Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of County Councillors Gina Dowding, Paul Hayhurst, Jenny Purcell and David Stansfield.

Announcements

Accrington and Rossendale College

The County Council had recently won a number of awards linked to apprenticeships and their management as follows:

-  Highways and Construction Apprentice of the Year – awarded to Curtis Walton who works for Highway Operations in the North of the County.

-  The County Council, through the Learning and Development Service, was awarded Employer of the Year.

The College also recently held its Construction, Technology and Motor Awards and the County Council was successful as follows:

-  General Construction Operations Learner of the Year (1^st Year) – awarded to Ashley O'Brien who works for Highway Operations.

-  The David Blaine Memorial Award, LCC Apprentice of the Year (2^nd Year) – awarded to Davy Speak who works for Highway Operations.

Association of Public Sector Employees (APSE)

The County Council is a member of the APSE which recently held its annual awards, in which the County Council was successful as follows:

-  National Apprentice of the Year – awarded to Cameron Newsham who works for Highway Operations.

-  The County Council was recognised for its continued commitment towards an apprentice development programme and for producing some of the best apprentices in the country.

Curtis Walton, Ashley O'Brien, Davy Speak and Cameron Newsham together with Bee Kershaw and Bina Limbachia from Skills, Learning and Development and Phil Baird, Mark Dixon and Mark O'Donnell from Community Services attended and were congratulated by the Full Council.

The Full Council was notified that Members had been invited to make declarations of Pecuniary and Non-pecuniary interests in matters on the agenda in accordance with the County Council's Code of Conduct for Members. The following interests were declared:

Resolved: - That the minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on 25 May 2017 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Resolved: - That Standing Order 14.5.2 be waived for consideration of this item.

The Leader moved a report, seconded by the Deputy Leader, setting out recommendations of the Cabinet in respect of the County Council's budget for 2017/18.

In moving the report, the Leader notified Full Council of a number of changes to some of the figures detailed in the report. These were as follows:

Page 13 - recommendation (i) should read £3.995m in place of £4.056m;

Page 15 - 1^st bullet point should read £1.654m in place of £1.715m;

Page 21 - Item 3 should read £1.654m (in 2017/18) and £1.770m (in 2018/19) in place of £1.715m and £1.750m;

Page 21 - the total cost of proposed amendments should read £3.995m (in 2017/18) and £6.115m (in 2018/19) in place of £4.056m and £6.095m.

The Leader also informed Full Council that, at its meeting on 13 July, Cabinet had requested that a report be brought to a future meeting on the current practice of the secondment of officers to the recognised Trade Unions, and options for the future.

In accordance with the requirements of procedural Standing Order 15.9.7, a recorded vote was taken. The names of the County Councillors who voted for or against the Motion and those who abstained are set out below:

For (46)

Against (0)

Abstain (34)

It was therefore:

Resolved: - That, as set out in the report, now presented:

(i)  An additional £3.995m be added to the 2017/18 revenue budget;

(ii)  An additional £7.071m be added to the 2017/18 capital budget.

The Leader moved a report, seconded by the Deputy Leader, setting out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) in relation to the Council's Members' Allowance Scheme for 2017/18. In moving the report, the Leader proposed several adjustments to the IRP recommendations, which had previously been circulated to all members.

County Councillor Paul Greenall proposed the following amendment which was seconded by County Councillor Liz Oades:

(i)  That Councillors should not be entitled to claim travel expenses from home to County Hall as County Hall is their normal 'place of work';

(ii)  That the Special Responsibility Allowance payments made to Group Whips and Group Secretaries be withdrawn with immediate effect.

Following this, the Chairman suggested that the meeting be adjourned for a short period.

Resolved: - That the meeting be adjourned for a period of five minutes.

Following the adjournment, the amendment was put to the vote and was LOST. The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The Members of the Independent Remuneration Panel be thanked for their report.

(ii)  Recommendations (1), (3) and (4) as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented, be approved.

(iii)  Recommendation (2) be not accepted and that the 1% staff pay increase for 2017/18 be not applied to the 2017/18 Members' Allowance Scheme.

(iv)  Recommendation (5), as set out in the report, be agreed and that the incorporation of the Scheme's guidance notes in the 2017/18 Scheme, as presented at Appendix 'B', be approved.

(v)  Recommendation (6) be not accepted and that the list of Special Responsibility Allowances, as set out at Schedule 'B' of the Members' Allowance Scheme be amended and allowances paid as follows:

·  An SRA of £16,247 be paid to the additional Cabinet Member position announced at Full Council on 25 May 2017 and formally appointed on 26 May.

·  That an SRA of £7,471 be paid to the Chairs of the following Committees:

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

Corporate Parenting Board

Development Control Committee

Regulatory Committee

Pension Fund Committee

Audit and Governance Committee

Corporate Complaints Committee

Lancashire County Developments Ltd

·  That an SRA of £3,512 be paid to the Deputy Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

·  That no SRAs be paid to the second largest opposition Group.

(vi)  The revised Members' Allowance Scheme for 2017/18, as amended above, be approved and the Director of Governance, Finance and Public Services be authorised to make the necessary changes to the Scheme.

