1 Apologies for absence:
2 To approve as correct records the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Council held on 28 April 2010 and of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on 19 May 2010 (page nos 1 and 11 respectively).
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 former Mayor and Honorary Alderman Thomas Jones:
b Cumbria Shooting on 2 June 2010:
c Death of Sgt Steven Darbyshire - Wigan Marine:
d Knighthood for Ian McCartney, former MP:
e Leisure Awards for Trust:
f Queens Birthday Honours 2010:
g Mayor's charity update: The total raised for 2010/11 is £30,621.65 with monies outstanding.
h Further issues (if any):
4 To receive declarations of interest in any item for discussion at the meeting (.pdf, 22Kb): See attached advice from the Service Director, Borough Solicitor.
5 Outstanding business from the 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 Further issues (if any):
7 To consider the following constitutional issues:-
a Changes in membership/appointment of Members to Committees (.pdf, 55Kb): Report of the Service Director – Borough Solicitor enclosed.
b Appointment of Co-opted Members (.pdf, 36Kb): Report of the Executive Director Business Support Services enclosed.
c Appointment to Outside Bodies (.pdf, 37Kb): Report of the Executive Director Business Support Services enclosed.
d Petitions - Implementation of new duty (.pdf, 85Kb): Report of the Service Director- Borough Solicitor enclosed.
e Review of Member/Officer Protocol (.pdf, 69Kb): Report of the Service Director – Borough Solicitor enclosed.
f Review of appointment of Honorary Aldermen criteria and update on outstanding nominations (.pdf, 67Kb): Report of the Executive Director Business Support Services enclosed.
g Appointment of Local Authority representative governors (.pdf, 66Kb): Report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People's Services enclosed.
h Quarterly monitoring of urgent items: To report that under rule 16 of the access to information rules of the constitution during the period 1 January to 30 April 2010 the following key decision was taken as an urgent item at the Cabinet meeting held on 3 June 2010:-
11 Rescheduling the discontinuation of Lowton and Golborne High Schools and the establishment of a new secondary school through competition (minute 195 refers): The Executive Leader agreed to the following item being considered as urgent, the special circumstances being the need to obviate any delay.
The Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services submitted a report which was presented by the Service Director – Schools for the future, Sue Wilkinson and which requested approval to modify the date of the closure of Lowton and Golborne High Schools for one year until 31 August 2012. The Service Director also made a request to modify the date for one year until 1 September 2012 for the Golborne and Lowton Co-operative Learning Partnership to open its new school. The report finally sought approval to modify the date by which all conditions of the school competition were to be met from 31 July 2010 to 31 December 2010.
The Service Director gave details of the background to the report. Mmbers asked various questions and received responses from the Officers.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was in the interest of maintaining educational standards.
Resolved: The Cabinet agrees:-
(1) to modify the closure date of Lowton High and Golborne High Schools given in the report to Cabinet on 18 March 2010 by one year until 31 August 2012 and resultantly to modify the date of opening of the new school to replace Lowton and Golborne Schools by one year until 1 September 2012; and
(2) to approve the extension of time to 31 December 2010 to meet the conditions relating to the Lowton and Golborne High Schools’ closure and the formation of the new school as specified in the report of 18 March 2010.
i Further issues (if any):
8 Treasury Management Annual Report (.pdf, 88Kb): Report of the Service Director – Corporate Services enclosed.
9 Illness of Councillor H L Cadman: Members will be aware of the illness of Councillor H L Cadman which has prevented him attending Council meetings. Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 provides that should a Councillor fail to attend a meeting for six consecutive months he/she will automatically cease to be a Member of the Council. In this instance the six month period would end on 3 September 2010. Council is requested to consider whether to approve Councillor Cadman's reason for failing to attend meetings.
The following motion from Councillor P A Tushingham supports Councillor Cadman's reason for absence:-
This Council notes the committed service to Wigan by Councillor Henry Cadman and it is only due to ill health that he has been unable to fulfil his duties. This Council wishes Councillor Cadman a speedy recovery to better health. This Council will show its support to Councillor Cadman by making an exception to the 6 month non attendance rule due to his ill health. I am looking for cross Party support on this Motion.
10 Questions and comments (if any) under rule 8(1)(b) in relation to the deliberations of the Cabinet and Committees as set out in the separate minute book and circulated for information only:
11 Questions (if any) under Rule 8 (1)(a):
12 Notices of motion (if any) (.pdf, 30Kb): Report of the Chief Executive and Service Director - Borough Solicitor on the competence and lawfulness of the motions enclosed.
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).
2 PROPOSED by Councillor Mrs D Fairhurst
This Council recognises that with these difficult times and with the possibility of losing staff members it is important that we, as a Council look closely at where we can make savings without losing front line services.
(a) With that in mind, this Council recognises the good work that Brighter Borough money can make to communities, however, this Council request a one year freeze for 2010 - 2011 where Councillors will not get any Brighter Borough money. This one year freeze will save nearly half a million pounds alone.
(b) Whilst some Councillors like a hot meal before meetings it is not right that tax payers should pick the bill up, so this Council will stop all free meals to Councillors but will allow elected members to purchase a meal at cost.
(c) Finally this Council recognises that the majority of residents have some form of access to online and with that in mind this Council will stop publishing hard copies of the Borough Life magazine and will publish it online.
While the motion is potentially competent Rule 13.1 applies to paragraph (a) of the motion. This provision states:
“A motion or amendment to rescind a decision made at a meeting of the Council within the past six months cannot be moved unless the notice of motion is signed by at least 18 Members” Given that the Brighter Borough funding for 2010/11 was approved as part of the Council's budget in March of this year that part of the motion contained in paragraph (a) of the motion can only be moved if at least 18 Members have signed the notice of motion
3 PROPOSED by Councillor P R C Smith
Council notes:
That the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% announced in the Government's June Budget will fall hardest on those least able to afford it and that this will be particularly so in Wigan due to the make up of the population of the Borough and its proportion of low income groups.
That the increase in VAT will lead to higher prices for goods and services; will have a disproportionate impact on pensioners and other low income groups; and will have a severe impact on businesses, charities and community groups in Wigan. That the effect of the increase in VAT, when taken with other measures in the Budget, will be unfair to pensioners, who have not had a compensatory increase in other benefits and allowances.
That the way the VAT increase will affect pensioners and other low income groups runs counter to the Government's Coalition Agreement statement on 20 May 2010 that it would "ensure that fairness is at the heart of those decisions so that all those most in need are protected.” That the Institute of Fiscal Studies has stated the VAT increase was not "unavoidable," as the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his Budget speech.
Council resolves:
To write directly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer raising concerns about the impact of the proposed VAT increase on pensioners, other vulnerable groups and businesses in Wigan.
