Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Richard Austen-Baker, Alan Biddulph, Vicky Boyd-Power, Abbott Bryning, Darren Clifford, Tim Dant, Roger Dennison, Jake Goodwin, June Greenwell, Mel Guilding, Tricia Heath, Debbie Jenkins, Geoff Knight, Sarah Knight, Oliver Robinson and Luke Taylor.

The Mayor informed Councillors that Councillor Bryning was recovering at home with his family taking care of him, following a fall. He sent warm wishes for the festive season to all colleagues and officers.

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the City Council held on 9 November 2022 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 November 2022 were signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

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. 

Councillor Gardiner and Councillor Morris declared an interest in relation to Item 13 on the agenda, the motion on notice to support the Climate and Ecology Bill because they both worked for David Morris MP, who was mentioned in the motion. They would leave the meeting for that item.  (Minute No.102 refers.)

The Mayor had no formal announcements to make.

She informed Councillors that she had agreed to a request to move the Motion on Notice to the end of the agenda.

To receive questions in accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rules 11.1 and 11.3 which require members of the public to give at least 3 days’ notice in writing of questions to a Member of Cabinet or Committee Chairman. 

The Mayor advised that no questions had been received from members of the public in accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 11.

To receive any petitions and/or addresses from members of the public which have been notified to the Chief Executive in accordance with the Council's Constitution. 

Ms Susanne Smith will present a completed petition to Council which was on the Council e-petition page. The petition has 113 signatures so will not be debated but will be passed to the relevant Director or Service Head for response

The Mayor informed Members that one petition and two requests to address Council had been received from members of the public.

Ms Susanne Smith presented a petition and addressed Council in accordance with the provisions of the Council’s Petition Scheme and Council Procedure Rule 13. The petition read as follows:

We the undersigned petition the council to Provide facilities within Morecambe car parks for visitors with motorhomes.

We appreciate the are plans for parking along Marine Road in the transport plans for Eden. Residents therefore understand and accept that the changes they are looking for now can. only be temporary.

Both city and county councils need to respect their clientele i.e. council tax payers who are the bread and butter of council funding throughout the year.

Residents pay very high prices for their properties along this road , thus very high council tax.

FOR RESIDENTS ON THE PROMENADE:
RESTRICTED PARKING - WITH

No high sided vehicles
No motor homes (inc disabled)
No articulated cab units
Coaches set down and pick up only

FOR VISITORS: for far too long visitors to Morecambe with. their own motor homes, have largely been ignored and left to their own devices. Very few sites catering for them, unable to park overnight on council parks and no facilities anywhere.
Councils need to provide parking facilities as they do for coaches at Back Brighton Terrace and Central Drive by Morrisons. This could be set at the same nominal charge at selected sites, and there are many, providing:
Single toilet unit for waste matter
Free standing tap providing fresh water
Possible sites- existing car parks:
Golf Club
Bk Brighton Terrace
By RNLI
The Exchange
The Battery 

The wording of Ms Smith’s address is attached to these minutes.

The petition, carried out on the City Council’s e-petition page, had 113 signatories. As this was fewer than the 500 signatures required for debate, it would be passed to officers rather than debated at the meeting.

Councillor Dowding, Cabinet Member for Planning and Place Making, responded to Ms Smith regarding the points made in her address.

Councillor Dowding and the Mayor then both thanked Ms Smith for attending Council to make her speech.  

Mr Charles Ainger addressed Council about the South Lancaster Growth Catalyst. A copy of his speech is appended to the minutes.

Councillor Dowding, Cabinet Member for Planning and Place Making, joined the Mayor in thanking Mr Ainger for attending the meeting, before Councillor Dowding responded to the concerns raised by Mr Ainger in his address.

The Mayor reported that the Leader of the Council was unwell and could not stay to respond to questions on her report but had indicated that she would be happy to provide written answers to any questions raised.

Councillor Gardiner asked “that standing orders be suspended” for the Leader’s report to allow any Councillor to ask the Leader any question. In effect, this meant the suspension of Council Procedure Rule 12.1 (a). He was seconded by Councillor Joan Jackson. The request, when voted upon, was clearly carried.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Frea, responded to a number of questions from Councillors in the absence of the Leader.

Resolved:

(1)     That Council Procedure Rule 12.1 (a) be suspended for the duration of this item.

(2)   That the Leader’s report be noted. 

Report of Cabinet.

Published 12 December

Councillor Whitehead, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented an update on the Council’s financial position to help inform the development of corporate planning and budget proposals.

The Mayor confirmed, in response to a query about why the report could not be debated, that this was an update for information only. It was simply for noting.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Report of Cabinet

Published 7 December

Councillor Whitehead, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented the Medium Term Financial Strategy which provided an update on the Council’s financial forecasts for 2022/23 to 2027/28 and outlined the approach to balancing the budget.

Councillors asked a number of questions which Councillor Whitehead responded to.

The report was for noting.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Report of Cabinet.

Published 7 December

Councillor Whitehead presented a report of Cabinet seeking a decision on retaining the same format of the existing Localised Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme for application in 2023/24.

Councillors asked Councillor Whitehead a number of questions, which she replied to, before proposing:

“(1)    That Option (1) as set out in the report, the retention of the existing Localised Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme for 2023/24, subject to minor consequential amendments to match changes in Housing Benefit rules, be approved.

