Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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 Borough Solicitor, 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 Borough Solicitor, 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.

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.)

1.    Councillors Patterson and Wilkie (tenants of Council accommodation) declared disclosable pecuniary/pecuniary interests in agenda item 7(c) (Housing Revenue Account – Income Recovery Policy 2017) but considered they were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption as nothing in the report relates particularly to the relevant tenancy or lease.

To receive as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting of Cabinet held on 14 March 2017

RESOLVED             That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 14 March 2017  be received as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

1. To note the Leader has appointed Cabinet Committees and Working Groups for 2017/18 as circulated at the Annual Meeting on 17 May 2017 with the terms of reference now included in the Constitution.

2. To note the 'Proper Officer Provisions and Scheme of Delegation to Chief Officers' insofar as they are executive functions and the Scheme of Delegation to Cabinet Members as set out in the Constitution.

RESOLVED      A.    That the appointment of Cabinet Committees and Working Groups for 2017/18, as circulated at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 17 May 2017, with the terms of reference included in the Constitution, be noted.

                            B.    That the ‘Proper Officer Provisions and Scheme of Delegation to Chief Officers’, insofar as they are executive functions, and the Scheme of Delegation to Cabinet Members, as set out in the Constitution, be noted.

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 5.00pm on Thursday 8 June 2017.

There were no items under this heading.

Consideration was given to the report relating to the following matters requiring decisions as circulated on pages 19 -196 and 211 – 213  of the book of Reports.

LEADER’S OPENING REMARKS

The Leader welcomed Councillor Cooper to her first meeting and expressed his thanks to Councillor Aldridge for his service on Cabinet.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder:  Councillor I Moran)

Councillor Moran introduced the report of the Borough Transformation Manager & Deputy Director of Housing which presented performance monitoring data for the quarter ended 31 March 2017.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED  A.         That the Council’s performance against the indicator set for the quarter ended 31 March 2017 be noted.

B.        That the call-in procedure is not appropriate for this item as the report will be submitted to the meeting of the Corporate & Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 13 July 2017.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder:  Councillor J Hodson)

Councillor J Hodson introduced the report of the Director of Development and Regeneration which advised on the outcome of the public consultation on the revised boundary to the Granville Park Conservation Area boundary and sought approval for the update to the Granville Park Conservation Area Appraisal and associated Design Guide and to the making of a new Article 4 Direction across the whole of the Conservation Area.

A motion from Councillor J Hodson was circulated at the meeting.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the motion from Councillor J Hodson and the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED      A.    That the Granville Park Conservation Area Appraisal update for Granville Park Conservation Area and the Design Guide appended to this report (Appendix A and B) be approved.

                            B.    That the Conservation Area boundary be extended to include the Cockbeck Tavern its Car Park and Bowling Green (identified as extensions A & B on the Plan in Appendix C to the report).

C.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Development and Regeneration in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning to make and publicise an Article 4 Direction for the extended Granville Park Conservation Area (identified in Appendix C to the report (including the extensions identified A & B on the Plan in Appendix C) and schedule in Appendix D to the report). 

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor J Patterson)

Councillor Patterson introduced the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion which sought approval for the updated Housing Revenue Account Income Recovery Policy 2017.

Minute no. 7 of the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) held on 7 June 2017 was circulated at the meeting.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the minute of the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) and the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED      A.    That the Housing Revenue Account Income Recovery Policy 2017 (Appendix 1 to the report) be approved.

B.   That the Director of Housing and Inclusion, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, be given delegated authority to make any minor changes to the policy where appropriate following tenant consultation and to implement and deliver the policy.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor J Hodson)

Councillor J Hodson introduced the report of the Director of Development and Regeneration which advised on the feedback received on the above-mentioned consultation and sought authority to publish the Consultation Feedback Report.

Councillor J Hodson expressed his thanks to the officers for their efforts.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED      A.    That the Consultation Feedback Report on the Local Plan Review Scoping and Issues & Options consultation (provided at Appendix A to the report) be noted and endorsed.

                            B.    That the next steps in the Local Plan Review process set out at Section 4.0 of the report be endorsed.

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 (Financial/Business Affairs) 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.

(Note: No representations have been received about why the meeting should be open to the public during consideration of the following item of business).

Part 2

(Not open to the public)

RESOLVED           That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 (financial/business affairs) 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 report relating to the following matters requiring decisions as contained on pages 197 – 210 and 214 – 217 of the Book of Reports.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor J Patterson)

Councillor Patterson introduced the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion which provided an updated position in respect of 192-198 Ennerdale, Skelmersdale.

Additional information from the Director of Housing and Inclusion was circulated at the meeting.

Minute no. 8 of the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) held on 7 June 2017 was circulated at the meeting.

A motion from Councillor Patterson was circulated at the meeting.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the additional information, the minute of the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) and the motion from Councillor Patterson and the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED  A.      That the Director of Housing and Inclusion be given authority in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing to negotiate the terms of a disposal, enter into all necessary documentation in order to dispose and complete the disposal of 192-198 Ennerdale, Skelmersdale, to Tanhouse Community Enterprise by way of lease at a peppercorn rent for community purposes.

                        B.      That the call-in procedure is not appropriate for this item due to the time limited offer to access loan funding to undertake the refurbishment of the premises.

Note: Councillor Pendleton was absent from the meeting during consideration of the above item.

(Relevant Portfolio Holders: Councillor I Moran & Councillor C Wynn)

Councillor Moran introduced the report of the Director of Development and Regeneration which advised on the current position in relation to 34 and 36 Gorsey Place, Skelmersdale.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the details as set out in the report before it and accepted the reasons contained therein.

RESOLVED      A.    That the Director of Development and Regeneration be authorised to take all necessary steps to rebuild and refurbish units 34 and 36 Gorsey Place using insurance and reserve funding as detailed in section 5 of the report, subject to the budget impact being approved by Council on 19 July 2017.

                            B.    That the Director of Development and Regeneration in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Finance, to take all necessary steps to extend enhancement works to the other two adjoining units as detailed in section 5.5 of the report (Numbers 38 and 40 Gorsey Place), subject to the budget impact being approved by Council on 19 July 2017.

Note

No representations had been received in relation to the above items being considered in private.