Category: Labour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) 3rd January 2011 Part 1, Minutes (15/11/11 and 6/12/11), Declarations of Interest, Site Visits, item 5 (APP/11/00582, Hesketh Hall, Boundary Road, Port Sunlight, CH62 5ER Conversion of Hesketh Hall into 13 self-contained C3 flats with rear conservatory)

Present: Conservative councillors Chair: Cllr David Elderton Vice-Chair: Cllr Wendy Clements Cllr Eddie Boult Cllr Peter Johnson Labour councillors Cllr Brian Kenny (spokesperson) Cllr John Salter Cllr Denise Realey Cllr Bernie Mooney Cllr Joe Walsh Lib Dem councillors Cllr Dave Mitchell (spokesperson) Cllr Stuart Kelly Absent Conservative councillor Cllr Paul Hayes Members of public: 9 … Continue reading “Planning Committee (Wirral Council) 3rd January 2011 Part 1, Minutes (15/11/11 and 6/12/11), Declarations of Interest, Site Visits, item 5 (APP/11/00582, Hesketh Hall, Boundary Road, Port Sunlight, CH62 5ER Conversion of Hesketh Hall into 13 self-contained C3 flats with rear conservatory)”

Present:
Conservative councillors
Chair: Cllr David Elderton
Vice-Chair: Cllr Wendy Clements
Cllr Eddie Boult
Cllr Peter Johnson

Labour councillors
Cllr Brian Kenny (spokesperson)
Cllr John Salter
Cllr Denise Realey
Cllr Bernie Mooney
Cllr Joe Walsh

Lib Dem councillors
Cllr Dave Mitchell (spokesperson)
Cllr Stuart Kelly

Absent
Conservative councillor
Cllr Paul Hayes

Members of public: 9

The Chair introduced himself and said on the two wings were elected members of the Council who would be making decisions. To his left were planning officers and support staff who were officers of the Council. He welcomed people and wished them a happy and beneficial New Year.

He asked if the amended minutes of the meeting held on the 15th November 2011 and the minutes of the meeting held on the 6th December 2011 were agreed. He thanked Cllr Brian Kenny.

He asked if there were any declarations of interest. No declarations of interest were declared by the eleven councillors present.

He asked if there were any requests for site visits. No requests for site visits were made.

The Chair said he would be taking the agenda out of order to reflect which items members of the public were here for. He said the first item he would take would be item 5 (Hesketh Hall, Boundary Road, Port Sunlight, CH62 5ER). He asked for a presentation and pointed out this item was pages 23 to 26 on the agenda pack.

Matthew gave a presentation stating it was an application for thirteen apartments and a new conservatory. He outlined the implications of a requirement for affordable housing and the fact the building was a Grade II listed building. He said (if approved) the planning application would lead to changes to the building and the internal layout, however certain features would be retained. Externally there would be new windows to the roof, also a ramp and railings. Wirral Council was sympathetic to the alterations proposed. It was on the boundary of the Liverpool City Region Inner Area which would normally mean there would be a requirement for affordable housing. Bringing a Grade II listed building into viable use was a material consideration in its favour. It was near New Ferry Town Centre and there were a number of conditions on the application.

The Chair asked if any ward councillors wished to speak? No ward councillors wished to speak.

The Chair asked for any comments? There were no comments, he asked councillors if they were happy. Cllr John Salter proposed accepting the planning application, Cllr Joe Walsh seconded it. Matthew said there had been one extra condition added which was for cycle parking.

For : Cllrs Elderton, Clements, Boult, Johnson, Kenny, Salter, Realey, Mooney, Walsh, Mitchell, Kelly (11)
Against : None (0)
Abstentions: None (0)

Application APP/11/00582 was approved (11:0:0).

Two members of the public left with one saying thank you to the Planning Committee as he left.

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 8th December 2011 Part 4 Council Tax Base 2012/2013, Council Tax Discounts, Council Tax Discounts Consultation, Insolvency and Charging Orders Policy, Capital Program (2012-2015)

Ian Coleman said report 4 (Council Tax Base 2012/2013) was an annual update and the basis for the grant settlement. Cllr Foulkes asked if the Cabinet were happy to endorse it and it was agreed.

Ian Coleman then introduced the report on Council Tax discounts. He said there were a range of discounts in line with legislation, some they had the power to vary. Cllr Foulkes asked about the second home issue and his opinions on that. Ian Coleman said it was too soon to say although he wasn’t suggesting any changes to it. Cllr Foulkes said he was happy to accept it and it was agreed.

