Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from The Mayor and Councillors Catherine Armistead, Claire Cozler, Maria Deery, Ross Hunter, Kate Knight and Izzy Metcalf-Reiner.

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the City Council held on 11 December 2024 (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2024 were signed by the Deputy 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. 

Members advised of the following interests at this stage:

Councillor Matt Black declared an interest in relation to Item 9, the Budget and Policy Framework report, in view of his employment as a firefighter with Lancashire Fire and Rescue.  (Minute No. 85 refers.) This was not a prejudicial interest in regard to setting the City Council element of the Council Tax.

Councillor Pattison declared an ‘other’ interest as defined in the Councillors Code of Conduct, in relation to Items 11 and 13 which referenced Local Government Reorganisation in view of her membership of the Lancashire Combined Authority.  (Minute Nos 87 and 89 refer.)

Councillor Hartley declared an ‘other’ interest, as defined in the Councillors Code of Conduct, in relation to Item 13, the motion on notice regarding Heysham 1 and 2 Power Stations as members of his family were employed at the Power Station. (Minute No. 88 refers.)

The Deputy Mayor made several announcements.

Members were informed that tickets were still on sale for the Mayor’s Burns Night Cèilidh, available from the Mayor’s office.

The Deputy Mayor reminded all present that a Holocaust Memorial service would be taking place in the Garden of Remembrance at Lancaster Town Hall on Thursday, January 30^th at 6pm.

Councillors received the sad news of three recent deaths.

Former Councillor Ken Brown had passed away on New Year’s Eve. Ken was elected to the City Council for Heysham in February 2004 and served until May 2011. He was also a County Councillor for Heysham.

Former Councillor Bob Clark passed away on 14 January 2025 aged 76. Bob represented Bulk ward from 1991-1999. He was also a County Councillor.

Sadly, the Council also lost a long serving Officer over the Christmas period. Jenny Lawton, who had worked in Revenues and Benefits for 34 years, firstly for the Council and latterly for the Shared Service with Preston, passed away aged 53 following a short illness.

Members stood in a minute’s silence in their memory.

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

No petitions had been submitted for the meeting.

There were two speakers who had registered to speak in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 13 about 5G phone masts and microwave radiation.

Mr Chris Dealtry addressed Council first, then Ms Paula Baker made her address. The text of both addresses had been circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting.

The Deputy Mayor thanked both speakers and called upon Councillor Tyldesley, the Cabinet Member with particular responsibility for Planning to respond to the points raised.

Councillor Tyldesley responded and thanked Mr Dealtry and Ms Baker for speaking to Councillors.

The Leader presented her report updating Members on various issues since her last report to Council. She, and other Cabinet Members then responded to a number of questions from Councillors.

The Leader agreed to supply a list in writing of the current memberships of the current ‘Fit for the Future’ groups to Councillor Belcher. She also agreed to find out where the order of service for the recent Royal Visit was produced in response to a question from Councillor Budden.

Resolved:

That the report be noted. 

Report of Cabinet.

Published 16 January 2025.

Councillor Hamilton-Cox, Cabinet Member with particular responsibility for Finance and Property, presented a report of Cabinet providing an update on the Council’s budget strategy for 2025/26 and financial outlook up to 2029/30. Slides were shown in the Chamber to assist with presentation of the budget information.

The report specifically considered the budget and Council Tax proposals for 2025/26 and recommended that Council approve a 2.99% increase to the Band D Council Tax as the Lancaster City Council element of the Council Tax charge for 2025/26.

Members asked a number of questions, which Councillor Hamilton-Cox responded to.

Council noted the proposed revenue budget for 2025/26, as set out in the report.

Councillor Hamilton-Cox, seconded by Councillor Dowding, proposed:

“(1)   That Council approves a City Council Tax increase of 2.99% to the Band D Council Tax (from £256.63 to £264.30), together with a year on year target of the maximum allowable under the Government’s local referendum thresholds for future years.”

Debate followed on the proposal.

