Main roles and responsibilities of the portfolio
- To govern the delivery of the Progress with Unity missions and council plan
- To champion, promote and support the delivery of the outcomes of our Climate Change Strategy
- To drive forward the Community Wealth Building approach including using our planning powers to ensure land is used in the best interests of our residents
- To champion, promote and support the delivery of the outcomes of our Our Town Programme
- To support the operational delivery of environmental services including:
- Planning and transport policy and strategy
- Development management and building control
- Waste collection/disposal
- Street scene, highways
- Transport provision and projects
- Building maintenance
- School catering
- Environmental protection
- Environmental health
- Licensing.
- To support our Waste management, looking at the long-term recycling and future management of the borough’s waste
- To ensure that there is efficient functioning of the borough’s highways network, and takes forward issues such as congestion, community safety, cleansing and environmental health.
Priorities for 2024/2025
Implementation of the council’s delivery of our ‘Progress with Unity’ borough missions. As residents, businesses, public services and community organisations of this borough we have come together to deliver two key missions:
Mission 1: Create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses
“Together, we will break down the barriers that create financial, health, education and environmental inequalities in our borough.”
Mission 2: Make all our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them
“Together, in genuine partnership with our residents and businesses, who know our community best, we will help each town and neighbourhood in the borough celebrate and maintain their identity whilst understanding and helping to achieve what is needed to thrive.”
- Secure investment in the Borough by progressing development proposals through the planning process
- Maximise the contribution that development makes to improving local infrastructure through Section 106 agreements
- Progress our long-term plan for development and infrastructure investment, working across authority boundaries and with a range of partners
- Influence funding and investment decisions at Greater Manchester and national level
- Identify and drive new sources of income to support our service budgets and improve our offer
- Progress the Places for Everyone Plan
- Secure the completion of the current suite of Supplementary Planning Documents that are underway
- Progress a Transport Strategy for the borough
- Develop the Wigan Local Implementation Plan as part of the Transport Strategy
- Secure support for sub-strategies of the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 and ongoing implementation of the associated delivery plan
- Complete the Growth Deal Minor Works Cycling and Walking Programme
- Deliver the first priority phase of the Mayors Challenge Fund (MCF) Cycling and Walking Programme
- Secure additional external funding for agreed transport priorities
- Implement the Historic Environment Strategy
- Progress a trees and woodlands strategy and action plan for the borough
- Improve the cleanliness of our borough including reducing littering.
- Increase the borough’s recycling rate
- Reduce all levels of environmental crime across our borough.
- Work closer with our communities, young people, and businesses to increase volunteering opportunities and help build self-reliance and pride in our place
- Improve the quality of borough’s roads and its traffic flows
- Keeping our borough safer - food hygiene regulation, licensing and regulation, environmental health, trading standards, winter maintenance, pest control.
Functions covered by the portfolio
- Planning
- Development Management
- Building Control
- Transport Strategy and Policy
- Climate Change Strategy
- Our Town Programme
- Trees and woodlands strategy / policy
- Conservation
- Walking and cycling schemes / major transport projects
- Car Parking Strategy, management and enforcement
- Pest Control
- Highways
- Road safety traffic
- Street lighting
- Refuse collection
- Highways design Bridges
- Waste management and recycling
- Provision of council vehicles and plant
- Utilities
- Highways and Building Services
- Food and Health and Safety
- Licensing and regulation
- Public health Trading standards
- 20 MPH speed limit
- Environmental enforcement
- Highways maintenance and transport
- Bereavement Services.
Council Appointments
- Greater Manchester Culture & Social Impact Fund Committee
- Transport for the North – Scrutiny Committee
- Transport for the North General Purposes Committee
- Clean Air Charging Authorities Committee
- Air Quality Administration Committee
- Clean Air Scrutiny Committee
- Green City Region Board
- Draft Joint Development Plan – Places for Everyone Committee
- Statutory Functions Committee
- Northwest Regional Flood and Coastal Committee
- Greater Manchester Forests Partnership
- Local Access Forum (formerly known as Public Rights of Way)
- PATROL Adjudication Joint Committee.