Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors Alf Clempson, Andrew Gardiner, Alan Hosker, Stuart Morris and Yousuf Motala.

None declared.

At the invitation of the Chairman, the Chief Executive and Director of Resources presented a report setting out details of the persons elected as county councillors on 6 May 2021.

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

Former County Councillor Susie Charles, the retiring Chairman of the County

Council, presided for this item.

It was moved by County Councillor Michael Green, and seconded by County

Councillor Alan Schofield, that County Councillor Barrie Yates be elected

Chairman of the County Council.

There being no other nominations, it was:

Resolved: - That County Councillor Barrie Yates be elected Chairman of the

County Council until the Annual General Meeting of the Full Council in 2022.

County Councillor Yates then took the Chair and made his Declaration of

Acceptance of Office.

It was moved by County Councillor Tim Ashton, and seconded by County

Councillor Charles Edwards, that County Councillor Peter Britcliffe be appointed Vice-Chairman of the County Council.

It was subsequently moved by County Councillor Azhar Ali, and seconded by County Councillor Lorraine Beavers, that County Councillor Hasina Khan be appointed Vice-Chairman of the County Council.

On being put to the vote, the nomination for County Councillor Peter Britcliffe was CARRIED.

There being no other nominations, it was:

Resolved: - That County Councillor Peter Britcliffe be appointed Vice-

Chairman of the County Council until the Annual General meeting of the Full

Council in 2022.

County Councillor Britcliffe then made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 February 2021 and of the Extraordinary General Meeting held on 8 April 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

It was moved by County Councillor Graham Gooch, and seconded by County

Councillor David O'Toole, that County Councillor Phillippa Williamson be elected Leader of the County Council in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution for the County Council.

There being no other nominations, it was:

Resolved: - That County Councillor Phillippa Williamson be elected Leader of the County Council.

County Councillor Williamson then formally announced the appointment of the following Members of her Cabinet:

County Councillor Alan Vincent – Resources, HR and Property (Deputy Leader)

County Councillor Peter Buckley – Community and Cultural Services

County Councillor Charles Edwards – Highways and Transport

County Councillor Graham Gooch – Adult Social Care

County Councillor Michael Green – Health and Wellbeing

County Councillor Jayne Rear – Education and Skills

County Councillor Aidy Riggott – Economic Development and Growth

County Councillor Cosima Towneley – Children and Families

County Councillor Shaun Turner – Environment and Climate Change

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report setting out the county council's Constitution for the year ahead, noting changes made since the Annual General Meeting in 2020.

The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Azhar Ali, seconded by County Councillor Lorraine Beavers:

After recommendation (iv) add:

(v): Establish an urgent cross-party meeting to discuss ways and means to open up transparency and scrutiny of Council decision making that reports back to the next Full Council meeting in July. This meeting looks at all opportunities including revisiting the decision not to allow Councillors to speak at Cabinet as well as implementing the 'Councillor First' protocol.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The changes made to the Constitution since the Annual General Meeting in 2020, as set out in the report, now presented, be noted.

(ii)  Consideration be given to any changes Full Council might wish to make to the Constitution to enable the efficient and effective running of the county council.

(iii)  The Director of Corporate Services be authorised to make any consequential changes to other parts of the Constitution arising from any changes.

(iv)  The Constitution of the county council for the year 2021/22, as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report setting out the membership of committees and related appointments for 2021/22.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The Constitution and membership of the committees of the county council for 2021/22, as set out at a) in the report, now presented, be approved.

(ii)  The appointment of Chairs and Deputy Chairs of those committees for 2021/22, as set out at b) in the report, now presented, and as set out below, be approved.

Committee    Chair    Deputy

Urgency   P Williamson   A Vincent

Overview and Scrutiny

Internal Scrutiny  D O'Toole    J Shedwick

External Scrutiny  P Britcliffe    R Swarbrick

Education and Children's   A Kay  J Berry

Services Scrutiny 

Health Scrutiny  D Westley    C Haythornthwaite

Budget Scrutiny Review Panel  D Westley  A Schofield

Other Committees

Development Control  M Maxwell-Scott  P Rigby

Regulatory  S Hind    M Salter

Audit, Risk and Governance  A Schofield     R Swarbrick

Pension Fund  E Pope    A Schofield

Student Support Appeals  A Cheetham  H Hartley

Employment  P Williamson   A Vincent

Conduct  A Vincent    P Buckley

Lancashire Health and Wellbeing   M Green  Non-CC

Board 

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report setting out the recommendation of the Cabinet in respect of approving the Community Safety Agreement, as determined by the county council's Policy Framework.

Resolved: - That the recommendation of the Cabinet in respect of approving the Community Safety Agreement, as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Alan Schofield moved a report setting out the recommendation of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee in respect of the updated Code of Corporate Governance for 2021/22.

Resolved: - That the recommendation of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee in respect of approving the updated Code of Corporate Governance for 2021/22, as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Eddie Pope moved a report setting out a proposal to appoint Mr Kevin Ellard as Scheme Member Representative to the Lancashire Local Pension Board to fill the current vacancy following the resignation of Mr Keith Wallbank.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The appointment of Mr Kevin Ellard as the Scheme Member Representative on the Lancashire Local Pension Board with effect from 27 May 2021 for a period of 4 years, with an option to extend for a further four years in accordance with the terms of reference of the Board, as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

(ii)  That the London Pensions Fund Authority Board be informed of the decision specified at (i) above.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report asking Full Council to approve the appointment of 19 members to serve on the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority for 2021/22 on the basis of 11 Conservative members, 7 Labour members, and 1 member from either the Liberal Democrats or Greens.

