Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 20 October 2016.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 20 October 2016 be confirmed as a correct record, subject to paragraph 2 of Minute 32 (Announcements) being corrected to refer to the date of the forthcoming Mayoral Ball as  24 March 2017 (not 2016).

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 30 November, 2016 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.

1.    The Mayor said that it was with great sadness that he had learned of the recent tragic death of former Councillor John Traynor.  He paid tribute to his role as a Councillor, within his local community and as a friend.  Council observed a minute silence in his memory, following which the Mayor said that he would arrange for a commiseration card to be sent on behalf of the Council to his widow and for any messages submitted by individual Councillors to be sent with the card.

2.    The Mayor announced that The Northern Festival of Remembrance held at the Marine Hall on 9 November 2016 had raised £1,320 to be donated to The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.  Proceeds from the raffle and other donations had totalled £773, which would be split between the Mayoral Charities.  He said that it had been an excellent evening of song and commemoration for those who were currently serving the country and those who had served in the past.  He thanked everyone who had attended.

3.    The Mayor said that he had also attended the Remembrance Day Service at Thornton on Sunday 13 November, where there had been a more formal opportunity for people to pay their respects to those who had served their country.

4.    The Mayor said that tickets for the Mayoral Charity Ball to be held on Friday 24 March 2017 would be on sale early in the New Year, priced at £32.50.

5.    The Mayor reported that the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Emma Anderton, had attended the NSPCC Ladies Luncheon last week.  The NSPCC, which was one of the Mayor’s charities for 2016/17, was currently selling ‘little star’ pin badges – specifically to raise money for the 30% increase in phone calls to the Childline phone numbers during the festive season.  He urged Members to support this worthy cause.

6.    Finally, a Raffle at the Wyre Business Awards had raised £1,003 for the Mayoral Charities.

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 25 November 2016 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 25 November 2016 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 (Councillor Gibson) submitted a report. 

Cllr Gibson responded to comments and questions from Cllrs R Duffy and Moon about the causes of Lancashire County Council’s financial problems and the impact on residents of Wyre.

RESOLVED: that the report be noted.

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

Cllr A Vincent responded to comments and questions from:

-       Cllr M Anderton about the loss of Ministry of Defence jobs in Thornton;

-       Cllrs Shewan, Beavers and R Duffy about the impact of Lancashire County Council’s funding shortfall on the provision of local services.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Henderson said that he would pass on thanks expressed by Cllr Shewan for the way an out of hours duty officer and Street Scene employees had responded to a recent paint spillage at Bold Street in Fleetwood.

Cllr Henderson said he would also arrange for compliments made by Cllr Lady Atkins, Cllr B Stephenson and Cllr Fail respectively to be passed on to:

-       the refuse collection team;

-       the Council’s Tree Officer;

-       Council staff and volunteers working at the Mount;

-       Council staff and volunteers working at the Memorial Park.

Cllr Henderson also responded to comments by Cllr Michael Vincent about the maintenance of open spaces in Wyre.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Councillor Murphy responded to comments and questions from:

-       Cllr Fail about the provision made for open space in Wyre;

-       Cllr R Duffy about support for local business;

-       Cllr Shewan about the potential scope for obtaining financial provision for highway improvements as part of the process for dealing with an anticipated planning application for a power station at the Hillhouse site;

-       Cllr Barrowclough about bank branch closures in the Borough;

-       Cllr Reeves about progress on an agreement with Fleetwood Town Football Club for community use of its new training facilities at Pool Foot Farm.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Councillor Berry responded to comments and questions from:

-       Councillor Smith about the membership of the Domestic Abuse Task Group;

-       Cllr Hodgkinson about the support to the Council’s activities provided by the Rossall Beach Residents Group and other similar voluntary community groups in the Borough;

-       Cllrs B Stephenson and B Birch about grants made by the Police and Crime Commissioner to support projects in Wyre and other parts of Lancashire.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Bowen said, in response to a question from Cllr T Taylor, that she would ask the YMCA to provide vouchers to the groups of regular early morning users of Fleetwood swimming pool to compensate them for the occasions when they had been unable to swim because the water temperature had been too cold, during the recent period whilst problems with the heating system were being sorted out.

Cllr Bowen also said that she would pass on thanks expressed by Cllr M Anderton to staff involved in recent events at Marsh Mill.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

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

Cllr Taylor said when introducing her report that Stephanie Collinson, a Senior Communications Officer in the Council’s Engagement Team, had won a national award for ‘Best Communications and Digital Professional’ for her work during and after the recent floods affecting our communities and said she would arrange for the Council’s congratulations to be passed on to her.

Cllr Taylor responded to comments and questions from:

-       Cllr Beavers about her attendance at Healthier Fleetwood group meetings;

-       Cllr Michael Vincent about comments on the contribution made by immigrants to the local community which had recently been made by Cat Smith MP.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Leader responded to a further question from the Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder about the comments made by Cat Smith MP about the community involvement of recent immigrants to the area. 

The Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder responded to a question by the Leader of the Council about support for local businesses.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr Gibson) and the Service Director Performance and Innovation.

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Gibson) and the Service Director Performance and Innovation submitted a report on a proposed strategic narrative setting out a clear vision and goals for evolving the way the Council worked.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the strategic narrative headed “Together we make a difference”, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be noted and supported.

Report of the Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) and the Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer.

The Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) and the Head of Finance submitted a report on treasury management for the first half of the year 2016/17.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Treasury Management Activity Report for the period April 2016 to September 2016 be approved.

No Notices of Motion have been submitted under Procedure Rule 14.

None received.