Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The Leader announced that it was the last meeting to be attended by Dave Tilleray, Director of Leisure and Wellbeing and expressed his thanks for his service to the Council. 

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.    Councillor Cooper declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 6(a) (Funding of Voluntary Bodies and Other Organisations Working Group) in relation to applications for revenue funding received from Learning Stars and the Burscough Community Farm due to her association with these organisations.

2.    Councillors Forshaw and Wilkie (tenants of Council accommodation) and Wright (connected person tenant of Council accommodation) declared disclosable pecuniary/pecuniary interests in agenda items 6(c) (Draft Housing Allocations and Pet Policy) and 6(g) (Housing Account – Revenue and Capital Programme) 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.

3.    Councillor Moran declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 6(a) (Funding of Voluntary Bodies and Other Organisations Working Group) due to his appointment on the Lancashire West CAB by the Council.

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 5 January 2018.

It was noted that the two residents who had previously given notice to speak in relation to agenda item 6(a) – Funding of Voluntary Bodies & Other Organisations Cabinet Working Group had indicated that they would not be attending the meeting. 

To receive as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 7 November 2017

RESOLVED             That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 7 November 2017 be received as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

Consideration was given to the report relating to the following matters requiring decisions as circulated and contained on pages 913 - 1158 of the Book of Reports.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Cooper)

Councillor Cooper introduced the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion which advised Cabinet of the recommendations of the Funding of Voluntary & Other Organisations Cabinet Working Group in respect of the monitoring arrangements for the current grant recipients and the applications for one year revenue funding for 2018/19.

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 subject to (B) below, the recommendations arising from the scoring of the applications received from voluntary organisations for one year revenue funding from April 2018 by the Funding of Voluntary Bodies and Other Organisations Working Group at its meeting on 13 December 2017 be endorsed as detailed in the minutes of the meeting attached at Appendix 3 to the report.

                        (B)    That the applicants be advised of Cabinet’s recommendations and that funding is not guaranteed but will form part of considerations when the Council’s budget is finalised on 28 February 2018.

(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 consultation on the options for the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Funding Programme 2018/19 and proposed recommendations for this Programme based on the CIL monies anticipated to have been collected by the Council by 31 March 2018.

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 provided at Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

                        (B)    That £125,000 of CIL monies be allocated to the delivery of the following projects in 2018/19:

·         Chequer Lane Playing Fields (£60,000)

·         Whittle Drive Playing Fields (£40,000)

·         Mere Sands Wood Visitor Centre Phase II (£25,000)

                        (C)    That the remaining “strategic” CIL monies collected by 31 March 2018 (i.e. those not allocated on the projects agreed under recommendation (B)) be “saved” and allocated toward more significant strategic infrastructure projects to be drawn down from as necessary as such significant projects are identified and approved.

                     (D)    That £300,000 of the "strategic" CIL monies saved from previous years be allocated to the implementation of actions in the Tawd Valley Park Masterplan in order to help lever in match-funding from other sources to complete all actions in the Masterplan.

               (E)    That for all CIL monies collected each financial year from 1 April 2018 onwards, up to a maximum of £100,000 be allocated through the CIL Funding Programme each financial year toward projects requiring £100,000 of CIL funding or less, and that the remainder of "strategic" CIL monies collected each financial year be saved towards more significant strategic infrastructure projects (requiring more than £100,000 of CIL funding) to be drawn down from as necessary as such significant projects are identified and approved.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor J Forshaw)

Councillor Forshaw introduced the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion which considered a draft Housing Allocations Policy and draft Pet Policy for consultation.

Minute no. 19 of the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) held on 3 January 2018 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 Draft Housing Allocations and Pet Policy 2017 attached to Appendix 1 & 2 of the report be approved for consultation.

(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 Draft Housing Allocations Policy and Pet Policy 2017 where appropriate following public consultation, and to implement and deliver the policy.

(C)    That the call-in procedure is not appropriate for this item as the report will be submitted to the meeting of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2018.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor I Moran)

The Leader introduced the report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion which presented performance monitoring data for the quarter ended 30 September 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 30 September 2017 be noted.

(B)    That the call-in procedure is not appropriate for this item as the report was submitted to the meeting of the Corporate & Environmental Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 4 January 2018.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Yates)

Councillor Yates introduced the report of the Borough Treasurer which provided a summary of the current General Revenue Account budget position.

Additional information from the Borough Treasurer was circulated at the meeting (pages 1157-1158 of the Book of Reports).

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

RESOLVED  (A)    That the financial position for 2018-19 and later years be noted, and consideration given to how a balanced budget can be achieved.

                        (B)    That the Portfolio Holder for Finance be given delegated authority to submit firm proposals to Council on 28 February 2018 to enable the budget to be set.

(C)    That call-in is not appropriate for this item as it is to be submitted to the next meeting of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2018.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Yates)

Councillor Yates introduced the report of the Borough Treasurer which set out details on the GRA medium term capital programme position for the next 3 years.

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 medium term financial position be noted, and consideration given to how a balanced capital programme can be achieved.

(B)    That the Portfolio Holder for Finance be given delegated authority to submit firm proposals to Council on 28 February 2018 to enable the capital programme to be set.

(C)    That call-in is not appropriate for this item as it is to be submitted to the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25January 2018.

(Relevant Portfolio Holders: Councillor Forshaw)

Councillor Forshaw introduced the joint report of the Director of Housing and Inclusion and Borough Treasurer which provided a summary of the Housing Account’s financial position.

It was reported that Appendix B to the report (draft HRA estimates) would be available for consultation purposes prior to the Council considering the matter in February 2018.

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 financial position be noted.

(B)    That the use of the Director of Housing and Inclusion’s delegated authority in relation to rent and service charge changes be noted and endorsed.

(C)    That this report be used for consultation purposes prior to the Council considering this matter in February 2018.

(D)    That the Housing Portfolio Holder be given delegated authority to submit firm proposals to Council on 28 February 2018 to enable the budget to be set.

(E)    That call-in is not appropriate for this item as it is to be submitted to the next meeting of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2018.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Gagen)

Councillor Gagen introduced the report of the Borough Treasurer which provided an update on Equality and Diversity matters and sought approval for a number of changes to equality policies and objectives.

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 revised Equality Statement and Equality in Employment Statement, at Appendix A and B to the report respectively, be agreed.

(B)    That the revised Equality Objectives 2015-2018 document at Appendix C be agreed.

(C)    That progress against the Equality Objectives, that they now form part of the relevant Service Action Plans, and that the actions are recorded and monitored as part of core business, be noted.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor I Moran)

The Leader introduced the report of the Borough Solicitor which advised on the forthcoming General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and sought approval for necessary actions and resources to ensure compliance with the requirements.

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 report be noted.

                        (B)    That the necessary actions being taken to achieve compliance with GDPR and continuing to ensure the Council maintains high standards in the processing of personal data be supported.

                        (C )   That a budget of £15,000 be provided to support compliance with GDPR from underspends in the current year (up to 31 March 2018) to meet the resource requirements set out at paragraph 6 of the report and it be recommended that Council give further consideration to the additional resources for 2018/19 and beyond through the budget setting process.

                        (D)    That the Borough Solicitor be authorised to designate a            Data Protection Officer.

                        (E)    That call-in is not appropriate for this item as this matter is one where urgent action is required as early progress needs to be made to ensure services are prepared for the impending deadline for implementation of GDPR notwithstanding delays in issue of legislation and guidance.