Agenda and draft minutes

Council - Wednesday, 15th January, 2025 7.00 pm

Please let us know if you are planning to attend and have any access requirements or other needs which we need to take account of.

Venue: Council Chamber, Bury Town Hall

Contact: Julie Gallagher  Democratic Services

Items
No. Item

C. 34

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

Minutes:

Councillor Mike Smith declared a personal interest in agenda item Notice of Motion (ii) as a post office shareholder and he left the meeting for consideration of this item.

C. 35

MAYORAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

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.

Minutes:

The Mayor as Bury first citizen updated Members of the Council on work undertaken since the last meeting.

As this the first meeting since the passing of former Councillor and Mayor, John Smith, Members of the Council took time to place on record their condolences for him and also Mr Ken Holden a council employee of 54 years.

C. 36

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 379 KB

Minutes attached.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 13th November be approved as correct record and signed by the Mayor.

C. 37

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

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.

Minutes:

No questions were received in advance of the Council deadline.  Members of the public attended and the following questions were raised, no supplementary questions were allowed:

Steve Middleton – Township Forums

Fawad Sabir – Muslim Burials

Jill Budgen – Section 106 monies

Andy Hay – Prestwich Regeneration

Reg Dixon – Guttering on Rochdale Road

 

C. 38

RECOMMENDATIONS OF CABINET AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Committee/Date

Subject

     Recommendation

Audit Committee 3rd December 2024

Appointment Independent Persons

Recommend to Council the appointment of Ben Thomas and David Webster as Co-opted Independent Members of the Audit Committee for a two year term, with immediate effect.

 

 

Audit Committee

9thJanuary 2025

COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THE STATUTORY RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER SCHEDULE 7 OF THE LOCAL AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT 2014

It was agreed:
That the Audit Committee:

Note the issues raised by the external auditors and progress made since 2021 to mitigate highlighted risks.

Accept the auditors statutory recommendation and to deliver an organisational improvement plan.

Endorse the proposed action plan, with the addition of reference to the Member Assurance Group and revised implementation date for the plan of February 2026 and recommend adoption to Council. Agree inclusion on the work plan for the Audit and Overview and Scrutiny Committees respectively ensuring Member oversight of delivery of the action plan

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(I) Audit Committee – APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT MEMBERS

 

It was moved by Councillor Moss and seconded by Councillor O’Brien and it was agreed that Ben Thomas and David Webster would be appointed as Co-opted Independent Members of the Audit Committee for a two year term, with immediate effect.

 

(ii) Audit committee – COUNCIL'S RESPONSE TO THE STATUTORY RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER SCHEDULE 7 OF THE LOCAL AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT 2014

 

It was moved by Councillor O’Brien and seconded by Councillor Moss and it was agreed that Council:

Notes the issues raised by the external auditors and progress made since 2021 to mitigate highlighted risks.

Accepts the auditors statutory recommendation and to deliver an organisational improvement plan.

Endorse the proposed action plan, with the addition of reference to the Member Assurance Group and revised implementation date for the plan of February 2026 and recommend adoption to Council.

Agree inclusion on the work plan for the Audit and Overview and Scrutiny Committees respectively ensuring Member oversight of delivery of the action plan

 

C. 39

LEADER' STATEMENT AND CABINET QUESTION TIME pdf icon PDF 647 KB

To receive a report 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, Cabinet Members and Chair of a Committee 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. (30 minutes)

 

A member may ask a verbal question of the Leader, any Member of the Cabinet or Chair of a Committee about any matter on the Council agenda and which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the Borough.  Only one verbal question per Councillor. (20 minutes)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(a)           Written question (Notice given)

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor E O’Brien, 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:                                    

 

 

Questioner

Cabinet Member

Topic

1

Cllr Duncalfe

Cllr A Quinn

Section 106 monies

2

Cllr Moss

Leader

Local Government Finance

3

Cllr Rizvi

Leader

Travel hub Prestwich

4

Cllr Vernon

Cllr A Quinn

Street lighting

5

Cllr Mike Smith

Cllr Tariq

Dental access

6

Cllr Haroon

Leader

Holocaust Memorial Day

7

Cllr Farooq

Leader

Active Travel Schemes

8

Cllr Lancaster

Leader

Houses of Multiple of Application

9

Cllr Ryder

Cllr A Quinn

Potholes

10

Cllr A Arif

Cllr Fitzgerald

Housing stock

11

Cllr Harris

Cllr Rafiq

Staff PDRs

12

Cllr Ibrahim

Cllr A Quinn

Staff in emergency response

13

Cllr Pilkington

Cllr Morris

Upcoming Cultural Events

 

Due to the lack of time to answer questions 14 to 18 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)       Verbal Questions

 

Questioner

Cabinet Member

Topic

Cllr Bernstein

Cllr O’Brien

Enquiry into Grooming/CSE

Cllr M Smith

Cllr O’Brien

Grit bins / HSF

Cllr Hayes

Cllr A Quinn

Bus Routes

Cllr McBriar

Cllr A Quinn

Tram ASB

Cllr Y Wright

Cllr A Quinn

Junction In Tottington

 

C. 40

COMBINED AUTHORITY REPORT AND QUESTIONS TO THE COUNCIL'S COMBINED AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVES pdf icon PDF 465 KB

 

 

(A)          A combined authority update report is attached, for information.  The focus of this update will be Transport For Greater Manchester (TfGM)

(B)          The TfGM representative, Councillor Alan Quinn will then be invited to present a verbal update on the work of the Authority (5 minutes).

