Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either a

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations made at this point in the meeting.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 27 June 2018 as a true and correct record.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 19 September 2018, be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

Councillor Blackburn referred to his comment made at the previous Council meeting in relation to the name of the Blackpool Independent Residents Group and offered his apologies for any offence caused.

To receive representations from members of the public in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.

Mr Stuart Clayton, representing Fylde Family Support Group, addressed the Council on the subject of raising the profile of the positive mental health experience and the work undertaken by local groups, including those that belonged to a new Mental Health Community Forum, in supporting Blackpool residents.  Councillor Cain, Cabinet Secretary (Resilient Communities) responded to Mr Clayton.

To consider the attached reports to Council from the Leader of the Council, the Deputy Leader of the Council (Tourism, Economic Growth and Jobs) and the Cabinet Secretary (Resilient Communities)and the Combined Fire Authority report.

Members are reminded that:

·         Each Senior Executive Member * has up to three minutes to present their report, after which there will be a period of no longer than 25 minutes per report for questions/comments (a green card will give a one minute warning, red for the end of the debate).

·         There will be three minutes per question/ comment from any Councillor on anything within the portfolio and no limit to the number of times a Councillor can ask a question.

·         There will be a period of up to 25 Minutes for a response from the Senior Executive Member * (or relevant Cabinet Member) at the end of the questions/ comments for each report.

* or Combined Fire Authority representative.

The Leader of the Council, the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Secretary presented reports to the Council on work undertaken in their own portfolio area and those portfolios under their responsibility.  The reports covered corporate, strategic and policy issues, together with work being undertaken in transforming services and with partners.   Members also received a report from representatives of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority in relation to the work being undertaken by the authority as reported to the meetings of 23 April 2018 and 18 June 2018.

Questions, comments and debate were invited from all councillors on each of the report areas.

Notes:

(1)          Councillor Campbell agreed to provide written responses to:

·      Councillor T Williams on the number of car parking spaces that would be provided as part of the Premier Inn hotel development on the former Yates’ site on Talbot Square and alternative parking arrangements

·      Councillor Mrs Callow on how often West Street car park was cleaned

·      Councillor Galley on the number of Fixed Penalty Notices that had been issued for littering since the use of 3GS Environment Enforcement had ceased and the amount of money generated.

(2)          During discussion on the report from the Cabinet Secretary (Resilient Communities) in relation to the reference to Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Councillors Ryan, Mitchell, Cox and Benson declared personal interests due to their employment.  Councillor Clapham also declared an interest in the report in relation to the paragraph on Educational Attainment as a director of Blackpool Sixth Form College.

To consider a revised draft Member and Officer Protocol for Planning and amendments to the Public Speaking arrangements as recommended by the Planning Committee at its meeting on the 14 August 2018. 

Members considered the recommendation from the Planning Committee at its meeting on 14 August 2018 in relation to proposed changes to the Member and Officer Protocol for Planning and public speaking arrangements, following a

workshop with Planning Committee members and officers.

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor L Williams seconded):

‘1.      To approve as part of the Council’s constitution the revised Member and Officer Protocol for Planning as attached in the appendix to the report.

2.       To adopt the revised public speaking arrangements outlined in the report namely that the period for objectors and applicants be increased to seven minutes and the period for ward councillors be similarly limited to seven minutes.’

Debate then took place on the proposed changes to the length of speeches for ward councillors and it was proposed that the item should be deferred for further consideration.

Members agreed:  The item should be deferred and referred back to Planning Committee for consideration.

To consider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to consideration of an allowance for the Second Opposition Group Leader.

The Council considered the report from the Independent Remuneration Panel, following the recommendation from the last Council meeting that the Panel should be asked to consider whether a special responsibility allowance should be paid to the second Opposition Group Leader. 

The Panel had met on 5 September 2018 and had taken into account a number of factors including the formulae and criteria that had been applied at the last full review of the Members Allowances Scheme along with comparative information from a range of authorities on remuneration for second opposition group leaders. 

The Council also noted that Mr Peter Whitehead, former member and chair of the Panel, had recently submitted his resignation resulting in a vacancy on the Panel.

Motion:  Councillor Humphreys proposed (and Councillor Mrs Wright seconded):

‘1.      That the recommendation from the Independent Remuneration Panel be agreed:  namely that a minimum group size of 10% of the overall number of members of the Council be agreed as criteria for a Special Responsibility allowance for a Second Opposition Group Leader and that an allowance of £6,197 (the same as the Deputy Leader of the Principal Opposition Group) is recommended for the Leader of that Group, should that criteria be met.

