To consider the report of the Chief Operating Officer.
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Operating Officer, which detailed the results of an independent review into the Council's wholly owned company, Tawd Valley Developments Limited (TVDL).
A Motion to approve the recommendations at 2.1 and 2.2, was moved and seconded.
An Amendment and revised Appendix 2, circulated prior to the meeting, was moved and seconded.
A vote was taken on the Amendment, which at the request of a Member, was recorded as follows:
FOR: Councillors: Mrs Baybutt, Mrs Blake, Blundell, Clandon, Daniels, Davis, Eccles, Gordon, Hirrell, Howard, Johnson, Juckes, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Mitchell, O'Toole, Owens, Pope, Rigby, Mrs Stephenson, Thompson, Turpin, D Westley, Mrs Westley, Whittington and Witter (TWENTY SIX)
AGAINST: Councillors: Aldridge, Cooper, Coughlan, Cummins, Delaney, Dereli, Devine, Dowling, Evans, Fennell, Finch, Furey, Gagen, Gregson, Lockie, Monaghan, Moran, Nixon, O'Neill, Owen, Upjohn, West, J Wilkie, K Wilkie and Yates (TWENTY FIVE)
ABSTENTIONS: (NONE)
A Vote was taken on the Substantive Motion, which at the request of a member was recorded as follows:
FOR: Councillors: Mrs Baybutt, Mrs Blake, Blundell, Clandon, Daniels, Davis, Eccles, Gordon, Hirrell, Howard, Johnson, Juckes, Mrs Marshall, Mee, Mitchell, O'Toole, Owens, Pope, Rigby, Mrs Stephenson, Thompson, Turpin, D Westley, Mrs Westley, Whittington and Witter (TWENTY SIX)
AGAINST: Councillors: Aldridge, Cooper, Coughlan, Cummins, Delaney, Dereli, Devine, Dowling, Evans, Fennell, Finch, Furey, Gagen, Gregson, Lockie, Monaghan, Moran, Nixon, O'Neill, Owen, Upjohn, West, J Wilkie, K Wilkie and Yates (TWENTY FIVE)
ABSTENTIONS: (NONE)
Nominations to appoint Councillor David Westley as Chairman of the TVD Shareholders Committee and Councillor Ian Davis as Vice-Chairman, were moved and seconded.
A vote was taken, the appointments were AGREED.
RESOLVED: A. That the independent review on TVDL set out in Appendix 1 be noted.
B. That with immediate effect TVDL to stop all developments outside of the borough.
C. That with immediate effect TVDL to stop all developments within the borough, other than those sites already in progress.
D. That a Member Shareholder Committee be established to make any recommendations to Council, to implement a phased and controlled wind down of TVDL, comprising of 2 Labour Members, 2 Conservative Members and 1 Our West Lancashire Member for delegated decision making and scrutiny of TVDL, as follows:
Tawd Valley Developments Shareholder Committee
Membership
(5 Members: 2 LAB 2 CON 1 OWL)
(Chairman) Councillor David Westley
(Vice-Chairman) Councillor Ian Davis
Functions
(i) To approve any necessary changes to the Business Plan, if required
(ii) To monitor and make any necessary decisions (other than to cease development/progression) in respect of the sites in progress.
(iii) To communicate the shareholders’ views to TVDL
(iv) To evaluate the effectiveness of the TVDL board and the delivery of performance against strategic objectives and the business plan
(v) To assess any risks to the council offered by TVDL activities
Delegations
This Committee shall exercise the full powers, duties and functions of the Council in relation to points (i) to (vi) above, except in the case of the following:
1. The final decision to wind down TVDL;
2. The decision not to continue with the development/progression of a site that is already in progress;
3. Any decision which would result in the Council incurring a cumulative financial loss on any site which is already in progress,
all of which will be a decision of full Council.
E. That, subject to D above, it be noted that the Tawd Valley Development Cabinet Working Group will no longer be required to meet.
F. That with immediate effect no further financial investment be made from WLBC into TVDL and if funding is required, this should be by way of a loan.
G. That the proposed responses to the review recommendations set out in the revised Appendix 2 accompanying this motion be approved
H. That any associated costs be met from reserves.