Issue - meetings

Report attached.

With the approval of the Mayor in advance of the meeting, the following decision was exempted from the Council’s Call-In procedure in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule C14, on the grounds that the decision was reasonable in all the circumstances and was an urgent decision not subject to Call-In, in view need to finalise the submission of the Plan to the Government by 28^th November 2025.

Councillor Whitehead declared a personal interest in this item as a member of the Board representing the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire.

Members considered a report of Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP, Leader of the Council, presenting the Accrington Neighbourhoods Board’s Regeneration Plan before this was submitted to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The Leader of the Council gave a brief introduction to the report, including a summary of the Board’s membership, the Government’s Pride in Place agenda and funding streams and the Plan’s foundations building on the existing Masterplan for Accrington.  He also highlighted the four pillars, as set out within the Pan, and noted that the first payment for project delivery was due to be received in April 2026.

Councillor Khan welcomed the additional funding and thanked the Leader for his role in the appointment of a new independent Chair to the Board.  He placed on record his thanks to the previous Chair, whom he knew personally and whom he respected, and wished him well for the future.  Councillor Khan then enquired about the following:

• What reassurance was there that the Board and its processes would remain independent and would it be free to make its own recommendations;
• Whether the Board’s recommendations would be taken forward as submitted, or would they be subject to alteration;
• How consultations with residents would be supported;
• Whether previous plans would be acknowledged and how previously identified projects could be prioritised so that some could commence straight away;
• How the Council would attract in additional private investment to add to the £20M Fund; and
• Whether the Board’s actions would be subject to the Council’s overview and scrutiny arrangements.

Councillor Dad responded that the original appointee to the role of Chair was also an independent person, as stated on previous occasions.  He added that the Board itself was independent, but was supported by a range of stakeholders including the Borough Council.  The Council would consider the Board’s proposals favourably but, as the accountable body, had certain obligations.  It was hoped to be able to improve marketing of the Board’s work, in conjunction with publicity for the other town centre projects.  Consultations had already taken place with schools, colleges and businesses and a video had recently been produced.  Use would be made of existing plans and work undertaken previously.  The intention was to attract in other money wherever possible.  The Board’s work would be monitored by the Cabinet, but the Cabinet’s decisions would then be subject to scrutiny in the usual way.

Councillor Whitehead reiterated the independence of the Board,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 225