Present at the meeting
- Councillor P R C Smith (Executive Leader) (In the Chair).
- Councillor D T Molyneux (Cabinet Champion for Environment and Regeneration)
- Councillor K Anderson (Cabinet Champion for Neighbourhood)
- 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)
164 Apologies for absence: There were none.
165 Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 27 November 2008 were approved as a correct record.
166 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:-
| 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 |
Joint Service Centre – verbal update |
182 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
| E2 |
Legal liability claim and delegation to settle claims |
183 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
| E3 |
Pay and reward programme – job evaluation |
184 |
3 (Information about the financial or business affairs of any person or organisation, including the council) |
167 Bickershaw family employment project and evaluation centre: The Cabinet considered a report, which sought approval for Wigan Council to manage additional revenue and capital income and expenditure, which related to the delivery of the Bickershaw family employment and education centre, a project which was part of the Council’s worklessness programme. The capital income and expenditure was aligned to Working Neighbourhoods Fund and sourced from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and English Partnership.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet approves that the Economic Regeneration Office manages the project, including the additional resources from Coalfields Regeneration Trust and English Partnership, as part of the working neighbourhoods fund programme.
168 Changes to Advisory Panels and Scrutiny Select Committees: The Cabinet considered a report, which advised Members of the feedback on recent consultation carried out with Cabinet, Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Audit Governance and Improvement Review Committee and the Council’s Advisory Panels on the changes to Advisory Panels and the introduction of themed Scrutiny Committees.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- notes the outcome of the consultation; and
- authorises the Service Director – Borough Solicitor to examine the implications of the comments made by Members and to bring a further report back to Cabinet setting out the detail of terms of reference and proposed membership for the committees with a view to implementation in the next municipal year.
169 Annual report – equality scheme: The Cabinet considered a report, that informed Members of the requirement to report annually on the progress of the Council’s equality scheme.
Councillor T W Halliwell referred to the need to pursue outstanding areas and to identify any gaps.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- endorses the draft annual report for 2008;
- thanks the Officers concerned; and
- agrees that it be published in line with statutory guidance.
(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).
170 Revenue support grant settlement for 2009/10 and provisional report 2010/11: The Cabinet considered a report, that advised Members of the revenue support grant settlement for 2009/10 and the provisional settlement for 2010/11.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- welcomes the Government’s proposed changes to the formula grant calculation; and
- delegates preparation of a response to the Executive Director Business Support Services in consultation with the Executive Leader.
171 (a) Amendments to the Council’s constitution: The Cabinet considered a report, which reported on the amendments to the Council’s constitution to reflect changes of job titles of officers and amendments to the delegations to the Executive Director of Environmental Services in relation to housing related issues.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet recommends Council to approve the amendments to the Council’s constitution as detailed in the report now submitted.
(b) Single Commissioning Agency: In addition 171 (a), the Executive Leader agreed to this additional item being taken as urgent, the special circumstance being the need to obviate any delay.
The Cabinet considered a report, which reported on the proposals to progress the Single Commissioning Agency, the principle being set out at minute 228 (November 2007).
The Chief Executive reported that attempts had been made to recruit to the post of Service Director – Single Commissioning Agency with limited success and therefore the approach as set out in appendix 2 to the report was suggested. The post of Executive Director – Health and Well Being would become a shared post with the Primary Care Trust.
The necessary amendment would need to be made to the Council’s constitution to reflect the change of job title of the officer and amendments to the delegations to the Executive Director – Health and Well Being.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- recommends Council to approve the amendments to the Council’s constitution as detailed in the report now submitted; and
- requests the Chief Executive to share the report with the Opposition Leaders.
172 Section 215 Town and Country Planning Act 1990: The Cabinet considered a report, which advised Members of the process in place to use the powers provided by section 215 Town and Country Planning Act.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted and requests the Executive Director – Environmental Services to refer the report to the Townships.
173 Action to reduce incidents of physical violence: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of the work that had already been done by the Council in respect of reducing the incidents of physical violence, which was a priority within the Council’s Local Area Agreement.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted.
