Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Doreen Dickinson, Cath Hoyle and Mark Perks.

To confirm the minutes of the last Council meeting held on 27 January 2009 (enclosed).

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the last Council meeting held on 27 January 2009 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

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.

There were no declarations of interest made by any Member of the Council.

The Mayor thanked all those Members and officers who had attended the Mayor’s Ball on 13 February and made a number of announcements about forthcoming events.

?          A Charity Fishing Match is being arranged for 4 April at Charity Farm, Eccleston.

?          The Mayor would be holding a sponsored Good Friday Community Walk to Rivington Pike on 10 April.

?          The last charity event of the year would by a Soul and Motown Night in the Lancastrian Suite on 8 May.

All proceeds from these events will be donated to the Mayor’s Charity appeal.

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

There were no questions received from members of the public.

Report of the Executive Cabinet (enclosed) to include the follow appendices:

Members of the Council considered a report received from the Executive Cabinet which set out their proposals for the Council’s Revenue and Capital Budget for 2009/2010 including the level of Council Tax increase proposed for the forthcoming year.

The report set out the Executive’s key objectives in proposing the budget, to protect front line services but also to drive out costs, deliver value for money to residents and to invest in frontline services.

The report included a number of appendices with the detail of the proposals as follows;

Appendix A       -        Formal Council Tax resolution being proposed.

Appendix B       -        Capital Programme for 2009/10 – 2011/12.

Appendix C       -        Fees and Charges proposals.

Appendix D       -        Treasurary Management Strategy statement and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement for 2009/10.

Appendix E       -        Statutory Report under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003.

Appendix F       -        Medium Term Financial Strategy 2009/10 – 2011/12.

Appendix G       -        Budget Consultation undertaken

Appendix H       -        Executive response to the Budget Consultation.

Appendix I         -        Analysis of Significant Movement in Budget between 2008/09 and 2009/10.

Appendix J        -        Schedule of Budget Savings achieved 2009/10.

Appendix K       -        Schedule of Budget Savings Proposals 2009/10.

Appendix L       -        Schedule of Changes proposed since Draft Budget approved by the Executive for consultation.

Appendix M      -        Special Expenses – Parish Precepts.

The Executive Member for Resources, Councillor A Cullens, during his reporting on the draft budget referred to a petition, recently received from market traders objecting to the increase in market rents. He reported that the Executive was recommending a change in the draft budget to freeze rents for 2009/10 pending a review of market rents.

As part of the consideration of the proposed budget, the Leader of the Labour Group Councillor Dennis Edgerley put forward an alternative budget report which had been circulated as part of the Council agenda papers.  The report proposed that Council Tax remain as at current levels with a number of proposals being put forward to achieve savings, in particular a review of the senior management structure resulting in back office savings.

Councillor Dennis Edgerley proposed and Councillor Alistair Bradley seconded the adoption of the Labour Group’s alternative budget .

The proposal was put to the vote and the Mayor declared it LOST.

The Executive Member for Resources, Councillor Alan Cullens moved and, the Executive Leader, Councillor Peter Goldsworthy seconded, the adoption of the Executive Cabinets budget as amended and it was RESOLVED – That

The budget be approved and the increase in Council Tax levels of 2.9% be agreed as follows;

1.         That it be noted that acting under delegated powers the Director of Finance calculated the amount of 35,099.00 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2009/10 in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

(a)       35,099.00 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 226.

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 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act.

Report of the Chief Executive (to be circulated at the meeting).

The Chief Executive circulated a report at the meeting proposing the restructuring of a number of service areas across the Council.  The main part of the restructuring proposals related to the Business Directorate following the outcome of a Value for Money Study.  There were also proposals relating to posts in the People Directorate and the Chief Executive’s Office.

The Executive Leader, Councillor Peter Goldsworthy proposed, Councillor D Edgerley seconded and it was RESOLVED –

1.         That the Council approves the three restructures as a basis for consultation with all affected staff and trade unions; and

2.         That following a 4 week consultation period, revisions to the proposed structures will be finalised by the Executive Leader and relevant Executive Member.