Agenda and minutes

None

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

Resolved: that the minutes from the meeting held on 14 September 2023 are approved as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered the Corporate Governance Checklist which, if adopted, would help formalise a consistent approach to monitoring across all county council owned companies, to provide comprehensive shareholder information to the Committee.

It was requested that the wording in the checklist at item 4 is amended to clarify the division of responsibility between the Board of Directors of each company and the Cabinet Committee in its company member / shareholder role.

It was noted that there was difficulty in requesting that companies adopt this where the county council is a minority shareholder; it was suggested that the adoption of the Governance Checklist could be recommended to those companies through their Boards as best practice. A report was requested to the Committee advising on the adoption of this Checklist by companies where the county council is a minority shareholder.

Resolved: that the Company Member Cabinet Committee:

i.  Request that the wording in checklist item 4 is amended to clarify the division of roles between the Board and the Cabinet Committee

ii.  Request a report to a future meeting advising on the adoption of the Checklist by companies where the county council is a minority shareholder.

iii.  Subject to the changes above, approve and adopt the Corporate Governance Checklist as presented, and request that this be completed for each county council owned company and submitted to the Committee as part of each company's annual reporting.

The Committee considered a report setting out the updated work programme.

It was noted that companies of which the county council was a major shareholder would present in March, and minor shareholder companies would be grouped together in June.

Resolved: that the updated work programme for 2023-24 is 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 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 noted that there were two items of Urgent Business in relation to the current position of Lancashire Enterprise Partnership and Marketing Lancashire.

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the activities of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership in the final year of its operation, along with the latest financial position.

It was noted that the reason for urgency was that additional information was required regarding the impact of the Devolution Deal on the next stages for a proposed Business Board.

Resolved: that the Company Member Cabinet Committee note this as the final report to the Committee and note that the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership will formally cease on 31 March 2024.

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the activities of Marketing Lancashire, including the executive leadership change, the TUPE transfer of staff into Lancashire County Council, the scheduled liquidation of the company and the successful application in partnership with VisitBlackpool to be designated a VisitEngland certified Local Visitor Economy partnership.

It was noted that the reason for urgency was that additional information was required regarding the impact of the Local Visitor Economy Partnership.

Resolved: that the Company Member Cabinet Committee endorse the actions as set out to fully liquidate the company by February 2024, and requests a further report to provide assurance on company closure early next year.

The next meeting of the Company Member Cabinet Committee will be held on Thursday 21^st March 2024 at 2pm in Committee Room 'C – The Duke of Lancaster Room at County Hall, Preston.

The Committee noted that the next meeting of the Company Member Cabinet Committee shall be held on Thursday 21st March 2024 at 2pm in Committee Room 'C – The Duke of Lancaster Room at County Hall, Preston.

Notice of Intention to Conduct Business in Private.

The Committee 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 press and 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.

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.

The Committee considered a report providing a performance update on the activities of the Lancashire Urban Development Fund.

Resolved: that the recommendations as set out in the report are approved.