(2)      That the S151 Officer beauthorisedtofinaliseandpublishthe Council’s approved Schemefor2023/24 andmakeallothernecessaryarrangementsfor itsimplementation in the nextfinancialyear.”

Councillor Hamilton-Cox seconded the proposition.

Debate followed, before a vote was taken and the proposition was clearly carried.

Resolved:

(1)     That Option (1) as set out in the report, the retention of the existing Localised Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme for 2023/24, subject to minor consequential amendments to match changes in Housing Benefit rules, be approved.

(2)      That the S151 Officer beauthorisedtofinaliseandpublishthe Council’s approved Schemefor2023/24 andmakeallothernecessaryarrangementsfor itsimplementation in the nextfinancialyear.

Report of Council Business Committee.

The Vice Chair of Council Business Committee, Councillor Lewis, introduced a report recommending a draft timetable of meetings, time and venues for the 2023/24 municipal year.

There were no questions. Councillor Lewis proposed:

“That the draft timetable of meetings, times and venues set out in the report, be approved.”

Councillor Whitaker seconded the proposition.

There was no debate and the proposition was clearly carried when put to the vote.

Resolved:

That the draft timetable of meetings, time and venues set out in the report, be approved. (The approved timetable is attached to these minutes).

Report of the Chief Finance Officer.

Council considered a report of the Chief Finance Officer seeking consideration of various matters in connection with the Treasury Management Mid-Year Review 2022/23.

The report, which was for noting, was presented by Councillor Whitehead.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Head of Democratic Services.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report to enable Council to consider making one appointment to the Lancashire Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee and one appointment the Local Government Association (LGA) Coastal Issues Special Interest Group.

Councillor Wood, seconded by Councillor Dowding proposed:

“ That the basis for appointment to both vacancies be by nomination and voting at full Council.”

This proposition was clearly carried when put to the vote.

The Mayor then called for nominations for the LGA Coastal Issues Special Interest Group.

Councillor Dowding, seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox, nominated Councillor Bannon for this position. There were no further nominations and the Mayor declared Councillor Bannon appointed.

For the Lancashire Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Wood, seconded by Councillor Redfern, nominated Councillor Askari. Councillor Dowding nominated Councillor Maddocks, seconded by Councillor Stubbins.

Councillor Askari received 15 votes and Councillor Maddocks received 18 votes. The Mayor declared Councillor Maddocks appointed.

Resolved:

(1)            That the basis of appointment for the vacancies on both the LGA Coastal Issues Special Interest Group and the Lancashire Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee be by nomination and voting at full Council.

(2)            That Councillor Bannon be appointed to the LGA Coastal Issues Special Interest Group for the remainder of the 2022/23 municipal year.

(3)            That Councillor Maddocks be appointed to the Lancashire Health and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee for the remainder of the 2022/23 municipal year.

Group Administrators to report any changes to Committee Membership.  

No appointments or changes to committee membership were made.

To receive questions in accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rules 12.2 and 12.4 which require a Member to give at least 3 working days’ notice, in writing, of the question to the Chief Executive. 

The Mayor reported that no questions had been received.

To consider a motion submitted by Councillors Frea, Black, G. Knight, Matthews and Wood.

The motion is enclosed with the officer briefing note.

Councillor Frea proposed the following motion having given the required notice to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15:-

“"Humans have already caused irreversible climate change, the impacts of which are being felt in the UK and around the world. The global temperature has already increased by 1.2°C above pre-industrial levels, and the natural world has reached crisis point, with 28% of plants and animals threatened with extinction.

Lancaster City Council declared a Climate Emergency in January 2019 and have taken significant action towards reducing their own carbon emissions to net zero by 2030. However, unless we drastically change course, the world is set to exceed the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit - the Met Office predict Met Office predict that there is a 50:50 chance of this happening in the next 5 years. Pledges, such as the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Pact—and updated emissions targets—are not legally-binding. This gap between pledges and policy leaves the world on course for catastrophic warming of near 3°C.

Following the “now or never” Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in April 2022, the UN Secretary General António Guterres stated that “we are on a fast track to climate disaster. This is not fiction or exaggeration. It is what science tells us will result from our current energy policies”.

In addition, the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy stated that “if we fail to limit global warming to 1.5°C, we risk reaching climatic tipping points, we could lose control of our climate for good”. The 1.5°C goal is ‘on life support’ and only ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector and local communities will help us realise it.

Biodiversity loss

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. More than one in seven of our plants and animals face extinction, and more than 40% are in decline. We therefore welcome the Leaders' Pledge for Nature, signed by the UK Government, which states that—if we fail to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030—we increase the risk of further pandemics, rising global temperatures and loss of species. In order to achieve this, the UK needs a legally-enforceable nature target so that, by 2030, nature is visibly and measurably on the path of recovery—in line with the Global Goal for Nature.

Lancaster City Council notes that:

There is a Bill that was introduced into the current UK Parliament in May 2022—the Climate and Ecology Bill—which, if it becomes law, would require the development of a strategy to ensure that the UK’s environmental response is in line with the latest science. The strategy would ensure that:

• the ecological crisis is tackled shoulder to shoulder with the climate crisis via a joined-up approach;
• the Paris Agreement aim is enshrined into law to ensure that the UK does its full and fair share to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C; 
• we halt and reverse biodiversity loss, meeting the Government's target of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.