Agenda item

To confirm as correct records the minutes of recent Council meetings held on 19^th and 21^st May 2022.

The Minutes of the Council meetings held on 19^th and 21^st May 2022 were provided.  The following points relate to the Minutes of 19^th May 2022 only.

The Leader reported that at Minute 4 - Declaration of Interest and Dispensations, Councillor June Harrison had clarified at the meeting that she had not supported the appointment of Councillor Munsif Dad as the Labour Group Leader, and would wish for this statement to be recorded in the minute.

At Minute 5 - Announcements, Section (c) – Annual Review and Future Plans, the Leader was due to attend the opening ceremony of Clayton Civic Centre to see the investment delivered by the Leisure Trust.  The Leisure Transformation Programme was being rolled out across the Borough.  It was acknowledged that there were some on-going issues around leisure facilities in Great Harwood.  A review of leisure facilities had been commenced in 2019 by the Leisure Trust.  The organisation had gone to great lengths to look at what facilities were needed.  A series of reports had been provided to the Council and Cabinet since then.  The Lead Member during this period, Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP, had been supportive of the progress being made.

Also recorded under this Minute was information about the membership of the Cabinet, which had led to the situation described previously concerning Councillor Plummer.  Newspapers had incorrectly described the administration as a coalition, which was not the case.  The arrangements in place within Hyndburn’s Cabinet were no different from the cooperation taking place between elected Leaders of various parties across all Lancashire authorities.  The Leader expressed gratitude to Councillor Plummer for her work to manage the Council’s finances, which built upon the work of her predecessor, former councillor, Gareth Molineux.  Good financial management explained why the Council was now able to afford to fund its ambitious plans.

In respect of Minute 8 – Appointment of Committees, etc. at Paragraph 4, Councillor Parkinson responded to Councillor Dad’s comment that nominations had been ‘imposed by the Leader of the Council’.  He refuted the assertion that nominations had been imposed and advised that all appointments had been voted upon by the Council.  The proposals had been circulated in sufficient time in advance of the meeting for alternative nominations to be made.

In relation to Minute 7 – Declaration of the Returning Officer, Councillor Noordad Aziz asked whether the Chief Executive had any knowledge of an arrest made by the Police in connection with an electoral matter and what progress had been made.  Mr Welsby confirmed that he had no knowledge of any arrest and was unable to provide any further information on this allegation.

A brief exchange of views took place between Councillors Melissa Fisher, Miles Parkinson and Joyce Plummer about the suspension issue raised previously.  It was recognised that the situation had caused distress to a number of individuals.  The Chief Executive confirmed that the Council had acted in accordance with the written instructions of the Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, the outcome of which had been explained to Councillor Plummer.  A number of councillors spoke about the negative impact of personal comments made recently on social media.  Councillors Zak Khan and Kate Walsh both called for personal issues not to be played out in the Council Chamber and for Members to focus on the business on the Agenda.

Resolved                                    -    That, subject to the insertion of the following words at the end of Paragraph 5 at Minute 4 of the minutes of 19^th May 2022:

“Councillor Harrison responded that she had not in fact supported the appointment of Councillor Dad as Leader of the Labour Group.”

the Minutes of the Council meetings held on 19^th and 21^st May 2022 be approved as correct records.