At the conclusion of the debate, a recorded vote was taken on the proposition as required by legislation and Procedure Rule 19.7 in the Council’s Constitution. The results of that vote were recorded as follows:

For: Councillors Abuhajar, Ainscough, Bannon, Belcher, Black (Matthew), Black (Phil), Blaikie, Bottoms, Brookes, Budden, Cleet, Colbridge, Cooper, Dennison, Dowding, Fish, Gardiner, Gawith, Greenwell, Hamilton-Cox, Hanna, Hanson, Harris, Hart, Hartley, Jackson (Caroline), Jackson, (Peter), Lenox, Livermore, Maddocks,  McGowan, Mills (Hamish), Newton, Otway, Parr, Pattison, Penney, Potter, Pritchard, Punshon, Redfern, Riches, Russell, Sommerville, Stubbs, Stubbins, Thornberry, Tyldesley, Tynan, Whitaker, Wild, Wilkinson and Wood (53)

Against: Councillor Bradley (1)

Abstentions:

There were no abstentions.

Resolved:

(1)     That Council approves a City Council Tax increase of 2.99% to the Band D Council Tax (from £256.63 to £264.30), together with a year on year target of the maximum allowable under the Government’s local referendum thresholds for future years.

(Council adjourned in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10

for a ten minute comfort break at this point (7.50pm).

Council reconvened at 8.00pm)

Report of Chief Officer – Planning and Climate Change.

Report published 15 January 2025.

Councillor Dowding, Cabinet Member with particular responsibility for Climate Action, presented a report of Cabinet seeking a Council resolution to formally adopt the Climate Emergency Review of the Lancaster District Local Plan. Thes report described the processes that led to the preparation of Plan documents, including independent Examination, and the final processes for formal adoption of the Development Plan Documents (DPDs).

Councillor Dowding proposed the recommendations set out in the report, seconded by Councillor Tyldesley.

There was a short debate before the proposition was put to the vote and was clearly carried.

Resolved:

(1)     That Council adopts the Climate Emergency Review of the Lancaster District Local Plan, comprised of the partially reviewed Part One: Strategic Policies & Land Allocations Development Plan Document [DPD] and the partially reviewed Part Two: Development Management DPD, as formal components of the statutory Development Plan for Lancaster District.

(2)     That the necessary measures are undertaken to publicise their adoption in accordance with national legislation recommendation.

(During the following item Councillor Whitaker declared an ‘other’ interest, as defined in the Councillor Code of Conduct, as a Morecambe Town Councillor)

The following motion of which notice had been given to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15 was moved by Councillor Maddocks and seconded by Cllr Joyce Pritchard.

“Lancaster City Council notes:

1.          The Government's White Paper published on 16 December sets out its intention to abolish county and district councils, including Lancaster City Council, and create unitary councils with populations of around half a million people.

2.          The proposal drawn up by one of Lancashire’s MPs which was supported by a number of Lancashire MPs, is to create 3 or 4 unitary councils in Lancashire. In this proposal Lancaster City Council area would be merged with the existing Blackpool unitary and Wyre district councils, (and possibly with Fylde district council). A conflicting proposal, from the Labour leader of Preston council, would merge Lancaster district and Ribble Valley within a 3-council unitary.

3.          That with regard to the above different proposals circulated by Labour MPs and councillors from elsewhere in Lancashire, Lancaster City Council leadership has not been involved in discussions or asked for its views before publication.

4.          That the UK already stands out in Europe as having a very high local authority population size.

5.          Lancaster City Council previously supported the creation of a Bay Unitary Authority, backed by councillors from all 5 political groups on Lancaster City Council, which would have served a smaller population of 300,000 that better reflected community identity. This was rejected by Government in July 2021.

6.          That previously in November 2023, the Government announced it had negotiated a Level 2 devolution deal with Lancashire County, Blackpool, and Blackburn with Darwen Councils. This deal is set to transfer new powers and funding to the Lancashire Combined County Authority (CCA), in a deal that includes £20 million of capital funding to invest in local priorities and the devolution of the Adult Education Budget.

