Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Pat Haughton and Margaret Lees.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any personal interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda. If the interest arises only as result of your membership of another public body or one to which you have been appointed by the Council then you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

If the personal interest is a prejudicial 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 Member declared an interest in relation to matters under consideration at the meeting.

Remembrance Day

The Mayor invited Members to accompany him in the procession to St Laurence’s Church and to the Cenotaph in Astley Park for Remembrance Sunday.  If Members were to assemble in the Council Chamber no later than 9.15am with tea and coffee served afterwards in the Council Chamber.

Charity Folk Night

The Mayor informed Members that his Charity Folk Night scheduled for Friday, 16 November at St Bede’s Social Centre would no longer be taking place.  Those who had already paid would receive a full refund.

Charity Ball

The Mayor commented that Friday, 1 February 2008 would be the date of his Charity Ball to be held at Park Hall Hotel in Charnock Richard.  Letters had already been sent out to local businesses offering them the chance to buy tickets but the Mayor wished for as many Councillors as possible to join him for what was sure to be a great night.  Tickets would be £30 per person.

The Executive Leader took the opportunity to inform Members that this would be the last Council meeting attended by Paul Morris in his capacity as Deputy Chief Executive pending his retirement at the end of November 2007.

The Executive Leader paid tribute to Mr Morris’s period of service with the Council and appreciation of his work in giving advice on a number of important issues.

The Executive Leaders sentiments were echoed by Councillors Dennis Edgerley, Kenneth Ball, Ralph Snape and Anthony Gee, who all thanked Mr Morris for his service to the Council and wished him well in his retirement.

Members of the public who have requested the opportunity to ask a question(s) on any item(s) on the agenda will be asked to put their questions(s) to the Council. Members of the public will be allowed to ask one supplementary question within their allocated 3 minutes

There had been no requests from any member of the public to ask a question on any of the agenda items.

To confirm the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 September 2007 as a correct record for signature by the Mayor (copy enclosed)

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 September 2007 be confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Mayor.

Report enclosed

Agreed plus two amendments

The Executive Member for Corporate Policy and Performance presented a report seeking approval to the re-freshed Corporate Strategy for 2007/08 – 2009/10.

The re-freshed Strategy set out the Council’s vision, priorities and strategic objectives for the next three years and how the Authority would measure its achievement of the key projects.

Whilst the overall vision and priorities of the Strategy had remained constant with the 2006/07 Corporate Strategy, a few changes had been made to the strategic objectives and long-term outcomes to enable the development of local solutions to climate change issues and to reflect the main strategic ‘Big Issues’ facing the Authority (eg citizen engagement, improvement of front line universal services; regeneration; use of resources and attraction and retention of high quality staff; and climate change).

The refreshed Strategy also contained a reduced number of key projects (ie 30) which aimed to assist the achievement of the long-term objectives.  The projects had been selected on the basis of their potential feasibility and funding.  The number of measurable targets, linked to both the key projects and long-term outcomes, had been increased to 47.

The revised Strategy had been compiled after a series of extensive consultations with internal stakeholders, while taking account of the experiences in delivering the current Strategy, the re-freshed Community Strategy and the new challenges facing the Authority.

The following amendment to the Corporate Strategy was moved by Councillor Dennis Edgerley and seconded by Councillor Laura Lennox.

Column 1, Outcome 1.3 second bullet point to read

?       “Number of Chorley residents moving into sustainable employment and ceasing to claim incapacity benefit and income support.  The target 0.2% below the national average.

Would want the target to be the national average.”

The amendment was put to the vote and the Mayor declared it lost.

The following amendment to the Corporate Strategy was moved by Councillor Dennis Edgerley and seconded by Councillor Laura Lennox.

Column 2 Additional Key Project:

?       “Revisit and review the Sports Village Feasibility Study in light of the Support England review of sporting villages.”

A request was made under the Council Procedure Rule 17(2) for a recorded vote on the Labour Group amendment.

For:  Councillors Ken Ball, Nora Ball, Terry Brown, Michael Davies, Dennis Edgerley, Anthony Gee, Daniel Gee, Catherine Hoyle, Margaret Iddon, Hasina Khan, Roy Lees, Laura Lennox, Adrian Lowe, Marion Lowe, Thomas McGowan, June Molyneaux, Joyce Snape, Ralph Snape, Mrs Stella Walsh and Mary Wilson (20).

