Agenda and minutes

Decision: That the minutes of the last Council meeting held on 23 January 2018 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Mayor. 

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.

There were no declarations of interests received.

The Mayor advised that up to 30 children from Parklands High School and Albany Academy have now successfully completed the Mayor’s Award Programme. 

As it is 100 years since women were given the right to vote a series of events have been planned.  8 March is International Women’s Day and a banner will be installed at the Town Hall at 10am. The Mayor invited all female Councillors to attend.    

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.

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.

Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources) presented the Executive's General Fund Revenue and Capital Budget and Council Tax proposals for 2018/19 and item 7. Fees and Charges Policy and a Review of Fees and Charges.  He explained that both items would be considered at the same time. 

Councillor Wilson thanked the officers and the Labour Group for their hard work and input into the proposed budget.  He referred to the achievements of the Council in recent years, investing significant sums in the provision of services, both in the town centre and rural areas, noting this was achieved during a period of austerity and the requirement to make £3 1/2 million in savings. 

Councillor Wilson explained that the budget had resilience for the future.  Chorley Council has experienced, and will continue to experience in the coming three years, large reductions in its major funding sources, including Revenue Support Grant, Retained Business Rates, New Homes Bonus and income from LCC.  The forecast budget deficit for 2019/20 is £1.6m and £2.2 in 2020/21. 

Through savings achieved to date, additional income identified, a review of net financing, the use of unutilised reserves and increases in council tax the Council is able to set a balanced budget in 2018/19 with some resources available to invest. 

The proposed budget is consistent with the Medium Term Financial Strategy and safeguards the financial resilience of the Council’s maintaining the level of working balances at £4.0m.

Councillor Wilson explained that, in addition to a balanced budget, there are proposals for investment to support the Corporate Strategy.  This includes the delivery of the Digital Office Park, Primrose Gardens extra care facility and the delivery of the Market Walk extension.  The Council is working with partners to deliver some of these projects. 

Councillor Bradley, Executive Leader of the Council, noted that the majority of Lancashire Districts are increasing their council tax. The proposed budget is in line with an agreed plan to become self-sufficient and to invest in the services that residents want. 

In summary, the report set out proposals that will:

·         Mitigate the reduction in Central Government funding by increasing Council Tax by 2.99% in 2018/19 and including a forecast 2.99% increase in Council Tax in 2019/20 and a forecast 2% increase in 2020/21 as part of the medium term budget strategy.

·         Deliver budget efficiency savings and increased income in 2018/19 onwards

·         Continue to deliver investment in strategic priorities including £0.897m in 2018/19 and £0.673m in 2019/20

·         Seek to bridge the forecasted budget gap, in particular through the procurement of its contracts, through sharing services with other councils and investing in projects that generate net income streams for the Council.

·         Is consistent with the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

·         Minimise the revenue impact of the Council’s borrowing commitment to fund the capital programme.

·         Safeguard the financial resilience of the Council’s budget by maintaining the level of working balances at £4.0m.

The following appendices were attached to the main report on the General Fund Revenue and Capital Budget and Council Tax for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.C.498

To consider a report of the Conservative Group.

Councillor Martin Boardman, Shadow Executive Member for Resources presented the Conservative Group’s Alternative Budget. The focus of the proposals was in line with the Alternative Corporate Strategy:

•           A place where people will ‘start well, live well and age well’;

•           A better place to shop and do business;

•           A better place for learning and earning;

•           A better place to visit; and

•           A better place to call home.

The proposed budget includes revenue investment totalling £1,030,000 in 2018/19, savings and additional income totalling £803,000 in 2018/19 as well as achieving a balanced budget.

Councillor Boardman noted that there are similarities in the two budgets, but there are key differences, including the introduction of a borough wide partnership grants fund, which will make available £300,000 per year to support a wide range of third sector projects across the borough.  In addition, there is no support for Crime Reduction & Social Disorder Prevention, Neighbourhood Preferred Projects and the LCC Transition Fund and a reduction in support for Core Funding Grants and the Chorley Council Events Programme. 

Councillor Boardman advised that the proposed budget will stop the market walk extension, reinstate the Flat Iron car park and propose to develop a smaller leisure and restaurant scheme on the Oak House and Gala Bingo site. Once developed and opened the scheme could deliver a net rental income, after borrowing costs, of approximately £150,000 per annum.

Councillor Alan Cullens, Leader of the Conservative Group, noted that the alternative budget develops the town centre, but with a reduced risk, developing the markets and investing in rural areas. 

In debating the proposals put forward by the opposition, Members raised issues around investment in rural areas, investment in PSCO's, the proposed grants fund, reduction in Neighbourhood Preferred Projects and the impact on community centres and bus routes, the proposed sixth form college, staffing reductions and housing plans.

AMENDMENT

The adoption of the Alternative Budget as set out in the report, was moved as an amendment by Councillor Martin Boardman, Shadow Executive Member (Resources) and seconded by Councillor Alan Cullens, Leader of the Conservative Group.

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 E Bell, M Boardman, H Caunce, A Cullens, J Dalton, D Dickinson, K Iddon, P Leadbetter, S Long, G Morgan, M Muncaster, D Platt, J Walker. 

AGAINST: Councillors A Beaver, A Bradley, C Bromilow, T Brown, P Clark, J Cronshaw, G Dunn, J Fitzsimons, C France, G France, M France, A Gee, D Gee, T Gray, M Janell, H Khan, Z Khan, M Lees, R Lees, A Lowe, M Lowe, M Lynch, J Molyneaux, S Murfitt, B Murray, J Snape, K Snape, R Toon, P Walmsley, A Whittaker, P Wilson. 

ABSTAIN: Councillor Mark Perks.

The vote was LOST. 

SUBSTANTIVE MOTION

The substantive motion, as indicated in Agenda Item 5 and 7, and proposed by Councillor P Wilson, Executive Member (Resources) and seconded by Councillor Alistair Bradley,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.C.499

Report of the Director (Policy and Governance)

This item was considered at item 5 on the agenda. 

To consider a report of the Director (Policy and Governance).

Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources) presented the report of the Director (Policy and Governance) which corrected the political proportionality to the Electoral Review of Chorley Council Committee, and to consider a formal request to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to defer the 2019 local borough elections. 

Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources) proposed, Councillor Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader, seconded the DECISION:

1.    To approve the amendments to the membership of the Electoral Review of Chorley Council Committee, with the political proportionality of 5 Labour (and 2 substitutes), 3 Conservative (and 2 substitutes) and 1 seat to be allocated to the smaller groups within the Council.  Councillor Alan Whittaker was appointed as the fifth Labour member. 

2.    To approve a formal request being made to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to defer the 2019 local borough elections due to the whole of Council election in 2020.  This would result in a cost saving to the Council of approximately £120,000.

The Mayor has accepted the following item of urgent business, as requested by the Executive Leader of the Council, as the ongoing issue in question affects many residents within Chorley. 

The Mayor accepted the following item of urgent business, as requested by the Executive Leader of the Council, as the ongoing issue in question affects many residents within Chorley. 

Members considered the urgent item, which was circulated just prior to the meeting and supported the proposals and to write to the Secretary of State if the situation is not resolved imminently.  A suggestion was made that a managed process is needed to close the tip and to also contact the Public Health England to request information about the other gasses from the site. 

Decision: That the Executive Leader redraft the proposal and circulate it to all Members before implementing it.