(C)          Members will be allowed to ask verbal questions on the verbal update (5 minutes).

(D)          Questions (if any) on the work of the Combined Authority to be asked by Members of the Council for which the necessary notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rules. (10 minutes)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council received a report on the work of the Combined Authorities and a verbal update from Cabinet Member, Councillor A Quinn on the work of the Transport For Greater Manchester.

The following questions had been received in accordance with Council Procedure Rules:

 

Questioner

Combined Authority Member

Topic

Cllr Rizvi

Cllr A Quinn

Integrating ticketing

Cllr Rahimov

Cllr A Quinn

Vision Zero

Cllr Vernon

Cllr Gold

GMP Drink Driving

Cllr Brown

Leader

GM Pension

 

C. 41

NOTICES OF MOTION

(i)             Re-introduction of township forums

 

Members are asked to consider a notice of motion in the names of Councillors Carol Birchmore, Cllr Donald Berry, Cllr Andrea Booth, Cllr Des Duncalfe, Cllr Glyn Marsden, Cllr Ken Simpson, Cllr Mike Smith and Cllr Mary Walsh

 

Township forums would allow local people to have a say and raise issues such as regeneration, bin collections, road maintenance, invasive weeds, crime and disorder, the environment, health and fly-tipping.

Potential benefits of township forums are:

  • Residents would have the opportunity to ask direct questions of council officials.
  • Residents would be able to challenge council decisions in an open forum.
  • They could provide residents with the opportunity to get together and discuss issues of common interest.
  • They would focus on local issues.

Up until 2017 Bury Council had township forums but they were replaced by “a new Neighbourhood Engagement Framework’”. It was claimed that the new framework would offer a flexible approach to community engagement across Team Bury partners and support and facilitate the new relationship between public services and citizens, communities and businesses that is required to support wider neighbourhood working. However, despite good intentions it has been found that often residents and sometimes councillors have felt they have been in the dark about important decisions being made about their towns. Residents have often objected to decisions made by the Council stating that they believe they have not been fully consulted.

The replacement for the township forums concentrated a lot on the provision of online feedback but this can sometimes provide a barrier to residents who might struggle with written feedback or possibly the use of the technology to provide the feedback in the required format.

It has been claimed that attendance at forums was poor, but this was potentially down to the fact that there were no significant projects taking place in the townships at the time. With activity taking place with regards to regeneration plans for our towns it is likely that there will be far more information to report to residents with regards to changes in their towns and a greater opportunity for residents’ feedback to make a difference.

It has previously been claimed that grouping wards together was not always the best option since what is an issue in one ward is not necessarily an issue in another ward in the same township area. However, the counter to that is that if you take the example of Prestwich or Radcliffe just considering issues for a single ward boundary is more constricting when you consider groupings of similar area demographics cross the ward boundaries e.g. looking at Radcliffe town centre MSOA. What should be avoided is grouping non similar wards together e.g. the demography of Radcliffe is different to Bury West.

Although some parties/groups or individual councillors have good social media presence the transfer of important information or proposals relies on full and open communication and online discussion might not benefit from the challenge of direct public questioning from residents. This proposed motion  ...  view the full agenda text for item C. 41

Minutes:

(i)             Re-introduction of township forums

 

Council considered a motion in the names of Councillors Birchmore, Berry, Booth, Duncalfe, Marsden, M Smith, K Simpson and Cllr Mary Walsh.

 

The motion was moved by Councillor Birchmore and seconded by Councillor M Smith and on being put with the majority of members voting against the Motion, the Mayor declared the motion lost.

 

(ii)           Save Prestwich Crown Post Office

 

Council considered a notice of motion received in the names of Councillors: A Arif,  Bayley, Boles, Cummins, Farooq, Fitzgerald, Frith, Gold, Green, Grimshaw, Haroon, Hayes, Hook, Ibrahim, McGill, Morris, Moss, O'Brien, Pilkington, Quinn Alan, Quinn Deborah, Rafiq, Rizvi, Rahimov, Rubinstein, Ryder, Smith Lucy, John Southworth, Staples-Jones Gareth, Tariq, Thorpe, Walmsley.

The Motion was moved by Councillor D Green and seconded by Councillor Gold and on being put with the majority of Members voting in favour, Council agreed to:

1) Fully support the campaign to keep Prestwich Crown Post Office open.

2) Write to Gareth Thomas MP, the Minister responsible for the Post Office, and Nigel Railton, the Post Office interim Chair, setting out our opposition to any closure and demanding an immediate halt to the proposals.

 

(iii)         Consultation regarding moving Council Local Elections to a 4- year cycle

Council considered a motion in the names of Councillors S. Arif, Bernstein, Brown, Gartside, Harris, Hussain, Lancaster, McBriar, Rydeheard, Vernon.

 

The motion was moved by Councillor Vernon and seconded by Councillor Lancaster and on being put with the majority of members voting against the Motion, the Mayor declared the motion lost.

 

C. 42

For information only - COUNCIL MOTION TRACKER pdf icon PDF 417 KB

A report setting out progress in respect of Motions passed at the last meeting of Council is attached for information.

C. 43

SCRUTINY REVIEW REPORTS AND SPECIFIC ITEMS "CALLED IN" BY SCRUTINY COMMITTEES

None.

Minutes:

There were no scrutiny reports or specific items called by scrutiny committees.

C. 44

QUESTIONS ON THE WORK OF OUTSIDE BODIES OR PARTNERSHIPS

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).

Minutes:

There were no questions on the work on the outside bodies.