The agenda for the meeting is as follows:-
1 Apologies for absence.
2 Minutes:19 March 2009
3 Urgent Business (if any): To be accepted at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting.
4 Exclusion of the public: The Cabinet is asked to consider whether by resolution to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the items of business marked with an 'E' reference because of the possibility of the disclosure of exempt information. A draft resolution is attached for use by the Cabinet if it so wishes.
5 Declarations of interest: To receive declarations of interest in any item for discussion at the meeting. A blank form for declaring interests has been circulated with the agenda, please ensure that this is returned to the Committee Clerk at the end of the meeting.
6 The agenda for this meeting: Members to agree the allocation of items in the various sections of this agenda.
7 Reference from other Committees: At its meeting on 4 March 2009 (minute 76 refers), the Council referred the following motions to Cabinet for consideration and report back:-
(2) This Council notes the current economic difficulties faced by small businesses and wants to build and strengthen current links with the local business community to develop a clear strategy to assist them through these difficult times.
This Council calls on the Cabinet to urgently consult with local businesses and deliver a plan to aid small businesses in the borough.
We urge the Cabinet to consider, amongst others, the following measures:
- encourage small businesses that are eligible for Small Business Rates Relief to apply for it.
- encourage larger organisations within Wigan Borough to pay small firms promptly, ideally within 20 days.
- use of Local Authority Business Growth Incentive money to help small firms.
- use the Hardship Rate Relief scheme to protect vital small businesses, promote sustainable communities and keep small firms in town centres.
- work with our partners on the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities to ensure that local businesses have access to the appropriate information and to consider strategies for encouraging and sustaining local businesses.’
(submitted by Councillor R M Bleakley)
Response
1. We currently use a number of processes available to assist with non-domestic rate relief for all businesses where possible. For small businesses these include Small Business Rate Relief Scheme. We are pro-active in promoting take-up of this scheme introduced from 2005 and at every opportunity encourage small businesses not receiving the relief to make an application. The numbers of qualifying businesses and amount of relief awarded have increased year on year and in comparison to many other authorities we award more relief. We also consider grant hardship relief in line with Section 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 which gives the Council a discretionary power to reduce or remit the payment of non-domestic rates by granting Hardship Relief. The Government reimburses the Council with 75% of any Hardship Relief granted, so 25% of the cost falls directly on local Council Tax payers. Thus, the Council must ensure that the granting of Hardship Relief benefits the wider community as well as the ratepayer concerned.
2. The Council has set an important example by ensuring early payment of bills to businesses – within 10 day irrespective of size.
3. Re LABGI: The Council's Capital Strategy is linked to the Council's strategic objectives and the application of this funding contributes towards the achievement of an environment which encourages businesses. To this end, the Council has previously agreed as part of the budget setting process to incorporate this funding into the capital programme. The strategic application of this funding has been effective in helping the Council to fund major economic regeneration projects such as Westwood Park which will create employment opportunities in the longer term.
4. In addition to all of this, there is substantial work being done around worklessness. Information on this has been shared with Members, and our strategy and plans have been widely circulated and are available on our website. The next commissioning exercise for Working Neighbourhoods Funding is centred on initiatives which will respond to the current economic climate. Workshops have and will continue to be held for local businesses on this.
5. We have also developed excellent partnerships with Job Centre Plus, the Learning Skills Council and local skill shops – one is in place in Leigh with another due to open soon in Wigan. These will help local businesses and the community at large. As Members will know, we do have a strong partnership arrangement with AMGA and Team Manchester and our Multi-Area Agreements address this.
6. We have a rapid response team in place if businesses are forced to make people redundant and this has been used to assist the workforce in retraining / gaining new skills as well as assisting in CV development etc.
(4) This Council withdraws its support for the proposed Guided Busway from Leigh to Manchester following overwhelming disapproval of the scheme by the general public, and the use of what is a failed technology. What is needed for Leigh is a heavy rail link to Manchester joining the Atherton Line at Walkden, with stations at Tyldesley, and Mosley Common; this stop in particular would make an ideal Park and Ride facility.
In order to accommodate the additional traffic through the bottle neck at Salford Crescent another platform would be required; this I understand is already being considered. Once a Heavy Rail link is established in Leigh it would be possible to further develop this scheme to link into Manchester Liverpool line at Kenyon giving Leigh a direct link with Merseyside and the West Coast Main Line.
This Council through our representatives on AGMA and the GMPTA will asks the GMPTE and Network Rail to conduct a feasibility study on this proposal together with detailed costs. I would urge the Leaders of all political groups on this Council to allow their members a free vote on this motion so that they can represent the views of their constituents and not the views of their political parties. Let’s prove that there is still democracy in Wigan. (Submitted by Councillor N A Bradbury)
Response
A public inquiry into the Guided Busway was held in September 2002, and an interim decision was issued in October 2003 requesting further works on great crested newts and the bridleway. This was undertaken in Summer 2004.
In February 2005, the Department for Transport confirmed they did not wish to reopen the enquiry and concluded that the scheme met all the relevant policies and was robust economically. It provided important benefits especially in remediating social exclusion, and no other alternative would deliver these benefits as cost effectively or within a quicker timescale.
GMPTE have already examined many possible alternatives to the scheme prior to the inquiry, including heavy rail lines and stations, Metrolink and alternative bus schemes, and none was found to deliver the same benefits to passengers.
The business case for the proposal is supported by opportunities for regeneration along the route, concentrated in Leigh and Tyldesley. It will also provide opportunities to link with job opportunities in the new Media City in Salford as well as in the regional centre and provide access to a wider labour market for local businesses. It links areas of deprivation to these opportunities.
Open Items
Discussion leading to Decision
8 Comprehensive Area Assessment: Presentation from Pat Johnson, CAA Lead, Audit Commission.
9 Proposal to close St Peter’s CE Infant School and Nursery Unity and St Peter’s CE Junior School, Leigh and to establish a new primary school with nursery (.pdf, 585Kb): Report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services enclosed. (Key decision)
10 Proposal to increase the admission number of St Peter’s C of E Primary School, Hindley and to enlarge the school premises (.pdf, 479Kb): Report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services enclosed. (Key decision)
Decision
11 Anti Social Behaviour policy (.pdf, 278Kb): Report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services enclosed. (Key decision)
12 Objections to the proposed traffic calming, Ravenswood Drive development, Hindley (.pdf, 51Kb): Report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services enclosed.
Sharing for Corporate Understanding
13 Road Safety Communication Plan 2009 – 2011 (.pdf, 1245Kb): Report of the Executive Director of Environmental Services enclosed.
