Agenda and minutes

The Committee sent its best wishes to Chairman, Councillor John O’Brien, who was currently absent due to ill health.

Members are requested to advise the Democratic Services Officer of any apologies for this meeting.

Councillors Flemming, McLoughlin, O’Brien and Watson.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2023 are attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2023  were approved as a correct record and signed by the Vice Chairman.

Government guidance expected Members of Scrutiny Committees not to act in accordance with party whipping and that, if they did, they were to declare it.

Government guidance expected Members of Scrutiny Committees not to act in accordance with party whipping and that, if they did, they were to declare it.

Resolved: There were no declarations made.

A report detailing the forthcoming Key and Non-Key decisions that are due to be taken by the Cabinet, a Member of the Cabinet (Portfolio Holder) or a Designated Officer relating to the service areas of this Committee, at this time, attached.

Information Only Item.

Report of Director – Environment and Director – Place is attached.

The Committee considered a report on performance monitoring across the Places Directorate from the Director of Environment, Paul Barton and the Director for Place, Aiden Thatcher.

The purpose of the report was to inform the Committee of the current position against a number of key performance indicators.

Resolved:  The Committee thanks the Directors for the report.

Report of Assistant Director – Planning and Regeneration is attached.

The Committee considered a report and a presentation of the Assistant Director for Planning and Regeneration, David Proctor on the Section 106 obligations.

The report summarised for Committee what Section 106 Obligations were in the planning process and how they were to be undertaken in the context of the relevant legislation and national and local planning policy and guidance.  It also included a summary of the Infrastructure Levies currently being employed within Lowton, Golborne and Standish. 

The report concluded with the background to Infrastructure Funding Statements (IFS), statements that report on the Council’s Section 106 records, and sought the Committee’s endorsement of the Council’s IFS for the period 2021/22.

During its discussions, the Committee raised the following salient points:

·         What did the term ‘flexible approach’ mean in the context of 106 Obligations?

·         There was a lack of communication between the Council and members and residents around the timescales of 106 projects;

·         Why was the opportunity of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) not available across the borough? and

·         Planning applications could only be found by registering on the Council’s Planning Database.

The Service Manager - Development Management & Building Control, Gareth Jones, advised the Committee that the flexible approach to the 106 Obligations was in line with national policy which allowed the developer to provide viable information on why they could or could not afford to provide section 106 requested by the Council.  The Council was the decision maker for the application only, an independent district advisor guided the Council on the 106 Obligations. He further advised that a programme of works was produced by the Major Projects Team for residents and that each project had a timeframe spread across a period outlining when each scheme would be brought forward.

He advised the Committee that Standish, Golborne and Lowton were identified  as part of a requirement to plan for large scale new housing developments.  This provided a mechanism to secure funding from the development coming forward via a fixed financial contribution from developers. The Council had not implemented a CIL charging system and currently implemented a process of completing Section 106 Obligations based on the specific requirements of an individual development.  The Council did however operate Infrastructure Assessments for Standish and Golborne and Lowton through the Wigan Local Plan Core Strategy, adopted in 2013. 

The Committee was advised that planning applications were currently in an automated system, however, there was a programme underway which would ensure that the weekly lists of planning applications previously sent to Members would be re-introduced.

Resolved: The Committee:

(1)  Endorses the report; and

(2)  Requests that the 106 projects allocated from developments is shared with members.

Report of Assistant Director – Skills and Enterprise is attached.

The Committee considered a report and a presentation of the Assistant Director Skills and Enterprise, Claire Burnham, on adult education delivery.

The report provided an overview on the outcomes of the Council’s Adult Learning provision and an update on performance for 2021/22.

During its discussions, the Committee discussed barriers to learning and how far the funding would go to support learners.

The Committee was advised that funding was available for college level students as well as Levels 1 and 2.  The team started engaging with learners who were at levels 1 and 2 and the ambition was to get progression up to level 3 across the borough and support learners.

The delivery programme would ensure a progression route for learners. Sixty-two percent of learners were from the most deprived areas of the borough therefore taking the education opportunity out to the community ensured that it was much less daunting for residents to engaging.

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Resolved:  The Committee endorses the report.

Report of Assistant Director – Planning and Regeneration is attached.

The Committee considered a report and a presentation from the Assistant Director for Planning and Regeneration.

The purpose of the report was to provide an update on town centre regeneration across the borough. The report summarised the evolving policy agenda associated with town centre regeneration and explained how the Council was monitoring performance and progress in the delivery of town centre regeneration across the borough.

During its discussions, the Committee raised the following salient points:

·         Car parking availability in the town to support the numbers of visitors expected;

·         Public transport would need to be reliable and affordable;

·         Daytime town centre marshals would offer more security for visitors to the town centre;

·         The town needed to hold some large events; and

·         The report focused on the three larges town centres in the borough.

The Service Manager for Regeneration, Melanie Lamb and the Assistant Directors present advised the Committee that a very detailed piece of work had been carried out around town centre car parking and the current and expected levels of usage.  Visitors to the town centre would also be encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport and leave the car at home.  A recent parking capacity survey revealed that the current level of usage in and around the town centre was only at fifty percent.

Pubic transport was key to the night time economy and the Council, with the Lead Member for Night Time Economy, Councillor Anderton, was shaping the conversation around public transport to ensure that visitors to the town centre could get home safely.

The Committee was advised that the immediate focus was on the three largest town centres, however, once these were established, the Council would be able to role out the good practice learned to other town centres across the borough.

Large scale events would be held in the town centre, currently a Northern Soul event arrangements were underway and there were plans in place to ensure that there were town centre marshals in the afternoons as well as the evenings.  The Council was working with traders and Members to shape a programme of events in the markets.

Wigan Borough was in first wave of bus franchising and the local authority and TfGM would be back in control of timetable and fares and all day tickets.

Finally, the Committee was advised that not all the town centres across the Borough had plans in place and that the current focus was on the three largest town centres.  However, the Council would continue to monitor the Ashton and Atherton plans to see that they were still fit for purpose and the absence of a plan would not stop projects and enhancements from being taken forward.

Resolved: The Committee endorses the report.

Resolved: The best thanks of this Committee are extended to the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Officers for the excellent services rendered by them during the past Municipal Year.