Minutes of Council Meeting - 10Th June 2009

MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING - 10TH JUNE 2009

Present:

Councillor Hardy (in the Chair)

Councillors

R Bell / Cox / Mrs Henderson / Mrs Rowson
Best / Doherty / Houghton / Mrs Smith
N Best / Evans / Houldsworth / Stansfield
Blackburn / Fowler / Jackson / Taylor
Brown / Mrs Fowler / Lee / Mrs Taylor
Mrs Callow / Green / Mineur / Williams
Callow / Mrs Greenhalgh / Mitchell / Wynne
Clapham / Haskett / Owen
Coleman / Mrs Haynes / Price
Collins MBE, JP / Heap / Mrs Ridyard

1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillors Bell, Blackburn, Cox, Houldsworthand Mrs Greenhalgh declaredpersonal interests in item 9 on the agenda (Fylde Coast Housing Strategy). The nature of the interest being that that they were Directors of Blackpool Coastal Housing.

2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 11th MAY 2009

Resolved: That the minutes of the Council held on 11th May 2009, be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

3. ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Mayor thanked all members for helping make the Mayor Making Ceremony at the Annual Meeting such an enjoyable occasion.

The Mayor on behalf of the Council expressed sympathy and compassion to Councillor Mrs Holt and her family following the sad loss of her son.

The Council was informed that the Transport Minister had visited Blackpool that day and had officially confirmed the funding of £100m for the regeneration of the town’s trams and tramway system.

4. PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS

There were no public representations on this occasion.

5. EXECUTIVE REPORTS

The Leader of the Council and his Cabinet Members presented reports to the Council on work undertaken within their portfolio areas. All the reports covered decisions taken, work in progress and work to be undertaken in the near future. Questions, comments and debate were invited from all Councillors on each of the portfolio areas.

Resolved: That the reports from the Leader and the Cabinet Members be noted.

NOTE: (1) Councillor Callow, the Leader of the Council, undertook to provide a written answer to Councillor Blackburn’s request for membership details of the Recession Response Group.

(2) Councillor Fowler, the Cabinet Member for Business Services, undertook to provide a written answer to Councillors Green, Jackson andMrs Smith regarding their query on why certainrefuse bins had been removed from thePromenade and adjoining residential streets.

(3) Councillor Fowler, the Cabinet Member for Business Services, undertook to provide a written answer to Councillor Jackson, on his question relating to complaints made from residents ofChislehurst Avenue, that disabled access to the Promenade was limited.

(4) Councillor Mrs Callow, the Cabinet Member for Tourism and Regeneration, undertook to provide a written answer to Councillor Green, on his question relating to whether it was obligatory for new businesses, under the 'Get Started' scheme, to become a Limited Company.

6. CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S PLAN 2009 - 2012

The Council considered a draft Children and Young People’s Plan for 2009 - 2012, which intended to be thesingle, strategic, overarching plan for all services which affected children and young people in Blackpool. The Plan had been designed to takeaccountof local circumstances and help drive forward better local integration of children’s services.

Members were informed that theBlackpool Children and Young People’s Plan was owned and driven by Blackpool Children’s Trust and was alsopart of the Council’s Policy Framework. The Trust monitored progress against the priorities outlined in the Plan. This proposed second plan followed on from the Children and Young People’s Plan from 2006 - 2009.

The Executive had considered the proposed plan at its meeting on 20th May 2009 and its recommendation for the Council to adopt the plan was put forward for consideration.

Motion:

CouncillorClapham proposed (and CouncillorCallow seconded):

1. Toapprove the Children and Young People’s Plan 2009 - 2012.

2. To authorise the Executive Director of Children’s Services to commend these actions to the Children’s Trust and Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

3. To endorse the main delivery mechanism for the Plan as being through the Children’s Trust.

4. To request that the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Children’s Trust play an active role in monitoring the performance of the priorities outlined in the plan and receive an annual report of progress.

Motion carried:

The motion, on being submitted to Council was carried.

