Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Wallasey Town Hall. View directions

Items
No. Item

36.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members of the Council are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or any other relevant interest, in connection with any matter to be debated or determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

Minutes:

The Members of the Council were invited to consider whether they had any disclosable pecuniary and/or any other relevant interest in connection with any matters to be determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

 

No such declarations were made.

37.

MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

To receive the Mayor's announcements and any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

The Mayor noted that apologies for absence were received from Councillors Anderson, Blakeley, Brighouse, Brightmore, Green, Hale, McLaughlin, Povall, Sullivan and P.Williams.

 

The Mayor informed of a procedural change to the electronic reporting of Streetscene matters by Councillors, referring to a guidance note circulated to all Members at the meeting. 

 

The Mayor reported on his attendance at Wirral University Teaching Hospital’s safety awareness show, held on 8, 9 and 10 July at the Emergency Services Training Centre in Wallasey, during which 1048 youngsters attended, with 450 teachers and teaching assistants.

 

The Mayor informed that he had attended the event, along with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside and that it surpassed all expectations - people had given up their time to instruct attendees: these included Doctors, Nurses, Police, Police Cadets, Rail Transport Police, Coastguards, Merseytravel, Network Rail and the Council’s Road Safety Team, CEOPS, St John’s Ambulance and the NHS.

 

The Mayor thanked Dave Alcock and Lesley Ashcroft and their Team for facilitating the excellent event at no cost to the attendees.

 

The Mayor further informed that as a result of the decisions made at the extraordinary meeting of Council the previous week, all Members would be receiving a formal invitation to the Freedom of the Borough Event and Parade for HMS Astute and the Wallasey Sea Cadets (TS Astute), to be held on Sunday, 20 September 2015 at New Brighton. Members were requested to confirm their attendance as soon as possible to enable the necessary arrangements to be made.

38.

PETITIONS

To receive petitions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 21.

 

[Note: if a petition relates to a strategy, policy and/or plan being considered by Council, the member who presents can during the relevant main debate speak about it, in order that Council can take account of it.]

Minutes:

In accordance with Standing Order 21, the Civic Mayor received petitions submitted by Councillor Christina Muspratt on behalf of 55 signatories objecting to the proposed redevelopment of a rented garage area at Benty Close, Bebington.

 

Resolved – That the petitions be noted and referred to the appropriate Chief Officer in accordance with Standing Order 34.

39.

MATTERS REQUIRING APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL pdf icon PDF 89 KB

To consider any recommendations of the Leader, Cabinet, Cabinet Member and Committees which require the approval of the Council, including:

 

·  Any document falling within the Policy Framework as defined by Article 4, paragraph 4.1(1) of the Constitution; and/or

·  Medium Term Financial Strategy; and/or

·  Any other strategy, policy or plan referred by the Leader, Cabinet, Cabinet Portfolio and/or Council Committee.

 

Wirral Council Plan 2016-20

 

The report is attached and the Recommendation from Cabinet (9 July, 2015) (to follow).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council was requested to consider the report of the Chief Executive, a Cabinet referral on the following matter – Wirral Council Plan: A 2020 Vision, and the Cabinet’s recommendation of 9 July 2015 (minute 22 refers).

 

It was moved by Councillor Phil Davies and seconded by Councillor Ann McLachlan –

 

“That the recommendations as contained within Cabinet minute 22 be approved”.

 

It was moved as an amendment by Councillor Phil Gilchrist and seconded by Councillor Dave Mitchell –

 

“That the Wirral Council Plan as proposed be approved, subject to the following comments and observations which require additional work so that Council can be clear on how the Plan can be put into practice:

 

a. how the document is to be channelled into plans for the departments and operational units of the Council;

b. how the target of new house building is to be progressed and how this fits in with brownfield sites and land not yet allocated for housing;

c. the developing financial situation identified in the context of the Tory Government’s recent budget and forthcoming spending review;

d. the practical use of the substantial capital receipts expected to be secured this year.

 

Council welcomes the emphasis on the importance of public sector partners working closely together, removing duplication and working with the private and third sector, along with the emphasis on tackling health, educational achievement and other inequalities.

 

Council also recognises the emphasis on stating key priorities since the Peer Challenge in May 2013 told Wirral that it needed:

 

A fully owned, clear vision of what the organisation looks like in 3-4 years’ time, including key service delivery methods, levels of service provided, and ways of working that will help inform the transformation activity required…

 

Council notes the references to ‘radical changes’ in the document bearing in mind that the Peer Challenge of November 2012 called upon the Council to:

 

‘….Accelerate ground work on radical options for service delivery’ and to 'Use learning from others in the sector’

 

Council is anxious to receive further detail on the ‘new models’ referred to in the ‘Foreword’.

 

Council looks forward to the work being undertaken to inform and involve communities. Council suggests that the section ‘Go local’ (page 35) requires early identification of the additional funding to the Constituency Committees.

 

Council also notes that this is a more user-friendly and better set out document, especially when compared to that of December 2011 when the then Leader used his driving test analogy.”

 

Following speeches by the movers and seconders and Councillor Phil Davies having replied, the Liberal Democrat amendment was then put to the vote.

 

The amendment was lost (18:36) (One abstention).

 

One abstention – Councillor L Rowlands (Civic Mayor).

 

At the request of several Members, a ‘card vote’ was then taken on Councillor Davies’ motion and the Council divided as follows:

 

For the motion (54) Councillors R Abbey, B Berry, E Boult, Burgess-Joyce, C Carubia, P Cleary, W Clements, M Daniel, A Davies, G  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

40.

VACANCIES

To receive nominations, in accordance with Standing Order 25(6), in respect of any proposed changes in the membership of committees, and to approve nominations for appointments to outside organisations.

Minutes:

The Mayor informed the Council that the Head of Legal and Member Services had not been notified of any vacancies to be filled.