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.

Councillors Benson, Collett, Cox and Ryan declared personal interests in agenda item 4(c) ‘Executive Member Report from the Cabinet Secretary (Resilient Communities)’ as NHS employees.  Councillor Mitchell also declared a personal interest in the item as a Council-appointed governor of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 21 November 2018 as a true and correct record.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 21 November 2018, be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

A minute’s silence was held in respect of former councillor, Ian Dodd, who had sadly passed away on Friday 25 January 2019.  Councillors Collett and Callow paid tribute to Ian regarding his service on the Council and his support to the local community.

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), the Combined Fire Authority and the Chairman of the Audit Committee 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 or Chairman of the Audit Committee.

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.   The Chairman of the Audit Committee also presented his annual report and Members of the Lancashire Combined Authority reported to the Council on the meetings held in September and December 2018.

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

Notes:

(1)          Following consideration of the report from the Leader of the Council, the Mayor announced that a request had been received to hold a special Council meeting in relation to the position of the Leader and Cabinet Secretary following the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection and that the Monitoring Officer would contact members in due course.

(2)          The Deputy Leader confirmed that a written response would be provided to:

·         Councillor Clapham on the reasons for the lack of contract bidders from a FY postcode and whether this was due to a lack of expertise in the area or if information was not readily available to give local businesses the opportunity to submit a bid

·         Councillor T Williams on details of the leasing arrangement at Bickerstaffe House for Slater Gordon Solutions Motor and whether any incentives had been offered

·         Councillor T Williams on details of any plans the Council had in place in relation to the Future High Streets Fund.

(3)          Councillor Stansfield left the meeting following consideration of the report from the Deputy Leader.

(4)          Councillor Cain left the meeting following consideration of his Cabinet Secretary report.

To consider the recommendations of the Executive from its meetings on 10 December 2018 and 21 January 2019 relating to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

The Council considered the recommendations from the Executive meeting on 10 December 2018 in relation to the approval of a local Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

Members noted that the proposals were to continue with the current Scheme but with minor amendments to ensure that applicants who were protected under the current scheme would continue to be protected when they moved to Universal Credit and that the range of people who received a 13.56% reduction would be extended.

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘1.      To agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2019/ 2020, as submitted with the Executive report on 10 December 2018.

2.       To agree that the reduction applied to working age claimants remains the same as the 2018/ 2019 Scheme agreed by Council on 24January 2018 and that the main elements and method of calculating awards will be the same with the exception of:

·      Ensuring that applicants who are protected under the current scheme continue to be protected to the same level of support when they move to Universal Credit

·      Extension of the group of customers who pay 13.56% to claimants or partners who are:

­   in receipt of  Jobseeker’s Allowance Contribution Based

­   in receipt of Main Phase Employment and Support Allowance and are in the Work Related Activity Group

­   in receipt of Maximum Universal Credit and neither employed, self-employed or in receipt of any other income which is taken into account when calculating their Universal Credit award (such as an Occupational Pension or other unearned income)

­   in receipt of Universal Credit which includes either the limited capability for work and/ or work related activity.

3.         To continue to operate a Discretionary Discount Policy to be awarded in cases of exceptional hardship, as submitted with the Executive report on 21 January 2019’.

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

To consider the recommendations of the Executive from its meeting on 10 December relating to the review of the Council’s statement of policy and principles, which would be applied by the Authority when exercising its functions under the Gambling Act 2005 during the period 2019 to 2022.

Members considered the recommendations from the Executive in relation to the proposed statement of policy and principles which would be applied when the Council exercised its functions as a licensing authority.  It was noted that, following consideration by the Licensing Committee, a period of public consultation had taken place.

The report highlighted that the proposed policy had taken into account a number of requirements of the regulations and the advice from the Gambling Commission and that the main changes were in respect of local risk assessments, the local area profile and the general standards for all gambling premises.

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘To approve the revised statement of policy and principles under the Gambling Act 2005, as recommended by the Executive’.

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

To consider the recommendation of the Executive from its meeting on 21 January 2019 relating to the Council Plan 2019/ 2024.

Members received the recommendations from the Executive in relation to the proposed Council Plan which set out to define what the Council would strive to achieve and would act as the strategic umbrella for all other Council plans, policies and projects for the period 2019 to 2024 and would sit alongside the new Blackpool Town Prospectus.

 Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘To approve the Council Plan, as submitted with the Executive report on 21 January 2019’.

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

To consider the recommendation of the Chief Officers Employment Committee from its meeting on 14 January 2019 regarding the proposed Pay Policy Statement. 

Councillors considered the recommendation from the Chief Officer’s Employment Committee in relation to the Pay Policy Statement, which was required to be approved for the 2019/2020 financial year.  The Statement set out policy on Chief Officer Remuneration, remuneration of its lowest paid employees including the definition used for this group, as well as the relationship between the chief officer remuneration and that of other staff.

The report highlighted the duty to report on the gender pay gap and Members noted that the Council fared favourably in terms of annual earnings of female employees.

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘To approve the Pay Policy Statement, as submitted to the Chief Officers Employment Committee’.

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

To provide an overview of the areas considered as part of the scrutiny development review undertaken by North West Employers (NWE) during 2018 and to agree some initial principles for further consideration, with Group Leaders after the election and at the Annual Council meeting. 

The Council considered a report on the scrutiny development review undertaken by North West Employers during 2018, with a view to improving the Council’s scrutiny arrangements.  It was reported that extensive research had been conducted as part of the review including desktop research, observation of meetings, focus groups with scrutiny councillors, executive and senior managers and interviews with key people.

Members noted that the findings of the review along with a number of recommendations had been shared at a workshop comprising the Chairs and Vice Chairs of scrutiny committees, members of the Executive and senior officers in September 2018.  A working group had been established to address the report’s recommendations and a further session had been held with key stakeholders on 21 January 2019.

The Council considered some initial principles and proposals from the working group which would form a future report to the Council and noted a number of operational changes had already been made to improve scrutiny arrangements. 

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘1.      To note the proposed actions in response to the overall findings of the scrutiny development review attached at Appendix 9(a) to the Council report.

2.       To request that the Council, at the Annual meeting in May 2019, considers the formation of a Scrutiny Leadership Board to report to Council on a regular basis.

3.       To agree that the functions of the Tourism, Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee are amended to remove the budget consultation exercise with the Trade Unions and Non-Domestic Ratepayers (as this will be undertaken directly with the Executive).

4.       To agree the principle that financial management scrutiny is undertaken by the respective scrutiny committees throughout the year and that a further report is brought back to the Annual Council meeting in May to bring this into effect.

5.       To agree that a review is undertaken of the Protocol on Overview and Scrutiny Committee / Cabinet Member Relations in view of the findings of the NWE report recommending greater liaison between the Executive, scrutiny and to strengthen links to the Audit Committee and that a revised Protocol is considered after the May 2019 elections, with a report to a future Council meeting.

6.       To request that the Council’s Independent Remuneration Panel in undertaking its forthcoming full review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, takes into account the above recommendations’.

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

To consider a motion which has been submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 12.1.

South Fylde Railway Upgrade

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

‘This Council believes that an urgent upgrade of the South Fylde (Blackpool South to Preston) railway with the minimum of a passing loop and increased quality of rolling stock is required.  Furthermore, the Council commends the excellent work done by the Poulton and Wyre Railway Society and requests that the rail link from Poulton to Fleetwood be restored at the earliest opportunity.  The Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chief Executive of Transport for the North with the above requests’.

Members went on to debate the motion.

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

At the January meeting of Council each year, the Mayor Elect is usually identified based on length of service and those councillors who have not served as Mayor before.  As it is election year, Council is asked to not agree a Mayor Elect at this meeting and to delegate the decision to the Director of Governance and Partnerships.  Consultation has taken place with those at the top of the seniority list.

Council is therefore asked to delegate to the Director of Governance and Partnerships after consultation with the Group Leaders appointed after 2 May, the naming of a Mayor Elect for the Mayoral year 2019/ 2020, based on the current length of service criteria, to allow arrangements to then be made for the Annual Meeting on 22 May 2019.

Members noted that each year, the Mayor Elect was usually identified according to length of service.  As it was an election year, proposals had been submitted for the decision to agree a Mayor Elect to the Director of Governance and Partnerships, to allow arrangements to subsequently be made for the Annual Meeting on 22 May

2019.

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

‘For the Director of Governance and Partnerships to have delegated authority, following consultation with the Group Leaders appointed after 2 May, to name a Mayor Elect for the Mayoral year 2019/ 2020, based on the current length of service’.

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