Present at the meeting:
- Councillor J D O’Brien (Chairman)
- Councillor R Clayton (Vice Chairman)
- Councillor Mrs J Beswick
- Councillor Mrs B Bourne
- Councillor Mrs P Cullen
- Councillor G W Fairhurst
- Councillor J Haley
- Councillor Ms P L Holland
- Councillor M Klieve
- Councillor Mrs J M Peet
- Councillor W Rotherham
- Councillor G Wilkes
Officers in attendance
- N P Lamper – Democratic Services Manager
- G Finch – Principal Officer - Scrutiny
- J Mitchell – Head of Legal Services
- M Williamson – Committee Services Officer
Officers presenting reports
- M Kimber – Executive Director, Environmental Services
- S Normington – Service Director – Development
- S Gambles – Head of Economic Regeneration
- P Layland – Head of Housing and Community
- P Gover – Head of Strategic Commissioning Leisure and Culture
- P Wickett – Senior Engineer, Environmental Services
1 Apologies for absence: Councillors J S Birch and J Miller.
2 Whipping declarations: The Head of Legal Services, J Mitchell reminded the Committee that government guidance expected Members of 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.
3 Review of Co-opted Membership 2009/10: The Committee Services Officer, Mike Williamson, presented a report which reviewed the Co-opted Membership of the Economy, Environment, Culture and Housing Scrutiny Committee.
The Committee was requested to agree on the organisations, if any, that it felt would be appropriate to be Co-opted on to the Committee for the Municipal year 2009/10.
Resolved: The Committee agrees not to appoint non-statutory Co-opted Members for this municipal year, but to invite organisations and partners to attend Committee meetings as witnesses as appropriate once a work plan has been established.
4 Regeneration in the Borough: The Head of Economic Regeneration, S Gambles, gave a presentation that outlined the main aims and objectives for economic regeneration in Wigan. The Committee was advised that the main areas of work focused on:-
- Markets;
- Procurement and development;
- Policy and programmes; and
- Economic development
Members asked a number of questions, which included the following salient points:-
- How many jobs had the skills shop found and what was the breakdown per ward?
- How could people from deprived areas access the skill’s shops in Wigan and Leigh?
- Who was the worklessness strategy targeted at?
The Head of Economic Regeneration advised that she would provide a response to all Members of the Committee in respect of how successful the Skills shops had been, including a breakdown per ward. She went on to advise that the Skills shops had been established in Wigan and Leigh Town Centres due to strong public transport links. The Committee was also advised that the worklessness strategy addressed everyone in the borough who was not in employment.
Resolved: The Committee:-
- thanks the Head of Economic Regeneration for the presentation;
- notes the extensive work being undertaken in this area; and
- requests the Head of Economic Regeneration to provide an update on the issues covered in six months time.
5 Amendments to the Housing Assistance Policy: The Head of Housing and Community, P Layland, presented a report which sought Members’ views on amending the Council’s current Enforcement and Assistance on Housing Renewal Policy in light of the major changes in the Council’s housing situation.
Members were advised that the main changes to the policy were:-
- Amendments to the Empty Home Improvement loans;
- Refinement of the complexity relating to obtaining loans;
- Greater generosity in renewal areas; and
- Additional compensation for the acquisition of homes under the clearance grant.
The report advised Members that the proposed changes would address the growing problems of empty private homes across the borough and would allow for more homes to be used for affordable housing.
Members asked a number of questions, which included the following salient points:-
- Did the policy include new build apartments which were currently unoccupied?
- What provision would there be for residents whose properties were in a need of repair but could not afford the improvements?
- How was the current fee of 12.5% plus VAT for processing assistance determined?
- Did the Council have any power to force private landlords to undertake repairs to their properties?
- How would the Council promote the schemes available to members of the public?
The Head of Housing and Community advised that the policy did not apply to new build properties but acknowledged that there was a problem with the number of empty new build properties. The Council had been working with government agencies to secure bids to assist in obtaining a number of new build properties for affordable housing. Members were also advised that the policy included an interest free home improvement loan to assist those residents who could not afford to carry out repairs to their properties.
The Head of Housing and Community agreed to provide a response to all Members of the Committee in respect of how the current fee for processing assistance was derived. Members were also informed that it was difficult for the Council to take any action against private landlords who let their properties fall into a state of disrepair. The main power the Council had was compulsory purchase orders (CPO), however the Council would have to have demonstrated that all alternative options had been exhausted with the landlord before it could undertake the process of a CPO.
Members were further advised that the Council used a variety of methods to publicise the Housing Assistance Policy including landlords forums and publicising in the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and Age Concern.
