Decisions

The Council's delegated budgets scheme allocates budgets of £15,000 to each Ward covered for the financial year 2019/2020. The funding for this scheme can be spent on supplementing funding public services, for the benefit of the local community.

Councillors Clapham and Wilshaw of Bispham Ward have requested £1,160 as funding to the Illuminations Department for the supply and installation of 29 small Christmas trees for various businesses along Red Bank Road.

Councillors Collett and Matthews of Tyldesley Ward have requested £420 as funding to Park Community Academy for the purchase of a pool table and other resources for the school’s Youth Club.

The Leader of the Council agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To authorise the requests, as submitted.

The Council's delegated budgets scheme allocates budgets of £15,000 to each Ward covered for the financial year 2019/2020. The funding for this scheme can be spent on supplementing funding public services, for the benefit of the local community.

Councillors Burdess and Hutton of Clifton Ward have requested £1,000 as funding to The Shed Men to extend and weatherproof the workshop facility for the male mental health project.

Councillors Mrs Callow and Callow of Norbreck Ward have requested £350 as funding to the Parks Department for the purchase and planting of a tree in the grass verge at 281 Fleetwood Road.  This is a retrospective application as the tree was sourced at short notice and it needed to be planted immediately.

Councillors Cox and Walsh of Squires Gate Ward have requested £1,221.60 as funding to Highfield Road Community Group for various safety and food services for the Highfield Christmas Tree Lights Switch On Event.  This is a retrospective application as the invoice for the services has only just been submitted.

To authorise the requests, as submitted.

The Council as a Billing Authority is required under the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to complete a National Non-Domestic Rate Return 1 (NNDR 1) each year. This provides an authority’s calculation of its non-domestic rate income for the following financial year and the sums due to Central Government and relevant precepting authorities. This information for 2020/21 must be notified to the Secretary of State and to relevant preceptors by 31st January 2020.  The 75% retention rate applicable to members of the Lancashire-wide 75% Business Rate Pilot Pool in 2019/20 has ceased.  The 2020/21 NNDR1 return is attached at Appendix A and reflects the change back to the former 50% rate retention scheme and the former split between Central Government (50%), Blackpool Council (49%) and the Lancashire Fire Authority (1%) from 1^st April 2020.

To formally approve the National Non-Domestic Rate Return 1 for 2020/21 as attached at Appendix A.

To consider the Council Tax base for 2020/21 as outlined in the report attached at Appendix A.

The Leader of the Council agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To approve the calculation of the Council’s tax base for 2020/21.

2. That in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992 and the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003, declare that the Council Tax base for 2020/21 should be 37,157 properties.

3. To approve the change to the former Class A Exemption for empty dwellings, requiring or undergoing major repairs so that no discount is now applied (reference table at page 3 of the attached Appendix A).

4. To approve changes to the premium on long-term empty properties over 5 years for 2020/21 namely an increase to a premium of 200% (reference table at page 3 of the attached Appendix A).

5. To approve changes to the premium on long-term empty properties over 10 years for 2021/2022 namely an increase to a premium of 300% (reference table at page 4 of the attached Appendix A).

To considerthe review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2019.

That the Polling districts and polling Places are approved as set out at Appendix A.

To note That Council at its next meeting is asked to:

-          endorse the Polling Districts and Polling Places as set out

-          note that alternative options to replace temporary (mobile) Polling Stations are currently being pursued and that delegated authority is given to the Chief Executive to determine these.

To outline and seek approval of the proposed final terms of the legal contract between the Council and Nikal Limited and Media Invest Entertainment (MIE), (‘the Developer’) for the delivery of the ‘Blackpool Central’ scheme

1.      To approve that the Council enters into the legal contract ‘Sale Agreement relating to Blackpool Central’ with the Developer. This overarching agreement includes Conditional Agreement to Lease between the Council and the Developer for the area of land to deliver the Enabling Phase / Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP) of the scheme, together with a number of Option agreements which will enable the drawdown of subsequent areas of the site, to deliver Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Blackpool Central scheme.

2.      In accordance with the above agreement, to approve that the Council enters into the subsequent 250 year long lease arrangements for the land for each relevant phase of the development (subject to satisfactory completion of the required Conditions and the request to drawdown sites by the Developer).

3.      To note that under the terms of the above agreement and in accordance with the Conditions relating to delivery of the Enabling Phase, the Council and the Developer have agreed to negotiate and agree the ‘MSCP Agreement for Occupational lease’. This will result in the Council taking a lease back from the Developer for the new Multi-Storey Car Park, the Heads of Terms for which have been previously agreed but require final approval upon appointment of a successful Investor.   

4.      In addition to the above, to delegate authority to the Head of Legal Services to enter into any proposed legal agreements relating to the scheme. 

