Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Adam Yates.

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 Friday 3 June 2022.

There were no items under this heading.

If a member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Legal & 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.)

All Members present declared a pecuniary interest in item 7b ‘Council Tax and NNDR Discretionary Funding Schemes’, but were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption. 

To receive as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on Wednesday 4 April 2022.

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 4 April 2022 be received as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

1.   To note the Leader has appointed Cabinet Working Groups for 2022/23 as circulated at the Annual Meeting on 18 May 2022 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 it be noted that the Leader has appointed Cabinet Working Groups for 2022/23 as circulated at the Annual Meeting on 18 May 2022 with the terms of reference now included in the Constitution.

B.     That it be noted 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 is set out in the Constitution.

Consideration was given to report relating to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 13 to 118 of the Book of Reports.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor N Pryce-Roberts)

Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of Corporate Director of Place & Community, which sought approval of the Leasehold Housing Management Policy 2022 set out in Appendix 1.

The minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 26 May 2022, had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:     A.     That the minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 26 May 2022, be noted.

B.     That the implementation of the Leasehold Housing Management Policy 2022, set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

C.     That the Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder be given delegated authority to implement, update and amend the policy after consultation, and then every 3 years or when there are legislative changes.

D.     That the Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder be given delegated authority to make any minor or inconsequential amendments to the Leasehold Housing Management Policy 2022

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

Councillor Dowling introduced the report of the Corporate Director Transformation, Housing & Resources, which provided an update following the agreement as part of the 2022/23 Budget Setting process to fund £260K to support the most vulnerable affected by rising energy costs, to approve the Borough Council's proposed Local Council Tax Discretionary Energy Support Scheme Policy and highlighted recent Government announcements in respect of funding made available to support local Council Tax and Business Rate payers in meeting increased energy bills and the financial impact of Covid 19 and to approve the Policies to underpin these Schemes, as appended to the Report.

The minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 26 May 2022 was circulated prior to the meeting.

A question was raised in respect of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the details set out in the report before it, the reasons contained therein and the agreed comments of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:     A.     That the content of the report and the agreed comments of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee, be noted.

                        B.     That the following policies, as appended to the report be approved.

1.     WLBC Council Tax Discretionary Energy Support Scheme – Policy Document

2.     Government Council Tax Energy Rebate Scheme CT Bands A-D - Policy Document

3.     Government Council Tax Energy Rebate Discretionary Scheme - Policy Document

4.     Government NNDR CARF Scheme - Policy Document

C.     That it be noted that the Local Council Tax Discretionary Energy Support Scheme will be effective from 1^st September 2022.

D.     That the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing and Resources be given delegated authority to make any minor/inconsequential amendments to the Policies.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which presented the performance monitoring data for the quarter ended 31 March 2022.

Comments and questions were raised in respect of the following:

·       WL131 'No. Social Media Followers (WLBC FB, Twitter) – to be reviewed

·       NI192 'Percentage of kerbside household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting' – to be reviewed

·       WL157a 'No. visits to leisure facilities – dates of events should be published  

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the report before it and the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED:      A.      That the Council’s performance against the Council Plan for the quarter ended 31 March 2022 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 & Scrutiny Committee on 9 June 2022.

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 items of business).

RESOLVED:     That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and 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.

(Note: No representations had been received in relation to the following item being considered in private)

Consideration was given to report relating to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 119 to 148 of the Book of Reports:

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Ann Fennell)

Councillor Farrell introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community, which considered the implementation of a one-year trial for free parking in Ormskirk after 1pm on Mondays and Tuesdays as proposed at budget setting on 23^rd February 2022.

The report outlined the procedure for implementing changes to the existing off-street Civil Parking Enforcement arrangements and highlighted any issues and impacts that may arise from implementing the proposal.

The minute of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 26 May 2022 was circulated prior to the meeting for consideration.

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

RESOLVED:     That the current position be noted and the recommendations at paragraph 12 of the report be accepted as set out below, subject to close monitoring of the impact of the change by officers, with a view to raising an early review if there are significant impacts and/or the proposal is clearly not achieving upon its desired intentions:

A.     That a new "up to 2 hours free" parking tariff be introduced becoming available after 1pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.

B.     That the new tariff be introduced for a one-year trial period, on the following car parks:

·       Wheatsheaf

·       Park Pool

·       Park Road

·       The Stiles

·       Hutton Way

C.     That the maximum stay limitations and enforcement hours remain as current.

D.     That the new tariff on those car parks would be as follows:

·       Monday and Tuesdays after 1pm

·       Short stay car parks

Up to 2 hours free (parking ticket must be obtained and displayed)

£1.00 for up to 3 hours

£2.00 for up to 4 hours

·       Long stay car parks

Up to 2 hours free (parking ticket must be obtained and displayed)

£1.00 for up to 3 hours

£2.00 for up to 4 hours

£3.00 for up to 9 hours

As detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

E.       That it be noted, that the up to 2 hours free parking would operate within the current enforcement period and would require a free ticket to be requested from the machine as is the case for the existing up to 30 minute (Monday to Friday) and up to 4 hours (Saturdays) free tariffs that are currently offered on the Derby Street car park, as tickets are necessary to measure the time that vehicles may stay parked on the car parks.

F.       That it be noted that the up to 2 hours free would match the free parking offered at Morrisons albeit on Monday and Tuesday afternoons only.

G.      That the trial be commenced once the Bus Station car park is returned to service, which is anticipated towards the end of December 2022.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community, which considered a proposal to offer grant funding to Aintree Circuit Club to contribute towards the cost of running the Motorfest event, as set out in Appendix 1, to be held in August 2022.

The minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 26 May 2022 had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:     A.     That the agreed comments of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

B.     That, based upon the projected costs provided by Aintree Circuit Club, the council contribute £7,610.00 to the running of the Motorfest event in 2022, subject to receipts being provided to evidence the expenditure.

C.     That Aintree Circuit Club match fund the contribution of £7,610 by using their own funds or by attracting income through other means and that in subsequent years, from 2023, they attract corporate/local sponsorship to fund the event in total in order to ensure nil cost to the authority.

D.     That going forward the Council supports Aintree Circuit Club to find a sustainable way to fund future Motorfest events from 2023 that does not draw on council funding.