Agenda and minutes

The Executive Leader welcomed and introduced Rebecca Huddleston, Project Support Officer to her first Executive Cabinet meeting.

No apologies were received.

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

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 29 September 2005 (copy enclosed)

The public minutes of the meeting of the Executive Cabinet held on 29 September 2005 were confirmed as a correct record for signature by the Executive Leader.

Report of the Group Director (enclosed).

The Group Director submitted a report on the establishment of the Capital Programme Board and the progress made to date by the Board on the monitoring of performance in the delivery of capital projects.

Decision made:

That the report be noted

Reasons for Decisions:

The report provides a general summary only of the progress made so far by the Capital Programme Board.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None.

Report of the Director of Finance (enclosed)

The Director of Finance submitted a report setting out the Council’s current financial position as compared against the budgets and energy efficiency savings targets it set itself for 2005/06 for the General Fund and Housing Revenue account.

Decisions made:

1.         That the report be noted.

2.         That approval be given to the following course of action until such time as the budget position improves:-

·       Vacant positions be not filled unless there is a statutory or other critical reason for providing the service, and then only with the express permission of one of the Group Directors.

·       A review be conducted of existing agency staff being used by the Council, and if they are fulfilling non-statutory or non business critical roles, then consideration be given to end this employment.

·       Discretionary spending in all but essential areas be identified and stopped.

Reasons for Decisions:

To ensure the Council’s budgetary targets are achieved.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None

Report of the Director of Finance (enclosed)

The Director of Finance submitted a report, which set out the current expenditure position for the 2005/06 Capital Programme, and forecast the revisions made to the categorisation of schemes in the Capital Programme.

Decisions made:

1.         That the Council be requested to give approval to the addition to the 2005/2006 Capital Programme of expenditure totalling £65,000 as indicated in the report to be financed from savings and virements if appropriate.

2.         That the changes in categories of the Capital Programme be noted.

3.         That the Capital Programme Board continues to work with budget holders in order to identify savings to match expenditure increases.

4.         That the Capital Programme Board complete a detailed analysis of schemes not yet committed to ensure that schemes meet the Council’s emerging priorities in the new Community Plan.

5.         The Capital Programme Board review the programme and make recommendations to the Executive Cabinet regarding schemes that are no longer appropriate and can be deleted or the category changed in order to mitigate the likelihood of the need for additional borrowing.

Reasons for Decisions:

The separation of fully approved and budgeted schemes from those

remaining in the ‘pipeline’ will enable enable the Capital Programme to be

delivered and monitored more effectively.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None

Report of the Director of Finance (enclosed)

The Director of Finance submitted a report setting out the draft financial position of the Council following the initial drafting of the 2006/2007 budget and the budget forecast for the following two financial years.

Decisions made:

That the report be noted until further information and proposals are submitted by the Management Team.

Reasons for the Decision:

The report provided details of the Council’s current budget position but further work is needed before any decisions can be made.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None.

Report of the Head of Development and Regeneration (enclosed)

The Head of Development and Regeneration submitted a report, which outlined the key elements of the draft Regional Spatial Strategy and sought delegated authority to submit representations in respect of the strategy document.

The report indicated that under the new planning system the Regional Spatial Strategy will replace Regional Planning Guidance and County Structure Plans in shire areas and along with the Local Development Framework it will become part of the statutory development plan.

Decisions made:

That the Head of Development and Regeneration in consultation with the Executive Member for Capacity and Resources be given delegated authority to make representations in response to the interim draft of the strategy.

Reasons for Decisions:

Further time is need to discuss the implications of the draft Regional Spatial Strategy with colleagues in Preston and South Ribble Council so that the best case can be made to promote the joint interests of the three authorities.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

An individual response would carry less weight.

Reports of the Head of Corporate and Policy Services (enclosed)

The Head of Corporate and Policy Services submitted the quarterly monitoring reports on the performance against the Council’s Best Value Performance Indicators and Key Performance Indicators for the current Municipal year up to 30 September 2005.

Decisions made:

That the reports be noted.

Reasons for Decisions:

The monitoring of the Council’s performance against national and locally defined performance indicators is necessary to ensure effective performance management within the Authority.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None.

To consider what action to take in response to a request to support a Fair Trade Town Initiative  for Chorley.

The Executive Member for Customer, Policy and Performance requested the Executive Cabinet to determine the action to be taken in response to a request for the Council to support a Fair Trade Town Initiative for Chorley.

Decisions made:

1.         The general support be given to the Fair Trade Town Initiative and to the provision of Fair Trade products at Council meetings.

2.         That officers investigate the means by which the Council can significantly support the initiative.

Reasons for Decisions:

To support the Fair Trade Town Initiative.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None.

Report of the Head of Development and Regeneration (enclosed)

The Head of Development and Regeneration submitted a report to gain endorsement from the Executive Cabinet on the proposed use of the report findings prepared by consultants White Young Green following a study of Chorley Town Centre and the wider retail and leisure needs of the Borough as the basis for developing a Town Centre, Retail and Leisure Development Plan Document as part of the Local Development Framework and a Town Centre Strategy for the Town Centre as part of the Economic Regeneration Strategy for the Borough.

Decisions made:

That the consultants report be accepted as a comprehensive basis for working up town centre, retail and leisure proposals.

Reasons for Decisions:

Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6): Planning for Town Centres states that Council’s should be proactive in their approach to town centres, produce Town Centre Strategies and plan for future development in the Town. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 has replaced the existing system of local, structure and unitary development plans with Local Development Frameworks which is the non statutory term for the portfolio of local development documents which will comprise the spatial planning strategy for a local planning authority’s area. The Act requires that the local planning authority produce Development Plan Documents, as part of the Local Development Framework and the Council has already agreed following earlier consultation on planning issues for the Borough, that one of these documents will be on Chorley Town Centre, Retail and Leisure matters.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

None as the need for a planned strategic approach for Chorley town centre and retail and leisure issues has been established.

Report of the Head of Public Space Services (enclosed)

The Head of Public Space Services submitted a report to highlight the current position of the Council’s five-year plan for play area improvements, and to seek an amendment to the plan.

Decisions made:

1.         That approval be given for officers to work with the local safety target group by using the year four play area development capital fund in an effort to improve play provision on and around Clayton Brook Village Green, and to amend the play area development programme accordingly.

2.         That approval be given for officers to encourage and support the Clayton Brook Together group in applying for external funding for enhanced facilities, to further meet the requirements of the community.

3.         That the Corporate Group established to examine the use of Section 106 contributions for play and recreational facilities be requested to submit a report on the use of Section 106 contributions to a future meeting of the Executive Cabinet.

Reasons for Decisions:

It is not considered appropriate to continue with the previously approved programme that included:

• Grey Heights View, Chorley
• The Oaks, Eaves Green
• The Cedars, Eaves Green
• Parker Street/Congress Street, Chorley
• Croft Road, Chorley

However, the site at Gough Lane merits early attention and it is expected that acceptable proposals can be formulated within the necessary timescale.

Alternative Options considered and rejected:

To continue with the previously approved programme irrelevant of changes in need.

To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they include the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 9 of Part 1 of schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Report of the Head of Property Services (enclosed)

Approval to the cost increase in respect of the alterations to the Town Hall being met from the contingency sum provided for in the contract and the planned maintenance programme in the five year Capital Programme.

Revised report of the Head of Environmental Services incorporating the comments of the Director of Finance (enclosed)

Approval to a revised cost sharing agreement with the Waste Disposal Authority and improvements in the Enhanced Recycling Scheme.