Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ashton, Ball, Brennan, Dawson, Jones, Preece and Anne Thompson.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2016

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2016 be approved as a correct record.

Remembrance Sunday – 13 November 2016

The Mayor extended his thanks and appreciation to all of the Members of the Council, Officers, Royal British Legion, Ex Service Organisations and members of the public who attended the various Remembrance Sunday events held throughout the Borough, which were all extremely well attended.

Civic Sunday – 25 September 2016

The Mayor extended his thanks to his Chaplain and to all the people who attended his Civic Sunday Service held at Holy Trinity Church, Southport.

To deal with matters raised by members of the public resident within the Borough, of which notice has been given in accordance with the procedures relating to public questions, motions or petitions set out in Paragraph 36 to 46 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules in Chapter 4 of the Council Constitution.

The Mayor reported that no matters had been raised by Members of the Public.

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 by Members of the Council in accordance with Paragraph 48 to 50 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, set out in Chapter 4 of the Council Constitution.

The Council considered a schedule setting out the written question submitted by Councillor McGuire to the Cabinet Member – Communities and Housing (Councillor Hardy) together with the response given.

Report of the Executive Director

Further to Minute No. 48 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 3 November 2016, the Council considered the report of the Executive Director which provided details of the development of a new Vision for the Borough, which had been produced through close working with partners, businesses, private sector organisations, the voluntary, community and faith sector and the community. The Vision and Outcomes Framework would help the Council focus on what’s important and to be ambitious for the Borough and its communities in the future.

This report provided the feedback from the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and an updated 2030 Vision Outcomes framework for consideration.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Vision and Outcomes Framework set out in Annex B to the report be approved; and

(2)       the Core Purpose of the Vision as set out in paragraph 2.13 of the report be approved.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

Further to Minute No.49 of the Cabinet meeting held on 3 November 2016, the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided details of the current forecast outturn position for the Council for 2016/17 at the end of August 2016 based on the latest analysis of expenditure and income due to the Council, in addition to the progress in delivering approved savings; the current forecast on Council Tax and Business Rates collection for 2016/17; the current position of the Capital Programme and proposals for the addition of resources for new capital allocations to the Capital Programme.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED:

That approval be given to the inclusion of the additional capital allocations, outlined in paragraph 6.4 and 6.7 of the report in the 2016/17 Capital Programme.

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Council considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance on proposals to grant the Freedom of the Borough to the Royal Navy Ship, HMS Mersey.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and unanimously

RESOLVED: That

 (1)      In accordance with Section 249 (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, this Council wishes to place on record its high appreciation of, and the debt of gratitude of the Borough to HMS Mersey and in the light of the long and honourable association between the Borough of Sefton, the Royal Navy and HMS Mersey, the Council resolves that the Honorary Freedom of the Borough be conferred on HMS Mersey and that it be granted the right, privilege, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of the Borough on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating and bayonets fixed at an Extra-ordinary Council meeting to be held on a date to be determined at Bootle Town Hall; and

(2)       the Head of Regulation and Compliance be authorised  to take all of the necessary actions associated with resolution (1) above and arrange a civic reception for the Officers and Crew of HMS Mersey and invited guests to take place at the rising of the Extra-ordinary Council meeting in Bootle Town Hall.

Councillor Keith proposed that Councillor Ashton should replace Councillor Dodd as a Member of Planning Committee and that Councillor Dodd be the Substitute Member for Councillor Ashton on the Committee.

Councillor Jamieson proposed that Councillor Bliss should replace Councillor Jones as a Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Adult Social Care and Health) and that Councillor Dutton be the Substitute Member for Councillor Bliss on the Committee.

RESOLVED:

The changes in the membership of the Committees be approved.

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor Friel:

“On 15th April 1989, a disaster at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield led, ultimately, to the deaths of 96 innocent fans who had left home that morning to watch a football match.

Due to crowd control mis-management those fans, whose ages ranged from 10 to 67 years old, had the life crushed out of them.

Contrary to the facts, the S*n published a front page story with the banner headline ‘The Truth’ which contained blatant lies.

Here are just a couple of the lies:

 
‘Drunken Liverpool fans viciously attacked workers as they tried to rescue victims and police officers, firemen and ambulance crew were punched, kicked and urinated upon.’  This was printed in a British national newspaper!

 
For this reason the Council calls on all retailers and vendors of newspapers in the Borough of Sefton to stop selling The S*n. We applaud the group called ‘Total Eclipse of the S*n’ for their endeavours to rid Sefton of this newspaper.”

It was moved by Councillor Friel, seconded by Councillor Kevin Cluskey and following debate

RESOLVED:

On 15th April 1989, a disaster at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield led, ultimately, to the deaths of 96 innocent fans who had left home that morning to watch a football match.

Due to crowd control mis-management those fans, whose ages ranged from 10 to 67 years old, had the life crushed out of them.

