Agenda and draft minutes

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of meeting held on 16 October 2025 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meeting held 16 October 2025 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.

Report of Chief Officer - Planning and Climate Change.

The Committee received the report of the Chief Officer Planning and Climate Change advising Members of the publication of the consultation on the draft Lancashire Local Transport Plan (LTP) Core Strategy. Members were asked to consider the proposed response for submission as the Council’s corporate response to the consultation.

The Chief Officer Planning and Climate Change provided an overview of the aims and context of the consultation and summarised the Council’s draft response. Members were advised of areas of consideration identified by Lancaster City Council which were included in the draft response and accompanying report.

Members discussed the provision of a Workplace Parking Levy, the need for more frequent and more widespread public transport in the district and shared concerns that plans for Local Government Reorganisation could delay improvements to local transport networks.

At the conclusion of the discussion it was proposed by Councillor Wood, seconded by Councillor Parr and agreed unanimously as follows:

Resolved: -

1)     That the Report of the Chief Officer Planning and Climate Change concerning the draft Lancashire Local Transport Plan Core Strategy consultation be noted.

2)     That the proposed response be submitted as the corporate response of Lancaster City Council.

Report of the Chief Executive.

(There were many members of the public in attendance in the public gallery to show their support for Vale View daycentre.)

The Chair presented the report of the Chief Executive that asked Members to consider formulating a response to Lancashire County Council’s “Inhouse Provider Services Redesign” consultation.

Lancaster City Council had issued a press release prior to the meeting, inviting the public to submit comments which would then be used to assist in the preparation of a response. Members the proposed reprovisioning of older people’s day services in the district as laid out in the consultation documents and the comments received from the public on this topic.

The Committee noted that the comments received from the public emphasised the importance of Vale View daycentre to the local community and the impact the loss of the service would have on the lives of those who use the centre and those who provide care for its Service Users.

It was felt by the Committee that in formulating a response to the consultation, the views of the public should be endorsed by Lancaster City Council in the strongest possible terms. To facilitate this, it was proposed by the Chair “that the meeting be adjourned to receive testimony and comments from the public”. This was seconded by Councillor Parr and clearly carried when put to a vote.

Resolved: -

That the meeting be adjourned to allow the Committee to receive testimony and comments from the public.

(The meeting adjourned at 18:30 and reconvened at 19:23)

Upon reconvening it was proposed by Councillor Abi Mills, seconded by Councillor Parr and agreed unanimously as follows:

Resolved: -

That Council Business Committee, based on the testimony of residents and comments received from the public prior to the meeting, request that the Chief Executive respond to the “Inhouse Provider Services Redesign” consultation on behalf of Lancaster City Council.

Report of the Chief Officer Governance. 

The Committee was presented with a draft timetable of meetings for the 2026/2027 municipal year and was asked to consider approving the proposed final schedule of meetings or, if significant changes were to be made, refer the matter to Council for consideration.

The Committee was advised of a mistake on the draft which placed the December 2026 meetings of Cabinet and Budget and Performance Panel one day adrift of their intended dates which should be the 1^st and 2^nd of December 2026 respectively.

Members requested that there be an additional meeting of Joint Consultative Committee scheduled in advance of the March 2027 meeting of People & Organisational Development Committee to reflect that in previous years an additional meeting was frequently called.

It was proposed by Councillor Wood, seconded by the Chair and agreed unanimously to approve the draft 2026/2027 Committee Timetable with the corrections discussed in the meeting.

Resolved: -

That the draft timetable of meetings for the 2026/2027 municipal year be approved subject to the following amendments:

The meeting of Cabinet scheduled for 2 December 2026 be moved to 1 December 2026

The meeting of Budget & Performance Panel scheduled for 3 December 2026 be move to 2 December 2026

An additional meeting of Joint Consultative Committee be scheduled for March 2027 in advance of the 18 March 2027 meeting of People & Organisational Development Committee