1 Apologies for absence.
2 To approve as a correct record the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 9 July 2008 (page no. 123).
3 To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Executive Leader, Members of the Executive or the Head of Paid Service that they may desire to lay before the Council. In particular:-
(a) Death of SAS Soldier Sgt John Battersby:
(b) Beijing Olympic update:
(c) Mayor’s charity update: The total raised for 2008/09 is £6,063.49 with some money outstanding.
(d) Further issues (if any).
Open items:
4 To receive declarations of interest in any item for discussion at the meeting: see attached advice from the Service Director, Borough Solicitor (.pdf, 24Kb).
5 Casual vacancy: (a) The Chief Executive to report that Councillor Stephen Dawber was elected to the Wigan West Ward on 10 July 2008.
6 Outstanding business from last Council meeting: There is none.
7 To consider the incorporation of the following issues into the Policy Framework or the Budget Framework as appropriate:-
(a) Corporate plan and high level performance indicators (.pdf, 1382Kb): report enclosed.
(b) Further issues (if any).
8 To consider the following constitutional issues:-
(a) Changes in membership/appointment of Members to Committees/Panels (if any): Subject to confirmation, Councillor S Dawber is to replace Councillor N A Bradbury on the Environment Panel.
(b) Dates and times of future meetings of the Regulation Committee: The Regulation Committee at its meeting held on 18 July 2008 (minute 10 refers)
Resolved: The Committee requests Council to consider that future meetings of the Regulation Committee be held on Fridays instead of Wednesdays and that the meetings commence at 9.45 a.m. instead of 9.30 a.m.
(c) Appointment of Local Authority representative governors (.pdf, 54Kb): report enclosed.
The Council is recommended to:-
appoint the Governors as nominated and authorise the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to advise the Local Authority appointed Governors of their terms of office as set out in the report.
(d) Appointments to outside bodies (.pdf, 46Kb): report enclosed.
(e) Appointment of Co-opted Members (.pdf, 54Kb): report enclosed.
(f) Report of the Audit Commission – land at Westwood Park, Wigan (.pdf, 518Kb): report of the Service Director – Borough Solicitor enclosed.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (minute 35 refers) and the Audit Governance and Improvement Review Committee (minute 35 refers) have endorsed the report and the Cabinet at minute 66 had resolved to:-
recommend Council to amend the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny procedure rules and call in protocol as detailed in the report now submitted.
(g) Proposed revision of delegated authority in respect of property functions and granting of leases of premises at less than market rent (.pdf, 218Kb): report enclosed with minute of Cabinet decision (minute 84 refers).
(h) Standards Committee Independent Members (.pdf, 47Kb): report of the Service Director - Borough Solicitor enclosed
(i) Further issues (if any).
9 Questions by the public at meetings of Council (minute 30(3) refers) (.pdf, 48Kb): report of the Service Director – Borough Solicitor enclosed. The report was approved by Cabinet at its meeting held on 21 August 2008 (minute 78 refers).
10 Transport Innovation Fund Bid (TIF) referendum: report to follow.
11 Questions and comments (if any) under rule 8(1)(b) in relation to the deliberations of the Cabinet, Committees and Panels set out in the separate minute book and circulated for information only.
12 Questions (if any) under Rule 8(1)(a).
13 Notice of Motions (a) Motions must be about matters for which the Council has a responsibility or which affect the area, Rule of Procedure 9.3
(b) Request for permission to alter a motion under Rule of Procedure 11.(a)
(c) Request for permission to withdraw a motion under Rule of Procedure 11.8.
(d) Previous decisions and motions, Rule of Procedure 13.
(e) Requests for the suspension of Rules of Procedure under Rule 20.1 (if any).
(f) Copy of the report of the Chief Executive and Service Director - Borough Solicitor on the competence and lawfulness of the motions (.pdf, 36Kb): report enclosed.
(1) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor P A Tushingham:-
“This Council will seek to adopt its powers under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act to improve our derelict areas. It has worked for other Councils, so why not Wigan? Section 215 works could be developed into a key element in the Borough’s ongoing regeneration programme and form an integral part of that process.”