Resolved: The Committee:-
- endorses the proposed changes to the current policy;
- requests the Head of Housing and Community to give further consideration to the current fee of 12.5% plus VAT for processing assistance before the report is submitted to Cabinet for approval; and
- requests the Head of Housing and Community to submit a report to a future meeting of the Committee on the Council’s proposal for building new Council homes.
(Councillor Ms P L Holland declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item as her partner’s father is the chairman of Wigan Homes. Councillor G W Fairhurst declared a personal and non prejudicial interest due to his employment as a financial advisor).
6 Initial Wigan Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment: The Head of Housing and Community, Peter Layland, presented a report which informed Members of the Initial Wigan Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment.
The purpose of the assessment was to review whether there was an adequate local housing land supply to meet the borough’s housing targets as set out in the North West Regional Spatial Strategy.
Resolved: The Committee notes the work being undertaken in this area.
(Councillor Ms P L Holland declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in this item as her partner’s father is the chairman of Wigan Homes).
7 Heritage Capital Strategy for Wigan Borough 2009/13: The Executive Director – Environmental Services, Martin Kimber, presented a report that outlined the Wigan Borough Heritage Capital Strategy 2009/13 for submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Strategy set out the prioritisation of large scale funding applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Cabinet had considered the report at a previous meeting on 30 April 2009 (minute 289, 2009 refers)
Resolved: The Committee welcomes the strategy as a means of prioritising applications.
8 Active Travel – a strategy for encouraging cycling: The Senior Engineer, P Wickett, presented a report that informed Members of the work being undertaken to encourage people to cycle. The strategy was currently a working document and any comments from the Committee would be incorporated into the final report prior to being presented to Cabinet.
Members asked a number of questions, which included the following salient points:-
- What training did the Council provide for young people in the correct use of cycles and cycle paths?
- Could the Council provide secure storage for cycles at train stations?
- Could the Council update its public rights of way to help encourage more people to cycle?
- Could the Council address the issue of the danger to pedestrians from cyclists riding on footpaths (even where these were designated as a shared facility)?
- Could the Council champion the mandatory use of cycle helmets to Government?
The Senior Engineer acknowledged that more training for young people was required to help promote the correct use of cycles and cycle paths but explained that the cycling proficiency scheme went some way to addressing these needs. He also advised Members that any inappropriate behaviour of cyclists should be reported to the Council’s Traffic Management Section for investigation.
The Senior Engineer also advised that the Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan could address the issue of reviewing and updating the Council’s current public rights of way. The Committee was also informed that it was currently not mandatory for cyclists to wear safety helmets, however, Members views on this issue would be incorporated into the report as an additional recommendation.
The Committee was further advised that there was currently a review of the strategy for shared cycle/pedestrian paths and their appropriateness.
Resolved: The Committee:-
- endorses the strategy; and
- requests that the Executive Director – Environmental Services include an additional recommendation for Cabinet’s consideration requesting Officers to write to the Department of Transport to request that the wearing of safety helmets is made mandatory for all cyclists.
(Councillors R Clayton and G W Fairhurst requested that their votes against resolution (2) be recorded).
9 Wigan Local Development Framework Core Strategy: The Executive Director – Environmental Services, M Kimber, presented a report on the Local Development Framework Core Strategy preferred options. The document set out the the preferred spatial option for consultation between June and August 2009. Members were reminded that the Core Strategy would replace most of the Wigan Unitary Development Plan.
The Core Strategy preferred option built on the findings from the ‘Issues and Options’ consultation whichhad taken place throughout Spring of 2008. The document would provide a genuine opportunity for people who lived in the borough and other ‘stakeholders’ to be involved in shaping how the borough would work and look in the future. The preferred spatial option was firmly based on evidence of what it could achieve and it was the most sustainable option when considered against the full range of sustainablity objectives.
Members asked a number of questions, which included the following salient points:-
- Who would cover the cost for the completion of the road at Westwood Park?
- What plans were there to ease traffic from Junction 26 of the M6 motorway heading in the Martland Mill direction?
- Would the results of the public consultation come back to the Committee?
The Executive Director – Environmental Services advised the Committee that the Council had been in discussions with North West Development Agency (NWDA) about the future use of the Westwood Park site. The informal agreement that had been reached with NWDA was that they would cover the cost of the completion of the road once the Council had secured a developer for the site. Members were also advised that the preferred option addressed the issue of traffic congestion from Junction 26 of the M6 motorway.
The Committee was also advised that following the public consulation, a further report would be submitted to the Committee, which would advise on its outcome.
Resolved: The Committee endorses the Local Development Framework Core Strategy preferred options for the purpose of consultation between June and August 2009.
