Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bradshaw, Byrom, Colbert, Howe, Larkin, Mahon, B. Rimmer and Storey.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were made.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2009

That the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 26 March 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Death of Mr. Philip Berrill

 

The Mayor reported on the sad death of Mr. Philip Berrill whose funeral took place on 29 April 2009. Mr Berrill served as a Sefton Councillor from 1998 to 2000.

 

Councillor Porter paid tribute to Mr. Berrill and the Council then stood in silence for one minute as a mark of respect.

 

Mr. Stan Mercer

 

The Mayor reported that Mr. Stan Mercer - Mayoral Attendant continues to undergo treatment for his illness with commendable courage and humour.  Stan and his wife Sharon have asked for their thanks to be passed on for all the cards and messages of support they have received over the past few weeks, and for the many visits they have received from friends and colleagues, which have helped to sustain them over a very difficult period.

To deal with matters raised by members of the public within the Borough, in accordance with the procedures relating to Petitions, Public Questions.and Motions set out in Rule 11 of the Council and procedure Rules.

 

(Details of any further Petitions notified or Questions submitted to the Legal Director by members of the public in accordance with Rule 11 will be circulated at the meeting).

The Mayor reported that members of the public had not submitted any petitions or questions.

To receive and consider questions to Cabinet Members, Chairs of Committees or Spokespersons for any of the Joint Authorities upon any matter within their portfolio/area of responsibility, of which notice has been given in accordance with Rule 12 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules.

The Mayor reported that no questions had been submitted by Members of the Council.

The Council considered a draft motion and schedule indicating the nominations submitted by the three political groups for the Membership of the Cabinet, Committees, Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Spokespersons for 2009/10 which had been circulated prior to the meeting.

 

It was moved by Councillor Blackburn, seconded by Councillor Robertson and

 

RESOLVED:   That

 

(1)      Councillor Robertson as the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, be appointed as the Leader of the Council;

 

(2)      Councillors P. Dowd and Parry as the Leaders of the Labour and Conservative Groups, be appointed as Deputy Leaders of the Council;

 

(3)      the Cabinet and Spokespersons comprising the Members indicated below be appointed for 2009/10, to take effect from the date of this meeting:

 

CABINET (10)

 

(Lib Dem 4  Lab 3  Con 3)

 

Portfolio	Member
Leader of the Council	Cllr. Robertson
Cabinet Member - Children’s Services and Deputy Leader	Cllr. P. Dowd
Cabinet Member - Communities	Cllr. Griffiths
Cabinet Member - Corporate Services and Deputy Leader	Cllr. Parry
Cabinet Member - Environmental	Cllr. Tattersall
Cabinet Member - Health and Social Care	Cllr. Porter
Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism	Cllr. Lord Fearn
Cabinet Member - Performance and Governance	Cllr. Brodie-Browne
Cabinet Member - Regeneration	Cllr. Maher
Cabinet Member - Technical Services	Cllr. Fairclough

 

 

CABINET URGENT BUSINESS COMMITTEE (3)

 

The 3 Party Leaders or their nominees (who must be Cabinet Members).

 

Councillors Robertson, P. Dowd and Parry

 

CABINET MEMBER - CHILDREN’S SERVICES

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. P. Dowd	Cllr. Fairclough

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. M. Fearn	Cllr. Howe
Cllr. Platt	Cllr. Sir Ron Watson

 

The Education Added Members - Mr. A. Bell and 1 Vacancy (Church Diocesan Representatives); Mrs. S. Roberts and 1 Vacancy (Parent Governor Representatives) are invited to attend the Cabinet Member - Children’s Services Meetings.

 

Mr. R. Gregson (Sefton Governors Forum) is also invited to attend the meetings.

 

 

CABINET MEMBER - COMMUNITIES

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Griffiths	Cllr. Porter

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. Booth	Cllr. Weavers
Cllr. Veidman	Cllr. Friel

 

 

CABINET MEMBER - CORPORATE SERVICES

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Parry	Cllr. Griffiths

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. McGuire	Cllr. Hands
Cllr. Tweed	Cllr. McGinnity

 

 

CABINET MEMBER - ENVIRONMENTAL

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Tattersall	Cllr. Brodie-Browne

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. P. Hardy	Cllr. Friel
Cllr. D. Jones	Cllr. Ibbs

 

 

CABINET MEMBER – HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Porter	Cllr. Parry

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. Brennan	Cllr. Friel
Cllr. D. Rimmer	Cllr. Preston

 

 

CABINET MEMBER - LEISURE AND TOURISM

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Lord Fearn	Cllr. Robertson

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. Cummins	Cllr. Webster
Cllr. Glover	Cllr. D. Jones

