Agenda and minutes

The Chairman requested Members to hold one minute’s silence to commemorate those affected by the devastating earthquake and its aftermath in Japan.

Cabinet stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for those who had lost their lives.

To receive as a correct record the minutes of Cabinet held on Tuesday, 15^thFebruary, 2011 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 15 February 2011 were approved as a correct record.

To consider any such items authorised by the Leader and to consider where in the agenda the item(s) are to be considered. 

The Chairman advised that there were no items of urgent business.

To consider any such declarations. 

No declarations were made at this point.

To consider any such requests received in accordance with the approved procedure. 

Members were advised that there had been no requests to speak at the meeting in accordance with Cabinet’s agreed procedure.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Langhorn)

Report of the Head of Property Services

(Cabinet Members with Special Responsibility Councillors Bryning and Langhorn )

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Property Services requesting the agreement of Cabinet to extend the development agreement between the Council and Urban Splash by up to two years to enable the outstanding planning application to be determined.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

Option 1 was the officer preferred option. Officers recommended that the development agreement be extended to enable the applications to be determined after full consideration was given to the outstanding matters.  This would enable the Planning and Highways Regulatory Committee to make a robust and comprehensive decision with no technical matters outstanding.

Councillor Bryning proposed, seconded by Councillor Langhorn:-

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)        That the Council negotiates an extension to the development agreement by twelve months to give time to determine the outstanding planning application.

(2)        In the event of unanticipated delays in being able to obtain a Planning decision that a further report be brought back to Cabinet to extend the agreement by a further twelve months.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Head of Property Services

Reasons for making the decision:

The regeneration of Morecambe remains one of the Council’s top priorities.  The development of the land adjoining the Midland Hotel is identified in the Local Development Framework Core Strategy as one of the key regeneration projects. The decision would enable the Planning and Highways Regulatory Committee to make a robust and comprehensive decision with no technical matters outstanding.  The decision also allows for detailed consultation on the proposal including dovetailing with the Morecambe Area Action Plan.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry) 

Oral update from the Lancaster Market Cabinet Liaison Group and consideration of any recommendations agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the 9^th March 2011 resulting from the Call-in of the decision with regard to Lancaster Market agreed by Cabinet on 15^th February 2011.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Barry)

Cabinet noted that at the call-in on 9^th March 2011 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee did not request Cabinet to reconsider the decision made in relation to Lancaster Market.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Langhorn)

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Langhorn

Cabinet received a report from the Leader of the Council in respect of the third quarter of Performance Review Team (PRT) meetings for 2010/11 recently undertaken by individual Cabinet members.

The report was for noting and comment. 

Councillor Langhorn proposed, seconded by Councillor Kerr:-

“That the report and additional comments with regard to a request for a progress report on the Lancaster air quality action plans and completion of the disabled car parking at Happy Mount Park be noted.”

Resolved unanimously:

(1)        That the report be noted.

(2)        That the progress of the Lancaster air quality action plans be reported to Cabinet.

(3)        That Cabinet note the completion of the conversion of car parking spaces at the rear of Happy Mount to disabled only parking.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Head of Community Engagement

Head of Health & Housing.

Reasons for making the decision:

The Council’s Performance Management Framework requires the regular reporting of performance into both the Budget & Performance Panel and Cabinet as part of the Performance Review Team cycle of meetings.  The report provided a strategic summary of how the Council had performed in delivering its Corporate Plan targets using the information from the Quarter 3 PRT meetings with individual Cabinet members.

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Langhorn)

Report of the Chief Executive

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Langhorn)

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Executive to review Cabinet appointments to Outside Bodies, Partnerships and Boards following the resignation of the former Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility for Valuing People.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

Option 1:       To appoint an appropriate Cabinet Member as the representative or substitute representative to the Outside Bodies, Partnerships or Boards.

Option 2        Cabinet could choose not to appoint to the Outside Bodies, Partnerships or Boards.  However this would leave the Council without appropriate representation on those bodies.

Option 3:      Another option that might be proposed by Cabinet.

Option 1 was the officer preferred option to ensure that the Council continued to be appropriately represented on the relevant Outside Bodies, Partnerships and Boards as lack of appropriate representation had the potential to affect the Council’s ability to perform its community leadership role.  It was recommended that appointments be aligned to individual Cabinet Members’ portfolios as closely as possible.

Councillor Langhorn proposed, seconded by Councillor Kerr:-

“That Councillor Whitelegg, as the Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility for Valuing People, be appointed as the Council’s representative to the Outside Bodies, Partnerships and Boards as identified in the report for the remainder of the municipal year.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

That Councillor Whitelegg, as the Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility for Valuing People, be appointed as the Council’s representative to the Outside Bodies, Partnerships and Boards as identified in the report for the remainder of the municipal year.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Head of Governance.

Reasons for making the decision:

The 2009-12 Corporate Plan notes ‘Leading our Communities’ as one of Lancaster City Council’s core values and representation on Outside Bodies forms part of this Community Leadership role. The decision will ensure that the Council continues to be appropriately represented on the relevant Outside Bodies, Partnerships and Boards.