174 Pennington, Leigh conservation area appraisal: The Cabinet considered a report that, informed Members of the results of a consultation of Pennington Leigh conservation area appraisal and management proposal. The consultation had resulted in one proposed boundary change to the existing conservation area, in order to promote the historic development of the area and the significance of the old Pennington hall grounds.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- adopts the revised Pennington conservation area appraisal and management proposal; and
- approves the extension of the Pennington conservation area to include Pennington Hall Park and Pennington Avenue under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
175 Park Road, Golborne conservation area appraisal: The Cabinet considered a report that, informed Members of the results of a consultation of Park Road conservation area appraisal and management proposal. The consultation had resulted in several boundary changes to the existing conservation area, in order to promote the historic development of the area.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- adopts the revised Park Road conservation area appraisal and management proposal; and
- approves the extension of the Park Road conservation area to include Number 59 and 107-111 Barn Lane and the exclusion of the new housing estate at Summercroft Close under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
176 Golborne Town Centre conservation area appraisal: The Cabinet considered a report that, informed Members of the results of a consultation of Golborne Town Centre conservation area appraisal and management proposal. The consultation had resulted in one boundary change to the existing conservation area, in order to preserve an area of local significance which had a positive impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- adopts the revised Golborne Town Centre conservation area appraisal and management proposal; and
- approves the extension of the Park Road conservation area to include the churchyard of St Thomas Church under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
177 Corporate performance summary quarter 1 and 2 2008/09: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of the Council’s performance against the key performance indicators and tasks contained within the Corporate Plan 2008/09.
The Executive Leader referred to N1 061-the timeliness and stability of adoption of looked after children and in particular the target. The Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services agreed to update him on the position.
Young People’s Services agreed to update him on the position.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted.
178 Adult Services budget monitoring 2008/09: The Cabinet considered a report, which advised Members on the budget monitoring position for Adult Services after the first seven months of 2008/09 and the budgetary issues that needed to be addressed during the year.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted.
179 Evaluation of local democracy week: The Cabinet considered a report and verbal presentation from Councillor P Prescott (Cabinet Champion for Organisational Change), which provided Members with an evaluation of the activities held during local democracy week.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted and thanks the Officers involved with the arrangements of local democracy week.
(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).
180 Our response to fast food litter and associated problems: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of the positive and collaborative steps that the Council had in place to address the issue of fast food litter and the Council’s priorities to improve the cleanliness and greenness of the borough as part of the Local Area Agreement.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted.
181 Councillor Services Group minutes – 1 October 2008: The Cabinet considered the minutes of the Councillor Services Group minutes from 1 October 2008.
There were no alternative options available for consideration.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the report now submitted.
182 Joint Service Centre – update: The Cabinet considered a verbal update, which informed Members of the progress of the Joint Service Centre. The report outlined the key activities required to achieve financial close by January 2009.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had received at report (minute 103 refers).
The Service Director – Business Transformation referred to the necessary changes to the scheme which had impacted on the programme; and the progress made in competitive dialogue.
Resolved: The Cabinet notes the progress on procuring the JSC and agrees to receive further updates.
183 Legal liability claim and delegation to settle claims: The Cabinet considered a report, which informed Members of a legal liability claim against the Governors of a School. The report also sought approval to increase the delegated authority to settle civil liability claims to the Service Director – Corporate Services or the Service Director – Borough Solicitor.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- delegates authority to settle the case of X v the Deanery CE High School to the Service Director – Corporate Services or the Service Director – Borough Solicitor; and
- increase the level of delegated authority to settle claims up to the value set out in the report to the Service Director – Corporate Services or the Service Director – Borough Solicitor.
184 Pay and reward programme – job evaluation governance arrangements and key dates for implementation: The Cabinet considered a report, which sought to formalise the implementation arrangements for the future pay and grading arrangements.
The report set out details of the alternative option to be considered.
Resolved: The Cabinet:-
- supports the proposed governance structure for the pay and reward programme, including establishing a joint Member committee;
- delegates authority to the Executive Director Business Support Services and Service Director - Borough Solicitor in consultation with the Executive Leader to determine membership of the joint Member committee; and
- agrees the key dates for implementation of the new pay and grading arrangements, as detailed in the report now submitted.
185 Tunstall House, Pemberton: The Executive Leader agreed to this additional item being taken as urgent, the special circumstance being the need to obviate any delay.
Councillor K Cunliffe (Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities and Older People) reported that he had met with the Ward Councillors for the Douglas and Pemberton Wards and Officers of the Council regarding the future use of Tunstall House, Pemberton, as referred to at minute 15 of the Adult Services Panel and at minute 42 (9) of Council.
He reported that various options had been considered at that meeting, the most favourable being to develop the main building at Tunstall House as an Employment Hub and for the existing service users, carers and staff to use the separate building within the campus for social support.
This option had received unanimous support from the six Ward Councillors, service users, carers and the staff involved.
Councillor P Prescott was present at the site meeting and thanked all those involved for their support.
Resolved: The report be noted and considered at Council on 7 January 2009.
