Decision details

Following a request by seven County Councillors in accordance with the "Call In" procedure rules, the Committee considered a report outlining the decision of the Cabinet on 8 September 2016 in relation to the Property Strategy.

The Committee welcomed County Councillor Kim Snape; Mrs Jane Porter; Fylde Borough Councillor Richard Redcliffe; Lancaster City Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox; County Councillor David Borrow, Deputy Leader of the Council; County Councillor Marcus Johnstone; Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning and Cultural Services; County Councillor Matthew Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools; Mel Ormesher, Head of Asset Management, Ian Young, Director of Governance, Finance and Public Services; Neil Kissock, Director of Financial Resources; Debbie Duffell, Head of Wellbeing, Prevention and Early Help; and Julie Bell, Head of Libraries, Museums, Culture and Registrars attending to present evidence to the Committee.

The following Councillors also spoke in accordance with Standing Order 19(1):

County Councillors Andrea Kay, County Councillor Susie Charles, County Councillor Anne Cheetham, County Councillor Albert Atkinson, County Councillor Keith Sedgewick, County Councillor Michael Green, County Councillor Keith Iddon and County Councillor Alan Schofield.

The Committee considered a number of issues in connection with the original decision, including the financial information provided, the methodology behind the decisions, and the consultation process, as well as hearing further representations on behalf of individual buildings.

Following the debate, the committee

Resolved: That the cabinet be asked to reconsider its decision of 8 September 2016 in relation to the Property Strategy, on the following grounds:

·  Both the consultation and the cabinet decision were based on incorrect financial information and the decision does not meet the Council's own priorities to support the needs of the residents of Lancashire, particularly the more deprived communities

·  The Scrutiny Committee also sought assurances that the methodology was applied consistently and fairly