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 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 11 November 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.)

There were no declarations of interests received.

To receive as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 13 September 2022.

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 13 September 2022 be received as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

Consideration was given to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 367 to 508 and 613 to 640 of the Book of Reports.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

The Leader, Councillor Gagen introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services, which provided a summary of the General Revenue Account (GRA) position for the 2022/23 financial year at quarter 2 and sought approval of the budget amendments set out in the report.

The Minutes of the Budget/Council Plan and the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committees had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:   That the 2022/23 GRA position be noted, and the budget amendments reported be endorsed.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

The Leader introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services, which provided the Revised General Revenue Account (GRA) Capital Programme for 2022/23 and an update on the progress of capital schemes at quarter 2.

The Minutes of the Budget/Council Plan and the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committees had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:  A.     That the revised Capital Programme for 2022/23 of £12.147m, including the re-profiling, virements and budget adjustments contained within Appendix A, be noted and endorsed.

B.     That the 2022/23 budget additions of £1.800m to the 2022/23 budget and £296k 2023/24 budget, to existing schemes within the approved programme, contained in Appendix A for approval by Council in December 2022, be noted and endorsed.

C.     That the progress against the Revised Capital Programme at Quarter 2 be noted.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor N Pryce Roberts)

The Leader and Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services, which provided a summary of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Housing capital programme positions for the 2022/23 financial year.

The Minutes of the Budget/Council Plan and the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committees and the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group), together with some additional information revising paragraphs 10.1 and 10.2 of the report, had been circulated prior to the meeting.

In reaching the decision below, the Cabinet considered the report before it and the recommendations contained therein, including the additional information circulated prior to the meeting.

RESOLVED:   A.     That the 2022/23 HRA and Housing capital programme positions be noted.

B.     That the proposed budget adjustments identified in section 7 and the revised paragraph 10.1 of the report be endorsed.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

The Leader introduced the report of the Head of Finance, Procurement & Commercial Services, which detailed the Treasury Management operations for the first half of 2022/23 and reported on the Prudential Indicators, where available.

The Minutes of the Budget/Council Plan and the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committees had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:   A.     That the Treasury Management activity and Prudential Indicator performance for the first quarter of 2022/23 be noted.

B.     That the changes to the Prudential Indicators highlighted in section 7 for approval by Council in December 2022, be noted and endorsed.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Adam Yates)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation, Housing & Resources, which detailed the results of the Citizen Survey 2022.

The Minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:   A.     That the results of the Citizens Survey, attached as an Appendix, be noted, and the main results reports be published on the Council website and submitted to the Local Government Association (LGA).

B.     That the proposals for future actions set out in Section 7 of the report be endorsed.

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

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Nicola Pryce-Roberts)

Councillor Pryce-Roberts introduced the report of the Corporate Director Transformation, Housing and Resources, which provided an update about the Councils Housing Strategy and sought endorsement of the Housing Strategy vision and delivery objectives.

The minutes of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:   A.     That the current position as it relates to the development of an updated Housing Strategy be noted. 

B.     That the use of the Housing Strategy vision and delivery objectives, as shown in Section 6 of the report, until March 2024, 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 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 reports on the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 509 to 612 and 641 to 642 of the Book of Reports:

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 a report from external consultants in relation to the future of Beacon Golf Course and set out options and cost implications in respect of the future operation of the golf course and associated buildings.  Consideration was also given to the additional information circulated with the report in respect of Option F and the minute and recommendation of the Leisure Procurement Committee.

In reaching the decision below, Cabinet considered the report before it, the additional information in respect of Option F and the minute and recommendation of the Leisure Procurement Committee. 

RESOLVED:   That the recommendations to Council set out at paragraph 4 of the report be approved.

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 provided an update on the repairs contract and sought approval of proposed amendments.

The minute of the Executive Overview & Scrutiny Committee had been circulated prior to the meeting.

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

RESOLVED:   That the recommendations to Council set out at paragraph 4 of the report be approved.