Agenda item

Councillor Shaw asked the Leader if Council would be able to see the report from the AEA review into the electoral processes following the election in May 2023. The Leader explained the report did not find any failings within the authority; however, a report would be brought back to the appropriate committee.

Councillor Williams referred to the recent government decision on Pickering’s Farm and asked the Leader if he thought the level of existing congestion on Leyland Road was unacceptable. The Leader agreed and responded to say that he would be contacting the MP to discuss the issue further.

Councillor David Howarth asked the Leader if the Council operated in a transparent manner where council tax expenditure was subject to checks. In response the Leader explained that every decision was made appropriately in line with strict governance arrangements.

A written question was received in advance of the meeting from a member of the public and asked the Leader the following:

“"In my email of the 26/10 I invited you to distance the Council from the sponsorship by Royal Flush Vapes of the lights on ceremony in Leyland.

I therefore have to ask you to justify the decision to associate SRBC and a vaping company in sponsoring what is the quintessential children's event ; the turning on of the Christmas lights?

Is the Council falling into the same trap as the Sports world when it succumbed to the tobacco industry?"

My daughter and many other teachers have had vaping problems within their schools and we are constantly hearing of children becoming addicted to and suffering ill health because of vaping."

In response, the Leader explained the light switch on event was organised by the Leyland Town Team and not the Council. The Council only provide support for the advertising and stewarding of the event. The Leader had spoken to the Chair of Leyland Town Team to express concern over the sponsorship of the event.

A second written question was received in advance of the meeting from a member of the public and asked the Leader the following:

"In November 2021 the council passed a motion to write to the Minister of State for Crime & Policing, and the Home Secretary calling for Misogyny to be made a hate crime. On the 9th March 2023 BBC News reported that Broadcaster Pat Sharp has left his Greatest Hits Radio show after reportedly making an inappropriate comment to a woman at an event.

Sharp made a comment about a woman in attendance in front of around 400 people while hosting the event.

"For the day and age we live in, it was completely unacceptable," said one guest in the room. "It was inappropriate and disgusting... it was the talk of the evening and completely ruined the atmosphere."

A spokesman for Greatest Hits Radio said this issue has now been brought to our attention, we have agreed with Pat Sharp that he will not return to the station immediately." Please could you explain how the council can hire Pat Sharp to front “Music in the Park?”

The Leader explained that Pat Sharp had not been found guilty of any hate crime or misogyny and had made an error of judgement, Pat Sharp had apologised and things had moved on.