Contrary to the facts, the S*n published a front page story with the banner headline ‘The Truth’ which contained blatant lies.

Here are just a couple of the lies:

 
‘Drunken Liverpool fans viciously attacked workers as they tried to rescue victims and police officers, firemen and ambulance crew were punched, kicked and urinated upon.’  This was printed in a British national newspaper!

 
For this reason the Council calls on all retailers and vendors of newspapers in the Borough of Sefton to stop selling The S*n. We applaud the group called ‘Total Eclipse of the S*n’ for their endeavours to rid Sefton of this newspaper.

(On a show of hands, the Mayor declared that the Motion was carried by 58 votes to none with one abstention)

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor McGuire:

“That this Council deplores:

1.                     the severe threat to local NHS Services created by the draft 'Merseyside and Cheshire Sustainability and Transformation Programme' (STP) which has been developed in secret to cope with the effects of cutbacks in real terms NHS spending imposed by the government;

2.         in particular, threats posed in the published plans to NHS services presently provided within Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust, especially its A&E service; within the Aintree Hospital Trust and in respect of Mental Health Services across the Borough; and

3.         the fact that this STP plan, addressing a £900 million 'black hole' in NHS finance across Merseyside and Cheshire over the next five years, has been 'worked up' in private with no input into the process from any democratic representatives.

This Council notes:

1.         that these proposals come at a time when the cash available for Local Authority-delivered care has also been under a substantial reduction and would be placed under unacceptable pressure by further cuts in NHS services.

2.                     recent denials which have been issued following the public 'leaking' of these plans but also that these denials have not included any explanation of where else the money would come from; and

3.         the all-Party NHS Parliamentary Committee, chaired by Dr Sarah Woolaston, has drawn attention to the factual deficiencies in government statements about future funding of the NHS.

This Council resolves:

1.                     to publicise the Cheshire and Merseyside Sustainability and Transformation Programme Plan and to inform the people of the Borough of Sefton of the effects which the changes proposed therein are likely to have on the health and social services provision provided to the local population; and

2.                     to notify the Merseyside and Cheshire NHS Sustainability and Transformation Programme lead and the Secretary of State for Health of its opposition to any programme of cutbacks locally and nationally in the NHS created to meet underfunding by the Conservative Government.”

It was moved by Councillor McGuire, seconded by Councillor Hands:

“That this Council deplores:

1.                     the severe threat to local NHS Services created by the draft 'Merseyside and Cheshire Sustainability and Transformation Programme' (STP) which has been developed in secret to cope with the effects of cutbacks in real terms NHS spending imposed by the government;

2.         in particular, threats posed in the published plans to NHS services presently provided within Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust, especially its A&E service; within the Aintree Hospital Trust and in respect of Mental Health Services across the Borough; and

3.         the fact that this STP plan, addressing a £900 million 'black hole' in NHS finance across Merseyside and Cheshire over the next five years, has been 'worked up' in private with no input into the process from any democratic representatives.

This Council notes:

1.         that these proposals come at a time when the cash available for Local Authority-delivered care has also been under a substantial reduction and would be placed under unacceptable pressure by further cuts in NHS services.

2.                     recent denials which have been issued following the public 'leaking' of these plans but also that these denials have not included any explanation of where else the money would come from; and

3.         the all-Party NHS Parliamentary Committee, chaired by Dr Sarah Woolaston, has drawn attention to the factual deficiencies in government statements about future funding of the NHS.

This Council resolves:

1.                     to publicise the Cheshire and Merseyside Sustainability and Transformation Programme Plan and to inform the people of the Borough of Sefton of the effects which the changes proposed therein are likely to have on the health and social services provision provided to the local population; and

2.         to notify the Merseyside and Cheshire NHS Sustainability and Transformation Programme lead and the Secretary of State for Health of its opposition to any programme of cutbacks locally and nationally in the NHS created to meet underfunding by the Conservative Government.”

An amendment was moved by Councillor Moncur, seconded by Councillor Cummins that the Motion be amended by:

(1)       Deleting the following word(s):

Under this Council notes:

Paragraph 1, second line: “also”

Paragraph 1, fourth line: “under a substantial reduction and would be placed”

(2)       Adding the following word(s)

(i)            Under “That this Council deplores:”

Paragraph 1, first line: After “severe threat”, insert “including the unacceptable spectre of privatisation”

Paragraph 3, fourth line: After “democratic representatives” insert the public, NHS staff, GPs or trade unions.”

(ii)          Under “This Council notes:”

Paragraph 1, second line: After “care has been” insert “massively cut, initially by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition Government and subsequently by this Conservative Government.  It will therefore be placed”

(iii)         Under “This Council resolves:”

Paragraph 1, fourth line: After “local population” insert “which is a direct result of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Health and Social Care Act 2012 Reforms;”

Paragraph 2, third line: After “cutbacks” insert “or privatisation.”

Councillor McGuire, as the Mover of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.