Agenda and minutes

Also in attendance

Mr J Carson, Director for People and Places, Chorley Borough Council.

Mr G Graham, Deputy County Treasurer, Lancashire County Council.

Ms S Palmer, Locality Officer, Lancashire County Council, Environment Directorate.

Mr M Neville, Senior Committee Support Officer, Lancashire County Council, Office of the Chief Executive.

Agreed: That County Councillor S Holgate is appointed as Chair of the Forum.

Agreed: That Councillor J Molyneaux is appointed as Deputy Chair of the Forum.

Mr Neville presented a report regarding the above and informed the members of the Forum that the Terms of Reference had been amended in order to enable public participation in accordance with the wishes expressed at the previous meeting in connection with the future development of the Forum.

The proposed Protocol in relation to public speaking was noted and the Forum agreed that speaking at meetings would be permitted on the basis of during each agenda item, for up to 3 minutes per person, to be managed by the Chair at their discretion. In response to a query it was reported that whilst speeches by members of the public were not expected to be the subject of debate or that any questions raised would necessarily be answered at the meeting, it was possible for the Chair, at his discretion, to invite a response or comment from an appropriate officer or Forum member.

Engagement with Parish and Town Councils was also discussed and whilst it was noted that the Borough Council did engage with Parish and Town Councils and had an established Liaison Committee several members of the Forum suggested that consideration be given to including additional representatives from such Councils on the Forum. In response Ms Palmer reported that opening meetings to the public was the first step in the process of developing the Forums and the County Council was still considering various other suggestions (including greater representation for Parish and Town Councils) which had been received during the consultation on the future development of Forums.

It was also noted that under the Protocol members of Parish and Town Councils would be able to attend future meetings and speak on items on the agenda.

Agreed:

1.  That the current membership of the Forum, as set out below, is noted.

The Parish and Town Councils representative - Councillor M Miller from Eccleston Parish Council

2.  That public speaking at the Chorley Three Tier Forum is permitted on the following basis – on each agenda item, for up to 3 minutes per person, to be managed by the Chair at their discretion and in accordance with the 'Protocol on Public Speaking' a copy of which is attached as an Annex to this Note.

3.  That the decision set out at 2 above be incorporated into the Terms of Reference for the Chorley Three Tier Forum as set out below.

a)  The Forum is a joint business meeting of County, District, and Town and Parish Councillors, open to the public.

b)  The membership of the Forum will be all local County Councillors with an Electoral Division within the District and an equal number of District  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

It was reported that apologies for absence had been received from County Councillor M Perks.

Mr Graham presented a detailed report regarding the nature of the financial challenge facing the County Council over the next few years and informed the meeting that the County Council was faced with making savings of around £300m over the next few years which was the equivalent of 38% of its current budget.

It was reported that in response to the increasing financial constraints the County Council had adopted a number of approaches, including a review of planning assumptions and forecasts which had led to a reduction of £17.4m in the level of savings required over the next four years. In addition a further £19.1m of efficiency savings had been identified over the next two years through a range of measures such as reducing supplies, squeezing costs, removing vacancies or reducing hours 

In considering the report the following issues were discussed by members of the Forum and the public.

·  In response to a query regarding street lighting it was reported that a programme of replacing existing lighting with the more efficient LED lighting was included in the capital programme. In addition it was proposed to dim or switch off street lighting in certain locations in order to reduce costs, though this would be in line with the requirements to maintain safety.

·  The efficiency savings which had been made via the 10% challenge were noted though there was some concern that such savings could have an impact on certain vulnerable groups. The effectiveness of a recently introduced scheme of signing connected with parking restrictions in Charnock Richard was also questioned. 

·  It was suggested that in view of the unprecedented financial situation over the next few years it was vital that all political parties work together to find viable solutions. In response Mr Graham reported that the County Council had a cross party scrutiny task group in place which would look at any budget proposals before they were presented to the County Council. 

·  Whilst it was recognised that Directorates had been asked to identify savings it was suggested that they should also consider ways of raising additional revenue, for example by having advertising at Household Waste Recycling Centres. Mr Graham reported that there had already been a number of suggestions made which would result in some revenue being raised. However, he added that in many cases charges were already made for services and care needed to be taken that increasing existing charges or introducing new charges did not have a detrimental effect on use of those services. It was also noted that the current financial climate was having an impact on the individuals/organisations which the County Council could sell services to and that demand in certain markets was reduced.

·  The need to avoid duplication of effort was discussed and it was noted that the County Council and District Councils did have a number of shared services.

It was reported that the comments of Forums would be taken into consideration when developing further proposals to meet the remainder of the savings requirement in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

In response to a query regarding the removal of the 125 bus service which had provided a direct route to Chorley Hospital, Ms Palmer undertook to raise the matter with the Traffic Commissioner and seek clarification on the reasoning behind the decision.