7.         That this Level 2 Devolution deal is currently being progressed through Parliament.

Lancaster City Council believes:

1.            That devolution of powers and resources from Whitehall to Lancashire is welcome in principle, but accountability to residents, working arrangements with existing councils and the protection and enhancement of existing local services and decision making all require consideration and agreement involving elected representatives in the county at all levels;

2.            The new White Paper’s insistence of another level of re-organising local councils will not give time for the agreed proposals for a CCA across Lancashire to bed in;

3.            That whilst the Labour manifesto pledged to create Strategic Authorities, the plans to reorganise district and borough level councils into large unitaries was not an election pledge. There is little evidence that such reorganisation will deliver better services or enhance local decision making.

4.            That reorganisation ensuing from the December 2024 White Paper will have significant short- and medium-term financial costs, not savings, contrary to what government claims;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

To consider a motion on notice submitted by Councillor Jean Parr and seconded by Councillor Phillip Black.

Officer briefing note published 16 January 2025.

The Deputy Mayor informed Councillors that Agenda Item 12, the motion to support the decision to locate the new Lancaster Royal Infirmary in south Lancaster had been withdrawn by Councillor Phil Black and Councillor Parr.

To consider a motion on notice submitted by Councillor Phillip Black and seconded by Councillors Louise Belcher, Colin Hartley, Jean Parr, Martin Gawith, Ruth Colbridge, Catherine Potter, Margaret Pattison, Jason Wood, Chris Hanna and Roger Cleet.

Office briefing note published 16 January 2025.

The following motion of which notice had been given to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15 was moved by Councillor Phil Black and seconded by Councillor Louise Belcher:-

“This Council welcomes last month’s announcement that following a detailed technical review of the power stations, EDF’s licensee board has decided to extend generation dates for Heysham 1 by one year to 2027 and Heysham 2 by two years to 2030.

This decision is great news for Heysham and the wider local community. The power stations are a provider of high skill, high wage jobs, and the extension of the generating life of the power stations secures employment for more than 1,500 staff and contractors. The power stations are anchor institutions, with supply chains and spending power boosting the local economy. They are also a major source of business rate revenue for the Council, whose significant contributions help secure a higher standard of local services and protect more Council jobs than would otherwise be possible.

This decision is also excellent news nationally. Extending the generating lives of the Heysham stations will bolster the UK’s security of supply and support plans for the rapid expansion of renewables by helping to maintain grid stability. Nuclear power is a low carbon source of energy, and a key element of the Government’s strategy to provide clean power by 2030. ? Ensuring the baseload with nuclear power also helps limit the UK’s dependence on imported gas, a regrettable situation which has caused an energy crisis and led to inflated household bills.

Council has confidence in the safety considerations underpinning this decision. We note that ongoing generation from the stations will ultimately depend not on decisions by EDF, but on the outcome of future inspections, the results of which are reviewed by the independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation.??

Looking to the future, Council notes that Heysham is a location earmarked by the Government for the potential siting of one or more Small Modular Reactors (SMR), that EDF is an approved development partner for these new technologies, and that the first reactors of this type are intended to be delivered by 2029. Council supports bringing ‘New Nuclear’ to Heysham and welcomes the continuation of the benefits this would bring to both our residents and the rest of the UK.

Council resolves that:

(1)            The Chief Executive will write to the Secretary” of State for Energy and Climate Change, Cat Smith MP and Lizzi Collinge MP, welcoming the generating life extensions to Heysham 1 & 2, and conveying our support for bringing New Nuclear to Heysham.

(2)            That we publicise these views via our various communications channels.

(3)            That a full response to any consultation on New Nuclear is prepared on behalf of the Council by Business Committee at the appropriate time.”

An officer briefing note had been circulated with the agenda to aid the debate.

An amendment to the motion, in the form of an addendum to resolution (1) was moved by Councillor Gardiner.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89.

Report of the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive introduced his report regarding Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

The purpose of the report was for Council to consider establishing a new LGR Working Group to respond to the re-organisation issues raised in the Government’s English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024.

The Chief Executive responded to questions.

Councillor Caroline Jackson proposed the following, seconded by Councillor Wilkinson.

“That a Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Working Group of nine Councillors be established to reflect political proportionality with named substitutes.”

Councillor Phil Black proposed an amendment:

“That the MBIs be included in the Group. That the Green Group give up one of their seats to the MBI group to effect this”. 

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Whitaker.

After some discussion, and in view of the late hour, the amendment was withdrawn by Councillor Black and his seconder.

