Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2015 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, which presented the new Halton Infant Feeding Strategy 2016/19 (the Strategy).

The Board was advised that the Strategy aimed to create a culture and services to support families and carers within the Borough, so that they could make informed choices about feeding their babies and young children. It was noted that the Strategy would contribute to Halton’s Readiness for School Indicator as well as aiming to achieve three overarching outcomes, as detailed in the report. An Action Plan, attached as an appendix, would underpin the Strategy and measure the achievement of the aims and outcomes.

Reason(s) for Decision

To provide a co-ordinated approach to improving infant nutrition for Halton residents.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Implementation Date

January 2016.

RESOLVED: That the Halton Infant Feeding Strategy, and recommendations set out in the report, be approved.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which outlined proposals for the formation of a Joint Contract with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA), for the supply, installation and maintenance of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).

With the formation of the CA, there had been a common desire to achieve efficiencies throughout the region. One of the first transport related opportunities had been identified as a Joint Contract for the supply, installation and maintenance of ITS. This would provide an opportunity for a consistent approach across the City Region. It was noted that a Joint Contract would cover the provision of a number of items, as set out in the report, and would also include an option for the provision of new installations and refurbishment of existing installations, where work was more substantial than routine maintenance.

Members were advised that Halton would lead on the procurement of the new contract with support from Sefton Borough Council. A Framework Agreement would be set up, so that contractual liabilities/responsibilities would be between the Contractor and each participating Authority directly.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the Board approves the continuation of current Officer discussions to develop a Joint ITS Contract for the Liverpool City Region, and that subject to a satisfactory conclusion to these discussions, Halton be party to the tendering process for the award of a new contract, with it leading on the procurement exercise; and

2)    subject to a satisfactory tendering process, Halton becomes part of the Joint ITS Contract from 1 April 2017.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which sought approval of the proposed update to the Local Development Scheme (LDS).

The LDS was the timetable for the production of Halton’s Local Plan which set out how the Borough would develop over the next 15-20 years. The LDS identified the Planning Policy documents to be prepared with target dates for their production.

A provisional Halton LDS 2015 was attached to the report at Appendix 1. It was noted that the LDS was an essential tool in policy production as it allowed future participation to be scheduled in advance by stakeholders, industry and the public. Regular updates on the milestones in the LDS were published on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the Halton Borough Council Local Development Scheme 2016 Revision, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, shall have effect on and after 20 January 2016; and

2)    any minor drafting amendments to be made to the document be agreed by the Operational Director, Policy, Planning and Transportation, in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Physical Environment.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and Economy, on a proposal for Halton Borough Council to enter into a joint venture arrangement to develop a Halton portfolio which included properties at Astmoor.

The Board was advised that Langtree would provide asset management and investment advice to a major institutional investor with multi-let industrial assets across the North West. Having acquired a Runcorn multi-let portfolio, which included an estate at Astmoor, more assets in both Runcorn and Widnes were being sought, so as to benefit from the Mersey Gateway opportunities and the associated infrastructure improvements.

Initial actions would focus on the following areas:-

·       Filling void space;

·       Further acquisition;

·       Repositioning; and

·       Draw down of land released post Mersey Gateway completion.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the proposal to enter into a Joint Venture Arrangement with Langtree be agreed; and

2)    the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Physical Environment, be given delegated authority to conclude a Joint Venture with Langtree, on the terms set out in the report.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which sought approval for the Council to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), so as to commission joint research to quantify the need for additional housing and employment land across the Liverpool City Region (LCR) and individual districts.

The Board was advised that the MoU sought agreement to work jointly to commission City Region-wide evidence base material on strategically important matters such as housing need and economic forecasting for the City Region. It was reported that this would assist the devolution process and improve strategic planning.

For the first time, strategic planning powers had been devolved from Central Government under the recently agreed Devolution Agreement for the LCR. This would provide an opportunity to allow the commissioning of specialist research which was vital to the emerging strategic planning powers and the more immediate Local Plan preparation of a number of LCR partners.

RESOLVED: That authority be delegated to the Operational Director, Policy, Planning and Transportation, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Physical Environment, to agree a Memorandum of Understanding between the six Liverpool City Region authorities and West Lancashire District Council to commission research to quantify the need for additional housing and employment land across the City Region and for individual districts.

PART II

In this case the Board has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

            The Board considered:

(1)      whether Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the Board during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and

(2)      whether the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information.

          RESOLVED: That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and Economy, on offers that had been received in respect of the disposal of Oldgate, Marshgate and Dewar Court Industrial Estates.

It was reported that a review of the three Council-owned industrial estates had been undertaken. The Member Asset Review Panel had considered a proposal to sell each of the estates at their meeting on 15 July 2015. The estates were subsequently marketed and the report contained details of the offers that had been received.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the disposal of the industrial estates to the company and for the sum as detailed in the report, be approved; and

2)    the Operational Director, Economy and Enterprise, with the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services and the Portfolio holder for Resources, be given delegated authority to accept reasonable adjustments to the offer price following detailed surveys, provided that any adjustments to the price still exceed the second best offer as set out in the report.

MINUTES ISSUED: 18 January 2016

CALL-IN: 25 January 2016

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 25 January 2016