Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of County Councillors G Driver; T Jones; M Parkinson; M Perks; C Pritchard; A Schofield and J Shedwick.

Announcements

The Chairman announced the sad death of Mr Roy Watson C.B.E., retired Chief Fire Officer of Lancashire, who died in hospital on 2 November 2016, aged 80 years.  Mr Watson served with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for 30 years retiring in 1992. He became Chief Fire Officer in 1983.

Tributes were paid in his memory and condolences offered to his family and friend.

The Council stood in silent tribute.

Report of the Returning Officer on the Election of a County Councillor for the Burnley Central East Electoral Division

The Chief Executive, as Returning Officer, reported that Ms Sobia Malik of the Labour Party was elected as County Councillor representing the Burnley Central East Division on 3 November 2016.

National British Youth Council Youth on Board Awards

Lancashire County Council had won three of the four awards on offer at the national British Youth Council Youth on Board Awards, announced on 3 December.

The awards recognised the county council's innovative approach to ensuring that the views of children and young people helped shape its services, and for outstanding individual contributions.

The county council won the following three categories:

The Inspiring Project Award – won jointly by the Fostering and Adoption team and the Children with Disabilities Council, known as POWAR (Participate, Opportunities, Winners, Achieve and Respect).

The Make a Difference Award - won by 10 year old Will Rainford from Chorley.  Will has taken an active role campaigning locally and nationally for the rights of all children and young people with special educational needs or a disability.

Youth-led Award – won by LINX, the Children in Care Council, for their involvement and participation in services for children in care and those leaving care.

Hannah Peake and Georgine Lee, together with Kate Baggaley from Barnardo's, attended Full Council, representing those who had contributed to the success at the awards, and were congratulated by members.

The Full Council was notified that Members had been invited to make declarations of Pecuniary and Non-pecuniary interest in matters on the agenda in accordance with the County Council's Code of Conduct for Members.  The following interest was declared:

Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the County Council held on 13 October 2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Full Council was asked to accept the Audit and Governance Committee's recommendation to 'opt in' to an approved sector led body, specifically PSAA, to act as the Appointing Person for the appointment of external auditors for the County Council and to authorise the Council's s151 officer to sign and return the notice of acceptance at Appendix 'B' on behalf of the Council.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The Council accepts Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited's invitation to ‘opt in’ to the sector led option for the appointment of external auditors for five financial years commencing 1 April 2018.

(ii)  The Council's s151 officer be authorised to sign and return the notice of acceptance at Appendix 'B' on behalf of Lancashire County Council.

Full Council was asked to approve the timetable of Full Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for 2016/17 as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report now presented.

Resolved: - That the timetable of Full Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for 2017/18, as set out at Appendix 'A' to the report now presented, be approved.

The Leader of the Council moved Part B of the report of the Cabinet from its meeting on 6 October 2016.

Resolved: - That the report of the Cabinet from its meeting on 6 October 2016 be noted.

Resolved: - That the report of urgent key decisions taken by the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport during the preceding three months, as now presented, be noted.

County Councillor Bill Winlow presented the reports of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees from their meetings as follows:

·  Education Scrutiny Committee – 29 November 2016

·  Health Scrutiny Committee – 18 October 2016 and 22 November 2016

·  Scrutiny Committee – 18 November 2016

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

County Councillor Kevin Ellard presented the report of the Pension Fund Committee from its meeting held on 2 December 2016.

Resolved: - That the report of the Pension Fund Committee, now presented, be noted.

1.  It was moved by County Councillor Collinge and seconded by County Councillor Fillis that:

This council notes:

That, as part of the Bus Services Bill currently passing through Parliament, there is the possibility that the government will seek to re-introduce "Clause 21" (removed by the House of Lords) which would effectively "prohibit a local authority from forming a company for the purposes of providing a local bus service".

This council believes:

(i)  If included in the final legislation, Clause 21 would contradict the general powers of competence and the spirit of the Localism Act 2011.

(ii)  If there is a need and a demand from their public, then Councils should be able to provide bus services through the formation of their own bus company.

(iii)  Consequently Clause 21 should be omitted from the Bus Services Bill.

That Full Council requests the Chief Executive:

(i)  To write to Christopher Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, to call on the Department for Transport to omit Clause 21 from the final legislation.

(ii)  To write to Lancashire MPs to ask them to oppose the re-introduction of Clause 21, should it be re-introduced, when the Bus Services Bill is returned to the House of Commons and ask them to write to Christopher Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, to raise concerns about Clause 21.

(iii)  To work with other councils, boroughs and parishes across Lancashire to support our communities by maintaining the right to develop new bus services.

On being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED and it was:

Resolved: - That:

As part of the Bus Services Bill currently passing through Parliament, there is the possibility that the government will seek to re-introduce "Clause 21" (removed by the House of Lords) which would effectively "prohibit a local authority from forming a company for the purposes of providing a local bus service".

This council believes:

(i)  If included in the final legislation, Clause 21 would contradict the general powers of competence and the spirit of the Localism Act 2011.

(ii)  If there is a need and a demand from their public, then Councils should be able to provide bus services through the formation of their own bus company.

(iii)  Consequently Clause 21 should be omitted from the Bus Services Bill.

That Full Council requests the Chief Executive:

(i)  To write to Christopher Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, to call on the Department for Transport to omit Clause 21 from the final legislation.

(ii)  To write to Lancashire MPs to ask them to oppose the re-introduction of Clause 21, should it be re-introduced, when the Bus Services Bill is returned to the House of Commons and ask them to write to Christopher Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, to raise concerns about Clause 21.

(iii)  To work with other councils, boroughs and parishes across Lancashire to support our communities by maintaining the right to develop new bus services.

2.  It was moved by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.