Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received.

Members of the Council 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 meeting and not seek to influence a decision on the matter.

No Member disclosed an interest in relation to matters under consideration at the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the Council meeting held on 23 January 2007 as a correct record for signature by the Mayor (enclosed)

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 23 January 2007 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

The Mayor thanked all Councillors and Officers who attended the Charity Ball in her absence and made the Ball a success and special thanks given to Councillor Adrian Lowe who stepped in at short notice.

The Mayor thanked everyone who supported the Charity Quiz Night on Friday, 16 February 2007 which raised £180.50.

The Mayor welcomed the Deputy Leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council, Councillor Michael Ranson and the Chief Executive of the Council, Mr David Morris.  They attended to observe the format of the meeting as their Council was currently looking at reviewing Council meetings and Committee structure.

The Mayor requested a one minutes silence as a tribute to 23 year old Royal Marine, Jonathan Holland killed by a landmine in Afghanistan – he served with 45 Commando and had been a Royal Marine since 2002 and was a former Parklands High School pupil.

Report of the Director of Finance on the recommendations of the Executive Cabinet at its meeting 22 February (enclosed). 

The Executive Member for Resources presented a report monitoring the performance of the 2006/07 Capital Programme and containing recommendations of the Corporate Improvements Board (the former Capital and Efficiency Board).

The report recommended changes to the 2006/07 Capital Programme, the effect of which was to reduce the programme from £16,695,400 to £13,767,340, as a result of the suggested slippage of £2,402,730 to 2007/08 and other changes totalling £535,330.

The recommended slippage of expenditure as a number of schemes to 2007/08 was detailed in Appendix A to the submitted report, with other changes to schemes explained in Appendix B.  Appendix C to the report summarised both the capital receipts achieved to date and the anticipated receipts.

RESOLVED  - 1)  That the revised Capital Programme for 2006/07 in the sum of £13,767,340 be approved.

2)      That the addition of the slippage for 2006/07 of £2,402,730 to the approved Capital Programme for 2007/08 to 2009/10 be approved.

A report on the recommendations of the Council’s Executive Cabinet at its meeting on 22 February 2007 and the draft Council Tax resolution is enclosed together with the Director of Finances Statutory Section 25 report and the Shadow Cabinets alternative budget.

Before the Council debated the Budget three members of the public had been invited to ask questions that had been previously submitted by the deadline.

Each member of the public read out the question and received a response from the appropriate Executive Member.

They were then given an opportunity to ask a supplementary question if they wished and receive a response but this was not required.

In accordance with Paragraph 11.4 of the Council Procedure Rules it was RESOLVED that the length of the speeches by the proposers of the Ruling Group and Opposition Council Tax Resolutions, to be for a period which exceeded five minutes during the consideration on the Council Tax 2007/08 of the agenda.

The Executive Leader presented a report putting forward proposals for the General Fund Revenue Budget and Council Tax levels for 2007/08 which had received approval by the Executive Cabinet at its meeting held on 27 February 2007.

The report contained the representations received in response to consultations on the draft budget proposals and which highlighted the key concerns that had been expressed by respondents.

The Executive Leader explained that the proposals had been formulated to feed directly into the Council’s key objectives, targets and actions for 2007/2008 and beyond.  The Council’s priorities addressed the key issues identified and codified in the Community Strategy.  The updated Corporate Strategy represented the Council’s commitment to achieving the objectives and outcomes specified in that document.

The report set out the Executive Cabinet’s proposals, including appendices relating to budget consultation responses, including the Executive’s response to issues raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to its review of the budget.

Appended to the report was the Director of Finance’s report to satisfy the provisions of Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 requiring the officer to report independently to Members on the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the Councils’ reserves.

Treasury management issues were also included as a specific requirement following the introduction of the Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities.  The report aimed to fulfil all these various requirements.

The report indicated that the budget continued to direct resources into key Corporate Priorities and addressed concerns identified by the Borough citizens.  Particular focus on this year’s budget in terms of involvement given to the Town Centre, were the administration was determined to build on the town’s strengths.  The objectives for the 2007/08 budget was a freeze in the Chorley Borough Council’s element in the Council Tax, together with the impact of the Stock Transfer had meant that significant savings/efficiencies had been made, with a balanced budget achieved.

It was moved by the Executive Leader and seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council that the Executive Cabinet’s budget proposals as detailed in the submitted report, be approved.

