Agenda and decisions

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.

To consider and recommend to the Council for adoption the Blackpool Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies.

(once approved by Council this document will form part of the Council’s Policy Framework).

The Executive resolved as follows:

To recommend to Full Council:

(i)To accept the Inspector’s findings and his recommendations including the Main Modifications as set out in Appendix 2a to the Executive report; accept the additional (minor) modifications to the Local Plan Part Two as set out in Appendix 2b to the Executive report and adopt the Blackpool Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies with the Main Modifications and additional (minor) modifications as set out in Appendix 2c(i) and the amended Policies Maps at Appendix 2c(ii) to the Executive report.

(ii) 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 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.

To receive an update on the impact of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme since its introduction in 2013/14 and to recommend to Council the proposals for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24.

(once approved by Council this document will form part of the Council’s Policy Framework).

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To note the impact of the Scheme to date as set out in paragraphs 6.7 and 6.8 of the Executive report.

2. To recommend Council to agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 3c, to the Executive report.

3. To recommend to Council 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.

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 3a, to the Executive report

To seek approval for the adoption and implementation of Blackpool Council’s Community Flood Resilience Policy 2023-2025.

(once approved this policy will form part of the Executive Policy Framework.)

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To adopt the draft Community Flood Resilience Policy 2023-2025 attached at Appendix 4a, to the Executive report, and any associated communications and work streams with effect until 31 December 2025.

To seek support for the principles that will form the basis of the Safety Valve agreement between Blackpool Council and the Department for Education, and to gain approval for the Council to enter into such an agreement.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To agree that Appendix 5a to the Executive report, the Financial Considerations is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as it includes detailed costings that enable the scheme to be viable. The publication of such information could prejudice continuing and future negotiations.

2. To support the principles that will form the basis of the Safety Valve agreement between Blackpool Council and the Department for Education.

3. To approve the entering into a Safety Valve agreement between the Council and the Department for Education on the basis of these principles.

4.  To note the amended funding streams for phase 1 of the Highfurlong expansion scheme, as set out in Appendix 5a to the Executive report.

To provide an update on the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) Investment Plan submitted by 1 August 2022 under the terms of delegation agreed by the Executive at its meeting on 16 May 2022(EX20/2022) and the subsequent approval received from the Government on 5 December 2022.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To note the report

2. To delegate to the Chief Executive, the Director of Communications and Regeneration or the Director of Strategy ( Assistant Chief Executive) the authority to sign off any agreements within their area of responsibility, necessary for taking forward the Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan including any internal Service Level Agreements for Council led-projects.

3. To authorise the Head of Legal Services to enter into any contracts necessitated by the successful funding approval.