Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 14 June 2018.

Agreed (by 28 votes to 10, with 2 abstentions) that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 14 June 2018 be confirmed as a correct record, subject to “Cllr Bridge” being inserted instead of “Cllr Berry”, as the responder to a question from Cllr Fail in the first line of the second paragraph in minute 15(3).

To receive any declarations of interest from any Member or Officer on any item on this agenda.

None.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council, Members of the Cabinet, a Chairman of a Committee or the Chief Executive.

1. The Chief Executive advised that any Councillors who were also members of Lancashire County Council should only speak or vote on the Notice of Motion to be considered under agenda item 11 if they made it clear that, even if they had participated in the debate on a similar motion approved by LCC, they were nevertheless prepared to consider the motion with an open mind at this meeting. Councillors A Vincent, Beavers and Kay indicated that they were able to give such an assurance.

2. The Mayor announced that she, the Deputy Mayor and Cllr E Anderton would be doing a sponsored parachute jump on Sunday 2 September, with all proceeds going to the Mayor’s charities.

3. The Mayor announced that she had been informed that Councillor Emma Anderton has been elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Group.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public under Procedure Rule 9.1.

Any questions or statements received by the specified deadline of noon on Friday 13 July 2018 will be published and circulated separately.

None.

To receive any questions from Members of the Council to the Mayor, a member of the Cabinet or the Chairman of a Committee under Council Procedure Rule 12.1.

Any questions received by the specified deadline of noon on Friday 13 July 2018 will be published and circulated separately.

None.

To receive reports from Cabinet Members. (In accordance with Procedure Rule 11.3 Councillors will be able to ask questions or make comments.)

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) submitted a report.

Cllr Henderson responded to questions and comments from Cllr B Stephenson about Labour Group challenges to the Council’s executive and from Cllr Fail about planning enforcement.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) submitted a report.

Cllr A Vincent responded to a question from Cllr Lady Atkins about Garstang Business Centre.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Street Scene, Parks and Open Spaces Portfolio Holder (Cllr Bridge) submitted a report.

Cllr Bridge, when introducing his report, referred to the four parks in the Borough which had been awarded Green Flag status and welcomed the recent award of Heritage Lottery Grant funding for the refurbishment of the Mount Pavilion and Gardens at Fleetwood.

Cllr Bridge responded to questions and comments from Cllr E Anderton about Tram Sunday and Fleetwood in Bloom, from Cllr R Duffy about Memorial Park Fun Day, Cllr Lady Atkins about Garstang Ice Cream Festival and Cllr Beavers about vandalism in parks and gardens.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (Cllr Michael Vincent) submitted a report. He also referred, when introducing his report, to the interim report of the Inspector, following the Local Plan examination hearings held in May, which had now been made available to all councilors.

Cllr Michael Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllr Fail and Cllr Lees about sports pitches in Bourne Ward.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder (Cllr Berry) submitted a report.

Cllr Berry responded to a question from Cllr Lees about cycling on the promenade.

Agreed that the report be noted.

In the absence of the Leisure, Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder (Cllr Bowen), Cllr Henderson introduced the report.

Cllr Henderson responded to questions and comments from Cllr E Anderton about noise nuisance, from Cllr R Duffy about the comments in the report anticipating events at Tram Sunday and from Cllr Lees about summer events at bandstands.

Cllr Henderson also said he would arrange for a written response to be sent to Cllr E Anderton about the advice to be given to residents about the use of the recently launched noise monitoring app, particularly those who were not proficient in the use of smart phones or did not have access to one.

Agreed that the report noted.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Chief Executive.

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Chief Executive submitted a report on changes required to the membership of committee for the remainder of the 2018/19 Municipal Year, to reflect a change to the political balance of the Council following the resignation of Cllr I Duffy and Cllr R Duffy from the Labour Group. Cllr Henderson proposed the recommendations in the report and also proposed that, in order to implement those recommendations, additional Conservative members be appointed to committees, as follows:

-       Planning Committee: Cllr Catterall

-       Licensing Committee: Cllr S Turner

-       Employment and Appeals: Cllr Lady Atkins

-       Standards Committee: Cllr Orme.

The proposals were seconded by Cllr A Vincent.

Cllr Fail proposed and Cllr E Anderton seconded an amendment to change the method of calculating political balance and allocating places on committees, as set out in the Appendix 1 to these minutes.

A recorded vote on the amendment was requested by four councillors, in accordance with Procedure Rule 19.4. Members voted as follows:

For the amendment: Councillors E Anderton, M Anderton, Barrowclough, Beavers, Lees, Raynor, Robinson, Shewan, Smith, B Stephenson and E Stephenson.

