Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed Cllr Cheryl Raynor to her first Council meeting, following her election as a member for Rossall Ward on 12 October.

The Mayor announced that Cllr Gibson had informed the Chief Executive that, with effect from this meeting, he was no longer a member of the Conservative Group and would be sitting as an independent Councillor.

Tributes were paid to the late Cllr Vivien Taylor by the Mayor (Cllr Collinson), Cllr A Vincent, Cllr Moon, Cllr B Stephenson and Cllr Beavers.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 7 September, 2017 and 28 September 2017

(a)  7 September 2017

Councillor A Vincent proposed and Cllr Bowen seconded a proposal that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

Councillor Fail proposed and Cllr E Anderton seconded an amendment to insert two additional paragraphs in minute 32(d) (Executive Report of the Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder), as follows:

1) In between the current first and second bullets, please insert a new bullet saying.... “Councillor E Anderton about the EU Commission's proposed 30km exclusion zone around each fracking well on ALL produce and the impact this will have on local agricultural producers & suppliers, including a request to write to the Prime Minister.”

2) In between the current third and fourth bullets, please insert a new bullet saying.... “Councillor Fail, again about the planning application for the housing development at Lambs Road, Thornton, but with regard to a request for a definitive statement on how the development has been allowed to proceed with an absolute pittance of Public Open Space, what lessons have been learnt, and what action is being taken to resolve this shortfall in Public Open Space via Wain Homes or elsewhere.”

The amendment was lost by 25 votes to 9.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 7 September 2017 be confirmed as a correct record (by 25 votes to 8).

(b)  28 September 2017

Councillor A Vincent proposed and Cllr Bowen seconded a proposal that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 September 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

Cllr R Duffy made comments about the style and content of the minutes and said that the way they were written meant that they did not provide a full and accurate record of the meeting.  She said that the Constitution should be changed to require more extensive minutes to be produced.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 7 September 2017, as circulated with the agenda, be confirmed as a correct record (by 25 votes to 8).

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 18 October, 2017 if possible.

Cllr E Anderton and Cllr M Anderton eachdeclared a personal interest in agenda item 12 (Fielden Fleetwood Charity: Appointment of a Trustee) because they were both current Trustees of the Charity.

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 made announcements about arrangements for forthcoming Civic and charity events, as follows:

-       A casino cocktail night in the grounds of Gift Hall farm Winmarleigh on Saturday 21 October 2017;

-       The Northern Festival of Remembrance concert, on Wednesday 8 November 2017;

-       A raffle for a luxury 2 night break for two in the Lake District in aid of the Mayor’s charities.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee (Cllr Greenhough) announced that the meeting of the Planning Committee scheduled for 1 November 2017 had been cancelled.  He said that a note setting out the current position on planning appeals would be sent to all members of the Planning Committee.

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 October 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 13 October 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).

The Leader of the Council and Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) submitted a report. 

Cllr Vincent said, in reply to a question from Cllr Bridge on the proposed parliamentary constituency changes in Wyre recently published by the Boundary Commission, that he would contact the other members of the Electoral Review Working Group (appointed in September 2016 and comprising Cllrs Ballard, Holden, S Turner, Michael Vincent, M Anderton and Fail) and, if there was a consensus to do so, he would convene another meeting of the Group to draw up a response.

Cllr A Vincent also responded to comments and questions from:

-       Cllr Michael Vincent, about the style and content of minutes;

-       Cllr Gibson, about the style of leadership of the Council and about IT equipment provided to Cllr Gibson by the Council;

-       Cllr Matthew Vincent, about the implications of Burnley Council’s withdrawal from the Lancashire Business Rates Pool;

-       Cllr Fail, about allegations made by Cllr Gibson concerning the way in which he had been removed as Leader of the Council and the behaviour of a number of other Councillors;

-       Cllr M Anderton about staffing levels in the Planning Team;

-       Cllr Ormrod about the proposed digital hub at Fleetwood Market;

-       Cllr B Stephenson about the removal of the former Leader of the Council and the process to be followed for the appointment of a new Leader at the Council meeting on 7 December 2017;

-       Cllr Beavers about the way in which alleged inappropriate behaviour of Councillors was investigated and about the Council’s future financial prospects.

