This meeting included a number of updates on the Council’s financial position and a discussion on the future of Huncoat Garden Village. The meeting also included a proposal for the Council to accept a significant grant from Homes England.¹ Councillors were also scheduled to consider the future of a Council-owned piece of land in Baxenden.

Huncoat Garden Village

The report pack contained a recommendation that the Council proceed with plans to redevelop the site of the former Huncoat Power Station and Huncoat Colliery.

The report pack says the development would:

• Bring 1,816 new homes to the area, of which 263 would be classified as “affordable or social housing”.
• Be built over a 15 year period.
• Include a relief road, village centre, primary school extension, railway station parking and 23 hectares of open space.

The report pack says that the Council had a bid accepted by the Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land (BIL) fund to obtain £30 million to prepare the site for development. The report pack says:

Given the major constraints presented by the previously developed land at the former power station and colliery sites, redevelopment was not feasible without public sector intervention to part fund site remediation and infrastructure to help provide serviced development platforms for viable housing development, as well as a new residential relief road that would connect new development areas with the existing network, as well as relieving congestion that already existed in the village.

The report pack says that if the Council were to reject the funding, it would put at risk the delivery of the new homes, which were a central part of the Council’s draft local plan, called Hyndburn 2040: Local Plan {Strategic Policies and Site Allocations}. The report pack says that, without both the Huncoat Garden Village project and the local plan, the Council would not be able to deliver its house building targets.

Disposal of Land at Back Lane, Baxenden

The report pack says Councillor Kate Walsh, the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Families, was scheduled to introduce a report about the proposed disposal of a Council-owned piece of land in Baxenden.

Update on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2025/26 to 2027/28

The report pack contained a report providing an update on the Council's financial position.

The report pack says the financial position is based on several assumptions:

• A pay award of 3%.
• General inflation of 3%.
• Utility inflation of 2%.
• An increase in sales, fees and charges income of 3%.
• A 2% increase in non-ringfenced Government grant income.
• A 2% increase in retained business rates income.
• An 0.8% increase in the Council Tax base and a 2.99% increase in the Council Tax rate.

The report pack also contained information on a number of risks to the Council's budget:

• Additional costs of leisure services.
• Revenue costs for the Levelling up Project.
• Loss of external funding.
• Additional Housing Benefits costs.
• Waste transfer costs.
• Revenue costs of food waste collections.
• Potential pension contribution savings.
• Additional investment interest.
• Surplus and deficits in the Collection Fund.²

Garage Plot Rental Charge 1st April 2025

The report pack contained a report seeking approval to increase the rent of garage plots from £102.00 to £110.00 per annum.

The report pack says:

The Council completes a garage rent review every 3 years, with the aim of ensuring that the garage plot rents keep pace with inflation. It is reasonable for the Council to increase the garage plot rents having taken into consideration the annual rate of inflation and rents charged by neighbouring local authorities. The Council last increased the annual garage plot rent on the 1st April 2022.

Arts, Culture and Heritage - Portfolio Report

The report pack contained a report providing an update on the Council’s cultural activities, including funding sources and future plans.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The report pack says that the Town Centre Stakeholder Board had identified that heritage should be a central theme in its Town Centre Investment Plan, leading to the Council submitting a successful bid to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for £1.2465m to support culture and heritage.

The report pack says that this money had been spent on a number of events, including:

• Oak Fest 2023 and 2024.
• Blast.
• Spring Parade.
• Enlighten.

The report pack says that the Council had also commissioned a draft Culture and Heritage Strategy, to be reviewed by the Better Places Panel.³ The report pack says that the strategy will set out 3 key strategic priorities:

• Building audiences for cultural participation and production.
• Developing skills and fostering local talent.
• Making heritage relevant to all residents.

Accrington Market Chambers

The report pack contains an update on the Council’s plans to convert Accrington Market Chambers into a new heritage, culture and arts space.

The report pack says that the Council had recently opened an engagement space within Accrington Market Hall to consult with the public on the future of the building. The report pack also says that the Council is procuring a number of distinct work packages:

• Architect-led Design Team.
• Cost Management (including Quantity Surveyor).
• Exhibition Design Team.
• Governance & Business Plan.
• Evaluation Plan.
• Interpretation Plan.
• Access Consultant.
• Digital Strategy.
• Activity Plan.
• Opening up works/surveys.

