Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Mayor invited Members to observe a minute’s silence in memory of Lord Doug Hoyle. 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Alistair Bradley and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt, paid tribute and sent their condolences to the family.

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.

The Mayor advised he had visited London in March with Councillor Bradley to attend the Your UK Parliament Week Awards at the House of Commons, where Chorley was announced the winner of the Constituency of the Year Award.

The Mayor thanked those councillors retiring this year for all their hard work and dedication in serving the people of Chorley and gave his best wishes to those standing for election in May.

Resolved (unanimously) that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 27 February 2024 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Mayor.

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

1.         That Standing Order 6 of Part A Appendix 3 to the Constitution (and the relevant procedure rules at Part E) be suspended, with the right of the public to speak at Council meetings being removed and the procedure detailed at Paragraph 16 being implemented.

2.         That this suspension of standing orders and implementation of the temporary changes is to continue until further decision by the Council.

The Mayor advised he had changed the order of the agenda to take this item before the related item of Public Questions. 

The Chair of the Governance Committee, Councillor Alan Platt, presented the report of the Monitoring Officer. 

The purpose of the report was to agree to a temporary suspension of Standing Orders to reduce in scope the right of the public to speak at Full Council and Executive Cabinet meetings.

Whilst it was a requirement that meetings of the Council were held in public, there was no statutory right for the public to address the meeting.  At the meeting on 27 February last the meeting was disrupted when a member of the public abused their rights in the constitution, leading to the meeting being suspended and the police being called to clear the room.

Following a suggestion from Councillor Aidy Riggott it was acknowledged that this matter be considered by the Governance Committee at their first meeting in the new municipal year. 

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)

1.         That Standing Order 6 of Part A Appendix 3 to the Constitution (and the relevant procedure rules at Part E) be suspended, with the right of the public to speak at Council meetings being removed and the procedure detailed below being implemented. 

Members of the public may ask one written question on any item on the Agenda for the Council meeting. This must be submitted to the Chief Executive by midday on the day, two working days before the day of the meeting.  A written response will be provided to the member of the public.  There will be no provision to ask a supplemental question and whilst the member of the public is permitted to attend the meeting there is no associated right to speak.

The written question and response will be available with the minutes of the meeting.

2.         That this suspension of standing orders and implementation of the temporary changes is to continue until further decision by the Council.

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 meetings held on 22 February and  21 March. 

Noted.

Members considered a general report of the meeting of the Executive Cabinet meetings held on 22 February and 21 March.

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 14 March, the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel held on 7 March and Task Group update.

Noted.

Members considered a general report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14 March, the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel held on 7 March and Task Group update.

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 8 February and 13 March.

Noted.

Members considered a general report of the Governance Committee meeting held on 8 February and 13 March.

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 Governance.

1.         That Council approves for adoption a new form Code of Conduct for Members.

2.         That Council approves for adoption an updated and refreshed Social Media Protocol.

The Chair of the Governance Committee, Councillor Alan Platt, presented the report of the Monitoring Officer. 

The purpose of the report was to present the new form Code of Conduct for Members and refreshed Social Media Protocol Council for adoption. 

Councillor Platt thanked the members and officers for their work on the two documents. 

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)

1.         That Council approves for adoption a new form Code of Conduct for Members.

2.         That Council approves for adoption an updated and refreshed Social Media Protocol.

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

To establish a capital budget of £300,000 recurring annual budget for fleet replacement.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson, presented the report of the Director of Customer and Digital. 

There were a number of vehicles, such as tipper vans, that were reaching the end of their operational life and need to be replaced over the next 1-2 years.  As a result, a recurring budget was requested to enable purchases to come forward when required.

This capital budget would be funded from the existing revenue budget held within the service for lease/hire costs.

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 establish a capital budget of £300,000 recurring annual budget for fleet replacement.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Property.

To approve the publishing of the updated LDS to the Central Lancashire Local Plan website and associated Central Lancashire Authority websites.

The Executive Member Planning and Development, Councillor Alistair Morwood, presented the report of the Director of Planning and Property. 

The report presented the contents of the updated Local Development Scheme (LDS).

The preparation of the Local Plan was fluid, and it was common planning practice to make changes to the LDS to ensure the most up to date timetable was published to inform stakeholders of the plan preparation process.

The three Central Lancashire Authorities remain absolutely committed to the delivery of the new Local Plan under the existing statutory plan-making regime.

The Executive Member Planning and Development, Councillor Alistair Morwood, proposed and the Chair of Planning Committee, Councillor June Molyneaux seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously)

To approve the publishing of the updated LDS to the Central Lancashire Local Plan website and associated Central Lancashire Authority websites.

No questions were asked.

No Notices of Motion were received.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act.

By Virtue of Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

Condition:

Information is not exempt if it is required to be registered under-

The Companies Act 1985

The Friendly Societies Act 1974

The Friendly Societies Act 1992

The Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 to 1978

The Building Societies Act 1986 (recorded in the public file of any building society, within the meaning of the Act)

The Charities Act 1993

Information is exempt to the extent that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Information is not exempt if it relates to proposed development for which the local planning authority may grant itself planning permission pursuant to Regulation 3 of the Town & Country Planning General Regulations 1992(a).

Approved.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley proposed and the Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson seconded and it was Resolved (unanimously) that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part 1 of schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Planning and Property.

1.         To approve procurement exercise to undertake a competitive tender for essential reservoir embankment work through the open Chest portal in accordance with procurement procedures and to appoint the successful contractor. The works are estimated to be in the region of £150,000.

2.         To approve a 3-year rolling programme to undertake to undertake further repairs to the west and southwest elevations, costs are estimated to be in the region of £250,000.

3.         To approve the establishment of a budget totalling £400,000 to be added to the capital programme.

4.         To delegate the approval of the procurement strategies to the Director of Property and Planning for recommendation 2 & 3.

5.         To delegate the contract award decisions for the Contractor to the Executive Member of Resources for approval.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson presented the confidential report of the Director of Planning and Property.

The purpose of the report was to ensure the essential reservoir embankment works specified by the Environment Agency were completed by the end of 2024 in order to maintain the reservoir safety and satisfy the Inspecting Engineer’s recommendations.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt, spoke in favour of the proposals. 

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

1.         To approve procurement exercise to undertake a competitive tender for essential reservoir embankment work through the open Chest portal in accordance with procurement procedures and to appoint the successful contractor.

2.         To approve a 3-year rolling programme to undertake to undertake further repairs to the west and southwest elevations.

3.         To approve the establishment of a budget totalling £400,000 to be added to the capital programme.

4.         To delegate the approval of the procurement strategies to the Director of Property and Planning for recommendation 1 & 2.

5.         To delegate the contract award decisions for the Contractor to the Executive Member of Resources for approval.