Concern was also expressed in relation to the lack of bus timetable information that was available in the Chorley East Ward and a request made for information regarding the use of telematics systems to monitor bus services in Lancashire.

Agreed:

1.  That the Note of the meeting held on the 10^th September 2013 is confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

2.  That the Locality Officer seek clarification from the Traffic Commissioner in connection with the reasoning behind the removal of the 125 bus service and update members of the Forum via the Action Sheet.

3.  That the Locality Officer investigate the availability of bus timetable information in Chorley East Ward and the use of telematics on bus services in Lancashire and report back to the Forum in due course.

The following points were raised during consideration of the updates set out in the Action Sheet

With regard to the roll out of Superfast broadband clarification was requested in relation to when the Adlington and Brinscall exchange was to be upgraded and also why residents in parts of Heath Charnock were on the Chorley exchange (instead of the closer Adlington exchange) which appeared to be unable to provide them with superfast broadband.

It was reported that County Councillors were due to meet with representatives of Network Rail the following week to discuss the electrification of the Manchester to Preston railway line and a further meeting involving representatives from all tiers of local government would be held in the future.

A request was made for parents and the Parents Partnership to be included in any discussions regarding proposals to restructure the Lancashire Residential Overnight Break Service by replacing the current provision with 4 purpose built units across Lancashire.

With regard to the distribution of leaflets during Rogue Trader Week it was noted that all the locations mentioned in the report were in the Town Centre and it was suggested that residents of rural communities would also benefit from receiving similar leaflets. It was also suggested that in future Officers should consult with local councillors when planning similar leaflet drops both to inform the Councillor of what was planned and also so that Officers could make use of their local knowledge and ensure that publicity was delivered on a more targeted basis.

Agreed: That the comments set out above are noted and where appropriate further responses be provided via the Action Sheet or outside of the meeting.

The Dashboard details the performance of the Directorate between July and September 2013 in relation to delivery of the approved Chorley Commissioning Plan.

The Chair invited the members of the Forum to comment on the updates set out in the Dashboard and the following points were made.

·  The performance figures regarding potholes were discussed and Mr Neville clarified that the figure of 90% of potholes repaired within the target period during Quarter 1 only related to those potholes which had been identified via highway safety inspections. Several members of the Forum suggested that it would be more meaningful if in future information was presented in terms of absolute numbers of potholes that were reported/fixed within a given period and the Chair asked for such information to be presented to the next meeting.

·  In response to a query regarding repair/maintenance work on certain footpaths it was suggested that any specific issues be forwarded to the County Councils Public Rights of Way Manager, though it was recognised that there was a limited budget for works associated with the footpath network. 

Agreed: That the comments set out above be noted and where appropriate further updates be provided in due course either via the Action Sheet or outside of the meeting.

Councillor Dickinson left the meeting at this point.

The attached table sets out the list of priorities identified by members since the last meeting which could be funded from the Local Priorities Response Fund. In order to support the development of the 2014/15 Commissioning Plan, the Forum is asked to consider the schemes using the allocations and information contained within the table.

The following points were raised by members of the Forum and the public in relation to the list of suggested schemes for the 2014/15 capital programme which would be funded from the Local Priorities Response Fund.

·  Concern was expressed that a scheme for the reconstruction of footways in The Warings which had previously been put forward for consideration but was not mentioned in either the Dashboard or the list of schemes under consideration for 2014/15. In response Ms Palmer asked to be provided with details of the scheme so that she could make further enquiries.

·  With regard to the two schemes which were considered to be high priority it was recognised that whilst the estimated cost of the schemes (£149, 375) would be able to finance a number of smaller schemes across the Borough it was recognised that the proposed works were significant and should therefore be pursued.

·  It was noted that three schemes (totalling £233,025) had been identified for possible funding from the main capital programme.

·  There was general agreement amongst the members of the Forum that proposals to resurface the Park Road entrance to Astley Park and resurface sections of footpaths along the A674 at Wheelton should also be put forward for possible inclusion in the programme.

·  A request for the provision of a zebra crossing off the Southport Road junction in the vicinity of a skate park was discussed and whilst recognising that the scheme was currently given a lower priority there was agreement that it should be nevertheless be recommended for further investigation with a view to possible inclusion in a future programme.

Agreed: That the following recommendations from the Chorley 3 Tier Forum are forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation for consideration in relation to the 2014/15 capital programme.

1.  That the schemes to top dress pavements along Pear Tree Road in Clayton le Woods and resurface the footpath and carriageway along Pilling Lane are considered as top priorities for funding from the Local Priorities Response Fund.

2.  That proposals to resurface Park Road at the entrance to Astley Park and resurface sections of footpaths along the A674 at Wheelton be considered as secondary priorities and any remaining allocation, or surplus resulting from the schemes listed at 1 above not being implemented or being completed for less than the estimated cost, be allocated towards implementing these schemes.

