Agenda and minutes

A minutes silence was held in memory of Alderman Gordon McCann, who had passed away on 19 March 2019. Tributes were paid to him by Councillors Henderson, A Vincent, Moon, Shewan and Lees.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 28 February 2019 and 7 March 2019.

Agreed:

1.    That the minutes of the extra-ordinary meeting of the Council held on 28 February 2019 be confirmed as a correct record (by 31 votes to 0).

2.    That the minutes of the budget meeting of the Council held on 7 March 2019 be confirmed as a correct record (by 30 votes to 0), subject to the second paragraph of minute 82 (Business Plan 2019/23) being amended to read as follows:

“In response to comments made by Cllr Fail regarding the possibility of including a question in the Council’s biennial residents’ survey, in order to collect employment in Wyre data, Cllr Henderson stated that ‘we will find a way of doing it’.

To receive any declarations of interest from any Member 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.

The Mayor congratulated Cllr Hodgkinson on winning a raffle prize at the Mayor’s Ball and announced that she would be hosting a ”fizzy afternoon tea” at 1pm on Sunday 7 April at the Mount Hotel.

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 29 March 2019 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 29 March 2019 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 thanked the Mayor and Mayoress, the Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress and also the Youth Mayor for their work in those roles throughout their year of office. He also thanked all retiring councillors for their work on behalf of the Borough.

Cllr Henderson received comments and questions from Cllrs Fail, E Anderton, Jones, Ballard, B Stephenson, and Gibson.

Agreed that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllrs E Anderton and Fail.

Cllr Vincent said he would arrange for a written response to be sent to Cllr E Anderton about the extent to which exit interviews were carried out when employees left the Council.

Agreed that the report noted.

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

Cllr Bridge responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Fail, McKay and E Anderton.

Agreed that the report noted.

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

Cllr Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllr E Anderton.

Agreed that the report noted.

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

Cllr Berry said that he was pleased to be able to inform the Council that since his report had been written, confirmation had been received of funding of £110,000 for homelessness prevention in the Borough.

Cllr Berry responded to questions and comments from Cllrs E Anderton, Lady Atkins, Collinson and B Stephenson.

Agreed that the report noted.

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

Cllr Bowen responded to questions and comments from Cllrs E Anderton, Ballard, Lady Atkins, Lees, Robinson, S Turner, Ellison and Ibison.

Cllr Bowen said that she would look in to concerns raised by Cllr E Anderton about insufficient bar staff being on duty at a recent wedding at the Marine Hall and seek to ensure that staffing levels were sufficient for future events.

Agreed that the report be noted.

Cllr A Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllr Bridge and Cllr Michael Vincent.

Report of the Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) and the Head of Finance.

The Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) and the Head of Finance (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report recommending that the three treasury management policy documents considered by the Cabinet on 27 March 2019 be confirmed.

Agreed that the Treasury Management Policy and Annual Investment Strategy, the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement and the Capital Strategy for 2019/20, submitted as appendices to the report, be approved.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Head of Finance (Section 151 Officer).

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Head of Finance (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report on a proposed update of the Audit Committee’s terms of reference to accord with best practice guidance issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The proposed revisions had been considered and supported by the Audit Committee at its meeting on 12 march 2019.

Agreed that the revised terms of reference for the Audit Committee, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be approved and included as Article 7 in Part 2 of the Constitution, in place of the previous version.

None.

None.