The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Mrs Callow in the Chair

MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING – WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2005

Present:

Councillors

Bamborough Mrs Cresswell Hardy Mrs Rowson Bate Mrs Delves Mrs Haynes Mrs Smith Mrs Benson Doherty Heap Taylor Brown Dunne Houldsworth Mrs Taylor Burgess Evans Hutchinson Mrs Wright Callow Fisher Jackson Wynne Carr Fowler Kersh Clapham Mrs Fowler Matthews Collett Green Mitchell Cresswell Mrs Greenhalgh Mrs Radcliffe

1. MINUTES.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 19 January 2005 were signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

3. ANNOUNCEMENTS

(i) Councillor Mrs Wright announced that the Grange Park had received the Sustainable Communities award for 2004 from the Deputy Prime Minister, out of a total of 256 local authorities that had applied. Cllr Carr advised Members that an e-mail had been received from Peter Oliver, Chief Fire Officer, offering congratulations and in recognition of the reduction in the number of calls to the Fire Service and the cleaner environment. The Mayor asked that congratulations and best wishes be sent on behalf of the Council. (ii) Councillor Fisher announced that at the recent Civic Awards evening, the Council had received awards for the Customer First Centre, Palatine Library, the new extensions at Park School and Westcliff Primary School, as well as the Solaris. He added that a National Civic Trust award was also to be received for the Southern Gateway at South Shore. (iii) Councillor Fisher announced that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister had approved the status of Blackpool's Urban Regeneration Company and therefore the Masterplan projects could move forward. He also advised that Sir Peter Hall, Chairman of the Urban Regeneration Company, had received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in planning.

4. PUBLIC REPRESENTATIONS

Mrs E Cole spoke on the Play Inclusion Project which supported the social inclusion of children and young people with disabilities in access to out of school provision.

1 MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING – WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2005

Councillor Taylor responded on behalf of the Council.

5. QUESTIONS

There were no notified questions from Members.

6. FORWARD PLAN.

There were no questions on the Forward Plan.

7. POLLING PLACES.

Members considered the report from the Chief Executive on proposals for new polling places in seven districts, in preparation for the possible Parliamentary Election. The report explained that it had become necessary to find new polling places as either the current places were not available or were unsuitable.

The Group Leaders and respective Ward Councillors had been consulted on the proposals and had no objections. Councillor Matthews requested that checks should be made to ensure that suitable access to Bethesda Congregational Church Hall was available for wheelchairs users.

Motion:

It was proposed by Councillor Fisher (and seconded by Councillor Collett):

‘1. That St Bernadette’s Church Hall is used as the polling place for polling district G3 at all elections in 2005

2. That the Salvation Army Citadel is used as the polling place for polling district F1 at future elections

3. That the Baptist Church, Forest Gate, is used as the polling place for polling district F3 at future elections.

4. That Boundary Library in the City Learning Centre is used as the polling place for polling district J2 at future elections

5. That the Solaris is used as the polling place for polling district N3 at future elections.

6. That Bethesda Congregational Church Hall is used as the polling place for polling district P3 at future elections

7. That St Paul’s Church is used as a polling place for polling district T2 at future elections

8. That should an election be held before work at St Paul’s is completed, St John Vianney’s Parish Centre is used as a temporary polling place’.

Motion carried:

The motion on being put to the vote was carried.

8. HOUSING STOCK OPTION APPRAISAL

The Council considered the recommendations of the Executive in relation to the report from Blackpool Tenants’ Steering Group on the Housing Stock Option Appraisal. Members were advised that the Government required the Council to carry out the appraisal by July 2005 and that the process should include the development of a business plan, in depth consultation with tenants and leaseholders and the identification of an investment option either: no change, retention through an Arms Length Management Organisation, Private Finance Initiative and stock transfer.

Motion:

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs Wright (and seconded by Councillor Fisher):

‘1. To note the content of the Blackpool Tenants’ Steering Group and thank the tenants involved for their contribution.

2. That the Council affirms that it does not support a transfer of Council housing to a Registered Social Landlord

3. That the Council agrees to hold a ballot of tenants in the approved manner on the option of a transfer to a new Blackpool Housing Association.’

Amendment proposed:

At which point it was proposed by Councillor Callow (and seconded by Councillor Mitchell):

‘That recommendation 2 should not be approved.

That recommendation 3 be amended to read ‘That all tenants be balloted on both a transfer of housing to a Registered Social Landlord as well as a transfer to a new Blackpool Housing Association’

That a further recommendation be added stating ‘That the ballot is not influenced in any way by the Executive’s preferred option and that every Council tenant throughout the Borough is left to make up his or her own mind free of any bias or pressure from this Council, and that Members should approve the wording before it is sent out to tenants for consideration’.’

Amendment lost:

The amendment on being put to the vote was lost.

Submission of the original motion:

Members went on to consider the original motion. Immediately prior to the submission of the motion, five Members requested that the vote should be recorded. The voting was as follows:

For the motion:

Councillors Bamborough, Bate, Mrs Benson, Carr, Collett, Cresswell, Mrs Cresswell, Doherty, Dunne, Fisher, Green, Mrs Greenhalgh, Hardy, Mrs Haynes, Hutchinson, Jackson, Kersh, Matthews, Mrs Radcliffe, Mrs Rowson, Mrs Smith, Taylor, Mrs Taylor, Mrs Wright, Wynne: total 25.

Against the motion:

Councillors Brown, Burgess, Callow, Mrs Callow, Clapham, Mrs Delves Evans, Fowler, Mrs Fowler, Heap, Houldsworth, Mitchell: total 12.

Abstentions:

There were no abstentions.

Motion carried:

The motion was therefore carried.

(The meeting ended at 6:32 pm)

Any queries regarding these minutes, please contact: Lorraine Barber, Assistant Democratic Services Manager (Member & Electoral Services) Tel: 01253 477122 E-mail: [email protected]