Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Josh Allen, Sara Britcliffe MP and Tim O’Kane.

There were no declarations of interest or dispensations notified.

a)    Mayor

b)    Leader of the Council

c)    Chief Executive

The Mayor announced that since the last Council meeting infection rates had greatly increased across the country and again citizens found themselves in a lockdown situation.  However, vaccines were rapidly being rolled out to priority groups, so the end might now be in sight.

She implore residents to stay resolute during this final push and to continue to follow the rules.

1)      Best Wishes

The Mayor noted that Councillor Tim O’Kane’s absence tonight was due to a recent hospital procedure.  On behalf of the Council she expressed best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery.

2)      Sad News

The Mayor expressed her deepest sympathies to the families and friends of two former councillors who had sadly passed away shortly before Christmas.

Mrs Joan Scholes had died on Monday, 30th November 2020, aged 90.  Joan had been a Conservative Councillor, and party deputy leader, who served the Baxenden ward between 1991 and 1995.

Mrs Lisa Allen had died on Thursday, 24th December 2020, aged only 55.  Lisa had been a Conservative Councillor for 4 years between 2015 and 2019 for the St. Oswald’s ward, and was a member of many community groups.  The Mayor added her sincere condolences to Lisa’s family and in particular to one of her sons, Councillor Josh Allen, who continued to uphold the family tradition of public service as a current Member of the Council.

Councillors Marlene Haworth, Miles Parkinson OBE and Jean Battle MBE spoke about their experiences of their former colleagues.

3)      Appreciation for Key Workers

The Mayor again offered her thanks to all key workers who were helping to get the citizens of Hyndburn through these difficult times.

4)      Vaccination Programme

Councillor Miles Parkinson OBE, the Leader of the Council, noted that the vaccination programme, which was critical in fighting the pandemic, had already started to be rolled out at the Acorn NHS Primary Healthcare Centre.

5)      Update on the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Chief Executive of the Council, David Welsby, provided an update on the impact of COVID-19 on the Borough.

Since Mr Welsby’s previous statement to Council on 18^th November 2020, the number of confirmed cases in the UK had more than doubled and now stood at over 3.1 million compared to the 1.4M total 8 weeks ago.

Focussing in to the local level, the UK figures included the following:-

In the most recent week, the Office for National Statistics Infection Survey estimated that around 1 in 50 people currently had the virus across England, a figure that rose to 1 in 30 in London.  There was no comparative figure provided for Lancashire, although it would sit somewhere between the London and National rates.

In the week to 8^th January 2021, the case rate in Hyndburn stood at 721 per 100,000.  This was the highest level recorded in the Borough since the start of the pandemic, and represented a sharp increase of some 179% since Christmas.  The same pattern of rapidly increasing case numbers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 19^th November 2020 (attached).

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 19^th November 2020 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved                                    -    That the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 19^th November 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To deal with* any questions submitted under Council Procedure Rule A2.2(vi).

* In accordance with Section 11 of the Remote Meetings Procedure Rules, this Item will last up to 10 minutes.

The Mayor reported that no questions had been submitted under this Agenda Item.

To receive a report on decisions taken under Council Procedure Rule A24, the Council Urgency Procedure.  The following decisions were taken:-

Members considered a report on the following decisions taken under Council Procedure Rule A24, the Council Urgency Procedure:-

Resolved                                    -    To note the report on urgent decisions taken.

To receive the Minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 11^th November and 9^th December 2020 (attached).

Rules of Debate

·       The Leader of the Council will move the Minutes, the Deputy Leader of the Council will second the Minutes.

·       Non-executive Members will be invited to make comments or ask questions on the Minutes (5 Minutes*).

·       Cabinet Members will be invited to make comments and respond to any points raised (5 Minutes*).

·       The Leader of the Council will be given up to 10 Minutes* to respond and to answer any questions raised.

* In accordance with Section 11 of the Remote Meetings Procedure Rules, discussion on the minutes will last for up to 10 minutes and any questions that cannot be answered within that time will receive a written response.

The minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 11^th November and 9^th December 2020 were submitted.

Resolved        -           That the Minutes be received and noted.

To receive the Minutes of committees, as set out below:

Rules of Debate

·       The Leader of the Council will introduce the Minutes as a whole.

·       Any Member may raise any issue from the Minutes; the Chair of the relevant Committee may respond (5 Minutes*).

·       The Leader of the Council will close the debate (5 Minutes*).

* In accordance with Section 11 of the Remote Meetings Procedure Rules, discussion on the minutes will last for up to 10 minutes and any questions that cannot be answered within that time will receive a written response.

The Minutes of the following meetings were submitted:

Resolved                                    -    That the Minutes be received and noted.

To consider any Motions for debate in accordance with Council Procedure Rule A9, as amended by Section 10 of the Remote Meetings Procedure Rules.

1)          Motion Submitted on Notice – Skipton to Colne Rail Line

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Noordad Aziz and seconded by Councillor Dave Parkins under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

“This Council for a number of years has supported the reopening of the Skipton to Colne rail line and resolves to write to the Department of Transport to reiterate its support for this project and ask that Government uses the approval as a key part of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.

This project will not only open up the rail network in the North but improves East - West connectivity on a congested rail network.

The line will drive economic and social mobility in East Lancashire and provide a boost to some of the most deprived communities.

We have seen the benefits of the Todmorden Curve to Hyndburn and East Lancashire and the Council recognise that the Skipton to Colne rail link will have a similar impact.”

Councillor Noordad Aziz provided the following points by way of an introduction to the Motion:-

• Concerns expressed around a policy change in the way that new rail schemes were selected for approval.
• Reinstatement of the Skipton to Colne line would support the Government’s levelling up agenda.
• Concern that the Government had already withdrawn funding for Transport for the North’s ticketing scheme.
• Concern that Hyndburn had again missed out on High Street funding, hindering economic regeneration.
• A reminder that in 2015 the Council had passed a motion about delays to the commencement of services to Manchester via the Todmorden curve, as new rolling stock had instead been earmarked for Oxfordshire.
• Increasing passenger numbers seen following the eventual reopening of the route to Manchester had empowered citizens, improved social mobility and economic confidence.  It heralded the likely benefits of the Colne to Skipton scheme.
• The new route would provide easy connections to job markets, financial services and universities, thereby attracting people to the area.
• The project could also link in with proposals for a Strategic Rail Freight Terminal (SRFT) at Huncoat.

Councillors Marlene Haworth, Munsif Dad BEM JP, Miles Parkinson OBE, Stephen Button and Kath Pratt spoke in favour of the motion.  Issues raised included the following:-

• Acknowledgement that the MP was working hard to address the economic and social mobility issues identified.
• Caution about expectations around available funding in the immediate future, in the light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Thanks to Councillor Aziz for his role in championing transport issues.
• Future transport connectivity was crucial to economic development.  East Lancashire had been relegated to a branch line since the Second World War.  Improved connections to Leeds and Bradford and an SRFT at Huncoat would create an economic boost to the area and reduce HGVs on the road network, supporting the Green Agenda.  A financial case would need to be worked up.
• Member or Parliament forPendle, Andrew Stephenson MP, had been appointed as Minister of State at the Department for Transport and could help drive forward these proposals, which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 115.