Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Bradley, Clark, Crook, Marsh, Mrs Mort, Rainsbury, Watts, Mrs Woollard and Yates.

Councillor K Jones declared a personal interest as an elected governor of the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust. Councillor Martin declared a personal interest in Items 5, 6 and 8 as an employee of Lancashire County Council. Councillor Ms Prynn declared a personal interest as an employee of the Lancashire Care Foundation Trust. Councillors K Jones, Martin and Ms Prynn were able under the Code of Conduct for Elected Members to remain in the meeting and take part in the discussion and voting thereon.

The Mayor informed council that he had received two requests to amend the minutes of the last meeting. These related to:
? page 55, first sentence second paragraph starting ?Councillor Titherington? to end after ?alternative budget? and the second sentence to start ?It had a different ethos?. Deleting all words in between; and
? page 56, first sentence seventh paragraph starting ?Councillor O?Hare?, to insert after ?apology? the words ?for speaking whilst Councillors Bell and Crook addressed the council. Delete ?because?. Second sentence to start ?Whilst it was ??

RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
subject to the above amendments, the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

The Leader commended the report of the meeting held on 18 March 2015. The report was seconded.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1) the report be noted (including exempt Item 8 as there was no request to discuss);
2) City Deal Infrastructure Plan [unanimously]
i) the list of initial local infrastructure projects contained within Tables 2 (as amended) and 3 be approved; and
ii) subject to (1) above, that financial support be sought from the City Deal Executive Board towards the local infrastructure projects in South Ribble be approved;

3) My Neighbourhood Plans 2015/16 [unanimously]
the 2015-2016 My Neighbourhood Plans be approved, subject to being signed off by the My Neighbourhood Chairmen;

4) Energy Procurement [unanimously]
i) the invoking of part 44, paragraph 44.1 of the Contract Procedure Rules to allow the waiving of the standard procurement process due to the exceptional circumstances outlined in the report be approved; and
ii) the delegation of the acceptance of the most economically advantageous energy contract for the supply of gas to the Director of Neighbourhoods, Environmental Health and Assets be approved;

5) Employee Code of Conduct [unanimously]
the new draft Code of Conduct for Employees be formally adopted as part of the update of the Council?s Constitution be approved; and

6) Hulmes Mill, Leyland [unanimously]
the bid be accepted.

Councillor Titherington commended the report of the Scrutiny Committee meetings held on 27 January 2015 and 10 March 2015. The report was seconded.

Councillor W Bennett commended the report of the Governance Committee meeting held on 28 January 2015. The report was seconded.

a) Review of Drainage and Flooding
Councillor M Gardner commended the report as chairman of the Scrutiny Task Group which had undertaken this review. In doing so he outlined the task group?s approach, positively commenting on the working arrangements this council had with partners. Councillor M Gardner added that the recommendations were around awareness and education and the services/advice/help available to councillors and residents. He thanked members of the task group and those involved in the review. The report was seconded.

The Cabinet member for Regeneration, Leisure & Healthy Communities (Councillor P Smith) welcomed the report commenting that over the last few years all were aware of the problems and devastation flooding could cause. He noted recommendation 2, that the council continue to provide a discretionary yet important service. The report?s recommendations would be considered by Cabinet at a future meeting.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1) the Scrutiny Review of Drainage and Flooding be received; and
2) the report?s recommendations be considered by the Cabinet.

b) Review of Loneliness and Social Isolation
This item began with a short DVD presentation to members. Councillor Mrs S Jones commended the report as chairman of the Scrutiny Task Group which had undertaken this review. She explained that whilst an ageing population was a positive reflection on our society, sadly there was evidence that an increasing number of older people struggled on their own. This increased pressure on health and care services and the government whilst recognising the issue, stated it could not solve itself and a lot of ways to deal with issues were actually in local communities. Councillor Mrs S Jones outlined the task group?s approach and the information/feedback received. She stressed that the first recommendation was crucial, creation of a South Ribble Older People?s Partnership chaired by the council?s member champion, showing it was taking the lead. She also thanked members of the task group and those involved in the review. The report was seconded.

The Cabinet member for Regeneration, Leisure & Healthy Communities (Councillor P Smith) thanked the task group for another important piece of work by scrutiny. He acknowledged that loneliness was a difficult problem to solve (if easy, it wouldn?t be a problem). The report?s recommendations would be considered at a future meeting of the Cabinet.

