Agenda and minutes

Prior to the Meeting apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dutton and Tonkiss.  (Councillor Tonkiss exercised his right to make representations on the second call-in).

No Declarations of Interest were received.

Further to Minute No. 71 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 5 December 2013, the Committee considered (a) the report of the Director of Corporate Services, which set out the decision of the Cabinet on the above matter and the reasons given in the two requisitions for call-in; and (b) the report of the Director of Older People to the Cabinet in relation to this matter.

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor McKinley, reported on the procedure for consideration of the three petitions received and the first and second call-in requisition.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer, Mrs. Ruth Harrison, reported on the validity of the first and second call-in and highlighted that both the first and second call-in requisitions:-

·         had been received within the specified call-in period in accordance with Chapter 6, paragraph 37 of the Constitution;

·         had been signed by three Members of the Council who were not Members of the Cabinet, in accordance with Chapter 6, paragraph 38 of the Constitution; and

·         referred to a specific decision made by the Cabinet and provided a reason in accordance with Chapter 6, paragraph 40 of the Constitution.

The Committee considered the comments of Mr. Steve Deakin, Head of Health and Wellbeing, on the background to this matter and both Councillor P. Dowd, Leader of the Council and Councillor Moncur, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools, Families and Leisure, addressed the Committee in relation to the Cabinet decision.

The Chair reported that three public petitions had been submitted for consideration at the meeting prior to the two call-in requisitions.

The Committee heard representations from Mr. G. Winckles of the Friends of Carnegie Library on behalf of a deputation who had submitted a petition containing the signatures of 29 residents of the Borough which stated:-

“We the undersigned request that a spokesperson from the Friends of Carnegie Library, Crosby, (FOCAL) be permitted to address the above Committee with regard to the evaluation process and decision made by Cabinet on 5 December 2013 concerning the Library Review”.

The Committee then heard representations from Mr. M. Bleasdale, Secretary of the Aintree Library Action Group on behalf of a deputation who had submitted a petition containing the signatures of 27 residents of the Borough which stated:-

“We the undersigned request permission for Marcus Bleasdale, Secretary of ALAG, to address the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 17 December 2013 regarding the proposal to run the library services in Aintree, Melling and Surrounding Areas”.

The Committee then heard representations from Mrs. G. Bleasdale, Chair of the Aintree Library Action Group on behalf of a deputation who had submitted a petition containing the signatures of 27 residents of the Borough which stated:-

“We the undersigned, request permission for Gwen Bleasdale, Chair of ALAG, to address the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 17 December 2013 regarding the proposal to run the library services in Aintree, Melling and Surrounding Areas”.

Councillor Papworth, outlined and amplified the following reasons for the first call-in requisition which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.