Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Marion Lowe, Adrian Lowe and Shaun Smith.

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.

The Mayor informed the Council of the recent death of Councillor Adrian Lowe’s mother and requested that their sincere condolences be conveyed to Councillor Lowe and his family.

The Mayor informed Members that this would be the last Council meeting for the Democratic Services Officer Gordon Bankes as he would shortly be retiring from the authority and wished to place on record the Councils thanks and appreciation for his 21 years service with the authority.

Christmas Raffle

The Mayor invited Members to buy a ticket for his Christmas Raffle and that he would be drawing the wining ticket on Monday 15 December at 9.30am in the Committee Room 1.

Christmas Cards

The Mayor reminded Members that there was still time to make a donation to his Christmas charity appeal instead of sending Christmas cards to each other.  Donations to be sent to his Secretary with the names of the Members who have donated to be displayed in the Members Room the following week.

Charity Ball

The Mayor informed Members that his Charity Ball would be taking place at Park Hall Hotel in Charnock Richard on Friday 13 February.  Tickets would be £30.00 per person or for a table of 10 £300.00.  The Mayor requested as many as possible to join him for what he was sure to be a great night and would hopefully raise lots of money for his chosen charities.

Forthcoming Charity Events

The Mayor informed Members that he was planning a few more charity events next year including a meal after full Council on 27 January, another Quiz Night in February and a Sportsman’s Dinner on Friday 13 March.  More details would be available next year.

Changes to Key Dates in 2009

The Mayor announced that owing to the issuing of a double postal votes for the County Council and European Elections on Thursday 4 June 2009 a number of key dates in 2009 would be changed.

The new dates would be:

Annual Council                        Wednesday 13 May 2009

Civic Dinner                        Friday 15 May 2009

Civic Sunday                        Sunday 17 May 2009

Season Greetings

The Mayor wished everyone a very Happy Christmas and great 2009 and thanked all for the support given to him so far this year.

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 had been no questions from any member of the public to speak at the meeting on any of the agenda items.

To confirm the Minutes of the Special Council meeting held on the 4 November 2008 as a correct record for signature by the Mayor (copy enclosed)

It was moved by the Executive Leader, seconded by Councillor Pat Case (Deputy Leader of the Council) and subsequently RESOLVED that the minutes of the Special Council held on 4 November 2008 be confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Mayor, subject to the deletion of the words “or project” in the third bullet point under Resolution 2 Minute 08.C.195 on page 4.

Report of Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance) (enclosed)

The Executive Member (Policy and Performance) presented a report confirming the Council’s Corporate Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11 following the inclusion of revisions agreed at the Special council meeting held on 4 November 2008.

It was moved by the Executive Member (Policy and Performance), seconded by the Executive Leader and subsequently RESOLVED that the submitted Corporate Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11 be confirmed subject to the document being amended and take into consideration the deletion of the word ‘project’ and include as a long term outcome the “improvement and extension of the green corridor of Chorley”.

a)     Capital Programme 2008/2009 – Monitoring

To receive a report of the Executive Cabinet (enclosed)

b)     General Report from Executive Cabinet meetings held on 2 October 2008 and 13 November 2008

To receive the General report of the Executive Cabinet (enclosed)

            Capital Programme 2008/2009 – Monitoring

            The Executive Member for Resources presented a report recommending a number of changes to the 2008/09 Capital Programme and reviewing the availability of capital resources required for the financing  of the programme.

            The report proposed the reduction of the 2008/09 Capital Programme by £970,270 to £9,227,320 made up of the following amendments.

?          slippage of £945,000 to 2009/2010 and other reduction of £20,870;

            ?            a net increase of £45,800 in respect of the Covered Market;

?          an increase in the externally finance Clayton Brook Play Area budget to £13,740;

?          deletion of the £80,400 allocation for the Astley Park Woodland Management project and its transfer to the revenue budget.

The report explained that the majority of the slippage on the affordable housing budget related to the development of Council owned surplus sites, and the consequent dependence on partners’ actions.  The Council would endeavour to ensure the development of as many parcels of land as possible whenever appropriate funding sources become available.

It was moved by the Executive Member for Resources (Councillor A Cullens) seconded by the Executive Leader and subsequently RESOLVED that the revised Capital Programme for 2008/09 be approved at a total cost of £9,227,320 as set out in the Appendix to the submitted report.

The Executive Leader presented a report which summarised the principal matters considered at the meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 2 October 2008 and 13 November 2008.

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

General Report

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Dennis Edgerley) presented a report, which summarised briefly the matters discussed at meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 29 September and 10 November 2008.  The report also summarised the situation and issues discussed at meetings that had taken place of the Task and Finish Groups.