2.       That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to update the Members’ Allowances Scheme accordingly.

3.       That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to advertise for an  additional member of the Independent Remuneration Panel and to liaise with the three Group Leaders after undertaking this recruitment and then to make a recommendation to Council (the criteria for appointment being the same as previously applied).

5.       That the Leader, on behalf of the Council, writes to Mr Whitehead to thank him for his dedicated years’ of service and leadership as a member of the Independent Remuneration Panel.’

Motion carried:  The motion was submitted to the Council and carried.

To consider the following motions which have been submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 12.1.

Motion:   Having submitted notice, Councillor Mrs Callow proposed (and Councillor Callow seconded):

‘Due to continuous flooding in the Warren Drive area and the fact that Blackpool Council is more than fulfilling the Government’s requirement to build houses in Blackpool, the Council requests the Executive to support the residents’ wish to leave this land as public open space, by looking at the possibility of either purchasing or leasing the land from the owners, Asda.’

Members went on to debate the motion.

Motion carried:  The motion was submitted to the Council and carried.

Motion:   Having submitted notice, Councillor Ryan proposed (and Councillor Callow seconded):

‘In June this year, the Mayor received a letter from the Royal Navy seeking the formal civic affiliation of the 815 Naval Air Squadron Maritime Strike Force, once HMS TRIUMPH is decommissioned, to continue the strong connection between Blackpool and the Royal Navy.  The affiliation would maintain existing local links and offer the opportunity to maintain the community ties, which have been well developed through the town’s relationship with HMS TRIUMPH. 

815 Naval Air Squadron is based in Somerset and is tasked with providing a versatile and adaptable Wildcat Squadron that can operate anywhere in the world and frequently embark on Royal Navy ships supporting operations both home and abroad.  The squadron operates the new Wildcat helicopter, which has been in service with the Royal Navy since 2015 and is the latest generation of multi-role helicopter for the maritime environment. 

For a number of years, there has been a strong and enduring link between Blackpool and the Nation’s Maritime heritage, including close associations with the Royal Navy and the Submarine Service in particular.  The Council is therefore requested to agree to a formal civic affiliation with 815 Naval Air Squadron.’

Motion carried:  The motion was submitted to the Council and carried.

Note:  Councillor Cox left the meeting following discussion of the item.

Motion:   Having submitted notice, Councillor Mitchell proposed (and Councillor O’Hara seconded):

‘Blackpool Council notes:

·       That in May 2018 Ministers outlined a proposal in a Written Ministerial Statement to redefine non-hydraulic fracturing shale gas exploration applications as permitted development, and to redefine large-scale shale gas production sites as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, thus removing any local authority control and community involvement in decision-making.

·       That the Government consultation on these proposals began in July 2018 and ends on 25 October 2018.

·       That on 5 July 2018, a report by the cross-party Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee warned the Government against its proposal to bring fracking applications under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime, concluding that Mineral Planning Authorities, were best placed to understand the local area and how fracking could best take place.

·       That the above report said the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime was unlikely to speed up the application process for fracking.

Blackpool Council is committed to the principles of localism and the involvement of local communities in decisions that affect their environment, their health and safety and their well-being.

Blackpool Council believes:

·         That moving decisions about fracking, which have huge implications for local communities, to a national level would contradict the principles of localism.

·         That ‘Permitted Development’ – the category of planning that the government wants to move shale gas exploration drilling into – which was designed for developments with low environmental impacts, is an inappropriate category for drilling with such wide-reaching implications for local communities and climate change.

·         That bringing fracking applications under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime will be harmful to local communities.

·         That local authorities are best placed to continue to make decisions throughout the planning process for shale gas exploration drilling, appraisal and production.

Blackpool Council resolves:

·         To respond to the forthcoming government consultation with the above views.

·         To share this response with local MPs and relevant government ministers’

Prior to voting, five members of the Council requested that the vote on the motion should be recorded.  The voting was as follows:

For the motion:  Councillors Benson, Blackburn, Cain, Mrs Callow, Callow, Campbell, Clapham, D Coleman, G Coleman, I Coleman, Collett, Critchley, Elmes, Galley, Mrs Henderson, Hobson, Humphreys, Hunter, Hutton, Kirkland, Matthews, Maycock, Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Robertson, Ryan, Scott, Mrs Scott, Singleton, Smith, Stansfield,  L Taylor, L Williams, T Williams, Mrs Wright - total 36.

Against the motion:  None

Abstentions:  None

Motion carried:  The motion was therefore carried.