The Deputy Mayor called for a vote on the original proposition, which was clearly carried when put to the vote.

Groups were asked to provide names of Councillors for the working group.

The Green group put forward Councillor Caroline Jackson (the names of the three other Members and substitutes to be confirmed to Democratic Support following the meeting).

The Labour group put forward Councillors Wood, Parr and Phil Black.

The Liberal Democratic group put forward Councillor Peter Jackson with Councillor Greenwell as the named substitute.

The Conservative group put forward Councillor Gardiner with Councillor Budden as the named substitute.

The Deputy Mayor asked for nominations for a Chair. Councillor Dowding nominated Councillor Caroline Jackson, seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox.

Councillor Harris nominated Councillor Phil Black, seconded by Councillor Whitaker.

A vote was taken on the nominations. With 27 votes for Councillor Caroline Jackson and 23 votes for Councillor Phil Black, Councillor Caroline Jackson was appointed Chair of the LGR working group.

Resolved:

(1)           That a new Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Working Group of nine Councillors be established to reflect political proportionality with named substitutes.

(2)           That the members of the Working Group be Councillors Jackson (Caroline), Black (Phil), Jackson (Peter), Gardiner, Wood and Parr with Councillors Budden and Greenwell as named subs. The names of the other three members for the Green Group (and named substitutes for the Green and Labour groups) to be notified to Democratic Support following the meeting.

(3)           That Councillor Caroline Jackson be appointed Chair of the LGR Working Group.

(At the conclusion of this item there was a further comfort break in accordance with the Constitution. It was agreed that this be ten minutes rather than thirty minutes. Council adjourned at 10pm and reconvened at 10.10pm.)

To appoint a Mayor-Elect to be put forward for election by the City Council in May 2025, for the municipal year 2025/26.

The Chief Executive reported that he had contacted Councillor Pattison, the most senior Member of the Council eligible to be invited to become Mayor in accordance with the Constitution. Councillor Pattison had indicated that she would be happy to accept such an invitation.

It was then moved by Councillor Gawith and seconded by Councillor Cleet:

“That Councillor Pattison be invited to hold the office of Mayor of the City of Lancaster for the Municipal Year 2025/26.”

A vote was taken on the motion which was carried unanimously.

Resolved unanimously:

That Councillor Pattison be invited to hold the office of Mayor of the City of Lancaster for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

Report of the Senior Manager, Democratic Support and Elections.

The Senior Manager, Democratic Support and Elections, had submitted a report asking Council to consider nominating a Councillor for appointment to the Local Government Coastal Special Interest Group (LGA Coastal SIG). The report explained that the basis of this appointment had been determined by Council in May 2024 as one which should be filled by nomination and voting at full Council.

Councillor Brookes proposed that the basis of appointment be reconfirmed as nomination and voting at full Council. Councillor Peter Jackson seconded the proposition which was clearly carried when put to the vote.

The Deputy Mayor called for nominations.

Councillor Maddocks nominated Councillor Bradley. The nomination was seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox.

Councillor Phil Black nominated Councillor Hartley seconded by Councillor Potter.

Councillor Bradley received 28 votes. There were 19 votes for Councillor Hartley. The Deputy Mayor declared Councillor Bradley appointed.

Resolved:

That Councillor Bradley be appointed to the LGA Coastal Group until the next Council elections due to be held in 2027.

Group Administrators to report any changes to Committee Membership.  

No changes were reported.

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 Deputy Mayor advised that three questions had been received by the Chief Executive in accordance with Council Procedure Rules. Two were from Councillor Whitaker to Councilllor Maddocks about properties on Yorkshire Street, Morecambe, and one was from Councillor Ainscough to Councillor Peter Jackson regarding Salt Ayre Leisure Centre.

Details of the questions and answers together with any supplementary questions and responses are appended to the minutes.

To receive the Minutes of Meeting of Cabinet held 22 October, 2024. 

The Deputy Mayor informed Councillors that the set of Cabinet minutes under consideration were from the meeting on 3 December 2024, not the meeting on 22 October, as incorrectly stated on the agenda frontsheet.

Council considered the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 3 December 2024. There were no questions for the Leader.

Resolved:

That the minutes be noted.