Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the Meeting held on 30^th June, 2021 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30^th June 2021, were signed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no Declarations of Interest made.

Councillor Caroline Jackson has been invited to attend the meeting to discuss Cabinet’s priorities for the forthcoming year and to provide information on the Council’s Recovery Plan post COVID.

The Chair has invited all members of the Budget and Performance Panel to attend for this item.

The Chair welcomed the Leader of the Council, Councillor Caroline Jackson to the meeting.It was noted that all members of Budget and Performance Panel had been invited for this item. 

The Leader provided the Committee with an overview of the priorities that had been agreed during the pandemic by Cabinet last year which were :-

·       A Sustainable District

·       An Inclusive and Prosperous Local Economy

·       Healthy and Happy Communities

·       A Co-operative, Kind and Responsible Council

With the emerging themes relating to these priorities being :-

·       Climate Emergency

·       Community Wealth Being

·       Community Engagement

Members were advised that 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) had been established to monitor and measure the success of each priority.

The Leader explained that overarching all the priorities and services provided by the Council was the deficit of £1.8million therefore savings had to be made. Prior to COVID, Outcome Based Resourcing was being investigated and it was hoped this would be implemented for the 2023/24 budget.

It was reported that the Council’s large projects such as the recent acquisition of the Frontierland site, Canal Quarter and Mainway were moving forward while smaller projects such as Selective Landlord Licensing would be introduced at little cost and would have a great impact on people’s lives.

Councillor Caroline Jackson informed Members that Lancashire County Council was currently engaging with District Councils to open dialogues on important issues for local authorities with Highways being top of all district Councils’ lists.

The Chair invited the Committee and the members of the Budget and Performance Panel present to ask questions of the Leader.

The Committee went on to ask a number of questions relating to staffing, Chief Executive recruitment, the opening of the Town Halls for officers, the future Capital Investment Strategy, weeds in the district, affordable housing, the Council’s engagement with the local community and the importance of the SDGs being achievable and measurable.

Resolved:-

That Councillor Caroline Jackson be thanked for her attendance and her informative presentation to the Committee.

There were no referrals to consider.

The Committee was requested to consider the list of suggestions for the Committee’s Work Programme that had been received from members of the public and Councillors. It was reported that the Chair of the Committee and the Budget and Performance Panel Chair along with the Pre-Scrutiny Champion had met with the Council’s Executive Team to discuss the outstanding Work Programme and the suggestions that had been submitted for the forthcoming year.

The Committee considered the suggestions and agreed to the following being included in the Committee’s Work Programme and also referrals to Budget and Performance Panel :-

Resolved:-

Existing Task Groups and Working Groups