Present at the meeting
- Councillor M Aldred (Chairman)
- Councillor J Miller (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor J Moodie (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor J S Birch
- Councillor Mrs B Bourne
- Councillor G M Bretherton
- Councillor J Ellis
- Councillor Ms P L Holland
- Councillor Mrs J Hurst
- Councillor M Klieve
- Councillor C Rigby
- Councillor R T Splaine
- Councillor P Thompson
- Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside
- Councillor N R Whittingham
- Councillor G Wilkes
Co-opted Members
20 Apologies for absence: Councillors H L Cadman, R J Derricutt, M A Dewhurst, B J Fagan, G W Fairhurst, P A Tushingham and F B Walker and Rev R Buckley.
21 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of this Committee held on 19 May 2008 were approved as a correct record.
22 Whipping declarations: The Service Director – Borough Solicitor 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.
23 Parks and green spaces strategy: The Committee considered a joint report which sought approval for a strategy for the management and development of those parks and green spaces that were managed by the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust on behalf of the Council.
The Cabinet would consider the report on 26 June 2008.
A presentation was given at the meeting by a representative of the Trust.
Members asked questions on the report.
Resolved: (1) The Committee:
notes the report,
thanks the officers concerned for the hard work associated with the preparation of the report; and
requests the Cabinet to refer the strategy to all Members of the Council.
(2) The Chief Executive of the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is requested to liaise with those Members who raised concerns at the meeting relating to their own Ward.
24 Townships – Select Committee 1 final report: The Committee considered the final report on the Select Committee’s review of townships.
Councillor J S Birch (Chairman of the Select Committee) and the Policy Officer reported on the Select Committee’s findings in detail and put forward a list of recommendations for the future.
Members asked various questions on the report and gave their views.
Resolved: The Committee:-
accepts the report now submitted;
endorses the recommendations set out within the report and the need to respond adequately to them;
agrees to review the recommendations in six months time;
refers the final report to the Cabinet and relevant Committees and Panels for detailed consideration; and
thanks the Policy Officer for the presentation and the Chairman and Members of the Select Committee for their hard work in relation to this review.
25 Transport – Select Committee 3 final report: The Committee considered the final report and received a presentation on the Select Committee’s review of transport.
Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside (Chairman of the Select Committee) and the Policy Officer reported on the Select Committee’s findings in detail and put forward a list of recommendations for the future.
Members asked various questions on the report and gave their views.
Resolved: The Committee:-
notes the report now submitted;
endorses the recommendations set out within the report and the need to respond adequately to them;
agrees to review the recommendations in six months time;
refers the final report to the Cabinet and relevant Committees and Panels for detailed consideration; and
thanks the Policy Officer for the presentation and the Chairman and Members of the Select Committee for their hard work in relation to this review.
(Councillors J Ellis and G Wilkes requested that their votes against this decision be recorded).
(The Chairman (Councillor M Aldred) declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because he is a member of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) appointed by the Council.
26 Questions (if any) on the business of the Cabinet: There were none.
27 Questions (if any) on the business of the forward plan – monthly update: There were none.
28 Select Committee minutes: There were no minutes to report as the meeting of Select Committee No 2 held on 5 June 2008 was inquorate.
29 Select Committees, membership and review topics: Further to minute 6, May 2008 refers, the Committee considered a report, which sought to determine the topics to be reviewed in the current municipal year. A list of review topics was set out in the report and Members were invited to add to the topics if they so wished
Members were then invited to indicate which Select Committee they would wish to serve on, subject to compliance with the statutory political balance rules or under an alternative scheme against which there had been no contrary vote.
In relation to the make up of the Select Committees, as there was no contrary vote, it was suggested that the Select Committees return to operation without political balance rules as had previously been the case.
It was suggested at the meeting that PACTs be one of the future topic areas and that the Chairman and Policy Officer covering the Township Select Committee being allocated this topic in view of the experience already gained.
Resolved: (1) The Committee approves the following topics for the next round of reviews:-
PACTs (Chairman – Councillor J S Birch);
Recycling strategy (Chairman – Councillor F B Walker); and
Tendering (Chairman – Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside).
(2) The Committee approves the Select Committees operating without political balance rules.
(3) The remaining six topics as set out below be put on a reserve list should any of the reviews finish earlier than planned:-
- traffic management;
- sexual health;
- footpaths and bridleways;
- inward investment;
- public transport; and
- sustainable borough.
(4) Following the circulation of an email from the Deputy Chief Executive’s office, Members are requested to indicate their choice of Select Committee as soon as possible.
(Councillor P Thompson declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because he has tendered for work with Wigan Council).
30 Call ins: There were none.
31 The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities – new governance arrangements: The Chairman agreed to this item being taken as urgent, the special circumstance being the need to obviate any delay.
The Committee considered a report seeking approval to the proposed new governance arrangements for the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA).
The Cabinet would consider the report on 26 June 2008.
Members asked questions on the report and were reminded of the importance of attending the Members Seminar entitled ‘Manchester Region– Going Places City Regions’ to be held on 25 June 2008 at Wigan Town Hall.
There was a need appoint three Members to the Scrutiny Pool, in accordance with 4.9 of the report.
Resolved: The Committee notes the report and requests the Cabinet to consider that the three members appointed to the Scrutiny Pool are Members of this Committee in accordance with the political balance rules.
(Councillor Mrs J Hurst declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because she is a member of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities appointed by the Council).
Chairman