In respect of the budget proposals it was moved by Councillor Alan Cullens and seconded by Councillor Peter Goldsworthy that the budget and estimates of the Executive Cabinet be amended as follows:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Report enclosed

The Executive Member for Customer, Democratic and Legal Services presented a report seeking the endorsement of the draft calendar of meetings for the 2007/08 Municipal Year from the Annual Meeting in May 2007.

RESOLVED – That the timetable of meetings to be held during the 2007/08 Municipal Year, as presented be approved.

Report on the issues discussed at the Executive Cabinet meeting held on 22 February 2007 (enclosed)

The Executive Leader presented a report summarising the more significant items of business dealt with at a meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 22 February 2007.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

General Report (enclosed)

The Chair of the Development Control Committee presented a report which summarised the more significant planning proposals that had been considered at the meetings held on 16 January 2007 and 13 February 2007.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

General Report (enclosed)

The Chairman of the Licensing and Safety Committee and the Statutory Licensing Committee presented a report which summarised the principal matters which had been considered at meetings of the Committees held on 17 January 2007.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

General Report (enclosed)

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented a report which summarised briefly the principal matters that had been considered at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 20 February 2007, as well as a brief summary of the recent activities and matters discussed at a meeting of the Environment and Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 25 January 2007 and two meetings of the Corporate and Customer Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 30 January and 15 February 2007 (Special Meeting).

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

General Report (enclosed)

The Chairman of the General Purposes Committee presented a report which summarised briefly the principal matters that had been considered at a meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 7 February 2007.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

General Report (enclosed)

The Chairman of the Audit Committee presented a report which summarised briefly the principal matters that had been considered at a meeting of the Audit Committee held on 18 January 2007.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Council is requested to appoint a representative to serve on Cuerden Valley Park Trust following the resignation of Councillor Thomas Bedford.

This item would be considered at the Annual General meeting on 15 May 2007. 

That this Council supports the campaign by:

• The MP
• The Chair of the Hospital Trust
• Churches Together
• And the wider community

to oppose the awarding of a Clinical Assessment Treatment and Support (CATS) Centre contract to a private sector company.

The Council condemns the unfair way in which the contractor will be guaranteed elective work leaving expensive treatment including cancer treatment to be carried out by the hospital. This ability to cherry pick is unfair and will damage the hospital’s capacity to carry out the remaining work.

The Council further calls for a CATS Centre based at Chorley Hospital and run by Chorley Hospital with no private sector CATS system being established in Chorley. In this way the viability of the Hospital and the interests of the patients will be protected

Signed by Councillors R Snape, D Edgerley, K Ball and A Lowe.  

The following Notice of Motion submitted in accordance with provision of Rule 8 of the Council Procedure Rules was moved by Councillor Ralph Snape and seconded by Councillor Dennis Edgerley. 

That this Council supports the campaign by:

·                    The MP

·                    The Chair of the Hospital Trust

·                    Churches Together

·                    And the wider community

to oppose the awarding of a Clinical Assessment Treatment and Support (CATS) Centre contract to a private sector company.

The Council condemns the unfair way in which the contractor will be guaranteed elective work leaving expensive treatment including cancer treatment to be carried out by the hospital.  This ability to cherry pick is unfair and will damage the hospital’s capacity to carry out the remaining work.

The Council further calls for a CATS Centre based at Chorley Hospital and run by Chorley Hospital with no private sector CATS system being established in Chorley.  In this way the viability of the Hospital and the interests of the patients will be protected. 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Mark Perks and seconded by Councillor Rosemary Russell as follows:

“That this Council welcomes the proposed introduction of a Chorley hospital based NHS operated CATS, to operate along side a Preston based private sector CATS.  We believe that the two arrangements operating together will give GP’s and patients a real choice and will improve health outcomes for the people of Chorley”. 

RESOLVED  - “That this Council welcomes the proposed introduction of a Chorley hospital based NHS operated CATS, to operate along side a Preston based private sector CATS.  We believe that the two arrangements operating together will give GP’s and patients a real choice and will improve health outcomes for the people of Chorley”. 

This item has been withdrawn from the agenda, as the Council will be considering it at its meeting on 6 March 2007.   

This item was withdrawn from the agenda, as the Council will be considering it at its meeting on 6 March 2007.