3.  That further investigations be made in relation to the provision of a zebra crossing off the Southport Road junction in Euxton, in the vicinity of a skate park, with a view to a scheme being considered for inclusion in a future programme.

Please see attached update.

Agreed: That the update regarding the Borough Council's Neighbourhood Working initiative is noted and the Forum continue to be kept informed of further developments.

a)  Adoption of Estates O&S Task Group. (as requested by the Forum)

The County Councils response to the recommendations set out in the Borough Councils O&S Task Group report in relation to the adoption of estates. A copy of the Task Group report is also attached for information.

b)  Highways Involvement in Planning Applications. (County Councillor Holgate).

Members of the Forum are invited to feed their views into the County Council Overview and Scrutiny Task Group which is considering this matter. A short note on the processes used by highways officers when considering planning applications is attached for background information.

Ms Palmer referred members of the Forum to the response from the County Councils Director of Lancashire Highways Services, which was generally supportive of the recommendations of the Borough Councils Task Group in relation to the adoption of estates.

There was general agreement amongst the members of the Forum that the current situation was unsatisfactory and it was suggested that there was reluctance on the County Councils part to adopt roads, even when local residents had offered to pay for works to bring a road up to standard, due to the long term maintenance implications.

With regard to the future the Chair suggested that the County Council should take a more aspirational view and seek to work with developers to adopt roads within 10months of the works being completed.

It was also suggested that the Forum request the County Councils Cabinet Member and all Leaders of District Councils to lobby the Government for a change in legislation to give local authorities more influence over developers in order to ensure that roads are completed within a defined timescale and up to a standard so that they can be formally adopted.

Agreed:

1.  That the response from the Director of Lancashire Highways Services to the recommendations of the Borough Councils Task Group on the adoption of estates is noted.

2.  That the Forum receives updates in the future regarding all unadopted highways across the Borough.

3.  That the County Councils Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, together with all Leaders of District Councils in Lancashire, be recommended to lobby the Government for a change in legislation to give local authorities more influence over developers in order to ensure that highways are completed to the required standard in a timely fashion so that they can be formally adopted.

Any suggestions for themes to be discussed at future meetings should be forwarded to the Chair and Sarah Palmer, Localities Officer, Environment Directorate, Strategy and Policy on 07766 991872 or by email to sarah.palmer@lancashire.gov.uk

It was noted that members of the Forum should forward any suggestions for future items of business to the Chair and Ms Palmer for consideration. 

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

There were no items of urgent business for discussion at the meeting.

The next scheduled meeting of the Forum will be held at 6.00pm on the 8^th April 2014 in Committee Room 1 at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Forum would be held at 6pm on the 8^th April 2014 in Committee Room 1 at the Town Hall, Market Street, Chorley.

ANNEX - Protocol for Public Speaking at the Chorley Three Tier Forum

For the purpose of this protocol, "members of the public" includes members of the press and parish and district councillors who are not members of the Forum. It does not include officers of county or district authorities who are in attendance to support and advise the meeting.

Each Forum will agree at what points of the meeting members of the public will be entitled to speak. On the 18^th November 2013 the Forum agreed that the public could speak during the discussion of each item on the agenda.

Each Forum may also set a maximum length of time for any individual speech from a member of the public. On the 18^th November 2013 the Forum agreed that each speaker would have up to 3 minutes per person, to be managed by the Chair at their discretion.

Public speaking must be on topics included on the agenda for the meeting

Whilst a member of the public is speaking, no interruption shall be allowed from either a member of the Forum or another member of the public.

However, the Chair of the meeting may intervene in the speech of a member of the public. This includes the right of the Chair to terminate a speech if it is felt appropriate to do so. The Chair's judgement will be informed by the following provision:

Members of the public must not

·  Speak at a point in the meeting other than those specified

·  Interrupt another speaker

·  Speak for longer than the allotted time

·  Reveal personal information about another individual

·  Make a personal complaint about a service provided by County, District or Town / Parish Councils in the area

·  Make individual or personal complaints against any member of the authority

·  Reveal information which they know or believe to be confidential  

·  Use offensive, abusive or threatening language

·  Ignore the ruling of the Chair of the meeting

Members of the public who breach these guidelines may, following a warning, be asked to leave the meeting. If a person refuses to leave the room, the chair shall adjourn the meeting for a short period of time and if necessary to a later date

Speeches by members of the public are not expected to be the subject of a debate, nor are any questions raised expected to be answered. The Chair may, at his or her discretion, invite a response or comment from an appropriate officer or Forum member, but it is anticipated that this will be the exception rather than the rule.

The contents of any speech by a member of the public will be noted by officers supporting the Forum and will be dealt with via the appropriate mechanism.