RESOLVED: that 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:

-       Cllr Ballard about safety preparations for bonfire night, particularly proposed measures to tackle problems experienced in previous years with fires in wheelie bins;

-       Cllr Hodgkinson about fines imposed for fly-tipping;

-       Cllr Fail about proposed improvement projects at Jubilee Gardens;

-       Cllr E Anderton about the identification of the costs of dealing with fly-tipping;

-       Cllr Shewan about the possibility of considering again the removal of charges for the collection of bulky waste, which he suggested was likely to reduce the amount of illegal fly-tipping;

-       Cllr Michael Vincent about the outcome of a previous overview and scrutiny task group review on the removal of waste.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Murphy said he would arrange for a written reply to be sent to Cllr Beavers on work reported to her by local residents to have taken place at Lakelands View prior to planning permission being obtained.

Cllr Murphy also responded to questions and comments from:

-       Cllr M Anderton about measures being taken to ensure the continued operation of an efficient planning service, including arrangements for the recruitment of new planning officers to fill vacancies which had recently occurred for a variety of reasons;

-       Cllr Greenhough about responses so far received on the latest stage of consultation currently taking place on the Local Plan;

-       Cllr Ingham about arrangements for the promotion and marketing of the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone;

-       Cllr Fail about the current position with regard to a possible bridge or road crossing of the railway line at the NPL site.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Berry said he would arrange for a written response to be sent to Cllr B Birch about the latest position on the possible provision of body cameras to Council staff.

Cllr Berry also responded to comments and questions from:

-       Cllr B Stephenson about the Councils CCTV systems;

-       Cllr Ballard and Cllr Kay about responses by residents to recent episodes of anti-social behaviour and the possible creation of more neighbourhood watch schemes.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Bowen responded to questions and comments from:

-       Cllr Smith about a successful event held at the Marine Hall by the Action on Hearing Loss Group;

-       Cllr Greenhough about the value of the work done by volunteers at Marsh Mill.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Cllr A Vincent introduced the report of the Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder.

He responded to a comment from Cllr Michael Vincent about a meeting of the Life in Wyre Task Group which Cllr Henderson had helpfully agreed to attend.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

None.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Service Director Performance and Innovation, attached

The Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Service Director Performance and Innovation submitted a report on a proposed calendar of meetings for 2018/19.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the calendar of meetings for 2018/19, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Chief Executive attached

The Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) submitted a report on a proposed change to the Council’s representation on the North West Local Authorities Employers Organisation.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that Cllr Walmsley be appointed, in place of Cllr Holden, as the Council’s representative on the North West Local Authorities Employers Organisation, for the remainder of the period until the next Council election in May 2019.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Chief Executive attached

The Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Chief Executive submitted a report on proposed changes to the Planning Policy Group.

Cllr Vincent said that he had been informed that, unfortunately, there was an error in the report because Cllr Fail was already a member of the Planning Policy Group and the intention was that Cllr Beavers and Cllr Shewan would replace Cllrs I Duffy and R Duffy on the Group. 

He said that the Leader of the Labour Group had also asked that the opportunity be taken at this meeting to make minor adjustments to the Labour representation on other committees, following the recent by-election.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

1.    That Cllr Beavers and Cllr Shewan be appointed to the Planning Policy Group in place of Cllr I Duffy and Cllr R Duffy, with Cllr Fail remaining on the Committee as the Labour Group’s third representative.

2.    That Cllr Raynor be appointed to the Planning Committee in place of Cllr B Stephenson.

3.    That Cllr Raynor be appointed to the Audit committee in place of Cllr Fail.

4.    That Cllr B Stephenson be appointed to the Licensing Committee in place of Cllr Barrowclough.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Chief Executive, attached

The Leader of the Council (Cllr A Vincent) and the Chief Executive submitted a report on the appointment of replacement Trustee to the Charity.

RESOLVED that the appointment of Mr Danny O’Neil junior as a co-opted Trustee of the Fielden Fleetwood Charity with effect from 11 September 2017, to fill the vacancy left by the previously reported resignation of Mrs Hardman, be noted.

None.

None.