Agenda, decisions and minutes

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.

Approved.

Resolved (unanimously) that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 28 January 2025 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Mayor.

The Mayor updated members on fundraising activities and charity events,

On behalf of the Council, the Mayor thanked Chris Moister for his hard work and commitment to the Council and wished him all the best for his new role.

Members, including the Leader of the Council, Councillor Alistair Bradley, Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson, Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt, Councillors Debra Platt and Pauline McGovern joined the Mayor in thanking Chris for his service.

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 seek approval to recommendations from the Executive contained in the attached report of the Chief Finance Officer (Introduced by the Executive Member for Resources) and within the appendices listed below.

a) Approve the budget and proposals set out in this report, including the level of Council Tax as set out in the Formal Council Tax Resolution for 2025/26, including Special Expenses & Parish Precepts, at Appendix A;

b) Note the advice of the Chief Finance Officer in relation to the robustness of the estimates within the overall budget, including the risks contained within it and the adequacy of the proposed level of financial reserves, as set out in the Statutory Report at Appendices B1 – B3;

c) Approve the council’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) at Appendix C;

d) Note the council’s forecast Cumulative Budget Deficit and Budget Strategy 2025/26 to 2027/28 at Appendix D, including the analysis of the movement in the 2025/26 Budget from the position approved by Council in February 2024;

e) Note the analysis of Budgets for 2025/26, by expense type, at Appendix E;

f) Approve the capital programme for 2025/26 to 2027/28 (Appendices F1, F2 & F3);

g) Approve the Capital Strategy at Appendix G;

h) Approve the Treasury Management Strategy at Appendix H1 and note the advice of the treasury management consultants at Appendix H2;

i) Approve the council’s Pay Policy at Appendix I for publication on the council’s website from April 2025 (including Appendix I (I – iv) detailing the senior structure, officers pay and pay spines)

j) Note the Budget Consultation 2025/26 Report at Appendix J;

k) Note the Impact Assessment of the Budget Proposals for 2025/26 at Appendix K.

The Deputy Executive Leader and Executive Member for Resources, Councillor Peter Wilson, presented the Executive’s Budget Strategy and proposals for the Revenue Budget 2025/26, together with the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and Capital Programme for 2025-2028.

Councillor Wilson thanked officers and the Labour Group for their hard work and input into the proposed budget.

The proposed 2025/26 budget and the MTFS for the next two years had been updated to take account of the Local Government Finance Settlement announced on 3 February 2025 and the latest financial information, forecasts and economic outlook, and are reflective of the following:

• due to the continued pressures on council budgets, alongside reduced levels of funding from government to meet these increasing costs, the figures included a proposed 2.99% increase in council tax in 2025/26;

• the figures included a proposed 2.99% increase in council tax in 2025/26 and of 2.99% in 2026/27; these proposals would be revisited each year as part of the budget setting process and would be dependent upon the outcome of the government’s reviews of both the future funding framework and the future distribution of funding between councils, the review of the business rates system and the future of business rates pooling

• continued investment was reflected in ongoing revenue budgets to ensure delivery of corporate strategy priorities.

The proposed budget was set to ensure that the objectives of the council’s Corporate Strategy priorities were met.  The council continued to invest in the borough and the proposed budget included £59.930m of capital investment from 2025/26 to 2027/28.  This included investment in:

• the provision of temporary accommodation to help larger families who were experiencing homelessness, alongside reviewing supported housing and rough sleeper provision.

• improving and transforming the leisure centres to encourage our residents to be active and healthy, along with investment in play, recreation and open spaces;

• supporting our town centre through the £44.48m town centre transformation programme which would create community and multiuse spaces for leisure, business, accommodation and employment.

• Improvements to Astley Hall supported by a successful grant bid

• Investment in the infrastructure to allow for food waste collections to reduce the impact of food waste on climate change.

The council would continue its success of investing in assets that benefited residents and businesses whilst also generating a net income to the council.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Peter Wilson proposed and the Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, seconded the recommendation.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt, thanked the officers for their work and noted the different perspective the opposition had towards borrowing.  The group supported the budget and future plans the administration had to realise assets. 

In line with the legal requirement for all budget decisions to be recorded, this proposal was put to the vote and recorded as follows:

For: Councillors Sarah Ainsworth, Irene Amahwe, Aaron Beaver, Julia Berry, Alistair Bradley, Michelle Brown, Mark Clifford, Gordon France (Mayor)Margaret France, Danny Gee, Tommy Gray, Russ Green, Christine Heydon, Alex Hilton, Terry  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

To receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive.

1.             Note the likely process for the development of proposals for local government reorganisation.

2.             Support in principle the four unitary model, including a unitary council covering the boroughs of Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire, as its initial preferred structure for local government in Lancashire.

3.             Delegate to the Executive Leader the authority to agree the council’s position in relation to the initial plan prior to its submission in March 2025.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, presented the report of the Chief Executive which provided full council with an update on the emerging process for local government reorganisation.

The government have set a short timeline for the production of initial proposals for local government reorganisation.  Agreeing an initial position, albeit one that might change as discussions were undertaken with neighbouring areas and other stakeholders, would ensure that Chorley’s voice would be stronger than if no position was adopted.

Several members spoke on the proposals, including Councillors Alan Whittaker, Craige Southern and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt. 

The need for democratic representation, the failings of the current two-tier system and views of West Lancashire Council were discussed. 

An amendment was proposed by the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt, and seconded by Councillor Craige Southern ‘that the council commits to a referendum of the residents of Chorley borough to be completed prior to the submission of the final proposals on 28 November and agrees to abide by the result of the referendum and reflect this in the final proposals’.  Following debate this amendment was withdrawn, but it was noted that future reports on this issue would include options for consultation with residents.

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

1.             Note the likely process for the development of proposals for local government reorganisation.

2.             Support in principle the four unitary model, including a unitary council covering the boroughs of Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire, as its initial preferred structure for local government in Lancashire.

3.             Delegate to the Executive Leader the authority to agree the council’s position in relation to the initial plan prior to its submission in March 2025.

To receive and consider the report of the Chief Executive.

To approve an extension of three months for Councillor Martin to allow them to ontinue to serve as an elected member on Chorley Council whilst recovering from a period of ill health.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, presented the report of the Chief Executive. 

The report outlined a request under section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, for the Council to agree to authorise and extend Councillor Samantha Martin’s absence in person from meetings of the Council to allow them to continue to serve as an elected member on Chorley Council whilst recovering from a period of ill health.

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

To approve an extension of three months for Councillor Martin to allow them to continue to serve as an elected member on Chorley Council whilst recovering from a period of ill health.

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 Communities and Leisure and the Director of Property and Planning.

Approve the creation of a new capital budget from the allocation of £2,000,000 from CIL receipts allocated to the Leisure Improvement Capital Programme.

The Executive Member (Customer, Streetscene and Environment), Councillor Adrian Lowe presented the confidential report of the Director of Communities and Leisure and the Director of Property and Planning.

The report sought approval for the creation of a new budget from the allocation of £2,000,000 available CIL receipts to the Leisure Improvement Capital Programme.

Councillors Alex Hilton and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Alan Platt spoke in favour of the proposals. 

The Executive Member (Customer, Streetscene and Environment), Councillor Adrian Lowe, proposed and Councillor Irene Amahwe seconded, and it was Resolved (unanimously)

Approve the creation of a new capital budget from the allocation of £2,000,000 from CIL receipts allocated to the Leisure Improvement Capital Programme.