Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2016 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and Economy, on service provision for support to adults with complex needs.

The Board was advised that the Bredon site in Palacefields, Runcorn, was a Council owned building providing short stay respite support and community day activities for adults with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum condition. It was reported that the building was underused and that a recent feasibility study had confirmed potential to develop the accommodation to better meet local need. Details of the proposals were set out in the report as Proposal 1 - developing Bredon as a Complex Care Centre and Proposal 2 – the re-location of staff from the Moorfield Road site to Bredon.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the re-design of Bredon, Palacefields, Runcorn, to create a Complex Care Centre be approved; and

2)    the provision of additional office and accommodation as part of the development be approved.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and Economy, which outlined the projected impact of proposed funding reductions on Adult Social Care commissioned services within the voluntary sector.

The Board was advised that the well-established Voluntary Sector in Halton offered a range of vital services, delivering important services and interventions to support people to maintain their independence. During the past five years, the Council had managed to protect the budgets of these organisations and the valuable work they carried out, with only some small reductions in larger contracts.

On 1 October 2015, a 10% reduction was agreed by the Board, as part of the overall Council efficiency proposals. It was noted that, as a result of the reductions and the potential risks to the sector, a number of plans and options were considered to minimise the impact. This included more collaborative working within the sector, to ensure that all provision was aligned with Council and Clinical Commissioning Group priorities.

Reason(s) for Decision

To support the Council’s objectives in relation to 2016/17 budgets.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Maintain existing funding levels – this was not possible due to funding constraints.

Reduce some organisations by 30%, however, this level of funding would have potentially led to service closure.

Reduce funding completely – this would have created a significant level of instability within the voluntary sector.

Implementation Date

1 April 2016.

RESOLVED: That the proposed reductions set out in the report, be agreed.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which sought authorisation to enter into an NEC Short Form contract with Balvac for the completion of Footway reconstruction works at Moore Lane, Moore and the re-decking of the South West Footbridge at Halton Lea.

It was reported that the Council had an Access Agreement to the SCAPE Framework (the Framework), a public sector owned built environment specialist. It was intended that this Framework be utilised for the procurement of Bridge and Structures Maintenance works for this year. This year’s works consisted of two parts; the Moore Lane footway reconstruction and the Halton Lea South West Footbridge re-decking.

Members were advised that, as the value of the combined works was less than £1m and that the Framework only had one contractor rather than a minimum of five, Executive Board approval was required on this occasion.

RESOLVED: That the entering into of a contract with Balvac, through the SCAPE Framework, for the procurement of footway reconstruction works at Moore Lane, Moore and the re-decking of the South West Footbridge at Halton Lea, be approved.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, on a proposed extension to the Council’s current contractual arrangements for the treatment of household waste.

A Waste Treatment Services Contract (the Contract) to WSR Recycling was approved by the Board on 27 February 2014. This was put in place to cover the period from April 2014 up to the commencement of the Merseyside and Halton Resource Recovery Contract (RRC), anticipated to commence in mid/late 2016. An option to extend the Contract was included to ensure that the Council maintained its arrangements for the treatment of its waste whilst awaiting the operational start of the RRC.

It was reported that the operational date for the RRC had been confirmed as 1 October 2016. Therefore approval was sought to extend the Contract with WSR Recycling until 30 September 2016. Details of the likely expenditure were contained within the report for Members’ consideration.

RESOLVED: That an extension of the Waste Treatment Services Contract with WSR Recycling Limited, to 30 September 2016, be approved.

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 items 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, which sought approval to award contracts for the delivery of supported accommodation services for vulnerable adults.

The Invitation to Tender to deliver supported accommodation services was advertised in October 2015. The tender consisted of seven geographic zones plus an option to be included in a framework agreement for future business. A summary of the evaluation award criteria was set out in the report.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the award of a three year plus one year extension contract to PossAbilities for delivery of services in Zones 1, 2 and 7 be approved;

2)    the award of a three year plus one year extension contract to Community Integrated Care  for delivery of services in Zone 3 be approved;

3)    the award of a three year plus one year extension contract to United Response for delivery of services in Zones 4,5 and 6 be approved;

4)    the award of a contract to the ten providers listed in paragraph 3.6 of the report who will be accepted onto the Supported Accommodation (Vulnerable Adults) Framework for a period of three years plus a one year extension be approved; and

5)    delegated powers be given to the Strategic Director, People and Economy, in conjunction with the Portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing and the Procurement Services to manage any detailed negotiations relating to the award of contracts for these services.

MINUTES ISSUED: 1 February 2016

CALL-IN: 8 February 2016

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 8 February 2016