Councillor Pimblett felt it was a very comprehensive report and recalled when he was a union secretary and had dealt with a lot of retired members. He stated that people tended to fall into two groups, those who found things to do (and looked 10/15 years younger) and those that simply sat around at home often dying sooner. He felt the council should encourage such people to take up an activity/interest, whilst accepting it was not as easy if a person was disabled.

Councillor Titherington stated that for the first (and last) time that he agreed with Councillor P Smith. He felt the review had been interesting and in many ways rewarding to be involved in. Whilst there already were many agencies/bodies involved the council still had an important part, even if only recognising the importance and need for this to be addressed. He felt that the recommendations were appropriate and relevant. He complimented Councillor Mrs S Jones on her professional/effective chairmanship.

Councillor K Jones welcomed the report and commented that as a member of a foundation trust, the elderly were disproportionate users of hospitals and the NHS. Facing and addressing issues associated with loneliness and isolation could possibly reduce demands on those services.

Councillor Mrs S Jones thanked members for their positive feedback.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that:
1) the Scrutiny Review of Loneliness and Social Isolation be received; and
2) the report?s recommendations be considered by the Cabinet.

Councillor Titherington commended the Scrutiny Committee?s end of term report. It was appropriate and worthwhile to reflect. Whilst the committee had worked well and provided effective scrutiny, there was no room for complacency. He thanked all members of the committee (past and present) over the term for their hard work and contributions, accepting their role as scrutineers across party lines. Over the last four years it was felt that scrutiny had raised its profile and earned the respect of external bodies, such as its involvement in the review of health checks. The events elsewhere such as Rotherham, highlighted and emphasised a need for a robust and challenging scrutiny. Whilst over the last four years scrutiny had worked hard, been successful and effective there was always further to go. Councillor Titherington thanked Darren Cranshaw for his professionalism and dedication to scrutiny and the task groups. The report was seconded.

Councillor Howarth questioned scrutiny?s view that the Planning Committee was effective. This was based on the last meeting of that committee when there were numerous non-material considerations put forward at the meeting. He welcomed the training for new members of the Planning Committee and hoped it would not be a one-off. Councillor Titherington felt that Councillor Howarth?s comments needed to be taken up elsewhere.

Councillor W Bennett paid tribute to past/present members of the Scrutiny Committee, commenting he had been involved in the reviews of external communications and empty properties. In respect of the latter this council was now one of the best performing councils bringing empty properties back into use. He thanked and complimented Councillor Titherington for his chairmanship of the committee.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Scrutiny Committee?s end of term report be received.

The Cabinet member for Regeneration, Leisure & Healthy Communities (Councillor P Smith) presented a report concerning potential changes to the council?s Licensing Policy following public consultation. The proposed changes were due to internal structure changes and those of legislation. The report was seconded.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the council?s amended Licensing Policy be approved and adopted.

In response to Councillor M Tomlinson the Leader congratulated the council?s small but extremely effective communications team which had been working very hard over the last few weeks and would be in coming weeks. Whilst acknowledging the comment, Councillor M Tomlinson added that recently there had been a large number of press releases regarding topics such as City Deal, Worden Park and Central Park. However, he stated that a member of his group had been told by this team that it was too busy to help in connection with a worthy report commended by the council earlier tonight. Councillor M Tomlinson felt it was a shame, whilst the team might be busy it needed to be even handed. Councillor Mrs M Smith was unaware of this and would look into the matter. The team had had a lot of activity, for instance the City Deal information came regularly from county hall and with little notice. The Leader commented that there were a few things that needed promoting; one was a lack of information coming forward on Leyland Railway Station, despite a ?3m improvement scheme due to start.

Deputy Leader, Neighbourhoods and Street Scene
The Cabinet member (Councillor Mullineaux) responding to Councillor Heyworth confirmed that in respect of Cricketer?s Brook the contamination had been identified and dealt with and as resources allowed the position would be monitored and controlled by the council the best it could. Councillor M Tomlinson commented in respect of funding that the Labour group?s proposed alternative budget had included additional expenditure for Worden Park but was voted down. Councillor Mullineaux commented that additional monies would always be useful but the council currently provided a great service and not just to Worden Park.