Against:  Councillors Eric Bell, Judith Boothman, Alan Cain, Pat Case, Henry Caunce, Alan Cullens, Magda Cullens, Mike Devaney, David Dickinson, Mrs Doreen Dickinson, Peter Goldsworthy, Mrs Marie Gray, Harold Heaton, Keith Iddon, Kevin Joyce, Peter Malpas, Greg Morgan, Mick Muncaster, Mark Perks, Geoffrey Russell, Rosie Russell, Edward Smith, Iris Smith, Shaun Smith and John Walker (25).

Abstentions:  None.

The Mayor declared the amendment lost.

The following amendment to the Corporate Strategy was moved by Councillor Dennis Edgerley and seconded by Councillor Laura Lennox.

Column 3  Outcome 3.1

% of Council Buildings accessible to disabled people.  Target 96% by March  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94a

Report enclosed

Approved

The Executive Member for Resources presented a report updating Members on the progress of the 2007/08 Capital Programme.

The report outlined the principal reasons for the recommended revision and increase of the agreed capital budget of £8,383,450 to £8,798,310 within which a sum of £40,000 was to be allocated for alleygate schemes.

It was moved the Executive Member for Resources and seconded by the Executive Leader and subsequently RESOLVED that the revised Capital Programme for 2007/08 in the sum of £8,798,310 and the appropriate financing arrangements, as set out in the appendices to the established report.

Report enclosed

Noted

The Executive Leader presented a report which summarised the principal matters considered at the meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 4 October 2007.

It was moved by the Executive Leader, seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council and subsequently RESOLVED that the report be noted.

General report enclosed

Noted

The Chair of the Development Control Committee (Councillor H Heaton) presented a report which commented on a few of the more significant planning applications that had been obtained at meetings held on 11 September 2007 and 9 October 2007.

It was moved by the Chair of the Development Control Committee, seconded by the Vice Chair, and subsequently RESOLVED that the report be noted.

General report enclosed

Noted

The Chair of the Licensing and Safety Committee and Statutory Licensing Committee (Councillor Mrs I Smith) presented a report which summarised the principal matters which had been considered by the Licensing and Safety Committee and Statutory Licensing Committee held on 19 September 2007 and 17 October 2007.

It was moved by the Vice-Chair (Councillor Edward Smith), seconded by Councillor John Walker and subsequently RESOLVED that the report be noted.

General report enclosed

Noted

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Dennis Edgerley) presented a report which summarised briefly the recent matters discussed at meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 1 October 2007.  The report also summarised the activities and issues considered by the Committee’s associate Environment and Community and Corporate and Customer Overview and Scrutiny Panels of their recent meetings.

It was moved by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Dennis Edgerley), seconded by the Vice-Chair (Councillor Laura Lennox) and subsequently RESOLVED that the report be noted subject to an amendment in paragraph 14 by deleting the following “even though it had not” and inserting “and had”.

General report enclosed

Noted

The Chair of the Audit Committee (Councillor Anthony Gee) presented a report of the Audit Committee summarising the items discussed at the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 27 September 2007.

It was moved by the Chair of the Audit Committee, seconded by Councillor Mike Devaney and subsequently RESOLVED that the report and resolutions be noted.

Report of Corporate Director of Governance (enclosed)

That in accordance with Paragraph 27.2 of the Council Procedure Rules the recommendations contained in the report be adjourned without further discussion to the next Ordinary Council meeting on 18 December 2007

RESOLVED that in accordance with Paragraph 27.2 of the Council’s Procedure Rules the recommendation contained in the report be adjourned without further discussion to the next Ordinary Council meeting on 18 December 2007.

The Deputy Leader of the Council presented a report on proposed revisions to the rules governing debate at Council meetings.

The proposals aimed to ensure that decisions are made in an effective manner, that the rules for debate at Council meetings are clear and easily understood and that the Council meeting provided a forum for quality political debate.

It was moved by the Deputy Leader of the Council, seconded by the Leader of the Council and subsequently RESOLVED that in accordance with Paragraph 27.2 of the Council’s Procedure Rules the recommendations contained in the report be adjourned without further discussion to the next Ordinary Council meeting on 18 December 2007.

The Council is requested to approve the replacement of Councillor Alan Cain by Councillor John Walker as one of the Council’s representatives on the Lancashire Local Committee for Chorley.

Approved

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council and subsequently RESOLVED that Councillor John Walker replaces Councillor Alan Cain as one of the Council’s representatives on the Lancashire Local Committee for Chorley.