Key decisions from the meeting of the Full Council, Wednesday 26 November 2025

Key decisions from the meeting of the Full Council, Wednesday 26 November 2025

Welcome to our round-up from the latest meeting of the full council.

View the agenda for the final meeting of 2025 (external link).

Mayoral announcements

The Mayor of Wigan Borough opened the meeting by praising the borough-based community groups to be recently awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service:

  • Astley and Tyldesley Cycling Club
  • St Joseph’s Players
  • Support Training Activities and Respite Services – Wigan STARS

Wigan Warriors Women were also congratulated for winning the Women’s Super League Grand Final in October.

Cabinet updates

Updates on the following topics were provided by members of the cabinet:

  • Portfolio holder for police, crime and civil contingencies

Councillor Kevin Anderson shared details on the community safety partnership’s anti-knife crime work and activity linked to domestic abuse campaigns, such as the council’s flagship Love Is Not Abuse work. Read more about the borough's Love Is Not Abuse campaign.

  • Portfolio holder for children and families

Councillor Dane Anderton shared the news of Wigan Council’s grading following a recent Ofsted inspection. Read more about our Ofsted inspection.

  • Portfolio holder for housing and welfare

Councillor Susan Gambles shared the news that the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation has named Wigan Council as the winner of the award for Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year.

  • Portfolio holder for finance, resources and transformation

Councillor Nazia Rehman updated colleagues about the delivery of social value across the council, in line with Progress With Unity principles, and mission driven procurement. Read more about the success of this initiative in the latest edition of Borough Life magazine.

Reports and decisions

Important reports on the following topics were approved by the chamber:

  • Treasury Management and Capital Programme Half Yearly Review
  • Allocations Policy
  • Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy
  • Rent Repayment Order Policy
  • Statutory Compliance Policies such as Gas, Fire, Electric, Legionella, Lifts and Asbestos.

These are updates about new policies or latest financial information that require formal approval or acknowledgement from the council chamber and are therefore subject to a vote. To read the reports in full detail, please view the agenda  (external link).

Notices of motions

Five motions were on the agenda for this meeting.

Here’s a quick explainer about ‘motions’ at Full Council:

Motions are proposed by one member and seconded by a colleague. This means they present the motion to the chamber. It is opened up for debate, meaning all members can speak on that subject should they choose to. The proposer and seconder are then asked to ‘sum up’ before it goes to the vote.

All the following motions were approved:

  1. Councillor Jess Eastoe’s motion highlighted proposed reforms to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. It called on the council to write to central government to oppose any weakening of community engagement in the planning process
  2. Councillor Debra Wailes’s motion reaffirmed Wigan Council’s support for the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign
  3. Councillor Ray Whittingham (Conservative) presented a motion requesting the council to write to central government, Ofcom, BBC and ITV requesting that early evening programmes should stop using graphic content of violence and anti-social behaviour
  4. Councillor Dane Anderton’s motion welcomed the government’s decision to expand eligibility for Free School Meals (FSM) from the 2026/27 academic year and recommended the council writes to central government calling for a number of additional measures to strengthen the government’s commitment to tackling child poverty
  5. Councillor Paul Prescott’s motion calls for a national prostate screening program for men most at risk of developing prostate cancer and calls on the government to prioritise a cancer screening programme in the UK.

*All councillors represent the ruling Labour Party unless otherwise stated.

Posted on Monday 8th December 2025