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 Baker, Burdess, Critchley, Cross, Hutton, Smith and Taylor declared personal interests in agenda item 8 Council Tax Reduction Scheme as they were in receipt of Council Tax reduction.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 30 November 2022 as a true and correct record.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 30 November 2022 be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

This Council and the people of Blackpool were deeply saddened to learn since its last meeting of the sad deaths of the following:

·         Former Councillor Derek Courtney who represented Layton and Park wards between 1973 and 1983.

·         Anne Hind, former Blackpool and Fylde Coroner from 2004-2013.

Members will be invited to pay tribute to their work and dedication.

Madam Mayor will then move the following resolution of condolence.

“The Council sends its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of former Councillor Derek Courtney and former Coroner Anne Hind for their loss and places on record its recognition of their dedication to office.”

Following the passing of this resolution, Council will then hold a minute’s silence, as a mark of respect.

The Council noted the sad death of former councillor Derek Courtney who had represented Layton and Park wards.  Councillors Taylor, Owen and Jackson paid tribute to his work and term of office.

Members also noted that former Blackpool and Fylde Coroner Anne Hind had passed away and Councillor L Williams spoke in tribute.

The following resolution of condolence was then moved:

‘The Council sends its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of former Councillor Derek Courtney and former Coroner Anne Hind for their loss and places on record its recognition of their dedication to office’.

Motion carried:  The motion on being submitted to the Council was carried unanimously.

Council then held a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

There were no announcements from the Mayor.

On the invitation of the Mayor, the Leader of the Council made an apology in relation to a matter at the September Council meeting.

a) To receive a representation from a member of the public in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.

b) To consider questions from members of the public to the Leader and Cabinet Members submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9.

Mr Ian White addressed the Council on the current issues affecting the short stay accommodation sector and in particular the pressures facing traditional bed and breakfast accommodation as a result of the increase in new accommodation.

Councillor L Williams, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Tourism, Arts and Culture responded to Mr White on the matter.

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 light 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 Council received reports from the Executive Lead Members 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.

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

Note 1:  Councillor L Williams, Leader of the Council, advised that she would provide a written response to Councillor Sloman on the availability of bus services from the north of the town to Victoria Hospital and whether consideration could be given to increasing services/routes as well as provision in the budget for reduced travel costs for hospital staff in the future.

Note 2: The Leader in response to questions from Councillor M Mitchell stated that if he had further queries in relation to Stanley Park Golf Course to let her know, for her to respond in writing.

The Council will be asked to reconsider the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel which was initially considered at its meeting on 30 November 2022.

Members noted that a procedural error had occurred at the last Council meeting in relation to the item.

The Council therefore resolved that in the circumstances, the item should be reconsidered and a new vote taken.

Members went on to discuss the report from the Independent Remuneration Panel and in doing so expressed a range of views on the recommendations in relation to the uprate of the scheme and proposals in relation to special responsibility allowance payments.

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

‘1.   To agree the recommendations contained within the Independent Remuneration Panel report namely:

i.          That a 4.04% uprate is applied to the basic allowance, special responsibility allowances (with the exception of those set out in paragraphs 3.8 and 3.9 of the Panel’s report) and travel/subsistence allowances for members for financial year 2022/23.

ii.         That in relation to Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the Appeals Committee, Audit Committee, Planning Committee and Public Protection Sub-Committee, the special responsibility allowance (SRA) for these positions can be paid in addition to one other SRA from within the Political management structure as set out in the constitution.

iii.       In relation to ii. above, that this takes effect from the Annual Meeting 2022 and that the Members’ Allowances Scheme is amended to include this provision.

iv.       That consideration of whether a special responsibility allowance for the Armed Forces Champion would be considered as part of the full four year review.

2.    That the Director of Governance and Partnerships be authorised to update the Members’ Allowances Scheme accordingly’.

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, Brookes, Burdess, Campbell, Collett, Critchley, Cross, Farrell, Hobson, Hugo, Hunter, Hutton, Jackson, Matthews, O’Hara, Owen, Smith, Taylor, L Williams, Wright – total 20.

Against the motion:  Councillors Baker, Mrs Callow, Clapham, G Coleman, Cox, B Mitchell, M Mitchell, Roberts, Robertson, D Scott, M Scott, R Scott, Sloman, Stansfield, Walsh, T Williams, Wilshaw - total 17.

Abstentions:  Councillor Cain – total 1.

Motion carried:  The motion was therefore carried.

The Council to consider the recommendations of the Executive at its meeting on 23 January 2023 on the proposals for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24.

The Council considered the recommendations from the Executive from its meeting on 23 January 2023 regarding proposals for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24.

The report outlined proposals for the percentage reduction to be held at the same level as the previous year along with the calculation methods and to continue to operate a Discretionary Discount Policy.

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

‘1.      To agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 8c to the report.

2.       To agree that the reduction applied to working age claimants remains the same as the 2022/23 Scheme agreed by Council on 9 February 2022 and that the main elements and method of calculating awards will be the same.

3.       To agree to continue to operate a Discretionary Discount Policy to be awarded in cases of exceptional hardship as set out at Appendix 8a to the report’. 

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

The Council to consider the recommendations of the Executive from its meeting on 23 January 2023 to adopt the Blackpool Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies.

The Council had received a copy of the report in relation to the proposed Blackpool Local Plan Part 2.  The Leader proposed that the item should be deferred to the following Council meeting in order to allow further engagement with elected members.

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

‘To defer consideration of the item to the next Council meeting’.

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

The Council to consider the process for appointing the Mayor Elect for the Mayoral Year 2023 / 2024 and the appointment of a co-opted independent member to the vacant position on the Audit Committee.

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 be delegated to the Director of Governance and Partnerships after consultation with the political group leaders, to allow arrangements to subsequently be made for the Annual Meeting on 24 May 2023.

It was also proposed that delegated authority was considered in relation to the appointment of the co-opted independent member to the vacant position on the Audit Committee.

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

‘1.   To delegate to the Director of Governance and Partnerships, after consultation with the Group Leaders appointed after 4 May 2023, the naming of a Mayor Elect for the Mayoral year 2023/2024 based on the current length of service criteria, to allow arrangements to then be made for the Annual Meeting on 24 May 2023.

2.    To delegate to the Director of Governance and Partnerships the appointment of a Co-opted Independent Member to the vacant position on the Audit Committee, following consultation with the Group Leaders’.

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