The agenda for the meeting is as follows:-
1 Apologies for Absence:
2 Minutes: 16 June 2008
3 Urgent Business (if any): To be accepted at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting.
4 Exclusion of the Public (.pdf, 20Kb): The Committee is asked to consider whether by resolution to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the item 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 Committee if it so wishes.
Open Items
5 Whipping declarations:
6 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.
7 Report of the Audit Commission – Land at Westwood Park (.pdf, 307Kb): Report of the Service Director-Borough Solicitor enclosed.
8 Routes to involvement, a new approach to engagement (.pdf, 76Kb): Report of the Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.
9 Community cohesion – embracing change (.pdf, 377Kb): Report of the Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.
10 Health Select Committee – annual report (.pdf, 192Kb): Report of Councillor G M Bretherton enclosed.
11 Annual report on the work of the Committee (.pdf, 53Kb): Report of Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.
12 Review of Advisory Panels and Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees (.pdf, 79Kb): Joint report circulated under separate cover. Please bring your copy with you to each meeting you attend.
Cabinet at minute 36
- endorsed the proposals set out in the report; and
- authorised the Service Director, Borough Solicitor and Service Director - Business Transformation to seek the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Audit Governance and Improvement Review Committee and the Advisory Panels and to report back to the Cabinet.
13 Townships and participation in decision making (.pdf, 192Kb): Report of the Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.
Subject to the incorporation of Members’ views and concerns in an amended report, the Cabinet at minute 37:-
- endorsed the proposals set out in the report now submitted;
- authorised the Service Director - Business Transformation to seek the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit Governance and Improvement Review Committee and to report back to the Cabinet; and
- authorised the Service Director - Business Transformation to arrange a seminar for all Members of the Council on the proposals for the Townships and the participation in decision making and thereafter to consult with and seek the views of the Townships and the Wigan Borough Partnership.
14 Select Committee Memberships and political balance rules. To appoint the membership of the Select Committees, either in accordance with the statutory political balance rules or under an alternative scheme against which there has been no contrary vote (.pdf, 50Kb): Report of Deputy Chief Executive enclosed.
15 Questions (if any) on the Business of the Cabinet:
16 Questions (if any) on the business of the forward plan - monthly update enclosed (.pdf, 184Kb).
17 Call ins (if any): details to follow.
Closed Items
E.1 Call in:
- A copy of the call in protocol is enclosed:
- A copy of the guidance for the questioning of witnesses is enclosed.
- New Building Schools for the future (BSF) Pathfinder, Abraham Guest High School – delegated approval of agreed maximum price (AMP): Reports enclosed.
The following key decision has been taken by an officer
‘Having considered a report concerning the project to establish the new BSF Pathfinder, Abraham Guest High School and after consulting the (Executive Leader and/or the Cabinet Champion for Childrens Services), I made the following Executive Decision:
To approve the negotiated AMP £17,825,757 within the out-turn figure of £22,814,000 and grant budget release from the BSF Pathfinder Grant.
Since this is an Executive Key Decision, the decision will come into force, and may then be implemented, on the expiry of five working days after the publication of the decision i.e. 9/7/2008, unless the Overview and Scrutiny Committee objects to it and calls it in.
Date of decision: 30/6/2008
Date of publication: 1/7/2008’
- Request for call-in had been made by Councillor G W Fairhurst.
- His reason for call in: some concerns, but no hard evidence on this matter.
- Councillor R J Derricutt - no reason given.
- Councillor B J Fagan – no reason given.
- Councillor J Miller
- His reason for call in: the size and complexity of the project means that it needs to undergo through scrutiny. For example the expected spend is around £22m and looking at the appendices then a number of the estimates for the work have already been increased. Also looking at the Council website it looks like the publicity for the project has started.
- Councillor P Thompson
- His reason for call in: I wish to scrutinise the decision on 3 fronts; to place the library in the school, the consultation by the Leisure Trust which resulted in this decision and the overall budget and costings (especially capital receipts from the old Abraham Guest site).
- Councillor P A Tushingham - no reason given.
- Councillor G Wilkes - no reason given.
The Cabinet originally excluded the public when it considered this item on ground:
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council)
Reason: Disclosure would prejudice the Council in its negotiations regarding specific contracts.
