Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 6 September and 24 September 2018.

Agreed (by 28 votes to 8, with 5 abstentions) that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 6 September 2018 be confirmed as a correct record.

Agreed (by 27 votes to 2, with 2 abstentions) that the minutes of the meeting of the extraordinary meeting of the Council held on 24 September 2018 be confirmed as a correct record.

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

Cllr E Anderton and Cllr Ellison both declared a non-pecuniary interest in paragraph 3 of the Executive Report of the Resources Portfolio Holder relating to the introduction in Wyre of Universal Credit, because their main employer was the Department of Work and Pensions, although neither of them were directly involved in the administration of Universal Credit.

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 Mayor announced that the Northern Festival of Remembrance would be taking place at the Marine Hall on Tuesday 6 November 2018 at 7 pm.

2. The Mayor said that Members had been invited to attend two Christmas concerts at the Marine Hall being organised by BBC Radio Lancashire. The first was an ‘Intimate Christmas Concert’ to be held on Sunday 16th December at 1 pm and the second was the Lancashire Christmas Concert with The Band of the Kings Division to be held on Wednesday 19 December at 10.30 am.

3. The mayor announced that an Afternoon Tea was to be held at the Mount Hotel, Fleetwood on 20 October to raise funds for the Mayor’s charities.

4. The Leisure, Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder announced that Poulton New Cemetery had won a Gold Award at the Cemetery of the year Awards 2018. She presented a framed certificate to the Mayor.

5. The Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder announced that Fleetwood Market had been a winner in the North of England category at the Best of Britain Business Awards 2018. He presented the trophy to the Mayor.

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 12 October 2018 will be published and circulated separately.

None received.

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 12 October 2018 will be published and circulated separately.

None received.

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 Cllrs Fail, E Anderton, Moon and Ballard.

Cllr Henderson said, in response to comments made by Cllr E Anderton, that he would make enquires about the possibility of the Government exempting the ‘Tommy’ silhouettes, referred to in paragraph 3.1 of his report, from VAT.

(The Chief Executive responded to comments made by Cllr Gibson about the Council’s policies and practices for supporting councillors)

Agreed that the report be noted.

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

Cllr A Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllrs R Duffy, B Stephenson, Beavers and Fail.

Cllr Vincent said he would send a written response to Cllr Fail’s question whether, following the DWP’s meeting with private landlords, a guarantee had been put in place so that no evictions would be made as a result of the introduction of Universal Credit and, if not, what actions the Council was taking to protect its residents.

Agreed that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Bridge responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Kay, Orme, R Duffy, Lees, E Stephenson and Ellison.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (Cllr Michael Vincent) submitted a report.

Cllr Michael Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Ibison, Gibson, Hodgkinson, E Anderton, Lees and Ellison.

Cllr Vincent also said he would send a written response to Cllr Gibson on the cost of preparing and submitting the Local Plan and the cost of the appointment of the Inspector for the recent examination of the Plan.

Cllr Vincent said, in response to comments made by Cllr E Anderton, that he would speak to relevant officers about a scheme for the provision of beach wheelchairs.

Agreed that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Berry informed members that the LANPAC Rural Crime Conference, referred to in paragraph 4.1 of his report, was now taking place from 9am to 4pm on Wednesday 7 November (not at 6pm on 14 November).

Cllr Berry responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Lees, R Duffy, Kay, Gibson, Walmsley, S Turner and Moon.

Cllr Berry said that he would attempt to find out why the ambulance responding to the accident referred to by Cllr Lees had been unable to access the beach because of a locked chain and seek to ensure that appropriate arrangements for emergency vehicles were in place for the future.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Leisure, Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder (Cllr Bowen) submitted a report.

Cllr Bowen responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Ballard, Ellison, Lady Atkins, R Duffy, E Anderton, A Turner and Collinson.

Agreed that the report be noted.

Report of the Chairman of the Licensing Committee (Cllr Robinson).

The Chairman of the Licensing Committee (Cllr Robinson) submitted a report on issues dealt with by the Licensing Committee and the Licensing team during the period from November 2017 to September 2018.

Cllr Robinson responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Lees, B Stephenson and Michael Vincent.

Agreed that the report be 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 continued non-attendance at meetings because of ill health of Cllr Balmain.

Agreed (unanimously) that a further dispensation be granted to Cllr Balmain to enable him to continue to act as a Councillor without attending meetings until 1 May 2019.

None.

None.