Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Birchall.

Members of the Panel are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members’ Code of Conduct.  If the personal interest is a prejudicial interest, then the individual Member should not participate in a discussion on the matter and must withdraw from the Committee Room and not seek to influence a decision on the matter.

There were no declarations of personal or prejudicial interest by any of the Members in any of the agenda items.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 8 November 2005 (enclosed).

The minutes of the meeting of the Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 8 November 2005 were confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

(a)    Area Forums/Committees Sub-Group

         The Panel, at its meeting on 8 November 2005, had agreed arrangements for the Sub-Group members’ attendance at a number of Area Committee meetings in surrounding Lancashire Districts as part of the Panel’s collation of evidence for the inquiry.

         Ÿ         Pendle Borough Council’s West Craven Area Committee held on 29 November 2005

               The meeting had been attended by the Chair (Councillor Perks) who had submitted to the Panel a written note on his visit.

               The membership of the Area Committee included the nine Councillors representing the three Borough Wards covered by the Committee, together with co-opted representatives from Parish/Town Councils, Customer Panels, Town Centre Forum and CED Partnership operating in the area, but only the Borough Councillors had voting rights.  The Lancashire County Council was not represented on the Area Committee.

               The Committee was empowered to determine certain planning applications and traffic regulation orders, and the District Council had allocated a £300,000 capital budget and a £100,000 revenue budget to the District’s five Area Committees for allocation on a pro rata basis based on the areas’ respective electorates.

                  Councillor Perks indicated that the meeting had been dominated by consideration of planning issues.  While the agenda items were instigated by the Borough Council, the meeting opened with an open Question Time session.

         Ÿ         South Ribble Borough Council’s Western Parishes Area Committee held on 5 December 2005

               The meeting had been attended by Councillor Bedford and Councillor Brownlee, who circulated at the Panel meeting a note of their attendance.

               The Area Committee comprised 13 Borough Councillors and a number of co-opted members, with voting rights.

               The Committee had delegated authority to determine planning applications within Council policy guidelines and each meeting commenced with an open 15 minutes Question Time.

               The Councillors attending had noticed, in particular, the length of time devoted to planning issues.  The Members had also noted the limited space in the meeting room allowed for members of the public, highlighting the importance of the selection of suitable venues for public meetings.

(b)    Public Speaking/Questions Sub-Group

         At the last Panel meeting, the Sub-Group members had expressed a wish to attend a meeting of West Lancashire District Council’s Planning Committee.

         As none of the Members had been able to attend the 15 December 2005 meeting, the Panel had been invited to observe the Planning Committee meeting to be held at Ormskirk on 19 January 2006.  In response, the Chair (Councillor Perks) and Councillors Culshaw and Mrs I Smith intimated that they may be able to attend.

(c)     Future Visits

         Since the last meeting, the Chairman had suggested that the Panel might benefit from observing the full Council meetings of a few neighbouring Authorities which allowed members of the public to participate in the debates and/or ask questions.  Consequently, a note was circulated at the meeting listing those Lancashire Authorities which allowed members of the public to speak at their Council meetings and the Panel members were requested to select the meetings they wished to attend.

         The Panel  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

A copy of the 2005/06 Work Programme is enclosed for consideration.

The Panel received, for information, the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2005/06, which had been agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting.

The programme included the envisaged timescales for the on-going scrutiny inquiries and the planned dates for the periodic monitoring of past inquiries.