At the request of 15 Councillors of the Labour Group and following the approval of the Mayor, this Extraordinary Meeting of the Council has been convened in accordance with Paragraphs 1.4 and 1.5 of the Council Procedure Rules set out in the Council Constitution. The business to be transacted will be as follows:
“To consider all aspects of the change in Chorley’s logo including reverting to the traditional logo and all aspects of the banners, carrying the new logo, on Market Street and elsewhere.
Specifically but not exclusively the members want to know:
When was the design brief drawn up?
Who produced the brief?
How was the design firm selected?
Who are they?
Where are they from?
What date was the order given?
How much did the design work cost?
Who authorised the design work?
How was the firm that manufactured the banners carrying the new logo selected?
What is the name of the company?
Where is it from?
What date was the order placed?
What was the cost?
Who erected the banners carrying the new logo?
At what cost?
How was the firm selected to carry out the work?
Which financial standing orders apply to these transactions?
Have they been fully complied with?
Have the County Council contacted the Borough Council about the banners carrying the new logo?
What is the content of this letter?
If the banners have to be replaced on safety grounds what will the additional cost be?
If there is a failure of the lamp posts or the banner hangings that results in damage or injury, will this be covered by our public liability insurance?
Will this be exacerbated if we have been warned of the potential hazard and ignored it?
Overview and Scrutiny were told that the decision to change the logo was taken in consultation with the Executive Leader during the summer recess. This was reported to Council on 19 September 2006.
How can this be reconciled with the erection of the banners during June?
Since this is the first opportunity for the Council to debate this important constitutional issue and as it is also a non political matter we call upon all groups to allow a free vote on a resolution to return to our well established logo of ‘Chorley Borough Council’.
It is not too late for members to assert their authority especially as there is no extra cost. The final decision is yours”.
Minutes:
At the request of 15 Councillors of the Labour Group and following the approval of the Mayor, the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council was convened in accordance with Paragraphs 1.4 and 1.5 of the Council Procedure Rules set out in the Council Constitution. The business transacted was follows:
“To consider all aspects of the change in Chorley’s logo including reverting to the traditional logo and all aspects of the banners, carrying the new logo, on Market Street and elsewhere.
Specifically but not exclusively the members want to know:
When was the design brief drawn up?
Who produced the brief?
How was the design firm selected?
Who are they?
Where are they from?
What date was the order given?
How much did the design work cost?
Who authorised the design work?
How was the firm that manufactured the banners carrying the new logo selected?
What is the name of the company?
Where is it from?
What date was the order placed?
What was the cost?
Who erected the banners carrying the new logo?
At what cost?
How was the firm selected to carry out the work?
Which financial standing orders apply to these transactions?
Have they been fully complied with?
Have the County Council contacted the Borough Council about the banners carrying the new logo?
What is the content of this letter?
If the banners have to be replaced on safety grounds what will the additional cost be?
If there is a failure of the lamp posts or the banner hangings that results in damage or injury, will this be covered by our public liability insurance?
Will this be exacerbated if we have been warned of the potential hazard and ignored it?
Overview and Scrutiny were told that the decision to change the logo was taken in consultation with the Executive Leader during the summer recess. This was reported to Council on 19 September 2006.
How can this be reconciled with the erection of the banners during June?
Since this is the first opportunity for the Council to debate this important constitutional issue and as it is also a non political matter we call upon all groups to allow a free vote on a resolution to return to our well established logo of ‘Chorley Borough Council’.
It is not too late for members to assert their authority especially as there is no extra cost. The final decision is yours”.
The Executive Leader responded to the submitted questions with the following answers.
1) When was the design brief drawn up?
There was no formal design brief – potential designers were asked to pitch ideas for a sharper, more modern logo in May of this year.
2) Who produced the brief?
The Chief Executive working in conjunction with Directors and the Executive Leader asked the Communications Manager to consider variants of the logo in a bid to market the Council more effectively.
3) How was the design firm selected?
A number of marketing and design agencies were invited into the Council to discuss marketing and communications support including a refresh of the logo and erection of banners. Ideas were judged on the basis of price and quality.
4) Who are they?
Synergy Creative Design and Marketing Limited.
5) Where are they from?
Bolton.
6) What date was the order given?
Synergy were formally asked to look at refreshing the logo and erecting banners during a second meeting with them in late May. The order to include banners was made some weeks earlier but initial designs included the former logo. The banners were then erected mid July.
7) How much did the design work cost?
The refresh of the logo cost around £2,000 funded from a grant allocation we have prioritised for marketing the borough. There has therefore been no cost to Council Tax payers. I have also asked officers that the logo modernisation does not incur any additional costs by only applying it to new initiatives and not replacing existing branding.
8) Who authorised the design work?
Chief Executive/Executive Leader/Communications Manager.
9) How was the firm that manufactured the banners carrying the new logo selected?