It was noted that the nominations from the Conservative Group had not yet been fully confirmed.

Following a brief adjournment, it was:

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The following county councillors be appointed to serve on the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority for 2021/22:

Labour (7)  Liberal Democrat/Green (1)

M Dad  D Howarth 

F De Molfetta

N Hennessy

H Khan

J Mein

M Pattison

S Serridge

(ii)  The nominations from the Conservative Group, 11 in total, be approved as soon as practical under the Urgency Committee's Urgent Business Procedure.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report asking Full Council to approve the appointment of the county council's representative, and a substitute representative, to serve on the Police and Crime Panel for Lancashire for 2021/22.

County Councillor Vincent proposed that County Councillor Phillippa Williamson be appointed as the county council's representative, and that County Councillor Vincent be appointed as the county council's substitute representative.

Resolved: - That County Councillor Phillippa Williamson be appointed to serve on the Police and Crime Panel for Lancashire and that County Councillor Alan Vincent be appointed to serve as the substitute representative for 2021/22.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report asking Full Council to approve the appointment of the county council's representatives, and substitute representatives, to serve on Transport for the North and Transport for the North Scrutiny Committee for 2021/22.

County Councillor Vincent proposed that County Councillors Aidy Riggott and Matthew Salter be appointed as the county council's representatives, and that County Councillors Charles Edwards and Rob Bailey be appointed as the county council's substitute representatives.

Resolved: - That:

The following Members be appointed to serve on Transport for the North and Transport for the North Scrutiny Committee for 2021/22:

Transport for the North

County Councillor Aidy Riggott

County Councillor Charles Edwards (Substitute)

Transport for the North Scrutiny Committee

County Councillor Matthew Salter

County Councillor Rob Bailey (Substitute)

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report asking Full Council to approve the appointment of representatives to serve on the Local Government Association General Assembly for 2021/22; the appointment of representatives to serve on a number of the Local Government Association's Special Interest Groups for 2021/22, and to note the arrangements for appointments to the Local Government Association's Boards.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The representation and appointments to serve on the Local Government Association's General Assembly and Special Interest Groups, as set out in the report now presented, for 2021/22 be approved as follows:

LGA General Assembly (4)

Conservative (3)  Labour (1)

G Gooch  A Ali

A Vincent

P Williamson

LGA Special Interest Group - Coastal Issues (1)

S Clarke

LGA Special Interest Group - Rural Services Network (1)

S Turner

LGA Special Interest Group - Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum (1)

A Riggott

(ii)  That the County Council's 12 votes be carried by County Councillor Phillippa Williamson.

(iii)  That the arrangements for appointments to the Local Government Association's Boards as set out in the report, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report asking Full Council to approve the appointment of the county council's representatives to serve on the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority until the next county council elections in May 2025.

County Councillor Vincent proposed that County Councillor Stephen Clarke be appointed as one of two county council representatives, with the Labour group proposing County Councillor Jean Parr as the additional county council representative.

Resolved: - That

(i)  County Councillors Stephen Clarke and Jean Parr be appointed to serve on the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority until the next county council elections in May 2025.

(ii)  The Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Leader of the County Council, be authorised to approve any changes to the appointments at (i) above which may become necessary before May 2025.

County Councillor Alan Vincent moved a report asking Full Council to approve the appointment of the county council's shareholder representative on the Board of the Local Pensions Partnership Ltd until the next county council elections in May 2025.

County Councillor Vincent proposed that County Councillor Alan Schofield be appointed as the county council's shareholder representative.

Resolved: - That

(i)  County Councillor Alan Schofield be appointed to serve as the county council's shareholder representative on the Board of the Local Pensions Partnership Ltd until the next county council elections in May 2025.

(ii)  The Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Leader of the County Council, be authorised to approve any changes to the appointment at (i) above which may become necessary before May 2025.

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 Chairman 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.

There was no urgent business to be considered.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Cabinet from its meetings on 4 March and 1 April 2021, together with details of urgent Key Decisions taken since the last meeting of Full Council.

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

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Urgency Committee setting out details of the decision taken by the Director of Corporate Services (Monitoring Officer) under the county 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 moved the report of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee from its meeting on 26 April 2021.

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

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved the report of the Employment Committee from its meetings on 8 March and 12 April 2021.

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

County Councillor Eddie Pope moved the report of the Pension Fund Committee from its meeting on 12 March 2021.

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

County Councillor David O'Toole moved the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees from their meetings as follows:

Education and Children's Services Scrutiny Committee - 9 February and 11 March 2021

External Scrutiny Committee - 16 March 2021

Health Scrutiny Committee - 23 March 2021

Internal Scrutiny Committee - 5 March 2021

Resolved: - That the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Michael Green moved the report of the Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board from its meeting on 9 March 2021.

Resolved: - That the report of the Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Board, now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Frank De Molfetta moved the report of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority from its meetings on 22 February and 26 April 2021.

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

The Chairman informed Full Council that the Notice of Motion, submitted by County Councillor Sobia Malik, had been withdrawn and would be re-submitted for the next meeting on 15 July 2021.