Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2017 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

Following the decision of the Board in relation to the award of the Domiciliary Care Contract Tender, (see Minute EXB108 of 16 March 2017), the intention to award to single provider A was advertised on the Chest Portal, as was required by procurement legislation.  A legal challenge to that course of action had been received and the Executive Board were asked to consider what action should be taken in the light of that challenge.

Having considered the legal advice provided and the potential risk to the Council of carrying on with the current process, the Executive Board

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the current tendering process be halted;

2)    the process be re-started, with a review of the contracted documentation taking place in the light of the legal challenge; and

3)    the results of the retendering exercise be brought back to the Board for a final decision to be taken.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People, which sought approval for two policies relating to school travel and transport.

The Board was advised that the Local Authority had a statutory duty to ensure suitable travel arrangements were made, where necessary, to facilitate a child’s attendance at school. At the meeting of Executive Board on 19 January 2017, the Board approved revised criteria and an application process for inclusion in the Home to School and College Travel and Transport Policy for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Following this, two separate policy documents were finalised and presented for the Board’s approval.

Reason(s) for Decision

The decision was required to fulfil the Council’s statutory duty to promote the use of sustainable travel and transport.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Implementation Date

The two policies would be implemented for the September 2017 academic intake.

          RESOLVED: That the revised Home to School and College Travel and Transport Policy for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and the Home to School Travel and Transport Policy (Statutory School Age), be approved.

The Board received a joint report of the Director of Public Health and the Director of Commissioning, Halton CCG, on the One Halton Health and Wellbeing Strategy (the Strategy).

The Board was advised that the Strategy aimed to improve the health and wellbeing of the population of Halton by empowering and supporting local people from the start to the end of their lives. The Strategy would inform collaborative action for the Council, NHS, Social Care, Public Health and other key partners. This would provide an overview of One Halton, an updated health and wellbeing profile, an update on progress since 2013 and details on how success would be measured.

Reason(s) for Decision

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 established Health and Wellbeing Boards as a forum where key leaders from the health and care system worked together to improve the health and wellbeing of their local population and reduce health inequalities. The current Health and Wellbeing Strategy expired in 2016 and a refreshed Strategy was therefore required to outline how Health and Wellbeing Board Members would collaborate to deliver more joined-up services in the future. The Executive Board was therefore asked to ratify the One Halton Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2017-2022).

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Implementation Date

April 2017.

          RESOLVED: That the One Halton Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2017-2022) be approved and the development of Action Plans for identified priorities be supported.

          The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services, which contained an update on the proposed model for Sensory Support Services.

          The Board was advised that a number of factors had delayed the procurement of a Sensory Support Service across the Liverpool City Region (LCR), as detailed in the report. It was reported that these delays had afforded Halton additional time to evaluate the proposed specification and suitability for Halton.

          The report set out details of Halton’s current provision and that of the LCR proposal. However, it was noted that the proposed next steps would be to explore the viability of re-contracting a service for Halton, bringing together all aspects under one contract, with a revised service specification to reflect a reduction in duplicated provision and the development of an efficient, quality service with accessible provision.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    approval be given for the withdrawal of Halton from the commissioning of a Liverpool City Region (LCR) model of delivery for the Sensory Support Service; and

2)    approval be given for the scoping of a local (Halton) model of delivery for the Sensory Support Service.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on Street Lighting Energy Procurement.

The Board was advised that Halton used Utilities Procurement Group (UPG), an energy procurement specialist for the public sector, for the purchase of its un-metered electricity supply. As the energy market was often volatile, it was noted that UPG used their knowledge of the market to determine the best time to seek tenders.

It was reported that the Council’s current contract with British Gas expired on 31 March 2017. UPG invited tenders on the Council’s behalf, the details of which were set out in the report. It was further noted that the Street Lighting Energy contract had to be accepted within very short timescales, which required the waiver of Procurement Standing Orders. The Board noted the action taken by the Strategic Director in accepting the offer of supply from Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE). This action had also been reviewed by Internal Audit.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the new supply contract for un-metered electricity with Scottish and Southern Energy be endorsed;

2)    the Board endorse the waiving of Procurement Standing Orders 2.2 to 2.11 for the purchase of un-metered electricity;

3)    it be recorded that the expenditure was anticipated to be in excess of £1.0m per annum; and

4)    Utilities Procurement Group (UPG) continue to be used to manage our street lighting energy provision.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which set out details of two applications for discretionary non-domestic rate relief.

The Board was advised that, under the amended provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the Council was able to grant discretionary rate relief to any business ratepayer. This relief had previously only been available to organisations that were a charity, a community amateur sports club or a not-for-profit organisation.

Since 1 April 2013, the Council had been responsible for funding 49% of any award of mandatory or discretionary rate relief granted, with Government meeting the remaining 51%.

Details of both requests were set out in the report for Members’ consideration.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the request for 15% discretionary rate relief from Age Concern Mid Mersey for the period 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019, be approved; and

2)    the request for 15% discretionary rate relief from Halton Autistic Family Support Group Ltd, for the period 1 June 2016 to 31 March 2019, 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 item of business in accordance with Section 100A (4) 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 that 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 Section 100A(4) 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, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which sought approval to award a tender for the Surface Treatment Term Maintenance Contract 2017/27.

The Board was reminded that at its meeting on 15 September 2016, permission had been granted to proceed with the procurement of a new Surface Treatment Term Maintenance Contract.

The report set out the details of the tender process which had been undertaken for Members’ consideration.

          RESOLVED: That the Board accept the tender of Road Maintenance Services Ltd for the Surface Treatment Term Maintenance Contract 2017/27.

MINUTES ISSUED: Monday 26 April 2017

CALL-IN: 4 May 2017

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on Monday 4 May 2017