Meeting documents

Council
Wednesday, 1st November, 2006 7.00 pm

Date:
Wednesday, 1st November, 2006
Time:
7.00pm
Place:
Council Chamber Town Hall Bury
 

Attendance Details

Present:
The Worshipful the Mayor (Councillor J F Walton) in the Chair;
Councillors D M Ashworth, P Ashworth, K Audin, L E Baucutt, C A Berry, R A Bibby, D B Bigg, D Boden, E B Briggs, K S Briggs, R C A Brown, J Byrne, G Campbell, W A Campbell, D M Cassidy, T P Chamberlain, F A Chaudhry, S Cohen, M Connolly, S Costello, Y Creswell, A J Cummings, V D D’Albert, A J Garner, A S Garner, I B Gartside, M A Gibb, E K Grime, D L Gunther, M Hankey, D M Higgin, T Holt, A Isherwood, S P Magnall, A K Matthews, D O’Hanlon, T D Pickstone, P H Redstone, K Rothwell, G Sharkey, J Smith, B J Sullivan, J W H Taylor, B Theckston, B Vincent, R E Walker, M J Wiseman and Y S Wright
Co-opted:
5 members of the public attended the meeting.
Apologies for absence:
Councillors W J Davison, and S J Southworth
Buttons
Item Description Decision
Open
C.607 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Preamble for item C.607
 
C.608 MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL
 RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 13 September 2006 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.
C.609 MAYORAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Preamble for item C.609
 
C.610 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Preamble for item C.610
 
C.611 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Preamble for item C.611
 
C.612 LEADER’S STATEMENT AND EXECUTIVE QUESTION TIME
Preamble for item C.612
 
C.613 SCRUTINY REVIEW REPORTS AND SPECIFIC ITEMS “CALLED IN” BY SCRUTINY COMMISSIONS
Preamble for item C.613
 
C.614 NOTICE OF MOTION
Preamble for item C.614
RESOLVED:

That the Notice of Motion, as amended at (ii) above, be approved and adopted.

(Note: Councillor Pickstone who had earlier in the meeting declared a prejudicial interest in this Motion, left the Chamber for the duration of the debate.)
C.615 JOINT AUTHORITIES - REPORT BY THE COUNCIL’S REPRESENTATIVE AND QUESTIONS
Preamble for item C.615
 
C.616 QUESTIONS ON THE WORK OF OUTSIDE BODIES OR PARTNERSHIPS
Preamble for item C.616
 
C.617 DELEGATED DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Preamble for item C.617
 
7:00pm - 9.12pm

Preamble

Preamble
ItemPreamble
C.607(a) Councillor Smith declared a personal interest in the Notice of Motion (Minute C.614 below) as Chair of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Pennine Care NHS Trust.

(b) Councillor Pickstone declared a prejudicial interest in the Notice of Motion (Minute C.614 below) as an Executive Director of Pennine Care NHS Trust and left the Chamber for the duration of the debate on that item.
C.609The Worshipful the Mayor informed the Council of the recent death of Mr R Morris who was Mayor of Radcliffe during the Municipal Year 1971/1972. The Mayor paid tribute to Mr Morris’ long service as a Councillor and his achievements in developing sporting opportunities in the Borough.

The sympathy and condolences of the Council and the Metropolitan Borough had been conveyed to Mr Morris’ family. The Council stood in silence as a mark of respect and in remembrance of Mr Morris.

The Mayor referred to the civic arrangements for Remembrance Sunday and asked for support for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Following on from the Mayor’s report to the last Council meeting, the Metropolitan Borough had, for the third consecutive year, been awarded the title of ‘Best Large Town in the North West’ in the North West in Bloom Competition organised by the Royal Horticultural Society. The Council will now represent the North West Region in the National Finals. The Mayor offered congratulations on this achievement and gave his best wishes for further success in the National Finals.

The Mayor reported on his recent visit to the Borough’s Twin Town of Schorndorf, Germany for the installation of the new Mayor.

Sincere congratulations were offered to Councillor Lyndsey Baucutt (nee Campbell) on the occasion of her recent marriage.

In conclusion, the Mayor reminded the Council of the charities which will benefit from donations from the proceeds of the Civic Ball to be held at the Longfield Suite, Prestwich on Friday, 1 December 2006.
C.610Mr S Treadgold requested the Council to reconsider its decision to sell a painting by L S Lowry.

The Leader responded to the question.
C.611There were no recommendations for consideration at this meeting.
C.612The Leader of the Council, Councillor W A Campbell made a statement on the work of the Executive. At the conclusion of his statement, the Leader called on Councillor Gibb, Executive Member for Children and Young People, to give a report on the outcome of the OFSTED Annual Performance Assessment of Children’s Services.

The Council had achieved the highest grade of 4, being the only Authority in Greater Manchester and one of only two in the North West Region to have attained this very significant success.

Councillor Gibb offered her sincere appreciation to all who had contributed to this successful inspection outcome.

