Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from County Councillor Albert Atkinson.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

None declared

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2020 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Cabinet received a report detailing the effects the Covid-19 crisis would have on the council finances in the current and forthcoming years, including the level of reserves available.

Resolved: That, the contents of the report including the financial forecasts be noted and approved the proposed next steps.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the strategic commercial aim of the county council and the priority areas for development.

Resolved: That the Commercial Blueprint as set out at Appendix 'A' of the report, be approved.

The following urgent decisions have been taken by the Leader of the County Council in accordance with Standing Order C16(1) since the last meeting of Cabinet, and can be viewed by clicking on the relevant link(s):

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership - Appointment of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council as a Company Member

Resolved: That the urgent decision, 'Lancashire Enterprise Partnership - Appointment of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council as a Company Member', taken by the Leader of the County Council since the last meeting of Cabinet, be noted.

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

It was reported that there were three Items of Urgent Business which were 'Covid Recovery Grants for the Visitor and Wider Economy', 'Covid-19: Local Powers' and 'Withdrawal of the Proposal to Discontinue the Local Authority's Maintenance of Wennington Hall School'.

It was agreed that this item be taken under urgent business to enable the county council to bid for additional resources in response to recent Ministerial announcements allocating resources to Growth Hubs to provide grants and to ensure the grant programme is operational as soon as is feasible.

Cabinet received a report that requested approval for Lancashire County Council to be able to apply for £1,544,072 of European Regional Development Fund resources to deliver COVID 19 Recovery grants, in its role as Accountable Body for the Lancashire Business Growth Hub BOOST.

Resolved: That

  i.  The information in the report be noted.

  ii.  The county council's application for £1,544,072 of European Regional Development Funds, in its role as Accountable Body for the Lancashire Business Growth Hub BOOST, to deliver grants to small and medium size enterprises in the Lancashire LEP area, be approved; and

  iii.  Authorised the Director of Growth, Environment and Planning to formally apply for the resources and (working with the Director of Corporate Services) formalise all relevant contractual and other documentation.

It was agreed that this item be taken under urgent business to ensure the county council is able to respond quickly to any new outbreaks or incidents of Covid-19 as they arise in Lancashire.

Cabinet received a report on the proposed arrangements for decision making in Lancashire in relation to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, including in relation to new powers from government to be able to close individual premises, close public outdoor places and restrict events with immediate effect.

In presenting the report, it was noted that there was an error in the date contained in recommendation (iv). The date should have read "31 January 2021" and not "31 January 2020".

Resolved: That

  i.  Authority to give directions under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 be delegated to the Chief Executive and Director of Resources, and any other officer(s) that the Chief Executive deems it appropriate to further delegate to.

  ii.  The Director of Corporate Services be authorised to approve the final arrangements for the policy and procedure for the implementation of these new powers.

  iii.  Powers to take any decision on behalf of the cabinet necessary to urgently address or mitigate outbreaks of Covid-19 which can lawfully be delegated to officers, subject to the decision-taker, before taking the decision, having taken appropriate steps to consult the Leader, or, in his absence, the Deputy Leader, or in the absence of both, any members of the cabinet as considered appropriate by the decision taker, be delegated to the Chief Executive, Executive Directors and the Director of Corporate Services; and

  iv.  Such powers in (iii) above replace the delegation to officers approved by the Leader of behalf of Cabinet on 23 March 2020 and last until 31 January 2021 unless otherwise reviewed.

It was agreed that this item be taken under urgent business to ensure that the procurement process detailed in the report can commence as proposed in September 2020.

Cabinet received a report that provided information about the plan to withdraw the proposal to discontinue the Local Authority's maintenance of Wennington Hall School.

Resolved: That

  i.  The process undertaken to date in relation to Wennington Hall School be noted.

  ii.  The withdrawal of the proposal to discontinue the local authority's maintenance of the school until the procurement process is implemented and the market has been tested, be approved; and

  iii.  The Schools’ Adjudicator be informed of the decision to withdraw the proposal, be approved.

The next meeting of Cabinet will be held on Thursday 3 September 2020 at 2.00 pm.

It was noted that the next meeting of Cabinet would be held at 2pm on Thursday 3 September 2020 as a virtual meeting.

No representations have been received.

Click here to see the published Notice of Intention to Conduct Business in Private.

Cabinet noted the Notice of Intention to Conduct Business in Private and that no representations had been received.

The Cabinet is asked to consider whether, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it considers that the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated against the heading to the item.

Resolved: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that there would be a likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the appropriate paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated against the heading to the item.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The report contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). It is considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Cabinet considered a report on the progress made in respect of the Lancashire Central – Cuerden site.

Following the consideration of the report, members' gave their thanks to all officers who were involved with the scheme for all the work they have done.

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report be approved.