7. REQUESTS TO PARTICIPATE AT A DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE

The Council was asked to consider therecommendations of the Development Control Committee and the Executive in respect of the procedure relating to requests to participate at meetings of the Development Control Committee.

Members were informed that the provision for public speaking scheme at Development Control Committee had beenwritten into the Constitution in 2003. That had beenin accordance with national best practice at the time and was in line with other Councils locally.

Whilst being regularly reviewed to ensure the scheme was still relevant, the wording in the Constitution had never been altered. Following a number of recent high profile applications which had generated a large number of public speakers, it was consideredthat it would be an appropriate time for a review of this aspect of the Constitution in terms of clarity and to ensure that the provision of public speaking followed the ethos of natural justice.

Currently all Ward Members were able to address the Development Control Committee unless they were a member of the Committee, or had a prejudicial interest. The provisions in the revised Code of Conduct for Councillors aimed to provide members with the same rights as ordinary members of the public, to speak on certain matters in meetings, despite having a prejudicial interest. Those rights according to the Standards Board guidance could includetime limits.

The Development Control Committee had considered a report from the Head of Legal and Democratic Services on this issue on the 18th Mayand the draft minute from that meeting was submitted for consideration, together with the recommendation of the Executive, which had also discussed the matter at its meeting on 20th May.The Council was requested to consider what action to take.

Motion:

CouncillorCallow proposed (and CouncillorFowler seconded)

"To approve therevised wording to the Constitution for arrangements for public speakers and new arrangements for Ward Councillors, wishing to participate at Development Control Committee, subject to the following amendments

1. That in line with the recommendation of the Development Control Committee the first sentence of proposed paragraph 3.6 (c) should read "The applicant or agent or supporter will then be invited to address the Committee for no longer than three minutes."
2. That the section E regarding Ward Councillors should read as follows: "Any Ward Councillor who is not a Member of the Development Control Committee and does not have a prejudicial interest in the matter for consideration may then be allowed to address the Committee without limit of time. However, where a Ward Councillor has a prejudicial interest in the matter, the Councillor may be allowed to address the meeting about the planning application being considered for no longer than three minutes and must contact the Chairman or Clerk before noon, one working day prior to the meeting for permission to speak. "

Motion carried:

The motion, on being submitted to Council was carried.

8. SUBMISSION OF THE FYLDE COAST MULTI-AREA AGREEMENT (MAA)

The Council considered a proposedMulti-Area Agreement (MAA) for the FyldeCoast. Members were informed that a Multi Area Agreement was designed to be a cross-boundary local area agreement (LAA). This wouldbring together key players in flexible ways to tackle issues that were best addressed in partnership at a sub-regional level.

The Fylde Coast Multi-Area Agreement had been developed by Blackpool Council, Fylde Borough Council, Wyre Borough Council and Lancashire County Council. It had been developed through meetings of the Leaders and Chief Executives and key officers being identified as leads within the Councils. A joint Scrutiny Committee had alsomet and discussed the developing Agreement.

The opportunities identified within the proposed Multi-Area Agreement were:

1. improving our transport infrastructure to support economic growth.
2. growing, diversifying and enhancing the quality of the FyldeCoast business base.
3. better developing our people’s skills and employment prospects.
4. tackling our fundamental housing issues.
5. sustaining and improving the FyldeCoast visitor economy and creating a high quality cultural experience.
6. protecting our coast and taking maximum advantage of the associated public realm.
7. securing the support of Government and its Agencies to a transformational package of investment priorities for Blackpool.

The Multi-Area Agreement had beensubmitted as a first working draft in late March to the Department for Communities and Local Government who had undertaken co-ordination of the process of behalf of Government. Since then a series of negotiation meetings and communications had refined the final draft that was referred to in this report. The draft Multi-Area Agreement wouldrequire sign-off by the Government, which it was hoped wouldoccur during the summer.

