Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

No declarations of interests were made.

Resolved (unanimously) that the minutes of the Special Council meeting held on 21 November 2023 and the minutes of the Extraordinary Council meeting held on 17 January 2024 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Mayor.

The Mayor offered his congratulations to the Chorley Lions Running Club who had been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

He also reminded members about his Roaring 20s Charity Ball on 1 March. 

Members of the public who have requested the opportunity to ask question(s) on any item(s) on the agenda will have three minutes to put their question(s) to the relevant Councillor. Members of the public will be allowed to ask one short supplementary question.

To view the procedure for public questions/ speaking click here and scroll to page 119

There were no public questions for consideration.

To consider a general report of the Executive Cabinet held on 12 October, 9 November & 7 December.  The report from the 18 January meeting will come to follow. 

Noted.

Members considered a general report of the meeting of the Executive Cabinet meetings held on 12 October, 9 November, 7 December and 18 January 2024.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley proposed and the Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously) that the report be noted.

To receive and consider the general report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 5 October.  The Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel held on 23 November and 11 January and Task Group update.

The report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 25 January will come to follow.

Noted.

Members considered a general report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 5 October and 25 January 2024, the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel held on 23 November and 11 January 2024 and Task Group update.

Councillor Riggott noted the forthcoming Scrutiny Task Group on suicide and suicide prevention would be starting soon and requested members contact Democratic Services if they wished to join. 

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Aidy Riggott proposed the report and the Vice Chair, Councillor Roy Lees seconded, and it was Resolved (Unanimously) that the report be noted.

To receive and consider the general report of the Governance Committee held on 27 September 2023, 29 November 2023 and 17 January 2024.

Noted.

Members considered a general report of the Governance Committee meeting held on 27 September, 29 November and 17 January 2024.

The Chair of the Governance Committee, Councillor Alan Platt proposed the report and the Vice Chair of Governance Committee, Councillor Mark Clifford seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously) that the report be noted.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Finance. 

To approve an increase of £5 per annum on the current annual garden waste charge.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson, presented the report of the Director of Finance which recommended an uplift in garden waste collection charges.

At the Executive Cabinet meeting in January members approved changes to the council’s fees and charges as part of the annual review and budget setting process.  As the recommendation would result in a change to the budget in excess of £100k, full Council approval was required.

The recommended increase of £5.00 to £37.50 per subscription would generate an additional £125,000 of revenue for the Council.  This equated to an increase of just less than 10p per week per subscription.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson proposed and the Executive Member (Customer, Streetscene and Environment), Councillor Adrian Lowe seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously) To approve an increase of £5 per annum on the current annual garden waste charge.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Customer and Digital.  

1.         To approve the strategy and action plan

2.         To approve the budget requirement for local priority actions.

The Executive Member (Customer, Streetscene and Environment), Councillor Adrian Lowe, presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital which presented a new Recycling and Waste Strategy for approval.

The strategy was designed to drive Chorley towards meeting waste reduction and recycling targets as required in the Environment Act 2021 and the Resources and Waste Strategy for England.

The strategy supported the ambition set in Chorley’s Climate Change Strategy to achieve net-zero carbon status by 2030.

There were some new statutory waste collection obligations that would require significant changes in the coming years.

The Executive Member (Customer, Streetscene and Environment), Councillor Adrian Lowe proposed and the Deputy Portfolio Holder (Customer, Streetscene and Environment), Councillor Jean Sherwood seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously)

1.         To approve the strategy and action plan

2.         To approve the budget requirement for local priority actions.

No questions were asked.

No Notices of Motion were received.