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.

Councillor Benson declared a Personal Interest in agenda item 5a “Executive Member Report: Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Tourism, Arts and Culture” as a Director and Trustee of Blackpool Museum Trust.

Councillors Hoyle, Wilshaw and Jones declared Personal Interests in agenda item 5b “Executive Member Report: Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Partnerships and Performance” as Council appointed Non-Executive Directors of Blackpool Waste Services Limited (Enveco).

Councillors Webb, Benson and Taylor declared Personal Interests in agenda item 6 as members of Blackpool Civic Trust.

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 20 September 2023 as a true and correct record.

Resolved: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 20 September 2023 be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

The Mayor on behalf of the Council offered condolences to the family and friends of Anne Armfield, wife of the late Jimmy Armfield, Freedom of the Borough, whose funeral had taken place on Saturday 25 November.

Condolences and thoughts were also offered to Councillors Mel Fenlon and Gerard Walsh who were not in attendance at the meeting due to each having suffered family bereavements.

The Mayor highlighted the “White Ribbon” campaign to end men’s violence against women and girls and encouraged everyone to make the White Ribbon promise to never use, excuse or remain silent about men’s violence against women and girls and to wear a White Ribbon, the international symbol of ending men’s violence against women.

To receive representations and questions from members of the public in accordance with Procedural Standing Order 9.

Mr Ian White addressed Members in respect of the Council’s consultation on the expansion of the Selective Licensing Scheme, detailing the benefits that earlier schemes had brought and encouraging those potentially impacted by the scheme to share their thoughts and concerns via the Council’s website.

Councillor Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up – Place, responded to Mr White on the matter. Referring to Mr White’s concerns regarding “Airbnb” style properties, Councillor Smith advised that although Selective Licensing did not extend to that type of accommodation, property inspections could lead to action being taken under other legislative powers such as planning where concerns were raised.

The Mayor informed Members that the second speaker, Mr Tom Barlow from Blackpool Golf Club, had provided notification in writing that he had withdrawn his request to speak at the meeting.

To consider the following portfolio reports to Council from each Cabinet Member:

a)      Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Tourism, Arts and Culture

b)      Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Partnerships and Performance

c)      Cabinet Member for Levelling Up – Place

d)      Cabinet Member for Climate Change

e)      Cabinet Member for Children’s Services

f)       Cabinet Member for Levelling Up – People

g)      Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Street Scene and Neighbourhoods

h)      Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care

i)        Cabinet Member for Young People and Aspiration

Members are reminded that:

·         Each Executive Member has up to three minutes to present their portfolio report (a green light will indicate there is one minute remaining, red for when the time is up). There will then be an opportunity for questions/comments.

·         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 no set overall maximum time for each report to be debated although the Mayor will decide when a suitable time has elapsed and move to the next report.

The Council received reports from the Executive Members on areas within their portfolio.

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

Notes:

1.     Councillor Lynn Williams, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Tourism, Arts and Culture agreed to confirm to Councillor Sloman whether any Council staff working from home had received payments in contribution to their heating costs and whether any staff may have been using that time to engage in secondary employment.

2.     Councillor Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up – Place, agreed to provide a written response to:

·       Councillor Galley regarding when the new Holiday Inn hotel and Talbot Road tramway extension had originally been due to open, what the original budget was, how much it had overspent by and who was paying for the overspend.

·       Councillor Sloman on whether there was any levelling up of transport planned for the north of the town, with particular reference to a lack of direct bus routes to the hospital from that area.

·       Councillor Baker on whether there were any proposals to increase bus services in the Marton Moss / Midgeland Road area.

3.     In presenting the report on behalf of Councillor Jim Hobson, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Williams agreed to provide a written response to Councillor Michele Scott in regards to the new Regional Fostering Hub and whether foster carers would continue to be given a choice of where potential foster children came from or whether they would automatically be directed to the authority in which they resided.

4.     Councillor Farrell, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up – People, agreed to provide details of the number of empty properties in Blackpool to Councillor Galley.

5.     In response to a question from Councillor Warne, Councillor Burdess - Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Street Scene and Neighbourhoods - agreed to confirm how many claims had been made against the Council for damage to vehicles caused by potholes.

