In reaching the decision, Cabinet considered the minute of the Leisure Procurement Committee, the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:   That the recommendations to Council set out in paragraph 4 of the report be endorsed.