Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Gagen and Wright.

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.)

Councillors J & K Wilkie (tenants of Council accommodation) declared disclosable pecuniary interests in agenda item 7f (HRA Revenue and Capital Mid-Year Review) but considered they were entitled to speak and vote by virtue of an exemption as nothing in the report relates particularly to their relevant tenancy or lease.

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 1 November 2019.

There were no items under this heading.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the following meetings of Cabinet:-

·         10 September 2019

·         16 October 2019 (Extraordinary)

RESOLVED             That the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 10 September 2019 and 16 October 2019 (Extraordinary) be received as a correct record and signed by the Leader, subject to Councillor A Owens attendance being recorded at the meeting on 10 September 2019 in place of Councillor G Owen.

Consideration was given to the Composition and Terms of Reference of the newly formed Local Plan Cabinet Working Group.

RESOLVED              That the composition and Terms of Reference of the new Local Plan Cabinet Working Group Working Group be noted.

Consideration was given to the report relating to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 541 to 634 and 683 - 684 of the Book of Reports.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor K Wilkie)

Councillor K Wilkie introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community which presented the final report and recommendations of the review conducted by the Corporate and Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee entitled “Litter Bin Review”.

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 final review report 'Litter Bin Policy Review' attached at Appendix A, and the following recommendations, included on page 3 of the Review be approved:

(i)     That the 'Policy for the Provision of Litter Bins', as   attached to the review report (Appendix 1), be approved.

(ii)    That in relation to paragraph 10.1 of the 'Policy for the  Provision of Litter Bins' (Appendix 1). Parish Council's should not be charged for the sale and installation of litter bins.

(iii)  That, subject to budget approval, a 4-6 week trial pilot of compaction bins be implemented, at a cost of £500 per station, and that delegated authority be given to the Corporate Director of Place & Community, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder, to identify the number of bins and locations.  The findings of the trial be reported to Cabinet and Council as appropriate.

(iv)  That following the outcome of the stock condition survey and subject to budget approval, a litter bin replacement programme be undertaken, for replacement of category C & D litter bins at a cost of £10,000 for year 1 and £5,000 for years 2 & 3.  Following this, a further review should be undertaken by the Director of Place & Community.

(v)    That, subject to budget approval, a Programme of educational campaigns and materials, provided by organisations such as Hubbub and Keep Britain Tidy be supported.

   B.      That in relation to recommendations (iii), (iv) & (v) above, any financial implications be considered as part of the budget setting process.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillors Y Gagen & I Moran)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Place & Community which considered a request from a local football club for an agreement for them to secure the long term use of playing fields at Tower Hill Road Playing Field, UpHolland.

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 proposal to enter into a licence agreement with Billinge and Upholland Football Club to use the land at Chequer Lane, Up Holland, shown at appendix 1 to the report, as football pitches be approved.

B.     That approval in principle be agreed in order to enter into a lease arrangement with Billinge and Upholland Football Club for the construction of a new changing pavilion on the site, subject to planning and other consents being obtained.

C.      That the licence to include a community use agreement to allow and involve local community clubs and groups in the use and development of the facility.

                        D.     That the Corporate Director of Place & Community be authorised to take all necessary steps to establish the agreements with Billinge and Upholland Football Club, subject to all necessary consents and approvals being obtained by the Club.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor K Wright)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources (Interim) which advised on the recommendations of the Funding of Voluntary & Other Organisations Cabinet Working Group meeting of 24 September 2019 in respect of future funding arrangements for grants to voluntary organisations.

