Cabinet - Thursday 24 July 2008

Present at the Meeting

• Councillor P R C Smith (Executive Leader) (In the Chair)
• Councillor K Anderson (Cabinet Champion for Neighbourhood),
• Councillor K Cunliffe (Cabinet Champion for Healthier Communities andOlder People)
• Councillor T W Halliwell (Cabinet Champion for Equality)
• Councillor J Hilton (Cabinet Champion for Lifestyle)
• Councillor Mrs S Loudon (Cabinet Champion for Children and Young People)
• Councillor D T Molyneux (Cabinet Champion for Environment and Regeneration)
• Councillor P Prescott (Cabinet Champion for Organisational Change)
• Councillor C Ready (Cabinet Champion for Improvement)
• Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside was present for minute 53 only.

49 Apologies for absence: Councillor J B Baldwin (Cabinet Champion for Cultural).

50 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26 June 2008 were approved as a correct record.

51 Exclusion of the public - section 100a Local Government Act 1972: Resolved: The public is excluded from the meeting when the Cabinet discusses the following item for the reason set out below:-

52 References from Council: The Chief Executive reported that, at its last meeting (minute 30 (3) refers), the Council had referred the following motion submitted by Councillor G Wilkes to Cabinet for consideration and report back:-

“At the commencement of each ordinary meetimg of the Council there is an opportunity for people who live, work or sudy in the Borough of Wigan and Leigh to attend and put questions to the Leader of the Council and Executive Members.

Public Question Time will begin at 6:00 p m in the Council Chamber and will last for 30 minutes.

Questions are restricted to matters relating to Wigan Council and/or the services provided by the Council.

A person may only submit one question for consideration at any Public Question Time, but one supplementary question will be allowed in each case.

Questions will not be accepted which relate to:-

• Judicial or quasi-judicial matters; 
• Matters under investigation; 
• Individual planning, license or grant applications or appeals; 
• Named officer or member of the Council; 
• Confidential or exempt information as described in the Access to information
• Procedure Rules or requires its disclosure;
• Party political matters;
• Defamatory material; and
• Substantially the same issue as a question put within the past 6 months.

Questions will not be accepted from Member and Employees of the Council. Questions must be submitted in writing and received no later than 3 working days prior to any Full Council meeting. Questions will be dealt with in the order in which they are received. If time does not allow all of the submitted questions to be dealt with, a written answer will be provided within seven days.”

A suggestion was made by Councillor P A Tushingham:- “This Council will provide an opportunity for the people of Wigan Borough to put questions to the Leader of the Council, Leaders of the opposition parties and Executive Members. This could either be at either a dedicated open night or prior to full Council and held in the Council Chamber.”

Members accepted the need for increased involvement with the community and suggestions were made in relation to moving the Cabinet meetings around the Borough, increased Information Technology facilities i.e. web casting, other ways of questioning and ensuring that the public had a general understanding of Council related issues.

Resolved: The Cabinet:

• supports increased involvement by the community in Council decisions;
• does not support the procedures suggested in the motion submitted by Councillor G Wilkes and suggestion by Councillor P A Tushingham and that the Council be informed accordingly;
• suggests that the Councillors Services Group considers the suggestions for increased involvement with the community as referred to at the meeting.

53 Scrutiny Select Committee 3 – Transport: The Cabinet received a presentation from the Overview and Scrutiny Select Committee No 3 (Transport) on its findings and recommendations in relation to the transport review. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (minute 25 refers) had approved the report and referred it to Cabinet for detailed consideration.

There were no alternative options available for consideration.

Members asked questions, to which the Chairman of the Select Committee (Councillor Mrs M J Whiteside) and the Policy Officer responded.

It was noted that this would be the last Select Committee review to be supported by Mrs F Topping due to other work commitments associated with the Council.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• accepts the report now submitted and congratulates the Select Committee on such a comprehensive report;
• endorses the recommendations set out within the report and the need to respond adequately to them; and
• thanks Mrs F Topping for her work with this and previous Select Committee

54 Routes to involvement – a new approach to engagement: The Cabinet considered a report on the work undertaken to date in developing a new approach to engagement for Wigan Council. This concentrated on practical tools for engagement and on refreshing existing practices. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had endorsed the report (minute 37 of July 2008 refers).

