Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Cummins.

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 received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 23 February, 2011

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2011 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director that advised of the detail of the offer of grant from Natural England for Higher Level Stewardship funding for the Ainsdale and Birkdale Sandhills Local Nature Reserve.

In accordance with Rule 27 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules of the Constitution, two petitions had been submitted in the following terms:

“We object to the plans to create grazing pens on the Ainsdale and Birkdale Nature Reserve because:

• Scientific evidence does not suggest any benefit to the rare species that inhabit the SSSI.
• It turns dune land into farm land, visually damaging the area and greatly restricting public access.
• The construction of grazing pens will require unnecessary destructions of flora, fauna and wildlife habitats.”

Mrs. L. Hilton, on behalf of the petitioners, addressed the Cabinet Member in support of the terms of the petition.

The Cabinet Member permitted Professor Brian Moss to address the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and Dr.Phil Smith to address the meeting in support of the scheme.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the petition be noted;

(2)      the Leisure and Tourism Director be authorised to enter the Council into the Higher Level Stewardship agreement with Natural England; and

(3)      the capital element of the scheme in the capital programme at a cost of £118,000, be funded from £103,575 capital grant and £14,425 revenue resources.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director that advised of the total savings in Parks budgets to be made in 2011/12, and requested consideration of the effect on bowling green facilities in the borough.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the savings which have been approved for parks budgets in 2011/12 and the fact that a detailed report on their impact will be presented at a future date be noted; and

(2)      the approach taken to reduce the costs of maintaining bowling greens, as detailed within the report, be approved.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No.58 of the meeting of Council held on 16 December 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director that explained that the Council approved a reduction in Library opening hours to the same level as in 2001, with a cost saving of £140,000. The report detailed how the saving could be made.

Attached as annexes to the report was information on the current library opening times, sample comments from the public consultation exercise and, at annexe E, the proposed new library opening times.

RESOLVED:

That the pattern of library opening hours, as detailed within annexe E of the report, be approved.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director that provided information of the required repairs to the heating and ventilation system within the Pier Pavilion.

RESOLVED:

That the sum of up to £43,000 be vired from the Southport Pier Sinking Fund to the Pier Maintenance revenue budget in order to undertake the necessary repair works to the Pier Pavilion heating and ventilation system.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No.172 of the meeting of Cabinet held on 16 December 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director that sought approval for the introduction of a single registration service of births, deaths and marriages for Sefton.

This was a key decision and was included on the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:

That subject to receipt of the formal approval from the Registrar General, the creation of a single registration district for Sefton and the adoption of New Governance from the 1 July 2011 be approved.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director that advised of proposals to deliver improvements to play facilities that formed part of the 2010/11 Playbuilder Phase 3 Programme at Crossens Community Park, Southport, Deansgate Lane Playing Fields, Formby, and Moorside Park, Crosby.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the funding from Children’s Services for the selected sites be accepted;

(2)      the proposed design and procurement strategy for the third phase of the Playbuilder programme be accepted;

(3)      the Leisure and Tourism Director be authorised to seek competitive tenders for the works detailed within the report;

(4)      the fact that the Leisure and Tourism Director will accept the lowest/ highest quality tenders in accordance with the delegated powers identified in the Council’s Constitution be noted; and

(5)      the Leisure and Tourism Director be authorised to include additional maintenance obligations as part of the next grounds maintenance re-tendering process.

The Cabinet Member referred to Graham Bayliss’s forthcoming departure from the Leisure and Tourism Department to commence his role as Director of Corporate Commissioning. Graham has been an outstanding Director with an immense amount of professional knowledge and experience delivering a myriad of varied programmes and schemes under challenging circumstances. He will be greatly missed by his Department, but at least his skills will remain within the Council.

RESOLVED:

That thanks be extended to Mr.Bayliss for the work he has undertaken for the Council and the Borough and best wishes be extended to him in his new role for the coming years.