The report pack says that the Council is working towards submitting a delivery stage bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for £4,516,944.

The report pack says that the Council does not yet own the entirety of the Market Chambers and is engaged in Compulsory Purchase Order proceedings to purchase the remaining parts of the building.

Haworth Art Gallery

The report pack contains an update on the activities of the Haworth Art Gallery, including its recent economic impact.

The report pack says that the Gallery recently received accreditation from Arts Council England, and that its Artists’ Studios are a thriving business space. The report pack says that in 2023/24, 30,304 people visited the Gallery, generating £708,871 for the local economy.

The report pack says that the gallery has:

• A learning programme that works with schools, further and higher education and adult learning.
• Almost 30 different partnerships with organisations including Museum Development North, Lancashire Museums Forum and Creative Lancashire.
• A volunteer programme with 40 regular and occasional volunteers.

The report pack says that the Gallery had recently had a bid accepted by Arts Council England for £68,214 to deliver a project called Unlocking Collections.

Minutes of the Leader’s Policy Development Board 22 October 2024

This report pack contains the minutes of a meeting of the Leader’s Policy Development Board held on 22 October 2024.

Review of Members Allowances

The report pack says that the Board considered the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) on the allowances payable to Councillors, which included:

• Whether the Council should reintroduce an inflationary index to basic allowances and Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs).
• Whether the SRA payable to the Vice-Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny Committees should be reduced.
• Whether an SRA should be paid to Member Champions.

The report pack says that Councillor Zak Khan suggested:

• Introducing a percentage increase to basic allowances and SRAs in line with the annual staff pay award.
• That, rather than abolishing the Vice-Chairs' SRA, it should be reduced to a similar proportion of the Chair’s allowance as other committees.
• That a maximum of four Member Champions should receive an SRA of £250.

The report pack says that the Board agreed to recommend to the Council that Councillor Khan’s recommendations be implemented from 1 April 2025.

Replacement Mayor’s Car

The report pack says that the Board considered a report on the replacement of the Mayor’s Car.

The report pack says that the current vehicle's lease was due to expire on 16 March 2025, and that officers had sought quotes for a replacement.

The report pack says that Councillor Khan asked if the Council could lease a Tesla to replace the Mayor's car.

The report pack says that the Board agreed to request that officers investigate an extension to the existing lease before considering alternative vehicles.

The report pack says the Board also requested that, if the existing lease could not be extended, officers should consider:

• The Audi A6 saloon 50 TFSI e Quattro Sport 4dr S Tronic.
• The Mercedes E Class Estate E300e AMG Line Advanced 4dr 9G-Tronic.
• The Mercedes EQE saloon EQE300 Sport Edition 89kWh 4dr Auto.

Webcasting

The report pack says that the Board considered a report on webcasting.

The report pack says Councillor Khan expressed concern that filming council meetings via a camera or iPad would be unprofessional. The report pack says that he suggested the cost of installing a dedicated webcasting system be spread over several years as a capital project.

The report pack says that the Board agreed to request that the Member Services Manager obtain quotes for a dedicated system and look into the cost of providing a basic desktop microphone only system with a staff member to film the meeting.

Boundary Review

The report pack says that the Board received a verbal update from Jane Ellis, Executive Director Legal and Democratic Services, on the Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s boundary review in Hyndburn.

The report pack says that Councillor Khan commented that the Council should consider moving to 3 member wards, but that “ward boundaries could be an issue”.

Mayor’s Cadet

The report pack says that the Board received a verbal update from Julian Joinson, the Member Services Manager, on the proposed introduction of a Mayor’s Cadet.

The report pack says Councillor Khan undertook to obtain a response to the proposal from Hilary Austin, Chair of Accrington RAFAC. He also suggested that Councillor Danny Cassidy be contacted to help obtain a response from the Army Cadets.

Town Twinning

The report pack says that the Board received a verbal update from the Member Services Manager on proposals to establish a town twinning relationship between Accrington and Khust, Ukraine.