Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15 June 2017

Councillor Fail proposed and Councillor Beavers seconded an amendment to the unconfirmed minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 2017, as follows:

On page 3 of the minutes, under item COU.15 (b) Resources Portfolio Holder Executive Report,

1)    After the note saying....”The Chief Executive advised Cllr Fail that some of his comments did not comply with the requirement in paragraph 11.3 of the Council Procedure Rules” etc..., the following additional comment be inserted:

“Cllr Fail responded that he believed his comments and questions to be relevant to local issues.”

2)    An additional paragraph be added as follows:

“Cllr Fail made a request for the Council to lobby the Government to end its Austerity programme and to seek an acceptable level of funding in order that the projected gap in income and expenditure is closed; thereby ensuring that further cuts in staff numbers are not required and that service levels are both protected and improved.”

The Chief Executive ruled the proposal to be a valid amendment in accordance with the requirements of Procedure Rule 17.6(a).

The amendment was lost by 30 votes to 12.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 15 June 2017, as circulated with the agenda, be confirmed as a correct record (by 25 votes to 11, with 1 abstention).

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

All Members are asked to submit any declarations in writing by 9.30am on Wednesday 19 July, 2017 if possible.

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.

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 14 July 2017 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 14 July 2017 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).

In the absence of Councillor Gibson, the Deputy Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) introduced the Leader’s report. 

Councillor Vincent  responded to comments and questions from:

-       Councillor Michael Vincent about the Fleetwood Festival of Transport (Tram Sunday);

-       Councillor E Anderton about the Council’s policy on the repudiation of inaccurate comments about the Council on social media.

The Chief Executive stated that any inappropriate comments posted on the Council’s Facebook page would be removed and that, if necessary and, where possible, he would instruct the Council’s legal team to take action to have offensive or unlawful material relating to councillors or officers removed from other social media platforms. 

RESOLVED: that the report be noted

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

Councillor A Vincent said, in response to a question from Cllr Fail, that he would be happy for the Chief Executive to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer referring to the information set out in paragraph 2.3 of his report and asking for a clear indication as soon as possible of how plans for 100% business rates retention were now to be introduced, so that the current uncertainty about local government funding from 2019/20 could be removed.

Councillor A Vincent also responded to comments and questions from:

-       Councillor Lady Atkins about the availability of public car park spaces during the redevelopment of the Garstang Business Centre site and the use of the capital receipt from the sale of the site;

-       Councillor Beavers and Councillor B Stephenson about the Council’s financial position.

RESOLVEDthat the report be noted.

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

Cllr Henderson responded to comments and questions from:

-       Councillor E Anderton, about fly-tipping and charges for the collection of bulky waste;

-       Councillor M Anderton about the possible future repainting of the Mount Pavilion;

-       Councillor B Birch, about the wearing of body cameras by Council employees;

-       Councillor B Stephenson, about measures being taken by the Council to tackle dog fouling.

Councillor Henderson also said that he would arrange for thanks expressed by Councillors Smith, A Turner and S Turner, as well has his own thanks, to be relayed to the relevant Street Scene officers for their excellent work during and after recent public events.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (Councillor Murphy) submitted a report.

Cllr Murphy responded to comments and questions from:

-       Councillor Hodgkinson, about the continuation of the Fleetwood to Knott-End ferry service;

-       Councillor Ellison, about the submission of a report on the Local Plan to the next meeting of the Council;

-       Councillor Michael Vincent, about support for local businesses;

-       Councillor Beavers, about comments made by Councillors Moon and Greenhough at a recent Planning Committee meeting;

-       Councillor S Turner, about potential employment opportunities at the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone site.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Berry responded to comments and questions from:

-       Councillor Lees, about lone working by Council employees;

-       Councillor Beavers about policing budgets;

-       Councillor Michael Vincent, about support for victims of crime in Lancashire;

-       Councillor B Stephenson, about CCTV cameras.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Leisure and Culture Portfolio Holder (Councillor Bowen) submitted a report.

Councillor Bowen responded to questions from:

-       Councillor E Anderton, about memorabilia at Council cemeteries;

-       Councillor Lady Atkins, about the closure of Garstang swimming pool for maintenance works.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder (Councillor Taylor) submitted a report.

Councillor Taylor responded to questions and comments from:

-       CouncillorShewan, about actions being taken to minimize nuisance caused by seagulls;

-       Councillor McKay, about the project to improve Cottam Hall pavilion;

-       CouncillorPimbley, about the proposal to move the Great Eccleston Medical Centre in-to the NHS Fylde and Wyre Clinical commissioning Group;

-       Councillor Kay, about the Larkholme Gardens project;

-       Councillor Fail, about the source of the oil spillage currently affecting Wyre’s beaches.

Councillor Taylor undertook, in response to a question from Councillor E Anderton to speak to the Service Director People and Places about the possibility of larger signs being provided warning people of the potential hazard caused by the oil washing up on the beaches.

Cllr Taylor also said, in response to a question from Councillor Smith, that, if plans were not already in place, she would seek to arrange for printed copies of the healthier Fleetwood questionnaire to be circulated to appropriate recipients, in addition to the on-line survey referred to in paragraph 3.2 of her report.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

None.

The following Notice of Motion has been submitted under Procedure Rule 14 by Councillors Beavers, Fail, Barrowclough, M Anderton and E Anderton.

“After the decision by Wyre's Planning Committee to permit residential development on the former Fleetwood Pier site, in drafting the Local Plan officers should devise an appropriate policy to prevent similar developments and to protect the open spaces in the coastal area of Wyre to include the areas of Fleetwood, Knott End on Sea and Cleveleys. This will enable us to protect the open spaces in the coastal area of Wyre ensuring that future generations can enjoy our beautiful beaches, open spaces, and shorelines.”

The following notice of motion was submitted under Procedure Rule 14 by Councillors Beavers, Fail, Barrowclough, E Anderton and M Anderton:

“After the decision by Wyre's Planning Committee to permit residential development on the former Fleetwood Pier site, in drafting the Local Plan officers should devise an appropriate policy to prevent similar developments and to protect the open spaces in the coastal area of Wyre to include the areas of Fleetwood, Knott End on Sea and Cleveleys. This will enable us to protect the open spaces in the coastal area of Wyre ensuring that future generations can enjoy our beautiful beaches, open spaces, and shorelines.”

The motion was proposed by Councillor Beavers and seconded by Councillor Fail.

Councillor Murphy proposed and Councillor Henderson seconded an amendment to delete and insert words, as follows:

“In drafting the Local Plan officers should ensure policies are appropriately worded to reflect the evidence base, including the Green Spaces Infrastructure Plan, to protect the open spaces in Wyre including the coastal areas of Fleetwood, Knott End on Sea and Cleveleys. This will enable us to protect the open spaces in the coastal area and hinterland of Wyre ensuring that future generations can enjoy our beautiful beaches, open spaces, and shorelines.”

The Chief Executive ruled the proposal to be a valid amendment in accordance with the requirements of Procedure Rule 17.6(a).

Councillors Beavers and Fail commented on the amendment

The amendment was carried unanimously

The amended version of the motion originally submitted, which then became the substantive motion, was carried unanimously and, it was RESOLVED, that:

In drafting the Local Plan officers should ensure policies are appropriately worded to reflect the evidence base, including the Green Spaces Infrastructure Plan, to protect the open spaces in Wyre including the coastal areas of Fleetwood, Knott End on Sea and Cleveleys. This will enable us to protect the open spaces in the coastal area and hinterland of Wyre ensuring that future generations can enjoy our beautiful beaches, open spaces, and shorelines.