Agenda and minutes

Members of the Council are requested to declare any interests which they have in any items or issues before the Council for determination.

1.           Councillor Connolly declared a personal interest in any item which related to staffing as his partner is an employee of Bury Council.

2.           Councillor Jones declared a personal interest in any item which related to staffing as his wife is an employee of Bury Council.

3.           Councillor Bevan declared a personal interest in any item which related to staffing as his wife is an employee within a Bury School.

4.           Councillor Mallon declared a personal interest in any item which related to staffing as his wife is an employee within a Bury High School.

5.           Councillor Kelly declared a personal interest in relation to Question 4, Leader’s Statement and Cabinet Question Time, as an employee of the Care Quality Commission.

6.           Councillor R E Walker declared a personal interest in matters relating to Central Library and the Sculpture Centre as the Treasurer of the Re-instate Bury Central Library Group.

7.           Councillor Walmsley declared a personal interest in relation to Question 3, Leader’s Statement and Cabinet Question Time, as an employee of Capita (O2) and Member of Communication Workers Union.

8.           Councillors Briggs, Quinn and Hussain declared personal interests in relation to Item 10 Notice of Motion - Bury Magistrates and County Court, as serving Magistrates.

9.           Councillors Daly, James and Shori declared personal interests in relation to Item 10 Notice of Motion - Bury Magistrates and County Court, as practising Solicitors appearing at Bury Magistrates and County Court.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Meeting of Council held on 1 July 2015 be signed by the Mayor as a true and correct record. 

To receive communications from the Mayor and any announcements by the Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive on matters of interest to the Council.

1.   The Mayor offered congratulations to Queen Elizabeth II on becoming the longest serving Monarch.

2.   The Mayor informed Members of the recent death of Mr Neville Neville.

To answer questions from members of the public, notice of which has been given, on any matter relevant to the Council or its services to the community. Up to 30 minutes will be set aside for this purpose. If time permits, further questions will be invited from members of the public present.

        The Mayor reported the receipt of six written questions as set out below:

On inviting questions from members of the public present, the following issues were raised:-

1.    Minute CA.151 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 July 2015 – Risk Management Annual Report 2014/15

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Shori and it was:-

RESOLVED:

     i.        That approval be given to re-affirm support for the Council’s approach to Risk   Management.

    ii.        That the progress made throughout 2014/15 and the actions planned for 2015/16 be noted.

2. Minute CA.157 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 July 2015 – Treasury Management Annual Report 2014/15

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Shori and it was:-

RESOLVED:

That the Council, in accordance with CIPFA’s Code of Practice on Treasury Management, notes the report.

To receive a Statement from the Leader of the Council on the work of the Cabinet and to answer written questions from Members of the Council to the Leader and Cabinet Members on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Borough, provided the necessary written notice has been given.

Verbal questions on the work of the Cabinet since the last Council meeting will be allowed subject to a limit of one question per Councillor.

(a)        Written question (Notice given)

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Connolly, made a statement on the work undertaken by him since the date of the last Council meeting.

The Leader and the relevant Cabinet Members answered questions raised by Councillors on the following issues:

Due to the lack of time to answer questions 16 to 31 inclusive, the Leader gave an undertaking that copies of those questions and responses will be circulated to all

Councillors.  The Leader also gave an undertaking to make these available on the Council Web Site.

B) Oral questions on Leader’s Speech and the work of the Cabinet since the last Council meeting (without Notice)

(A)         A report from the Council’s representative on the work of Transport for Greater Manchester, Councillor Bayley

(B)         Questions (if any) on the work of the Joint Authorities to be asked by Members of the Council for which the necessary notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.2

(a)         Councillor Bayley, the Council’s representative on Transport for Greater Manchester, gave a verbal report on the work of the Authority to all Members of the Council.

(b)         The following questions had been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

Report attached.

A report of the Leader of the Council was submitted in response to a motion regarding the review of town centre bus lanes passed by Council on 1^st April 2015.

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Isherwood that the recommendations be approved.

With 35 voting for and 11 abstaining it was:

Resolved:

1.           That, in light of the current Lidl proposal to realign Bolton Road and Victoria Street, the sections of bus lane on Bolton Road be left in situ. The bus lane at Victoria Street be realigned and the new layout, which should make the bus lane easier to negotiate by drivers, be reviewed after 6 months.

2.          With regard to the bus lane at Manchester Road the termination point of the bus lane be moved approximately 20 metres south. In addition the bus stop at the end of the lane also be relocated further south.

3.          That the bus lane on Rochdale Road be experimentally suspended for up to 18 months and reviewed after 6 months. In addition to this the effects of the experimental suspension are reviewed after 6 months.

4.          That Council notes the comments in paragraph 2.4 about wider traffic management issues.

Report attached.