Councillors C Tomlinson and Foster referred to ongoing on-street parking problems in the borough caused by motorists blocking dropped kerbs when parking their vehicles. The council was informed of an instance where when trying to negotiate around a parked vehicle a user of a motorised wheelchair had fallen out of their wheelchair. It was suggested that this could be addressed by the appointment of an additional parking enforcement officer. Councillor Mullineaux initially responded that whilst on-street enforcement was a county council matter whom he would raise the concern, adding that this matter had not previously been identified as a major issue.

Councillor M Tomlinson had understood this council was in partnership with the county council and at the last meeting his group had proposed a way forward. However, Councillor Pimblett indicated to council that such enforcement was not the responsibility of the parking attendants but the police as it was an obstruction. As such, he asked the Cabinet member if he would contact the police regarding this and hoped the police would subsequently issue irresponsible motorists with tickets. Councillor Mullineaux agreed to raise this with the police. However, he added that if he was informed of issues within his responsibility he would look into them but some members appeared to wait until this meeting, so if he was not previously aware of an issue he could not look in it.

In response to Councillor Higgins the Cabinet member commented that the closure of the toilets at Withy Grove Park and the need for park users to go to the leisure centre was currently an on-going matter as a result of vandalism.

Strategic Planning and Housing
The Cabinet member (Councillor Hughes) thanked Councillor Martin for advance notice of his question and was pleased to be able to provide an update on the position at The Maltings, Penwortham. A suggested scheme had been drafted which would be open to consultation tomorrow evening at the local Penwortham My Neighbourhood Forum. It was a low density mixed scheme of 60 units that included affordable housing. The council anticipated plans would be submitted in a few weeks and building start on site in the next 12 months.

Councillor Hughes added he was pleased to report that as one of the 12 district councils in Lancashire, it had won a share of ?751,580 government funding towards refuge provision. He thanked the efforts of Suzanne Ravenscroft and her team, stating this would enable increased support and make a significant impact to improve the lives of some of the borough?s vulnerable people.

Whilst thanking the Cabinet member for the update, Councillors Martin and Ms Prynn had concerns that the suggested scheme appeared to be multiple occupancy units not single. This was because the previous premises on the site (The Maltings) had had units for single people. This type of accommodation was now in short supply and there should be a focus on providing it. The Cabinet member understood the concern indicating that the council tended to rely on the expertise of social housing providers, but if there was information and evidence for this need he would take this up with them.

In response to a question from Councillor Heyworth, the chairman of the Leyland My Neighbourhood Forum (Councillor Ms Bell) referred to and read in detail from an article in the council?s forward newspaper. This related to schemes that the forum had initiated and included levels of funding and in some cases the use of Section 106 monies, contra to what had been implied at the last meeting. These schemes totalled in the region of ?120,000. Councillor M Green suggested that his previous comments in response to Councillor K Jones had been misinterpreted; he felt that this forum had worked well and was glad those monies were being spent around Leyland to the benefit of residents. Councillor M Tomlinson felt that the chairman of the forum would agree with him that the inference had been that unspent monies was the fault of Labour councillors. Following the last meeting, he had never seen Councillor Ms Bell so angry, and thanked her for her earlier comments tonight.

There were no questions.

The Mayor commented that as this was the last meeting before the elections, he wanted to thank all members for their commitment and hard work over the last four years. He knew there were a number in the room that would return after 7 May but some would not. In particular there were some who were not seeking re-election and acknowledged their contribution. All members had made a difference to the people of South Ribble and wished them all the very best for the future. He added that it was also almost the end of his term of office and thanked officers and members for their support and proposed to tour around the council?s offices.

There was then an address to members of the council by the Leader of the Council (Councillor Mrs M Smith), Leader of the Labour Group (Councillor M Tomlinson) and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group (Councillor Pimblett). These highlighted the changes over the last four years and current initiatives/challenges and thanked the Mayor (acknowledging it was not an easy role), all members for their dedication and contributions and appropriate support and, wished all members well. There was also reference to those members not seeking re-election (Councillors Mrs Beattie, Hamman, Kelly, O?Hare, Otter and Robinson) who in turn addressed council about their experiences on the council, wishing everyone well and good luck on 7 May. Councillor Mullineaux then on behalf of the Conservative group thanked the Leader.

The Mayor ended the meeting by wishing those leaving every success for the future and those staying all the best with their campaign.