A summary of the detailed Fylde Coast Multi-Area Agreement Breakthroughs, Objectives and Specific Actions that have been discussed were attached for consideration, but werestill subject to negotiation.

Motion:

CouncillorCallow proposed (and CouncillorFowler seconded)

"Toapprove the submission of the Multi-Area Agreement on behalf of the Council and that the Chief Executive be authorised, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any further required changes, prior to its submission."

Motion carried:

The motion, on being submitted to Council was carried.

9. FYLDECOAST HOUSING STRATEGY

Members were informed that the Executive at its meeting on 3rd June 2009 had considereda proposed Fylde Coast Housing Strategy. The proposed strategy was a key element of the joint work under the Fylde Coast Multi-Area Agreement which had set out the housing priorities for the whole of the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre areas. It was envisaged that the proposed Strategy wouldbe delivered in Blackpool through a Blackpool Housing Action Plan and through continuing joint work with Fylde and Wyre. This report soughtapproval for the Fylde Coast Housing Strategy, with a further report to be considered and determined by the Executive, with more detail on the actions planned in Blackpool.

The proposed Strategy enabled the Council to co-ordinate what it did on housing across local authority boundaries, reflecting what local people thoughtof the area and made housing choices. This would make what the Council didin providing new housing, improving existing homes and providing services for vulnerable people more effective.

Motion:

CouncillorMrs Callow proposed (and CouncillorHeap seconded)

"To approve the Fylde Coast Housing Strategy, as submitted".

Motion carried:

The motion, on being submitted to Council was carried.

10. INDUSTRIAL UNITS ON THE PROMENADE

Motion: Pursuant to Notice, Councillor Green proposed (and Councillor Wynne seconded):-

"This Council is opposed to the placing of any Industrial or light industrial units or workshops on the resorts beaches, sea defences, or sea frontage, unless they are of a temporary nature.".

Recorded vote:

Following debate on the motion, five members of the Council requested that the vote be recorded. Thevoting was as follows:

For the motion:

Councillors Green and Wynne.Total 2.

Against the motion:

CouncillorsR Bell, J Best, N Best, Blackburn, Brown, Mrs Callow, Callow, Clapham, Coleman, Collins, Cox,Doherty, Evans, Fowler, Mrs Fowler,Greenhalgh,Haskett, Mrs Haynes, Heap, Mrs Henderson, Houghton, Houldsworth, Jackson, Lee, Mineur, Mitchell, Owen, Price, Mrs Ridyard, Mrs Rowson, Mrs Smith, Stansfield, Taylor, Mrs Taylor and Williams.Total 35.

Abstentions:

Councillor Hardy. Total 1.

Motionlost:
The motion on being submittedto the Council, was therefore lost.

11. CCTV CAMERAS IN PARKS

Motion: Pursuant to Notice, Councillor Mrs Haynes proposed (and Councillor Coleman seconded):-

"In view of the considerable investment in our parks in the last five years and plans for future investment, the Council requests the Executive to consider the fitting of CCTV, linked into the central control system in all our parks, as a matter of urgency."

Recorded vote:
Immediately prior to voting on themotion, five members of the Council requested that the vote be recorded. The voting was as follows:
For themotion:

CouncillorsBlackburn,Coleman,Doherty,Mrs Greenhalgh,Mrs Haynes,Jackson,Owen,Mrs Rowson, Mrs Smith,Taylor andMrs Taylor.Total 11.

Against themotion:

CouncillorsR Bell, J Best, N Best, Brown, Mrs Callow, Callow, Clapham,Collins, Cox,Evans, Fowler, Mrs Fowler, Green,Haskett,Heap, Mrs Henderson, Houghton, Houldsworth,Lee, Mineur, Mitchell,Price,Mrs Ridyard,Stansfield, Williams and Wynne.Total 26.

Abstentions:

Councillor Hardy. Total 1.

Motion lost:

Themotion on being submitted to the Council wastherefore lost.

Mayor

(The meeting ended at 7:45 pm)

Any queries regarding these minutes, please contact:

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