The Leader and the relevant Executive Members answered questions raised by Members of the Council on the following issues:-

(a) Written Questions (Notice Given)

Issue: Possible relocation of King David Primary School to Heaton Park
Questioner: Councillor A S Garner
Answered by (and Action): Councillor Gibb

Issue: Traffic Management on the A56 in Prestwich
Questioner: Councillor O’Hanlon
Answered by (and Action): Councillor Byrne

Issue: Transportation of asbestos waste from Rochdale to landfill in Bury
Questioner: Councillor A J Garner
Answered by (and Action): Councillor Byrne

Issue: Future funding of Bury Art Gallery
Questioner: Councillor D’Albert
Answered by (and Action): Councillor Chamberlain

Issue: Disability Equality Scheme
Questioner: Councillor Rothwell
Answered by (and Action): Councillor G Campbell

Issue: Implementation of the North West Climate Charter following its adoption by the Council at its last meeting
Questioner: Councillor Boden
Answered by (and Action): Councillor Byrne

(b) Oral Questions submitted at the meeting without notice

Issue: 1. Councillor Training 2. Election leaflet for Moorside Ward
Questioner: Councillor Bibby
Answered by (and Action): Councillor W A Campbell

Issue: 1. Budget economies affecting employment levels and sale of the Council’s painting by L S Lowry 2. Budget setting process
Questioner: Councillor Redstone
Answered by (and Action): Councillor W A Campbell

Issue: Qualifications of candidates for Municipal Elections (a supplementary question by Councillor Gunther relating to Members of Parliament was overruled by the Mayor)
Questioner: Councillor Gunther
Answered by (and Action): Councillor W A Campbell

Issue: Savings from placement of job vacancies on the website rather than press advertisements
Questioner: Councillor Wright
Answered by (and Action): Councillor Connolly (written reply promised)

Issue: 1. Staff shortages affecting Youth Centre provision 2. Recruitment issues within the Youth Service
Questioner: Councillor Creswell
Answered by (and Action): Councillor W A Campbell

Issue: 1. Effectiveness of Area Boards to be examined as part of the review of the Area Initiative. 2. Public Question Time at meetings and elections of Co-opted Members to Area Boards.
Questioner: Councillor Walker
Answered by (and Action): Question 1. Councillor W A Campbell, Question 2. Councillor G Campbell


Issue: 1. Contingency plans in the event that the bids at the forthcoming auction of the Lowry painting do not reach the reserve price. 2. Need to obtain the best price for the painting in the interests of the Council’s service-users.
Questioner: Councillor Hankey
Answered by (and Action): Councillor W A Campbell. (The Leader to report to the Executive if the sale price does not reach the reserve.)
C.613There were no Scrutiny Review Reports or specific items “called in” by Scrutiny Commissions to be considered at this Council Meeting.
C.614(i) It was moved by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor G Campbell that the following Notice of Motion, which had been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12, be approved:-

“This Council condemns the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust for its cynical reduction of beds in Fairfield Hospital ahead of the consultation process to which it was committed”.

In the names of Councillors K Audin, L E Baucutt, K S Briggs, G Campbell, W A Campbell, D M Cassidy, T P Chamberlain, F Chaudhry, M Gibb, K Grime, A Isherwood A K Matthews, K Rothwell and J S Southworth.

(ii) An amendment was moved by Councillor Bibby and seconded by Councillor Creswell that the wording of the Motion be replaced by the following:-

“This Council condemns the cynical way the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust has gone about the reduction of beds together with the closure of Ward 30 at Fairfield Hospital. The consultation process was neither open nor transparent and the people of Bury must be consulted fully before any closures are considered.”

On being put, with none dissenting, the amendment was declared carried.

(iii) A further amendment was moved by Councillor D’Albert and seconded by Councillor A J Garner that the following words be added to the Motion:-

“However, this Council also feels that Government policies have exacerbated the situation at Fairfield and Pennine Acute Hospital Trust with the inevitable consequence that the Trust now faces.”

On being put, 4 voted for, 43 against and with 1 abstention, the amendment was declared lost.

(iv) The substantive Motion on being put 47 voted for, none against with 1 abstention, was declared carried and it was:-
C.615(a) Councillor Matthews, the Council’s representative on the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, gave an oral report on the work of that particular Joint Authority.

(b) The nominated Spokespersons, as indicated below, answered questions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 11.2 relating to the following functions of Joint Authorities:-

Joint Authority and Questioner: Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (Councillor Pickstone)
Issue: Cash free ticket system
Answered by: Councillor Byrne

Joint Authority and Questioner: Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (Councillor Pickstone)
Issue: Waste-to-energy incinerator
Answered by: Councillor Cummings
C.616There were no written questions on the work of outside bodies or partnerships on which the Council is represented which had been submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.2.
C.617There were no questions on the delegated decisions made by the Executive, Regulatory Committees, Scrutiny Commissions or Area Boards contained in the Digest of Decisions Nos 4, 5 and 6 (2006/2007).