 

 

CABINET MEMBER - PERFORMANCE AND GOVERNANCE

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Brodie-Browne	Cllr. Lord Fearn

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. Barber	Cllr. Cuthbertson
Cllr. Friel	Cllr. Brennan

 

 

CABINET MEMBER - REGENERATION

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Maher	Cllr. P. Dowd

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. Hough	Cllr. McGuire
Cllr. Ibbs	Cllr. Pearson

 

CABINET MEMBER - TECHNICAL SERVICES

 

Member	Substitute
Cllr. Fairclough	Cllr. Maher

 

Spokespersons	Substitute
Cllr. T. Jones	Cllr. Ibbs
Cllr. Tonkiss	Cllr. Sumner

 

(4)      the Committees, Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Spokespersons for the following Committees indicated below be appointed for 2009/10 to take effect  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107.

Details of the proposed representation on the following bodies will be circulated prior to the commencement of the Meeting:

 

(i)              Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority

 

(ii)             Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority

 

(iii)            Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority

 

(iv)           Merseyside Police Authority (nominations only – appointments will be made by the Merseyside Police Authority Appointments Committee)

It was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Brodie-Browne and RESOLVED:

 

That the following Members be appointed to serve on the following Joint Authorities in 2009/10:

 

Joint Authority	Representative
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority	Councillors Barber (Con), Blackburn (LD), Colbert (LD) and Mahon (Lab)
Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority	Councillors Dodd (LD), M. Dowd (Lab), Roberts (Con) and Sumner (LD)
Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority	Councillors Cluskey (Lab) and Tattersall (LD)
Merseyside Police Authority *	Councillors Shaw (LD) and Kerrigan (Lab)
	(* Nominations only - Appointed by the Merseyside Police Authority Appointments Committee)

 

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No 317 of the Cabinet meeting held on 16 April 2009, the Council considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director which provided details of the Churchtown and North Meols Conservation Areas Appraisal and the proposed amendments to the Churchtown Conservation Area boundaries.

 

It was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Blackburn and RESOLVED:That

 

(1)      the Churchtown and North Meols Conservation Areas Appraisal be adopted as a material consideration in the determination of planning applications; and

 

(2)      the proposed amendments to the Conservation Area boundaries be approved as set out in Annex 1 to the report under Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (as amended).

Report of the Leader of the Council.

The Council received a report of the Leader of the Council setting out details of those matters dealt with in accordance with Rule 16 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (Special Urgency).

Report of the Legal Director.

The Council considered a report of the Legal Director setting out details of those matters dealt with in accordance with Rule 17 of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules (Call-In and Urgency).

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor T Jones:

 

“That in order to assist Sefton residents, with limited financial means to purchase grave plots (currently costing £618), this Council requests the Cabinet to agree to the establishment of a ‘payment by instalments plan’ by which grave plots can be purchased by residents in affordable stages, subject to the Council being satisfied that any remaining outstanding balance due would be met from the deceased’s estate.”

 

It was moved by Councillor T. Jones, seconded by Councillor Bigley and RESOLVED:

 

That the following motion be approved and submitted to the Cabinet, in accordance with Rule 15.14 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules for formal consideration by the financial implications, in advance of any budgetary commitment and prior to any action being taken to implement the decision:

 

“(1)     that in order to assist Sefton residents, with limited financial means to purchase grave plots (currently costing £618), this Council requests the Cabinet to agree to the establishment of a ‘payment by instalments plan’ by which grave plots can be purchased by residents in affordable stages, subject to the Council being satisfied that any remaining outstanding balance due would be met from the deceased’s estate; and

 

(2)      that the motion set out in (1) above be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) and the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism, prior to consideration by the Cabinet.”

 

          (In accordance with Rule 15.7 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, the Council gave consent without discussion to the consideration of the additional wording set out in (2) above, which was not included in the Notice of Motion submitted to the Legal Director).

To consider passing the following resolution:

 

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

It was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Blackburn and RESOLVED:

 

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Personnel Director

Further to Minute No. 326 of the Cabinet meeting held on 16 April 2009, the Council considered the report of the Personnel Director seeking approval for arrangements to enable the conclusion of the Pay and Grading review that is required to realise single status employment as provided for in the National Joint Council (NJC) agreement for Local Government Services’ employees.

 

It was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Blackburn and RESOLVED:

 

That the Legal Director be authorised to amend the Council’s Constitution in order to establish a Pay and Grading Sub-Committee with delegated authority as described in Section B(ii) of the report.