1 Apologies for absence.
2 To approve as correct records the minutes of the proceeding of the meetings of the Council held on 3 and 10 March 2010
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 the Polish President, Leck Kaczynski, his wife and 95 other passengers following a plane crash on Saturday, 10 April 2010:
(b) China Qinghai Earthquake – 14 April 2010
(c) Illness of Deputy Mayor (Councillor H L Cadman)
(d) Members of the Council not seeking re-election in the forthcoming municipal elections:-
Councillors Mrs Jean Beswick, Peter Thompson, Mrs Anne Turnock and Neil Whittingham BA (Hons) ACA ATT.
(e) Jenny Meadows – Silver Medal for 800 metres at the World Indoors:
(f) Aukje Clegg award of OBE
(g) Mayor’s charity update: The total raised for 2009/10 is £25,000 and an additional payment of £1,500 has been made for the Meningitis Leaflets.
(h) 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.
5 Outstanding business from last Council meeting: There is none.
6 To consider the incorporation of the following issues into the Policy Framework or the Budget Framework as appropriate:-
(a) Determination of admission arrangements 2011-2012: (.pdf, 55kb) community and voluntary-controlled schools: Report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People's Services enclosed.
(b) Further issues (if any).
7 To consider the following constitutional issues:-
(a) Review of the Council’s Constitution: (.pdf, 70kb) Report of the Service Director - Borough Solicitor enclosed.
(b) Community Governance Review: (.pdf, 65kb) Report of the Service Director – Borough Solicitor to enclosed.
(c) Annual report of the Standards Committee: (.pdf, 70kb) Report of the Service Director – Borough Solicitor to enclosed.
(d) Appointment of Local Authority representative governors: (.pdf, 36kb) Report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People's Services enclosed.
(e) Further issues (if any).
8 To consider the state of the area report by the Executive Leader on the activities undertaken in the Borough during the last year and proposals for the forthcoming year
9 Questions and comments (if any) under rule 8(1)(b) in relation to the deliberations of the Cabinet and Committees set out in the separate minute book and circulated for information only.
10 Questions (if any) under Rule 8(1)(a).
11 Notice of Motions (.pdf, 32Kb): Report of the Chief Executive and Service Director - Borough Solicitor on the competence and lawfulness of the motions enclosed. (Page 125)
Motions must be about matters for which the Council has a responsibility or which affect the area, as specified in Rule of Procedure 9.3
- Request for permission to alter a motion is dealt with under Rule of Procedure 11.7(a).
- Request for permission to withdraw a motion is dealt with under Rule of Procedure 11.8.
- Previous decisions and motions are dealt with under Rule of Procedure 13.
- Requests for the suspension of Rules of Procedure are dealt with under Rule 20.1 (if any).
(1) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor G W Fairhurst
The Council is fundamental on being open and transparent in all its dealings.
The Council, as landowner, firmly believes that Mesnes Playing Field should not be used for the proposed project of the Wigan Boys and Girls Club and that there are better brown field sites available within the Town Centre.
(2) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor G Wilkes
In view of the financial constraints placed on the Council, Councillors acknowledge the need to reduce costs.
As from the start of the new tax year, April 2010, this Council will no longer provide hot meals currently provided for Councillors six or more who attend meetings. This Council will replace the current arrangement with a hot drink and a Sandwich, ordered at least 24 hours before any such meetings.
This arrangement will be reviewed annually by the Councillors service group.
(3) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor G Wilkes
In view of the planned expenditure for Capital Projects recently discussed at the Joint Cabinet and Overview Scrutiny meeting, this Council views the planned expense for a replacement Mayoral vehicle as a waste of tax payers money.
In view of this Scrutiny, this Council will not be spending £27,000 on a replacement Mayoral vehicle, it will instead, postpone this project until the Council is in a much better financial position than it is at present.
(4) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor B J Fagan
This Council calls for action regarding the need to find savings and prevent Council Tax increases for those many hard working families who are struggling to pay their bills during this recession.
We call for a reduction of 50% in councillors allowances right across the board and a 10% salary cut for council employees earning over £50,000 per year. This will show that councillors and senior councillor officers are prepared to lead by example and start by finding savings out of their own income at this difficult time for the economy.
(5) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor B J Fagan
This Council calls for more adequate rock salt supplies to be stored and sufficient gritting vehicles to be kept as this year the response to the snow has been a disaster with schools closing, people unable to get to work and the elderly being trapped in their homes because the pavements were lethally slippy due to not being treated with rock salt.
This Council calls for more grit boxes to be located throughout the borough so they are accessible for local people during bad weather. Due to the long periods of untreated icy roads and pavements we are now experiencing high numbers of pot holes and roads breaking up like on Crossdale Road in Hindley Green where the road is crumbling and cannot be repaired until money is available in next financial year.
This is happening on many roads in the borough. Prevention is better and less expensive than having to pay for repairs.
(6) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor P R C Smith
This Council would like to place on record its appreciation for their outstanding record of service to the people of the constituencies and to the Borough overall of the retiring MPs and former members of the Council, Ian McCartney and Neil Turner.
(7) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor P R C Smith
This Council notes the benefits to the people of the Borough of the Budget not only in continuing to support economic recovery by continuing the Working Neighbourhood Fund but also in creating Greater Manchester an ADZ in providing money to help and providing additional funding to tackle potholes.
(8) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor P R C Smith
This Council believes in the value of sport and physical activity and encourages through improving sports facilities, supporting the vast range of community clubs in the borough and by providing free swimming for all.
(9) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor Mrs S Loudon
This Council recognises the contribution of local Sure Start and Children's Centres in supporting families and children in their crucial early years. It does not believe that reductions should be made either to the number of centres or in families' ability to access their services.
(10) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor J Moodie
This Council welcomes the near completion of the remedial works on the Ince Central Estate in relation to the contaminated land and pays tribute to the work of the Residents Liaison Group, the residents and all parties to their contributions.
(11) To consider the following motion of which notice has been given by Councillor J Moodie
This Council wishes to put on record its thanks to our representatives on the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority for their continued efforts for improvements at Ince Rail Station.
