Present at the meeting:
- Councillor D T Molyneux (Cabinet Champion for Environment and Regeneration)(In the Chair)
- Councillor J B Baldwin (Cabinet Champion for Cultural).
- Councillor K Cunliffe (Cabinet Champion for Healthier Communities and Older 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 P Prescott (Cabinet Champion for Organisational Change)
- Councillor C Ready (Cabinet Champion for Improvement)
Also present by invitation, Mr D Beuzeval, Development Director, the Land Restoration Trust.
101 Apologies for absence: Councillors P R C Smith (Executive Leader) and K Anderson (Cabinet Champion for Neighbourhood).
102 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18 September 2008 were approved as a correct record.
103 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:-
|
Agenda Item No. |
Title of report |
Minute No. |
Description of exempt information by reference to the paragraph number in schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 |
| E1 |
Bickershaw Country Park – site management arrangements |
115 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
104 References from other Committees – Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Proposed Exchange of Interests and Improvement Works on land at and to the rear of 373/385 Wigan Road, Bryn, Wigan (minute 54 refers): The Chief Executive reported that at its last meeting, (minute 86 refers), the Cabinet had agreed that the Cabinet Champion for Organisational Change, be requested to visit the site, together with Ward Members and relevant Officers, prior to making its final decision.
The Cabinet Champion for Organisation Change had visited the site with officers and Councillors J D Hodgkinson and B Merry on 12 September 2008. He advised Cabinet of alternative car parking in the area and was of the opinion that the loss of car parking would be negated by 16 marked parking bays on land which was currently in a poor condition. The Cabinet Champion also advised that there was no short or medium strategy for park and ride in the area and he suggested that following the works, the enforcement of parking restrictions should apply and that the work to the 16 bays must be carried out to the Council’s standard.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- re affirms its previous decision taken at minute 60;
- requests the Executive Director of Environmental Services to ensure that parking bays are for public use and that this be enforced accordingly;
- requests the Executive Director of Environmental Services to ensure that the work to the car parking bays is carried out to the Council’s standard and in a specific timescale; and
- thanks the Cabinet Champion for Organisation Change for undertaking the site visit.
105 Supporting people programme: The Cabinet considered a report, that advised Members of the progress that had been made since the Audit Commission had inspected the Supporting People Programme. The report also presented the commissioning framework and set out the changing environment in which the programme would be operating.
The Adult Services Panel had considered the report (minute 25 refers).
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
approves the direction for future service commissioning set out in the commissioning framework; and
notes the developments in the Supporting People Progamme.
106 Free swimming for all proposals – capital funding (minute 79 refers): The Cabinet considered a report, that sought approval to apply for capital funding from Central Government to refurbish swimming pools, plant and equipment and changing room facilities at three sites across the borough. Members were advised that the bid would have to be submitted by 15 October 2008.
An addendum to the report was circulated at the meeting giving details of the cost summaries for each project.
The reports set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet approves the report now submitted and prioritises the full capital funding bids to Sport England as follows:-
Tyldesley Pool;
Ashton Leisure Centre; and
Hindley Pool.
(Councillor J B Baldwin declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in the above item because he is a Board Member of the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust).
107 Heritage services acquisitions and disposal policy 2008/13: The Cabinet considered a report, which sought approval of the Council’s new acquisitions and disposal policy with regard to the Council’s museums collections.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet approves the acquisition and disposal policy as now submitted.
(Councillor J B Baldwin declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in the above item because he is a Board Member of the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust).
108 Gershon efficiency agenda – National indicator 179 – forward look estimate for 2008/09: The Cabinet considered a report, which updated Members of the forecasted Gershon efficiency gains for 2008/09.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:
- delegates to the Executive Director of Business Support Services, in consultation with the Executive Leader and the Chief Executive, the final submission of the return to the Department for Communities and Local Government, based on the report now submitted; and
- requests the Executive Director of Business Support Services to respond to the consultation paper on inclusion of efficiency information on the Council Tax demand as indicated in the report.
(Councillor J B Baldwin declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in the above item because he is a Board Member of the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust).
109 North West Coalfields Community regeneration programme – phase two: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of the decision of the North West Coalfields Communities Regeneration Partnership Board to apply for a North West Development Agency (NWDA) grant for the North West Coalfield Communities regeneration programme (NWCCRP) – phase two.
The Cabinet Champion for Healthier Communities and Older People referred to the success of phase 1.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
- Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- notes the report; and
- agrees that the Council undertake the accountable body duties for the NWCCRP – phase two, which will be £5 million over three years
(Councillor K Cunliffe declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in the above item because he is a Member of the North West Coalfield Communities Regeneration Programme Board appointed by the Council).
110 Potential Heritage Lottery Fund (Townscape Heritage Initiative) bids – option appraisal: The Cabinet considered a report, which advised Members of the option appraisal carried out to examine the potential future Heritage Lottery Fund (Townscape Heritage Initiative) bids within the borough. The report also sought Members agreement to prepare and submit a Stage 1 Townscape Heritage Initiative bid for an area of Wigan town centre.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet authorises the preparation and submission of a Stage 1 bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for Townscape Heritage Initiative funding for Wigan town centre.
111 Annual update on affordable housing strategy and action plan: The Cabinet considered a report , which informed Members of progress made against the Council’s affordable housing strategy in 2007/08 and proposed some changes to the affordable housing allocations scheme.
The Community Protection Panel had considered the report (minute 35 refers).
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- notes the progress made against the affordable housing strategy in 2007/08; and
- approves the proposed changes to the affordable housing allocations scheme, with and that necessary amendments during the year being agreed by the Executive Director of Environmental Services in liaison with the Executive Director of Business Support Services and the relevant Cabinet Champion.
112 Policing green paper “from the neighbourhood to the national”: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of the views endorsed by the Community Protection Panel about the consultation on Policing Green Paper ‘from Neighbourhood to the National’. The report also sought Cabinet to agree an appropriate response.
The Community Protection Panel had considered the report (minute 34 refers)
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet approves the submission of the response, as detailed in appendix A of the report, now submitted.
113 Bolton Local Development Framework: Core strategy preferred options: The Cabinet considered a report, which advised Members of Bolton Council’s Local Development Framework core strategy preferred options report which was currently out for public consultation.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet approves the report now submitted, as the basis for Wigan Council’s representations on Bolton Council’s core strategy preferred options report.
114 Council Tax – review of discounts long term empty properties: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of the review of the discount on long term empty properties from the financial year 2009/10.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet agrees that the discount remains unchanged at the standard 50%.
(Councillor T W Halliwell declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item because he is a Member of the Wigan and Leigh Homes Board appointed by the Council).
115 Bickershaw Country Park – site management arrangements: Prior to this item being considered, Mr D Beuzeval, the Development Director of the Land Restoration Trust outlined the background to the Trust and then left the meeting before the item was discussed.
The Cabinet considered a report, which advised Members of the delays in agreeing arrangements for the strategic management of the Bickershaw Country Park site and to identify a way forward.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet agrees:-
- to undertake a further appropriate market testing exercise, invite expressions of interest and receive a further report on the evaluation of submitted proposals for the strategic site management of Bickershaw Country Park; and
- to offer a short term consultancy commission to the Land Restoration Trust until arrangements for strategic site management are agreed.
(Councillor J B Baldwin declared a prejudicial interest in this item because he is a Board Member of the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and left the meeting during consideration of this item).
Leader
