Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of County Councillors Albert Atkinson; Terry Burns; Lizzi Collinge; Jimmy Eaton, Mark Perks, and John Potter.

Announcements

Suspension of Standing Order B45(3)

The Chairman informed Full Council that he had agreed to suspend Standing Order B45(3) for County Councillor Jenny Purcell only to allow her votes to be counted whilst she was not in her designated seat.

Deaths

The Chairman reported the recent deaths of former County Councillor Gordon Toole, who sadly passed away on 11 August 2019, and former County Councillor Stephen Sutcliffe, who sadly passed away on Monday 2 September 2019.

The Council stood in silent tribute.

County Councillor Azhar Ali

County Councillor Azhar Ali apologised to Full Council for remarks he had made at a previous meeting.

No declarations of interest were made.

Questions submitted under Standing Order B28.

The Chairman informed Full Council that County Councillor Gillian Oliver had withdrawn her question. As this was the only question received, there would be no Question Time.

Resolved: - That the minutes of the ordinary and extraordinary meetings, respectively, held on 18 July 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

County Councillor Geoff Driver moved a report setting out the recommendation of the Cabinet to approve the Strategy for Libraries, Museums, Culture and Archives 2019 - 2024.

Resolved: - That the recommendation of the Cabinet to approve the Strategy for Libraries, Museums, Culture and Archives 2019 - 2024 as set out in the report, now presented, be approved.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson moved a report setting out details of a finding of fault causing injustice after an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The report set out the actions that had already been taken in response to the Ombudsman's recommendations.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The recommendations set out in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's report at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented, be noted.

(ii)  The actions already taken be noted and the further steps proposed in response to the report's recommendations, as set out in the report, now presented, be endorsed.

County Councillor Geoff Driver moved a report setting out details of a draft timetable of Full Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for the period 1 June 2020 to 31 May 2021.

Resolved: - That the timetable of Full Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for the period 1 June 2020 to 31 May 2021 inclusive as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report, now presented, be approved.

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 Geoff Driver moved the report of the Cabinet from its meetings on 11 July, 8 August, 5 September and 3 October 2019.

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

County Councillor Alan Schofield moved the report of the Audit, Risk and Governance Committee from its meeting on 29 July 2019.

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

County Councillor Geoff Driver moved the report of the Employment Committee from its meetings on 3 September and 7 October 2019.

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 20 September 2019.

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:

Children's Services Scrutiny Committee – 3 July 2019

Education Scrutiny Committee – 22 July 2019

External Scrutiny Committee – 16 July 2019

Health Scrutiny Committee – 24 September 2019

Internal Scrutiny Committee – 12 July, 19 September and 27 September 2019

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

County Councillor Shaun Turner moved the report of the Pension Fund Committee from its meetings on 23 July and 10 September 2019.

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 meeting on 16 September 2019.

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

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Azhar Ali and seconded by County Councillor Julie Gibson that:

This council notes:

·  Local Government has endured central government funding cuts of nearly 50% since 2010. 

·  Between 2010 and 2020, councils will have lost 60p out of every £1 they have received from central government. 

·  The 2019 LGA survey of council finances found that 1 in 3 councils fear they will run out of funding to provide even their statutory, legal duties by 2022/23. This number rises to almost two thirds of councils by 2024/2025 or later. 

·  The LGA estimates councils will face a funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. 

·  Faced with these cuts from central government, the local government workforce has endured years of pay restraint with the majority of pay points losing 22 per cent of their value since 2009/10.

·  At the same time as seeing their pay go down in real terms, workers experience ever increasing workloads and persistent job insecurity. Across the UK, an estimated 876,000 jobs have been lost in local government since June 2010 – a reduction of 30 per cent. Local government has arguably been hit by more severe job losses than any other part of the public sector.

·  There has been a disproportionate impact on women, with women making up more than three quarters of the local government workforce.

This council believes:

·  Our workers are public service super heroes. They keep our communities clean, look after those in need and keep our towns and cities running.

·  Without the professionalism and dedication of our staff, the council services our residents rely on would not be deliverable.

·  Government funding has been cut to the extent that a proper pay rise could result in a reduction in local government services.

·  The government needs to take responsibility and fully fund increases in pay; it should not put the burden on local authorities whose funding has been cut to the bone.

This council resolves to:

·  Support the pay claim submitted by GMB UNISON and Unite on behalf of council and school workers for a £10 per hour minimum wage and a 10 per cent uplift across all other pay points in 2020/21.

·  Call on the Local Government Association to make urgent representations to central government to fund the NJC pay claim.

·  Write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State to call for a pay increase for local government workers to be funded with new money from central government. 

·  Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the pay claim.

·  Encourage all local government workers to join a union.

The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Geoff Driver and seconded by County Councillor Keith Iddon:

The Council notes:

• Local Government has endured reductions in central government grants of nearly 50% since 2010.
• The 2019 LGA survey of council finances found that 1 in 3 councils fear they will run out of funding to provide even their statutory duties by 2022/23. This rises to almost two thirds of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.