6.     Councillor Farrell, who presented the report on behalf of Councillor Neal Brookes, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, agreed to provide a written response to Councillor Cooper’s query regarding adult social care, in particular whether there were any emerging themes as to why costs were increasing and whether there were any further concerns regarding costs and funding going forward.

To consider the recommendations from the Executive at its meeting on 6 November 2023 regarding the Marton Moss Neighbourhood Development Plan.

The Council considered the recommendations from the Executive from its meeting on 6 November 2023 regarding the Marton Moss Neighbourhood Development Plan.

The report outlined that a Neighbourhood Planning Referendum had been held on 5 October 2023 at which 90.44% of the votes received voted “yes” in response to the question “Do you want Blackpool Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Marton Moss to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?” Members were informed that the majority ‘’yes” vote meant the Council was now required to formally ‘make’ (adopt) the Plan.

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

1.     ‘To formally “make” the Marton Moss Neighbourhood Development Plan with immediate effect, with the consequence that it becomes part of the statutory Development Plan for the designated area.

2.     To authorise the Director of Communications and Regeneration to undertake the necessary steps for the adoption process to be completed and that delegated powers be given to the Head of Planning Strategy to make any final modifications to improve readability; correct any factual matters or typographical errors; and the final presentation of the document.’

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

To provide an update on the current discussions relating to the setting up of a Lancashire County Combined Authority and an accompanying devolution deal with Central Government.

Members are asked to note that a more detailed report will be circulated in due course as this information is not available at the time of publication of this agenda.

Members considered proposals for the creation of a Combined County Authority for Lancashire for the administrative areas covered by the three upper tier Councils, Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council. The deal would enable the three Councils to work more closely together in receiving devolved powers from Government and would be accountable to local residents.

Members were advised that the constituent councils recognised the importance of local consensus in relation to matters that could impact companies wholly owned by those councils and Blackpool Council’s consent would be required for any decision which may have a significant impact on Blackpool Transport Services Ltd. If approved, a formal period of consultation would take place across the county before the three Councils submitted their final proposal to Government.

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

1. to note the Deal Document as announced by the Government, linked here http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lancashire-devolution-deal
2. the draft Proposal attached at Appendix 7b to this report to create a Lancashire Combined County Authority (CCA) for the administrative areas of Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire
3. a formal consultation on the draft Proposal with the residents and other stakeholders of the wider CCA area, in a partnership between Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council
4. the approach to the consultation as set out in the Proposal document
5. to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to approve any minor amendments to the draft Proposal or consultation arrangements. This delegation is to be exercised in consultation with the Leader of the Council and is conditional upon such amendments being agreed by all three upper tier Councils
6. the draft Equality Impact Assessment at Appendix 7c
7. to receive and consider the results of the consultation and whether to formally submit a final Proposal document to Government at a meeting of Full Council in March 2024 and
8. to agree to cancel the ordinary meeting of the Council scheduled for 27 March 2024 and instead hold a special meeting of the Council on 14 March 2024 at 6pm.

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

To consider the Scrutiny Update Report for 2023/2024.

Members considered an update report from Councillor Paul Galley, Lead Scrutiny Member in relation to the achievements to date of scrutiny at the Council in the 2023/24 municipal year. The new Scrutiny Committee structure was highlighted and a summary provided of the work undertaken by each of the individual committees so far.

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

‘To receive the Scrutiny Update Report 2023/2024.’

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

To consider the Audit Committee Half Yearly Report for 2023/2024.

Members considered the report from the Chair of Audit on the work undertaken so far by the Audit Committee during the 2023/2024 Municipal Year and were asked to note the Council’s compliance with the Chartered Institute for Public Finance Position Statement on Audit Committees.

Motion: Councillor Roberts proposed (and Councillor Williams seconded):

1.     To receive the Audit Committee Half Yearly Report 2023/2024.

2.     To note the update on compliance with the Chartered Institute for Public Finance Position Statement and agree the Council’s performance against the core functions in the Position Statement as set out in Appendix 9a.

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