(2) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor G M Bretherton:-
“I welcome the Councils recent decision to sign up to the governments Skills Pledge aimed at raising the skill levels of all employees of the authority. Not only does this show a clear commitment by the Council to support its employees but it will also have the knock on effect of raising the awareness of learning opportunities to the borough of Wigan as a whole. This in turn will ensure that we remain a competitive economic area but equally as important we can raise the aspirations of local people.
As elected members of this authority we should take a prominent role in this area and lead by example. Therefore, I urge all members to commit to the professional development opportunities now available to us and work towards attaining the North West charter for elected member development.”
(3) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor P A Tushingham:-
“This Council will continue to improve standards within the Council Chamber and especially respect for the Office of Mayor. This includes all Members standing and to wait for the Mace and Mayor to leave the Chamber before anyone else leaves. The Mace is the symbol of the Mayors authority and at times this has not been totally observed.”
(4) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor R M Bleakley:-
That Council puts on record that it currently sees no advantage in the installation of an Elected Mayor in either Wigan or the whole of Greater Manchester.
Although there may be some imperfections in the present system of Governance, Council believes it does form the basis for a strong, legitimate and accountable local democracy which is capable of continuous improvement. It also provides a strong civic focus for the Borough.
(5) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor R M Bleakley:-
“This Council notes with interest the news that the problem of stray dogs became the responsibility of Wigan Council in April 2008.
Consequently this Council believes that the new powers require the authority to increase the number of dog wardens employed. Given that the Council currently employs only two dog wardens in the borough, this totally inadequate coverage will need to be enhanced.
In particular Council are aware that there is a rising and serious problem associated with dog fouling that has been reported in wards right across the borough.
This Council supports any and all efforts to tackle this by enforcing existing legislation and obliging dog owners to pick up after their dogs and not to allow them to roam on their own.
This Council firmly believes that dog fouling, which is a major social menace and a health hazard to very young children, could be brought under control by firm and decisive action, including surveillance, steep fines with "naming and shaming" publicity, the provision of dog bins, free bags and any other methods designed to provide either carrot or stick approaches.”
(6) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor R M Bleakley:-
“This Council notes the growing obesity problem in Wigan Borough where almost a third of adults are classed as clinically obese putting them in danger of potentially deadly conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
This Council therefore welcomes the new partnership of Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, Slimming World, NHS Direct and the Primary Care Trust in providing a new range of services that provide easy access and comprehensive support to help people make the necessary lifestyle changes to improve their health. “
(7) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor R M Bleakley:-
“This Council seeks to further support and encourage retailers, businesses and commercial manufacturers to reduce unnecessary and wasteful packaging, in particular the widespread use of plastic bags.
This Council resolves to take the lead in reducing free plastic bag provision by launching a borough wide campaign to gain voluntary agreement between the Council, business, and other interested parties to end the practice of providing free plastic bags within Wigan Borough.”
(8) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor R M Bleakley:-
“This Council notes that there is no facility to allow people in Wigan Borough to use text messages to contact blue light emergency services and believes that such a service could assist people needing to contact the emergency services when unable to speak and calls on Her Majesty's Government to encourage the mobile phone industry to come up with a text message '999' number through which blue light emergency services can be contacted. Council also calls on the borough’s Members of Parliament to support Early Day Motion 1964.”
(9) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor G W Fairhurst:-
“This Council now calls on the Executive to halt the proposed Change of use of Tunstall House.”
(10) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor E N Houlton:-
“This Council calls upon Greater Manchester Police to carry out more visible Police patrols in Lowton and Golborne.”
(11) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor G W Fairhurst:-
“This Council calls for a zero tolerance on drugs, drug dealers and crimes linked to drugs.”
(12) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor P R C Smith:-
“This Council does not agree with the Conservative Think Tank that Northern towns and cities like Wigan should be left to die whilst economic development is encouraged in the South East but supports their regeneration through local and national initiatives.”
(13) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor Mrs S Loudon:-
“This Council congratulates all concerned in the achievements of our outdoor activity centre which has been providing extended opportunities to the young people of this borough for more than 25 years.”