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 following recommendations of the Funding of Voluntary and Other Organisations Cabinet Working Group attached at Appendix 2 to the report, be endorsed:-

i)       that the draft specifications for the commissioning of revenue grants from April 2020 attached at Appendix  A to the report be approved

ii)     that the exploration of a 3 year tiered funding approach be undertaken

iii)    that a £30,000 per annum infrastructure budget be    separated from the revenue grants to voluntary organisations budget and tendered separately to provide a greater level of stability to the sector

iv)    that a sum of £50,000 per annum be allocated from the revenue grants to voluntary organisations budget for the commissioning of revenue grants to support services for the provision of information/advice/money/debt services

v)     that a sum of £50,000 per annum be allocated from the revenue grants to voluntary organisations budget for the commissioning of revenue grants to support services to improve independent living (elderly, young families, vulnerable, veterans, residents with disabilities) and their families

vi)    that commissioning be for a 3 year period from April 2020 if a tiered approach (referred to in ii above) is not feasible

vii)   that a smaller grants pot be established with a budget of £26,000 made up from the current Community Chest and the remaining monies within the revenue grants budget

viii) that the management of the smaller grants pot to remain “in house”

ix)    that the smaller grants pot to retain the individual grants  element

x)     that the Corporate Director of Transformation and Resources in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Health & Community Safety establish an application criteria/mechanism/maximum level of funding etc. for the Smaller Grants pot. 

B.      That following the exploration of a 3 year tiered funding approach, the commissioning of revenue grants to voluntary organisations from April 2020 be for a 3 year period.

(Relevant Portfolio Holders: Councillors I Moran & J Wilkie)

Councillor J Wilkie introduced the joint report of the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources (Interim) and Corporate Director of Place & Community which sought approval of the Customer Engagement Strategy and associated action plans.

Minute no. 18 of the Landlord Services Committee (Cabinet Working Group) held on 30 October 2019 was circulated at the meeting.

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

RESOLVED  A.      That the Strategy and associated action plans be approved.

                        B.      That the Corporate Director of Transformation and Resources (Interim) and the Corporate Director of Place & Community, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders, be authorised to amend the Strategy and action plans having considered agreed comments of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

                        C.     That call-in is not appropriate for this item as the report is being submitted to the next meeting of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 21 November 2019.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor Y Gagen)

The Leader introduced the report of the Director of Place & Community which reviewed the £15,000 revenue funding given annually to Burscough Dynamo Football Club to support the maintenance of Abbey Lane Playing Fields. 

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 allocation of £15,000 revenue budget, to support the maintenance of the new drainage system at Abbey Lane Playing Fields, be continued in 2019/20, then reduced incrementally by £5,000 a year until it is phase out in 2022/23.

                        B.      That the revenue savings made by reducing this budget allocation be used for projects to improve and develop other Council greenspace and recreational land.

(Relevant Portfolio Holders: Councillors J Wilkie & A Yates)

Councillor J Wilkie introduced the joint report of the Corporate Directors of Place & Community and Transformation and Resources (Interim) which provided a summary of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Housing capital programme positions for the 2019/20 financial year.

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 2019/20 HRA and Housing capital programme positions be noted.

                        B.      That the proposed budget adjustments identified in Appendices 1 and 3 to the report be endorsed for consideration by Council.

                        C.     That call in is not appropriate for this item as the report is being submitted to the next meeting of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 21 November 2019.

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).

Part 2

(Not open to the public)

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 the report relating to the following matters requiring decisions and contained on pages 635 to 682 and 685 – 686 of the Book of Reports.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor I Moran)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources (Interim) which sought authority to explore options on land at Whitemoss, 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              That the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources be authorised to take all necessary steps to engage a contractor to prepare a viability report detailing the options available for land in the Council ownership at Whitemoss, Skelmersdale.

(Relevant Portfolio Holder: Councillor A Yates)

The Leader introduced the report of the Corporate Director of Transformation & Resources (Interim) which considered the approach for reviewing the provision of the services contained within the Shared Services contract.

Revised recommendations were circulated at the meeting.

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

RESOLVED  A.         That the preliminary work undertaken around future service delivery for those services covered by the Shared Services contract be noted. 

                        B.         That subject to consideration of any agreed comments of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Corporate Director of Transformation and Resources progresses the proposals outlined in paragraph 9 of the report in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Transformation, and brings back a report to Cabinet/Council for consideration at a future date.

                        C.        That the budget outlined in paragraph 9 to the report be approved to allow further expert advice to develop the actions.

                        D.        That call-in is not appropriate for this item as the report is being submitted to the next meeting of the Executive Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 21 November 2019.