Present at the meeting:
- Councillor P R C Smith (Executive Leader)
- Councillor K Anderson (Cabinet Champion for Healthier Communities and Older People)
- Councillor J B Baldwin (Cabinet Champion for Lifestyle)
- Councillor D T Molyneux (Cabinet Champion for Environment)
- Councillor J A O’Neill (Cabinet Champion for Regeneration)
- Councillor C Ready (Cabinet Champion for Equality)
- Councillor Mrs E Smethurst (Cabinet Champion for Improvement)
- Councillor B M Wilson (Cabinet Champion for Children and Young People)
343 Apologies for absence: Councillor K Cunliffe (Cabinet Champion for Neighbourhood) and Councillor T W Halliwell (Cabinet Champion for Organisational Change)
344 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 13 March 2008 were approved as a correct record.
345 Exclusion of the public - section 100a Local Government Act 1972: Resolved: The public is excluded from the meeting when the Cabinet discusses the following items for the reasons set out below:
| AgendaItem No. |
Title of report |
MinuteNo. |
Description of exempt information by reference to the paragraph number in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 |
| E1 |
Transport DSO vehicle replacement programme 2008/09 |
353 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
| E2 |
Makerfield Way phase 2 – drainage and car park scheme |
354 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
| E3 |
Ashton Town Centre safety and accessibility improvement |
355 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
346 References from other Committees – Overview and Scrutiny Committee: The Chief Executive reported that, at its last meeting (minute 135 refers), the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had called in the decisions of the Cabinet in minute 305 (Westwood Park – development proposals) and minute 317 (Westwood Park, Chiangateway project – heads of terms) and had decided to accept the Cabinet’s decisions.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report.
347 Partnership and communities together (PACT) (minute 306 refers): The Cabinet considered a report on the 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 Overview and Scrutiny Committee at minute 122 had noted the report and had requested the Director of Environmental Services to provide information for all members of the Committee on the increased number of staff needed to carry out the co-ordination function.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was that it allowed for a greater degree of involvement by communities and more effective joining up of services and implementation.
Resolved: (1) The Cabinet
- approves the development and implementation of the PACT process in accordance with the principles of the model as detailed within the report now submitted;
- approves the discontinuance of Township Community Safety Groups (TSCG) in areas as and when the PACT process is established in that area and;
- approves that the finance currently available to spend against TCSG priorities is made available to support PACT priority actions.
(2) The Cabinet requests the Director of Environmental Services to discuss with the Greater Manchester Police issues relating to policing of local parades and churches’ walking days.
(3) The Cabinet requests the Director of Environmental Services to consider providing advice to members of the public who are unfamiliar with the Council’s procedure for refuse and waste disposal.
348 Annual report of community chest: The Cabinet considered an annual report on community chest grants approved in the financial year 2007/08 and a detailed analysis of the schemes approved in that financial year. The report also set out proposed amendments for the future operation of the scheme.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was that not to report would be contrary to the co-ordinated approach to grant aid and the delegated decision making approved by Cabinet.
Resolved: (1) The Cabinet:-
- notes the community chest grants approved in 2007/08;
- approves the draft guidelines and criteria as detailed within the report;
- invites applications to the 2008/09 community chest grant fund; and
- supports the continued search for additional funds for small grants in 2008/09.
(2) The Cabinet requests the Director of Environmental Services to provide to applicants for community chest grants and members of the Council more specific details of the criteria and revised scoring system as set out at paragraph 7.5 of the report.
349 Waste disposal contract: The Cabinet considered a report which provided information about the current waste disposal arrangements and options for waste disposal arrangements from 2012 onwards.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was that alternative options would be inappropriate due to the scale of variation to the original contract, the inability to demonstrate value for money and the risk of challenge.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- approves the further evaluation of options 1 and 2 only, that is the procurement of a new waste disposal contract through open tender and the potential partnership working with Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority respectively;
- approves the investigation of long term funding options, including an expression of interest submission to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for Private Finance Initiative (PFI) funding; and
- requests the Director of Environmental Services to provide a detailed evaluation of the two options at a future meeting of Cabinet.
350 Adult Services budget monitoring 2007/08 (minute 14 of May 2007 refers): The Cabinet considered a report on the budget monitoring position for Adult Services after the first ten months of 2007/08 and the outlook towards the end of the year.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report.
351 Working Neighbourhoods' Fund: The Cabinet considered a report providing details of the new Working Neighbourhoods' Fund (WNF). The Regeneration Panel had endorsed the report at minute 64.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: (1) The Cabinet notes the contents of the report now submitted and supports the utilisation of Working Neighbourhoods Fund to address the issues of worklessness, low skills and low levels of enterprise in the Borough.
(2) The Cabinet notes that proposals for allocation, commissioning and administration of WNF will be outlined in a report to the Wigan Borough Partnership.
(3) The Cabinet, as the accountable body for WNF, recommends that the Wigan Economic Partnership sponsors the commissioning of the funding in support of the principles set out in resolution (1) above.
(4) The Cabinet requests the Director of Environmental Services to provide a further report to Cabinet on the funding strategy of the WNF.
352 Childcare sufficiency assessment: The Cabinet considered a report on the progress and preliminary findings of the childcare sufficiency assessment, the arrangements for its publication and the possible next steps in planning to meet the duty to secure sufficient childcare.
The report also sought approval for delegated authority to the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to approve and publish the completed childcare sufficiency assessment on 31 March 2008.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- notes the content of the report now submitted; and
- authorises the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to approve and publish the completed childcare sufficiency assessment on 31 March 2008.
353 Transport DSO vehicle replacement programme 2008/09: The Cabinet considered a report seeking approval for the proposed vehicle replacement programme for the Transport DSO for 2008/09.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- approves the vehicle replacement programme of £1.388 million for 2008/09;
- approves the carry forward of £1.583 million of slippage from the 2007/08 vehicle replacement programme; and
- approves the budget release of £2.971 million to finance the 2008/09 vehicle replacement programme.
354 Makerfield Way phase 2 – drainage and car park scheme: The Cabinet considered a report seeking approval for the acceptance of a tender for the Makerfield Way phase 2 – drainage and car park scheme.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was that the lowest tender submitted did not comply with the contract specification as required.
Resolved: The Cabinet accepts tender No.1 (not the lowest) submitted by A E Yates in the sum of £350,953.41 for the Makerfield Way phase 2 – drainage and car park scheme.
355 Ashton town centre safety and accessibility improvements: The Cabinet considered a report seeking approval for the acceptance of a tender for the Ashton town centre safety and accessibility improvements scheme.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet accepts tender No.5 (the lowest) submitted by Dowhigh Ltd in the sum of £214,938.90 for the Ashton town centre safety and accessibility improvement scheme.