By Synergy Creative following a costing exercise and credentials presentation which showed them to be an experienced, local firm with good credentials, willing to demonstrate ‘added value’ and with all relevant liabilities in place.
10) What is the name of the company?
Bolton Sign Contractors.
11) Where are they from?
Bolton.
12) What date was the order placed?
We formally asked Synergy to look at this project on 23 May 2006.
13) What was the cost?
The cost has not yet been borne by the Council but is estimated in the region of £13,000. It was less initially – but new banner bearing lampposts were erected within the timeframe and the decision made to include them in the project. This cost to be paid will not come from the Council Tax but from a government grant specifically to promote economic regeneration. To clarify, the project for both the Logo change and the banners has not impacted on the Revenue Account.
14) Who erected the banners carrying the new logo?
Bolton Sign Contractors.
15) At what cost?
The cost as detailed above includes erection and ‘snagging’. There is no additional installation cost.
16) How was the firm selected?
As detailed above, the banner firm was recommended and selected through Synergy who handled this project on the Council’s behalf. I understand this was carried out through competitive quote and included two site visits and the erection of a test banner by the contractor. This contractor was happy to supply a written twelve month guarantee to cover the banner installation and was covered by public liability insurance.
17) Which financial standing orders apply to these transactions?
This expenditure was reported to Executive Cabinet in a revenue monitoring statement.
18) Have they been fully complied with?
Yes.
19) Have LCC contacted CBC about the banners carrying the new logo?
A letter was received on Tuesday, 19 September – dated from LCC Monday, 18 September.
20) What was the content of this letter?
The County requested CBC to remove the banners as they believe they should be made of mesh. The specification LCC have sent back to us was commissioned by Chorley Borough Council. We are working closely with the County as safety of the public is paramount and have agreed to resume discussions after the Xmas lights have been removed when the banners will go back up.
21) If the banners have to be replaced on safety grounds what will be the additional costs?
We have not yet paid for the banners and will not pay any monies until they are fully compliant with the original specification. The banner manufacturers are in full agreement with this approach and there should be no additional cost.
22) If there is a failure of the lampposts resulting in damage or injury will this be covered by public liability insurance?
Yes, as health and safety implications have been considered in full.
23) Will this be exacerbated if we have been warned of the potential hazard and ignored it?
The Council has responded to the letter from LCC and is involved in further discussion on the topic.
24) Overview and Scrutiny were told the decision to change the logo was taken in consultation with the Leader during the summer recess. This was reported to Council on 19 September 2006. How can this be reconciled with the erection of the banners in June?
The banners started to be put up on 13 July and took over one week to complete installation. The Council’s logo has been changed on many occasions and has not been agreed at full Council. It is a decision that either the Chief Executive or I as Executive Leader can take.
Supplementary questions were submitted from Members which were answered by the Executive Leader.
It was moved by Councillor John Wilson and seconded by Councillor Dennis Edgerley:
“That the Council calls upon the Chief Executive to reconsider her decision to change the Council logo and to revert to the traditional logo of Chorley Borough Council”.
A request was made under the Council Procedure Rules 17(2) for a recorded vote.
FOR : Councillors K Ball, A Birchall, T Brown, M Davies, D Edgerley, A Gee, D Gee, C Hoyle, H Khan, Miss M Iddon, M Lees, R Lees, A Lowe, M Lowe, T McGowan, Miss Molyneaux, C Snow, Mrs S Walsh, Mrs M Wilson and J Wilson. (20).
AGAINST: Councillors P Baker, T Bedford, E Bell, A Cain, Mrs P Case, H Caunce, A Cullens, Mrs M Cullens, F Culshaw, D Dickinson, Mrs D Dickinson, P Goldsworthy, Mrs M Gray, K Iddon, P Malpas, G Morgan, M Muncaster, G Russell, R Russell, E Smith, Mrs I Smith, S Smith and J Walker. (23)
ABSTENTIONS: None.
The motion was put to the vote and the Mayor declared it lost.
It was moved by Councillor Mrs Pat Case and seconded by Councillor Peter Goldsworthy:
“That this Council supports the continued efforts to promote the Council and publicise our achievements through modernising the logo, erection of banners and other initiatives in order to improve public perception and enhance the Council’s rating through the CPA process”.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Dennis Edgerley and seconded by Councillor John Wilson:
“That the Council supports the continued efforts to promote the Council and publicise our achievements through erection of banners and other initiatives in order to improve public perception and enhance the Council’s rating through the CPA process”.
The amendment was put to the vote and the Mayor declared it lost.
The Motion that was moved by Councillor Mrs Pat Case and seconded by Councillor Peter Goldsworthy was put to the vote and the Mayor declared it carried.
RESOLVED – That this Council supports the continued efforts to promote the Council and publicise our achievements through modernising the logo, erection of banners and other initiatives in order to improve public perception and enhance the Council’s rating through the CPA process.