Agenda and minutes

County Councillors G Gooch and A Schofield replaced County Councillors G Driver and Mrs S Charles respectively at this meeting.

None.

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary or Non-pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

County Councillors T Aldridge, B Dawson, M Green, M Johnstone, N Penney and A Schofield declared non-pecuniary interests in agenda item 4d (Update on Health Impacts of Shale Gas Exploration in Lancashire) as they were members of the Development Control Committee responsible for determining shale gas planning applications.

Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered a number of reports to be presented for decision by Cabinet on 9 July 2015.

The Committee received a report outlining the activities each Champion had undertaken between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015, in their respective roles, from the resources allocated to them on an annual basis.

Resolved: That the recommendation set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a summary of the County Council's financial position at the end of 2014/15.

An underspend on the revenue budget of £6.498m on services had been achieved along with a £69.583m surplus relating to an extraordinary financial position in the capital financing budget. It was noted that this position was a one-off due to investment activity in-year. 

The 2014/15 capital spending in the year was £178.015m, which equated to 84% of the approved programme. The remaining balance reflected slippage and had been profiled appropriately into 2015/16.

The Committee was informed that although this overall position was favourable, it must be balanced by consideration of the significant pressures facing the Council in 2015/16 and beyond.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee received a report on the appointment of County Council representatives to various outside bodies on an annual basis.

A query was raised in respect of the 'Arthur Edmonson Quinn Bequest', which did not appear to be meeting. It was agreed that this would be investigated.

The Committee agreed that appointments must be beneficial to both the organisation and the Council, and that an appointment should only be made to an outside body if the organisation was aligned or linked to the Council's policies and strategies. 

Resolved: That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that in addition the Cabinet should be recommended to ask the political group secretaries to consult those councillors appointed to outside bodies to help determine the relevance and usefulness of the council continuing to make such appointments.

The Committee considered a progress report on the recommendations by the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing to address the potential health impacts of the proposed shale gas exploration sites in Lancashire.

It was proposed that no further site specific Health Impact Assessment (HIA) work be undertaken until the applicant had decided whether to appeal against the decisions taken by the Development Control Committee in June 2015.

It was noted that the HIA report identified areas for future policy development, both locally and nationally.  These were being followed up with relevant bodies and further reports would be presented as appropriate.

The Committee requested that the recent un-redacted Defra report on Shale Gas: Rural Economy Impacts be made available to all members.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a report on the proposed publication of the Fylde Coast Highways and Transport masterplan.

The proposed masterplan, which had been developed jointly with Blackpool Council, had been the subject of a six week consultation exercise.  It was noted that the consultation exercise had largely endorsed the County Council's vision for the Fylde Coast's highways and transport networks and for the work needed to take the masterplan forward.  However, three major changes to the masterplan were proposed following the consultation exercise and details of the proposed changes were noted.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a progress report on the Business Growth Package for Lancashire 2015-2018 including the role and work of Boost, as the single business growth hub for all small and medium size enterprises operating in Lancashire.

In welcoming the report and the performance of Boost, the Committee agreed that the Cabinet should be requested to provide updates on the continued work of Boost and on the outcome of the proposed procurement exercise (recommendation (iii) to the Cabinet report) to identify and select contractors to progress and deliver Boost's Hub Service; new start-up support and mentoring programmes; required marketing support; and customer relationship management system.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to Cabinet be noted, and that in addition the Cabinet be asked to provide an update on the outcome of the proposed procurement exercise set out at recommendation (iii) to the report, and on the continued work of Boost.

The Committee considered a number of Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members

The Committee considered a report on a proposal to permanently expand Primrose Hill Primary School in Chorley with effect from September 2016.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

The Committee considered a progress report on the Burnley – Pendle Growth Corridor Investment Programme.

The report included a revised programme of works and estimated costs including the County Council's level of contribution from the Environment Capital Programme, and associated governance arrangements. 

Resolved:   That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

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.

None.

The next meeting of the Executive Scrutiny Committee will be held on Tuesday, 8^th of September 2015 at 2pm, County Hall, Preston.

The Committee noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday 8 September 2015 at 2.00 p.m. at  County Hall, Preston.

The Committee 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 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 paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and that in all circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Committee considered a number of Key Decisions due to be taken by individual Cabinet Members.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. 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 on the proposed award of a contract for the supply and distribution of grocery products to the County Council.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Leader of the Council be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. 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 on proposed capital improvement projects in special and alternative provision schools to be funded from the Schools Single Capital Pot.  The projects would either address issues of the provision of additional places, suitability or condition or a combination of these.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. 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 on the proposed award of contracts for the provision of supply of short term supported accommodation services for offenders, or people at risk of offending, and intensive resettlement service for offenders subject to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) and Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) Arrangements across Lancashire.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services and the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.

(Not for Publication – Exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. 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 on the proposed award of contracts for the provision of Short Term Single Homelessness Accommodation Based Housing Support Services across Preston and West Lancashire.

Resolved:  That the recommendations set out in the report to the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services and the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools be noted, and that no additional comments or suggested alternative recommendations be made.