Present at the meeting
- Councillor Mrs S Loudon (Chairman)
- Councillor M Aldred (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor R T Splaine (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor N D Ash
- Councillor Mrs J S Birch
- Councillor G M Bretherton
- Councillor Mrs B Bourne
- Councillor M A Dewhurst
- Councillor I A Franzen
- Councillor Mrs J Hurst
- Councillor M Klieve
- Councillor J Moodie
- Councillor C Rigby
- Councillor P Thompson
- Councillor F B Walker
- Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside
- Councillor N R Whittingham
- Councillor R Winkworth
Co-opted Member
117 Apologies for absence: Councillors H L Cadman, R J Derricutt, P R Franzen, P A Tushingham and G Wilkes and Mr D Barber, Rev R Buckley and Rev R Moore.
118 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 11 February 2008 were approved as a correct record.
119 Whipping declarations: The Deputy Director of Legal and Property Services reminded the Committee that government guidance expected Members of Overview and Scrutiny Committees not to act in accordance with party whipping and that, if they did, they were to declare it.
There were no declarations made.
120 Questions (if any) on the business of the Cabinet: There were none.
121 Questions (if any) on the business of the forward plan: The Committee considered the monthly update to the forward plan.
Members again welcomed the much improved report.
Further information was requested in relation to the report on marketing income.
Resolved: The Committee:
Notes the report and requests the Deputy Chief Executive to provide information for all Members of this Committee on marketing income; and congratulates the Officers on a much improved report.
122 Partnerships and communities together (PACT): The Committee considered a report on revisions to the way the Council engaged and involved communities in identifying and responding to joint priorities, particularly, but not exclusively in relation to, cleaner, safer and greener issues.
The Cabinet had considered the report at minute 306.
Members asked a number of detailed questions in relation to the quality of staff, gaps not covered by Wigan and Leigh housing, township and ward boundaries, accountability of partners, expectations of management, township interface and avoiding confusion for Ward Members. Members received answers where they were available.
Resolved: The Committee notes the report and requests the Director of Environmental Services to provide information for all Members of this Committee on the increased number of staff needed to carry out the co-ordination function.
123 Local petitions and calls for action - consultation: The Committee considered a report seeking Members’ views and comments on the Government’s proposals to develop a framework for dealing with local petitions and calls for action. A pre response had been prepared for the information of Members.
Members made a number of comments on the report as follows:-
- defining a ‘community;’
- there needs to be a mechanism for dealing with petitions, but there should not be a prescription from Government requiring Council’s to deal with petitions in a certain way;
- petitions should be dealt with in such a way as to not raise false expectations; and
- Councillor Call for Action should be a last resort if there are established local mechanisms to deal with issues.
Resolved: The Committee notes the pre response and refers it to Cabinet with its comments for consideration prior to the full response being submitted to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
124 Road casualty update (minute 109 refers): The Committee considered a report on the road casualties across the Borough, Greater Manchester and nationally.
Members asked a number of detailed questions on the report and received answers where they were available.
Resolved: The Committee notes the report.
125 Commissioning for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) annual performance assessment 2006/07 (minute 89 refers): The Committee considered a report which gave a brief summary of responses to the questions raised by Members of the Committee at an earlier meeting. The report referred to raising the bar for high performing Councils and direct payments.
Resolved: The Committee:
- notes the report; and expresses concern that the Member requesting the information was not present at this meeting.
126 Select Committee No 2 minutes – 4 February 2008: The minutes of the meeting of Select Committee No 2 (Reputation Management) held on 4 February 2008 were submitted for information.
Resolved: The Committee notes the minutes now submitted as referred to below:
Overview and Scrutiny Committee Select Committee No 2 – Reputation Management - 4 February 2008
Present at the meeting:
- Councillor F B Walker (Chairman)
- Councillor J Moodie
- Councillor P Thompson
126.1 Apologies for absence: Councillor N D Ash.
126.2 Minutes of last meeting: Resolved: The minutes of the meeting of this Select Committee held on 16 January 2008 were agreed as a correct record.
126.3 Interview with representatives from Children and Young People’s Services: Resolved: The Select Committee thanked the representatives from Children and Young People’s Services for their report.
126.6 Date and time of next meeting Resolved: The next meeting of this Select Committee will take place on Tuesday, 4 March 2008 at 6:15 p.m. at Wigan Town Hall.
127 Select Committee No 4 (Health) minutes: There were no minutes to report.
128 Health Select Committee: The Chairman of the Health Select Committee gave an outline of the content of the annual report which, this year would cover various topics. The report would be made available to Members in June 2008.
Resolved: The Committee notes the report.
129. Call Ins: The Chairman reported that minutes 305 (Westwood Park – development proposals) and 317 (Westwood Park, Chinagateway project – heads of terms) of Cabinet had been called in by Councillor P R Franzen with the support of six members of this Committee.
She suggested two dates to hear the call ins which were the 13 or 17 March at 6.00 p.m.
Members discussed the logical format for the meeting and the necessary witnesses to be called.
Resolved: The Committee:
- agrees that the call ins referred to above be considered at a special meeting of this Committee to be held on Monday, 17 March 2008 at 6.00 p.m. at Wigan Town Hall;
- agrees that members of this Committee be invited to submit questions on the call ins to the Deputy Chief Executive prior to the meeting, accepting there is no legal requirement to do this;
- requests the Chairman, the Vice-Chairmen and officers to determine the witnesses and order for the meeting; and
- expresses concern that only two of the Members calling in the abovementioned items were present at this meeting.