The Head of Licensing Service deals with a number of requests for licences under the Licensing Act, the Gambling Act and other pieces of legislations. Details of the licences, applied for and granted are outlined in the report.

The Head of Licensing Service agreed to grant the licences as set out in the attached Appendices.

The Head of Licensing Service deals with a number of requests for licences under the Licensing Act, the Gambling Act and other pieces of legislations. Details of the licences, applied for and granted are outlined in the report.

The Head of Licensing Service agreed to grant the licences as set out in the attached Appendices.

To seek authorisation to give public notice of the Council’s intention to establish a zebra crossing on Arnold Avenue, Between the junior and senior buildings of the new Armfield Academy, as required by Section 23 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

To seek authorisation for officers to proceed with the statutory consultation, advertisement and making of a proposed Traffic Regulation Order to introduce a new no waiting at any time restriction (double yellow line) on Lytham Road and new no stopping at any time (double red lines) on Arnold Avenue and revoke existing no waiting restrictions as detailed within this report.

1. To authorise the Director of Governance and Partnerships to publish a public notice of the Council’s intention to establish a zebra crossing on Arnold Avenue between the junior and senior buildings of Armfield Academy.

2. To authorise the statutory consultation and advertisement of notice of the intention of the Council to make a Traffic Regulation Order, the effect of which will be to implement a no waiting at any time restriction (double yellow line) on east side of Lytham Road, and no stopping at any time (double red lines) on both sides of Arnold Avenue and to revoke existing restrictions which are contained within existing Traffic Regulation Orders.

3. If no objections are received in relation to the proposed Traffic Regulation Order, or if any objections received are subsequently withdrawn, to authorise the Head of Legal to make the Traffic Regulation Order.

The Executive resolved as follows:

To recommend to the Council:

1. That rents for all Housing Revenue account properties are increased by 2.7% in 2020/21, following rent reductions over the last four years.

2. The minimum level of Housing Revenue Account balances remain protected at £1 million, as previously agreed.

3. That Housing Revenue Account service charges (as detailed in Appendix B) and that other General Fund service charges (as detailed in Appendix C) are charged as outlined.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To note the report concerning Treasury Management activities for the six months to 30 September 2019.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To note the report.  

2. To continue to lobby Government (HM Treasury, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Education in particular) along with local authority peers, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services for significantly more funding to cope with the soaring demand and new burdens presenting in Children’s Services.

3. To require the respective directors and Director of Resources to continue to closely monitor and manage service financial and operational performances, specifically Children’s Services but also Strategic Leisure Assets, Parking Services and Concessionary Fares, and to ensure the release of at least £1m of budgets across all directorates as a consequence of a 1-year freeze on non-essential spend and the release of £1m of Earmarked Revenue Reserves to compensate for the deficit on Working Balances as at month 4.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve the replacement purchase of a Land Rover 110 Defender for Tourism and Communications funded through Prudential Borrowing over a three year cycle on the costings outlined in paragraphs 9.1 to 9.4.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To agree that Appendix 5a, to the Executive report, Financial estimates  is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

2. To agree to the further development of the Madame Tussauds by the creation of a Television Themed attraction in the identified underutilised space.

3. To complete the delivery of the scheme as set out in this report, to include the completion of all due diligence associated with the project.

4. To complete the project funding package through debt finance in the form of Prudential Borrowing, as detailed in Appendix 5a to this report.   

5. To agree in principle to the creation of an addendum to the existing Madame Tussauds operating agreement and that the Head of Legal be granted delegated authority to authorise the addendum and any other legal agreements on behalf of the Council.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. That the Council Homes Investment Plan 2020-2025 is adopted and implemented by the Council for the period up to the 31 March 2025, working with Blackpool Coastal Housing.

2. That the Director of Resources be delegated authority to purchase up to 50 homes at market value that best meet the greatest local needs outlined in the Investment Plan, after consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member and Blackpool Coastal Housing. The decision to authorise the purchases is to be in the form of a published Officer decision with a report detailing the rationale behind the purchases and financial viability.

To ensure a Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme is approved by 11 March 2020 and in place by 1April 2020 avoiding the financial risks associated with the Government imposed default Scheme.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To note the impact of the Scheme to date as set out in paragraphs 5.7 and 5.8 of the Executive report.

2. To recommend Council to agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2020/21 as set out in Appendix 2c, to the Executive report.

3. To recommend to Council that the reduction applied to working age claimants remains the same as the 2019/20 Scheme agreed by Council on 30 January 2019 and that the main elements and method of calculating awards will be the same.

4. To recommend that the Council agrees to continue to operate a Discretionary Discount Policy to be awarded in cases of exceptional hardship as set out at Appendix 2a, to the Executive report. 

5. To note at this point in time the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government may still issue changes to the known position for the National Pensioner Scheme. Required changes would be incorporated into the final Scheme presented for adoption at Council on 12 February 2020.