Ian Coleman introduced agenda item 6 (Council Tax Discounts – Consultation on Technical Reform) as a Department of Communities and Local Government consultation paper. He said it didn’t cover the Single Person Discount which was not included in the consultation. However second homes, empty homes, solar panels and annexes were included. There was a proposed response attached as an appendix.

Cllr Foulkes asked the Cabinet if they were happy to agree the response. It was agreed.

Ian Coleman introduced the report on Insolvency and Charging Orders Policy. He said there were minor amendments which was being updated because of legislation changes. Cllr Foulkes asked if Cabinet were happy to agree the policy, so it was agreed.

Ian Coleman then introduced the Capital Program and Financing for 2012-2015 which was to be sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government who would decide the final grant at the beginning of February. There had been a review because of slippage in 2010/2011 which had a knock on effect on 2011/2012, there had also been some delays to projects in 2011/12 and 2012/13. Projects had made bids for money with the weightings agreed by Cabinet and those that scored highest went ahead. Cllr Foulkes said he was happy to endorse it and it was agreed.

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 8th December 2011 Part 3 Corporate Plan

Cllr Steve Foulkes said he wanted to make an apology and it had not gone out on time, there were a number of reasons behind the delay, one was the issues raised by the Corporate Governance Committee/Anna Klonowski Associates report. He said these had to evolve in time enough to know where they were going. Cllr Foulkes said the Corporate Governance Committee was working well with a difficult subject matter, but they had stuck to the major themes inherited from the previous Corporate Plan. He referred to the Conservative Notice of Motion to next Monday’s full Council meeting and the new public health agenda and responsibilities that Wirral Council would have. They had launched the Child Poverty Strategy which he had said at Cabinet was a top priority. It had a slightly changed style to make it “interesting for ordinary members of the public to read” but was “true to the values of the authority”. It had to be agreed by a full Council meeting, previously it had always gone through first time. They were against deadlines to set the Budget for the Cabinet meeting of the 22nd February 2012.

It was a working draft, he didn’t predict massive changes but the Budget was linked to the Corporate Plan. He was willing to have a mini-refresh in the future but the draft Corporate Plan captured the essence and the issues that they had been criticised on surrounding corporate governance. He said it was worthy of support and might be subject to scrutiny. He asked if anyone had anything to add? They didn’t so he asked if they were happy to endorse it. They did and it was agreed.

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 8th December 2011 Part 1 Motions (libraries, Autumn statement, 0% Council Tax increase)

There were three motions to Wirral Council’s Cabinet meeting. For each motion you can click on the images for a larger version. The motion on libraries strategy is below, which will mean libraries will be open on Wednesdays and at lunchtimes after the merge with the One Stop Shops is complete.

Libraries motion (Cabinet) Wirral Council 8/12/2011

The second motion is on the Chancellors’ Autumn Statement.

Autumn statement motion (Wirral Council) Cabinet 8/12/2011

The third motion was on the Budget and is across two pages. It signals the minority Labour administration’s desire to have a 0% Council Tax increase for 2012/2013.

Projected Budget Motion (Wirral Council) Cabinet 8th December 2011 Page 1 of 2


Projected Budget Motion (Wirral Council) Cabinet 8th December 2011 Page 2 of 2

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 7 Budget Projections 2012-2015, Insurance Fund Budget (2012-2013), Annual Children’s Services Assessment 2011

Motion on Item 3 Projected Budget

Proposed Cllr Steve Foulkes
Seconded Cllr Phil Davies

Cabinet recognises that, although the projected budget gap is diminishing, considerable work is still required to set a balanced budget in March.

In order to avoid any undue delays as proposals are explored, Cabinet authorises the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, to undertake any appropriate consultation, in addition to the broader consultation already carried out, as required in order to allow the Council to meet the budgetary challenges it is facing.

The motion was agreed by all councillors on the Cabinet.

Cllr Foulkes then moved the meeting to agenda item 4 (Insurance Fund Budget 2012/2013).

Ian Coleman said for 2012/2013 there was a small impact on costs and savings. The report was agreed.

Cllr Foulkes then moved to agenda item 5 (Annual Children’s Services Assessment 2011) which he described as welcome news. A two-page letter was handed out in relation to this agenda item.

An officer said that David Armstrong sends his apologies as he was with headteachers in Anglesey. The officer said Wirral’s children’s services had performed excellently and were graded four out of a possible four. The report detailed how the assessment had been made as well as their strengths in educational standards and safeguarding. The officer referred to “Howard [Cooper]’s strong steer” and David’s role as acting director and the activity that was underway referred to in the report.

Cllr Ann McLachlan said it was excellent news, “fantastic” and referred to the letters sent to all staff in the Children and Young People’s Department.