A blog about Wirral Council, Wirral Council's councillors & officers
A blog about Wirral Council's public meetings, Wirral Council's councillors, Bidston & St. James ward and other public bodies on Merseyside
According to a press release Ian Coleman, David Taylor-Smith and Bill Norman have been suspended. Bill Norman at a Council Meeting in 2012.
According to a press release Ian Coleman, David Taylor-Smith and Bill Norman have been suspended.
Bill Norman at a Council Meeting in 2012.
Also agreed on Monday were the following changes because Jim Wilkie (Chief Executive) is still ill and absent from work.
Ian Coleman is Deputy Chief Executive/Acting Chief Executive in Jim’s absence/Director of Finance.
David Taylor-Smith is Acting Chief Finance Officer while Ian Coleman is Acting Chief Executive.
Tom Sault is Acting Deputy Chief Finance Officer while Ian Coleman is Acting Chief Executive.
The committee places and outside body places have been carved up between the three parties in the proportion of seats they hold. The representation on many outside bodies, which mean councillors from Wirral Council receive greater allowances (Merseytravel, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority and Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority) now are just made up of Labour and Conservative councillors.
As it was a short meeting I’ve already uploaded it to Youtube. It’s in two parts, part 1 (the first twelve minutes) and part 2 (the last eight minutes), which are also below.
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The agenda and reports can be found on Wirral Council’s website except at the time of writing this, the AOB item entitled “Proposed Change to Senior Management Position”. It’s four pages which I’ve scanned in, Page 1, Page 2, Page 3 and Page 4.
The result of these changes will be that:-
(a) David Armstrong is appointed Acting Deputy Chief Executive,
(b) Surjit Tour becomes Deputy Monitoring Officer and stops being Scrutiny Officer (Head of Legal and Member Services) and
(c) Shirley Hudspeth, Democratic Services Manager stops being Democratic Services Manager and becomes Scrutiny Officer (Head of Legal and Member Services).
The Committee agreed to recommend (a) and (c) to Council and noted (b).
Items 5 (Chief Executives Office) and 7 (Department of Regeneration, Housing and Planning: Senior Management Structure) were deferred to a future meeting.
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.
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.