The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was to meet the necessary requirements to achieve Level Three of the Equality Standard for Local Government (ESLG), a key target for 2008.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• notes the progress to date in developing a new engagement approach for the Council;
• endorses the future phases as outlined in the report; and
• congratulates the Officers on the work undertaken so far in relation to the Level Three validation.

55 Community cohesion – embracing change: The Cabinet considered a report on the recent work associated with the development of a new Local Strategic Partnership framework for community cohesion in the borough. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had endorsed the report (minute 38 of July 2008 refers).

The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was to adhere to recent government guidance which was support by the Council’s Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• endorses the approach as set out in the report;
• takes on board the comments of Members and welcomes further engagement with partners; and
• requests that an Elected Member briefing session be held at an earlier stage in the process.

56 Proposal to amalgamate St Peter’s CE Infant School and Nursey Unit and St Peter’s CE Junior School, Leigh: The Cabinet considered a report that informed Members of the consultation on the proposal to amalgamate St Peter’s CE Infant School and Nursey Unit and St Peter’s CE Junior School and obtain Members responses to the proposal.

The Children and Young People’s Panel had endorsed the report (minute 21 refers).

There were no alternative options available for consideration.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• accepts the proposals set out in the report now submitted; and
• requests the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to inform the governing bodies of St Peter’s CE Infant School and Nursery Unit and St Peter’s Junior School, Leigh and the Manchester CE Diocese of the Cabinet’s response.

57 Decsion making model for Primary Schools 2008: The Cabinet considered a report that informed Members of the results of the assessment of primary schools against the decision making model for 2008.

The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was that the schools set out in the report were those identified as within the category ‘urgent review of provision required’.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• authorises the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to request the governing bodies of school A and the neighbouring school with which it has been working, and Liverpool Archdiocese to consider a process for consultation on a permanent amalgamation of the two schools and report on the outcome to a future meeting of the Children and Young People’s Panel and Cabinet;
• requests the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to work with school B to reduce capacity and surplus places were possible;
• agrees that the Director of Children and Young People’s Services continues with the action agreed within the Primary Strategy for Change for school C; and
• requests the Director of Children and Young People’s Services to continue to monitor the pupil numbers at school D.

58 Corporate Plan and high level performance indicators: The Cabinet considered a report that informed Members of the corporate plan for 2008/11 which included the Council’s annual accounts and a new high level set of performance indicators.

There were no alternative options available for consideration.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• accepts the Corporate Plan for 2008/11, as now submitted; and
• refers the report to full Council.

59 School work pattern 2010/11: The Cabinet considered a report that sought approval for the School work pattern for 2010/11.

There were no alternative options available for consideration,

Resolved: The Cabinet approves the school working pattern 2010/11 now submitted.

60 Proposed exchange of interests and improvement works on land at and to the rear of 373/385 Wigan Road, Bryn, Wigan: The Cabinet considered a report on a proposed exchange of land interests, variation of covenants and a scheme of improvement on land at and to the rear of 373/385 Wigan Road, Bryn, Wigan and noted the views of the Ward Members.

The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was to lead to the improvements envisaged within the overall scheme.

Resolved: The Cabinet:-

• agrees to declare the freehold interest in 373/385 Wigan Road, Bryn, surplus to the Council’s requirements;
• authorises the Service Director – Borough Solicitor, in consultation with the Executive Director - Business Support Services, to arrange for the disposal of that interest by private treaty;
• authorises the Service Director – Borough Solicitor, in consultation with the Executive Director - Business Support Services to acquire the necessary scheme land from the owner; and
• authorises the Service Director – Borough Solicitor, in consultation with the Executive Director - Business Support Services to undertake the necessary steps to vary the existing covenants relating to the use of the rear building and car parking provision attached thereto.