Against the amendment: Councillors I Amos, R Amos, Lady Atkins, Ballard, Berry, B Birch, C Birch, Bridge, Cartridge, Catterall, Collinson, Ellison, Greenhough, Henderson, Hodgkinson, Holden, Ibison, Ingham, Jones, Kay, Murphy, Orme, Ormrod, Pimbley, Robinson, A Turner, A Vincent, Matthew Vincent, Michael Vincent and Walmsley.

Abstentions: Councillor R Duffy.

The amendment was therefore lost (by 11 votes to 30, with 1 abstention).

The Chief Executive informed Council that, if the nominations to specific committees proposed by Cllr Henderson were approved, no changes would be needed to the membership of the Audit Committee.

Following further debate on the recommendations in the report a recorded vote was requested. Members voted as follows:

For the recommendations: Councillors I Amos, R Amos, Lady Atkins, Ballard, Berry, B Birch, C Birch, Bridge, Cartridge, Catterall, Collinson, Ellison, Greenhough, Henderson, Hodgkinson, Ibison, Ingham, Jones, Kay, Murphy, Orme, Ormrod, Pimbley, Robinson, A Turner, A Vincent, Matthew Vincent, Michael Vincent and Walmsley.

Against the recommendations: Councillors E Anderton, Barrowclough, Beavers, Lees, Raynor, Robinson, Shewan, Smith, B Stephenson and E Stephenson.

Abstentions: Councillor M Anderton and R Duffy. (Cllr Holden was not present when the vote was taken).

The recommendations were therefore approved (by 29 votes to 10, with 2 abstentions).

Cllr Fail then reported the consequential changes to Labour membership required to implement the approved recommendations and it was agreed that:

1.    That Cllr I Duffy be removed from the Employment and Appeals Committee.

2. That Cllr R Duffy be removed from both the Employment and Appeals Committee and the Standards Committee.

3. That Cllr B Stephenson be appointed to the Employment and Appeals Committee.

4. That Cllr Catterall be appointed to the Planning Committee, Cllr S Turner be appointed to the Licensing Committee, Cllr Lady Atkins be appointed to the Employment and Appeals Committee, and that Cllr Orme be appointed to the Standards  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Chief Executive.

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Chief Executive submitted a report on a proposed change to the Council’s representation on Citizen’s Advice Lancashire West.

Agreed (by 30 votes to 0, with 9 abstentions) that Cllr Cartridge be appointed as the Council’s representative on the Board of Citizens Advice Lancashire West.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Monitoring Officer.

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Monitoring Officer submitted a report on a proposed social media policy for councillors.

Agreed (by 28 votes to 11) that the Social Media Policy for Councillors, attached as Appendix 1 of the report, be approved and included in Part 5 of the Constitution.

The following notice of motion has been submitted by Councillors Henderson, A Vincent, Bridge and Michael Vincent under Procedure Rule 14:

(1)  Lancashire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority

Lancashire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority remains committed to delivering the best possible service to its communities, with the resources it has available. It continues to work productively and effectively with a range of stakeholders. The new statutory duty to collaborate with other emergency services is also acknowledged, while recognising many initiatives were already in place or in development irrespective of this mandate.

The Fire and Rescue Authority remains confident that current governance arrangements present the best way to deliver a fire and rescue service for its communities. It will though provide the information required for the work proposed by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), which it believes will evidence that it is already effectively progressing collaborative opportunities within existing structures.

Consequently, this Council places on record its opposition to any proposals that transfer any current responsibilities of the Fire and Rescue Authority in Lancashire to the Police and

Crime Commissioner.

Wyre Council therefore asks the Chief Executive to write to the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary explaining this view, sending copies to all Lancashire Members of Parliament.

The following motion (which had been submitted under Procedure Rule 14 by Councillors Henderson, A Vincent, Bridge and Michael Vincent) was formally proposed by Cllr Henderson and seconded by Cllr A Vincent.

“Lancashire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority remains committed to delivering the best possible service to its communities, with the resources it has available. It continues to work productively and effectively with a range of stakeholders. The new statutory duty to collaborate with other emergency services is also acknowledged, while recognising many initiatives were already in place or in development irrespective of this mandate.

The Fire and Rescue Authority remains confident that current governance arrangements present the best way to deliver a fire and rescue service for its communities. It will though provide the information required for the work proposed by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), which it believes will evidence that it is already effectively progressing collaborative opportunities within existing structures.

Consequently, this Council places on record its opposition to any proposals that transfer any current responsibilities of the Fire and Rescue Authority in Lancashire to the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Wyre Council therefore asks the Chief Executive to write to the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary explaining this view, sending copies to all Lancashire Members of Parliament.”

Agreed, following a debate that the motion be approved (by 29 votes to 0 with 11 abstentions).