A report of the Leader of the Council was submitted setting out details of a request from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to become a full member of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) in its own right. The report outlined the background to this issue, the implications and the impact on voting rights. 

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Shori and it was:-

RESOLVED:

1.   That Council agrees to GMCA becoming a full member of AGMA in its own right.

2.   Council notes that further consequential amendments to the AGMA constitution may be agreed by AGMA as a result of the admission of an eleventh member of AGMA.

3.   Council notes that Tony Lloyd, Mayor of the GMCA, will be enabled to vote at GMCA meetings.

The following Notice of Motion has been received:-

Bury Magistrates and County Court

“This Council is of the view that having a legal centre in Bury is vital to our residents and important to our town centre from both a social and economic point.

The Council therefore notes with concern the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to close Bury Magistrates Court and Bury County Court with workloads being transferred to Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court and Manchester Civil Justice Centre respectively.

The Council is of the view that the proposals will have a negative impact on a range of issues including travel times and costs for clients; witnesses and magistrates; Police efficiency; arrangements for social security tribunals; the loss of local jobs; and the loss of business rates income to the Council. Insufficient information is provided on value for money arising from the proposals.

The Council is also disappointed that the consultation takes no account of the benefits that could be obtained by incorporating the proposals into a wider review of the public estate across Greater Manchester nor any account of the opportunities provided to the region through the devolution agenda or on the opportunities for integrating the Courts into the other local buildings.

The Court is an integral part of Bury town centre and the Council also expresses concern that the consultation fails to provide assurance around the future of the site nor does it give details or timescales for alternative uses for the site.

The Council therefore resolves to consult widely with all stakeholders within Bury and to lead on the preparation of a response representing as wide a range of views as possible.

The Council also calls on the Chief Executive to write to the Ministry of Justice asking that the proposals be deferred so that the Courts can be included within the One Public Estate review of public assets that is being undertaken by the 10 Greater Manchester Councils.”

In the names of Councillors  M Connolly, I Gartside and T Pickstone

A  Notice of Motion was received and set out in the Summons.

Bury Magistrates and County Court

A motion had been received and set out in the summons in the names of Councillors M Connolly, I Gartside and T Pickstone

It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Gartside:-

“This Council is of the view that having a legal centre in Bury is vital to our residents and important to our town centre from both a social and economic point.

The Council therefore notes with concern the Ministry of Justice’s proposals to close Bury Magistrates Court and Bury County Court with workloads being transferred to Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court and Manchester Civil Justice Centre respectively.

The Council is of the view that the proposals will have a negative impact on a range of issues including travel times and costs for clients; witnesses and magistrates; Police efficiency; arrangements for social security tribunals; the loss of local jobs; and the loss of business rates income to the Council. Insufficient information is provided on value for money arising from the proposals.

The Council is also disappointed that the consultation takes no account of the benefits that could be obtained by incorporating the proposals into a wider review of the public estate across Greater Manchester nor any account of the opportunities provided to the region through the devolution agenda or on the opportunities for integrating the Courts into the other local buildings.

The Court is an integral part of Bury town centre and the Council also expresses concern that the consultation fails to provide assurance around the future of the site nor does it give details or timescales for alternative uses for the site.

The Council therefore resolves to consult widely with all stakeholders within Bury and to lead on the preparation of a response representing as wide a range of views as possible.

The Council also calls on the Chief Executive to write to the Ministry of Justice asking that the proposals be deferred so that the Courts can be included within the One Public Estate review of public assets that is being undertaken by the 10 Greater Manchester Councils.”

On being put, with no-one voting against and no abstentions, the Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously.

2.  Refugee Crisis

With the agreement of the Mayor, a motion was submitted at the meeting in the names of P Adams, N Bayley, J Black, S Briggs, , D Cassidy, M Connolly, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M James, D Jones, J Kelly, S Kerrison, J Lewis, J Mallon,

A Matthews, E O’Brien, N Parnell, C Preston, A Quinn, R Shori, A Simpson, R Skillen, Sarah Southworth, Susan Southworth, T Tariq, J Walker, S Walmsley and M Whitby.

 It was moved by Councillor Connolly and seconded by Councillor Shori:-

“This Council believes that the humanitarian crisis on the borders of Europe  ...  view the full minutes text for item C. 291

There were no Scrutiny Review Reports or specific items “called in” by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be considered at this Council meeting.

Questions on the work of Outside Bodies or partnerships on which the Council is represented to be asked by Members of the Council (if any).

There were no questions received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.2.

Questions on the delegated decisions made by the Regulatory Committees and Scrutiny Committees contained in the Digest of Decisions 2 published  since the last ordinary meeting of the Council, providing four clear working days’ notices has been given of the question.

Members are asked to bring to the meeting their copy of Digest 2.

There were no written questions asked on the delegated decisions of the Committees or Scrutiny Committee contained in the Digests of Decisions 8 (2014/15) and Digest 1 (2015/16).