It was moved by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Dennis Edgerley), seconded by the Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny committee (Councillor Alan Cain) and subsequently RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To advise the Council that the person appointed as an Independent member of the Standards committee at the last meeting is unable to take up the position and work is underway to appoint a suitable candidate.

The Vice-Chair will give a verbal update at the meeting.  

The Council received a verbal update from the Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee (Councillor Keith Iddon) informing the Council that the person appointed as an Independent Member of the Standard Committee at the last meeting had been unable to take up the position.

The Members of the Standards Committee had agreed to recommend the alternate candidate.

It was moved by the Vice-Chair of Standards Committee (Councillor Keith Iddon), seconded by Councillor Thomas McGowan and subsequently RESOLVED that Chris Sewell be appointed as the third Independent Member of the Standards Committee.

To receive a report of the Corporate Director (Business) (enclosed)

The Chair of the Development Control Committee (Councillor Greg Morgan) presented a report requesting the Council to approve an application for deemed planning permission for the change of use from public open space to residential curtilage and erection of 1.8 high fencing to delineate boundaries.

The Committee were minded to support the application, but as the Council’s Constitution precluded the Development Control Committee determination of applications for deemed planning permission, the application was required to be submitted before the full Council for decision.

It was moved by the Chair of the Development Control Committee (Councillor Greg Morgan) and seconded by the Vice-Chair (Councillor Geoff Russell) that the planning permission be granted to applicant 08/00957/CB3.

RESOLVED -           That planning permission be granted for planning application 08/00957/CB3 for the change of use from public open space to residential curtilage and erection of 1.8 high fencing to delineate boundaries on land 10 m east of 21 to 33 Buchanan Street, Chorley, subject to the following conditions:

1.         The fencing hereby permitted shall be erected in conformity with the approved details within 3 months of the land being transferred into the residents’ private ownership, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason:   To ensure a visually satisfactory form of development, to provide reasonable standards of privacy to residents and in accordance with Policy No.GN5 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.

2.         The proposed development must be begun not later than three years from the date of this permission.

Reason:    Required to be imposed by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

To consider and approve the appointment of two Members to serve on the Financial Shared Services Joint Committee with South Ribble Council, the establishment of which was approved by the Council at its meeting on 15 July 2008.

Further to Minute 08.C167(2) (15 July 2008) it was moved by the Executive Leader, seconded by Councillor Pat Case (Deputy Leader of the Council) and subsequently RESOLVED that Councillor Alan Cullens and Councillor  Alan Cain be appointed to serve on the Financial Shared Services Joint Committee with South Ribble Council

Report of Corporate Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development (enclosed).

The Executive Member for Resources (Councillor Alan Cullens) presented a report requesting Members to approved recommendations as a result of changes to the Local Government (Early Termination of Employment) Regulations 2006, in particular those that relate to the discretions around early retirement and voluntary redundancy.

It was moved by the Executive Member for Resources (Councillor Alan Cullens), seconded by the Executive Leader and subsequently RESOLVED that the following recommendations be approved:

1.         Not to introduce pensionable service augmentation for all employees.

2.         To continue to offer statutory redundancy payment based on actual salary.

3.         To note that enhanced severance payments are no longer paid to employees under the age of 50.

4.         To approve the policy on late application into the pension fund.

a)     To report the receipt of a petition received from a group of young people regarding improvements to the skate park at Tatton Recreation Park.

b)     To report the receipt of a petition from the residents of Gillibrand South estate regarding the park behind Redwing Drive.

Residents are concerned about the way in which the park has been left which they believe is a danger to the children who use it. The MP submitted a letter enclosing the petition from the local residents and wanting to know what steps the Council can take to arrange for the work to be done.

In accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules, the Council is requested to acknowledge receipt of the petition and to consider whether the issues should be debated at a future time either in Council or by another body.  Accordingly the only discussion that is permitted is in relation to a motion that the petition should be remitted to a future meeting of the Council, to the Executive, a Committee or a Sub Committee. 

The Executive Leader reported that a petition had been received from a group of young people regarding improvements to the skate park at Tatton Recreational Park.

It was moved by the Executive Leader, seconded by Councillor Pat Case (Deputy Leader of the Council) and subsequently RESOLVED to note the receipt of the petition.

The Executive Leader reported that a petition had been received from the residents of Gillibrand South Estate regarding the park behind Redwing Drive.  The residents expressed concern about the way in which the park had been left which they believe was a danger to the children who use it.

It was moved by the Executive Leader, seconded by Councillor Pat Case (Deputy Leader of the Council) and subsequently RESOLVED to note the receipt of the petition.