County Councillor Alan Schofield moved a report, seconded by County Councillor Edward Nash, setting out the recommendation of the Audit and Governance Committee from its meeting on 26 June 2017 in relation to the County Council's Treasury Management Strategy.

Resolved: - That the proposed revision to the Council's Treasury Management Strategy, to allow investment in property and equity investment funds of up to £50m in each category, as set out in Annex 1 to the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Alan Schofield moved a report, seconded by County Councillor Edward Nash, setting out the recommendation of the Audit and Governance Committee from its meeting on 26 June 2017 in relation to the Code of Corporate Governance.

Resolved: - That the recommendation of the Audit and Governance Committee to approve the updated Code of Corporate Governance as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

The Leader moved a report, seconded by the Deputy Leader, setting out a number of proposed constitutional changes relating to a number of the County Council's Committees.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  Approval be given to:

(a)  The revised Corporate Complaints Procedure (Appendix 'K' to the Constitution), as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented.

(b)  The updated terms of reference of the Regulatory Committee, as set out at Appendix 'B' to the report, now presented.

(c)  The updated terms of reference of the Development Control Committee, as set out at Appendix 'C' to the report, now presented.

(d)  The revised Protocol of Good Practice on Development Control Matters (Appendix N to the Constitution), as set out at Appendix 'D' to the report, now presented.

(ii)  The Director of Governance, Finance and Public Services be authorised to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution.

The Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport moved a report, seconded by County Councillor Ali, requesting that Full Council approved a number of recommendations in relation to the Sub-national Transport Body (Transport for the North) Regulations 2017.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The contents of the report, now presented, be noted.

(ii)  Subject to there being no material changes to the draft Regulations as shared with constituent authorities on 15 June 2017, to agree 'in principle' support to the making by the Secretary of State of Regulations under Section 102E of the Local Transport Act 2008 to establish Transport for the North as a Sub-national Transport Body and to agree that the Council's formal approval to join TfN be agreed as necessary under the Council's Urgent Business Procedure.

(iii)  The agreement 'in principle' be contingent on TfN exercising any transport powers and functions it holds concurrently with Lancashire County Council only with the full support of the County Council, be noted.

(iv)  Consent be given to the transfer of Rail North Limited to TfN so that it can be subsumed within TfN.

(v)  The signing of a new Rail Franchise Management Agreement with TfN that replicates as far as possible the current Rail North Limited Members Agreement, be approved.

(vi)  The continuation of current payments towards funding for Rail North Limited to TfN after its inauguration be approved 'in principle'.

The Full Council was asked to approve the appointment of County Councillor Michael Green to serve as the County Council's representative on the Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum for 2017/18.

Resolved: - That County Councillor Michael Green be appointed to serve as the County Council's representative on the Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum for 2017/18.

The Leader presented the report of the Cabinet from its meeting on 15 June 2017.

Resolved: - That the report of the Cabinet, now presented, be noted.

The Leader presented the report of the Urgency Committee setting out details of a decision taken by the Chief Executive under the Council's Urgent Business Procedure on behalf of the Urgency Committee.

Resolved: - That the report of the Urgency Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Alan Schofield presented the report of the Audit and Governance Committee from its meeting on 26 June 2017.

Resolved: - That the report of the Audit and Governance Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Eddie Pope presented the report of the Pension Fund Committee from its meeting on 30 June 2017.

Resolved: - That the report of the Pension Fund Committee, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Frank De Molfetta presented the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority from its meeting held on 19 June 2017.

Resolved: - That the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority, now presented, be noted.

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Mein and seconded by County Councillor Gibson that:

This Council writes to the former Chief Constable, Steve Finnigan, expressing Lancashire County Council's gratitude for his long service to the people of Lancashire and to the Lancashire Constabulary.

Steve Finnigan was the UK's longest serving Chief Constable and had led Lancashire Police for 12 years. Under his leadership Lancashire Police received numerous accolades and awards and was rated as one of the top Police forces in the country. He is a credit to the force and the Police Force are a credit to the people of Lancashire.

Furthermore, this Council writes to the new Chief Constable, Andy Rhodes, congratulating him on his appointment and offering the Council's full support and co-operation in dealing with crime and the causes of crime.

Six County Councillors requested a recorded vote in accordance with procedural Standing Order 15.2 (9.4). The names of the County Councillors who voted for or against the Motion and those who abstained are set out below:

For (69)

Against (0)

Abstain (10)

The motion was CARRIED and it was:

Resolved: - That:

This Council writes to the former Chief Constable, Steve Finnigan, expressing Lancashire County Council's gratitude for his long service to the people of Lancashire and to the Lancashire Constabulary.

Steve Finnigan was the UK's longest serving Chief Constable and had led Lancashire Police for 12 years. Under his leadership Lancashire Police received numerous accolades and awards and was rated as one of the top Police forces in the country. He is a credit to the force and the Police Force are a credit to the people of Lancashire.

Furthermore, this Council writes to the new Chief Constable, Andy Rhodes, congratulating him on his appointment and offering the Council's full support and co-operation in dealing with crime and the causes of crime.

2.  It was moved by County Councillor De Molfetta and seconded by County Councillor Parkinson that:

Sprinklers are the most effective way to ensure that fires are suppressed or even extinguished before  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.