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, Owen and T Williams declared personal interests in agenda item 9a ‘Notice of Motion – Blackpool FC and Football Governance’ as members of Blackpool Supporters Trust.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 18 May 2022 as a true and correct record.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 May 2022 be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

The Mayor announced that Blackpool Tower would be lit with the colours of red, gold, green and blue to mark Windrush Day and to honour and thank the Windrush Generation and its contribution to society.

The Mayor also thanked the House of Wings Creative Workshop group on Reads Avenue who had held a performance in The Mall as part of the pageant to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and had been asked since to perform at Notting Hill Carnival.

To consider the attached reports to Council from the Corporate, People and Place portfolios and the Combined Fire Authority report.

Members are reminded that:

·         The Lead Executive Member * has up to three minutes to present the 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 responses from any Cabinet Member * on their area of responsibility at the end of the questions/ comments for each report.

* or Combined Fire Authority representative.

The Executive Lead Members for the meeting presented reports to the Council on work undertaken in the Corporate, Place and People portfolio areas. 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 and the Chair of the Audit Committee also presented his report.

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

Notes:

1.             Councillor Hugo agreed to provide a written response to Councillor T Williams with further details as to the extent of the issues identified by the consultant in respect of the sea defences at Anchorsholme, the reason for taking legal action against the contractors and the likely success and cost of such legal action.

2.             Councillor Blackburn left the meeting during consideration of the Executive Member Report in relation to the Place portfolios.

3.             The Council agreed an extension of two minutes to the time limits for responses to the questions raised in relation to the Place portfolios.

4.             Councillors Cain and Kirkland left the meeting following consideration of the report from the Combined Fire Authority Representatives.

5.             There was a short adjournment following consideration of the report from the Combined Fire Authority Representatives.

To consider the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2021/2022.

Members considered the report from the Chair of the Scrutiny Leadership Board in relation to achievement of scrutiny during the municipal year.  Reference was made in particular to outstanding matters in relation to the Meals on Wheels scrutiny and the valuable input of young people into the scrutiny process.

Motion:  Councillor Mrs Callow proposed (and Councillor L Williams seconded):

‘To receive the Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/2022’.

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

To consider the recommendations of the Executive at its meeting on 25 April 2022 to Council for adoption of the Blackpool Community Safety Plan 2022-2025, which has been developed and produced by Blackpool’s Community Safety Partnership.

The Council considered the recommendation from the Executive in relation to the proposed Blackpool Community Safety Plan 2022 to 2025 which had been formulated by the responsible authorities that formed the Community Safety Partnership.  Members noted that the priorities had been shared with the Council’s Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee for its input into the plan’s development.

Discussion took place on the plan’s content and priorities and the importance of working together with the Council’s statutory partners was highlighted.

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

‘To agree and adopt the Blackpool Community Safety Plan 2022-2025, attached at Appendix 7a to the report, which would be managed and monitored by Blackpool’s Community Safety Partnership with effect until 31 December 2025’.

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

To consider the appointment to the vacancy of co-opted Independent Member on the Audit Committee.

The Chair of the Audit Committee reported upon the outcome of the recent recruitment exercise in relation to the vacancy on the Audit Committee, as Ms Gill Brown, one of the two co-opted members, had stepped down from the role.

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

‘1.      That the Council expresses its thanks to Ms Gill Brown for her service as Independent Audit Committee member.

2.       That Mr David Swift be appointed as a co-opted member to the Audit Committee for a three year term of office’.

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

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

Motion: Having submitted notice, Councillor Owen proposed (and Councillor Benson seconded):

‘This Council:

1.    Noting the welcome return of Blackpool FC to the second division of English professional football and their holding their own during the past season and the value such success brings our town in publicity and economic benefit

2.    Appreciating the considerable work which Blackpool Supporters Trust has contributed to the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance and including their giving oral evidence to the House of Commons Committee chaired by Tracey Crouch MP

3.    Disappointed by the failure of the Premier League (PL) so far to agree with the English Football League (EFL) and the Football Association (FA) a fair and appropriate distribution of the revenues that the television companies pay the PL each year among the English Football Pyramid at all levels

4.    Supporting the Statement given on 25 April by Nigel Huddleston MP in the House as to the Government’s position on the outcome of that Review, to accept in full its Ten Strategic Recommendations, to publish a White Paper but remaining uneasy that the Government has not dealt as positively in its response to the other 37 key Recommendations

Resolves:

To request theChief Executive Officer to write to

A.    Simon Sadler as Chairman of Blackpool FC and his colleagues with the Council’s congratulations for their success and to reinforce the Council’s continuing support for the partnership between the Club and the Council

B.    Nigel Huddleston MP in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to tell him of this Council’s hope that the White Paper can be published sooner than “this summer” - generally thought to be June, July and August as mentioned in the Statement  (which could also mean its being delayed into the autumn, that is up to November) as precursor for the expected Bill which this Council would like to see enacted by spring 2023 and embrace all of the recommendations in the Report, especially those in Chapter 9, rather than Mr Huddleston’s timescale of “before the next election” which could mean 2024

C.    the PL and the EFL and the FA urging them collectively to take notice of Recommendation 38  of the Review and reach an agreement on how the television income received by the PL is to be far more equitably distributed within football than it is currently - rather than risk a clause in the promised Bill which will empower the intended Regulator to impose such a regime on them

D.    the two Blackpool MPs and encourage them to use their best endeavours in parliament to have the White Paper and the bill brought forward and enacted within the next twelve months’.

Members then went on to debate the motion.

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

Motion: Having submitted notice, Councillor M Mitchell proposed (and Councillor G Coleman seconded):

‘The Council calls upon the Chief Executive to dedicate an area of the Council website with details of all council-owned companies, their non-executive directors, Chairs and remuneration, all Councillors to be informed when Councillors are appointed and when Councillor appointments cease’.

Members then went on to debate the motion.

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