Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2021 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Executive Board received a report from the Chief Executive, which provided the urgent decision/s taken since the last meeting of the Board and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

It was noted that the Council’s constitution gave authority to the Chief Executive to take urgent decisions, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Operational Director Finance and/or the Operational Director Legal and Democratic Services, where necessary. 

A list of these decision/s were provided to Members in the report and full details were published on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED:  That the urgent decision taken since the last meeting of the Executive Board be noted.

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – People, which outlined the proposal for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Schools Block Funding Formula for Halton’s mainstream schools and academies for 2021-22.

The National Funding Formula (NFF) was used by the Department for Education to calculate the Schools Block element of the DSG allocated to Halton.  It was reported that further to earlier consultation with schools and the Schools Forum, it was decided to move Halton’s mainstream schools and academies to the NFF, with transitional protection for 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The Board was requested to make a decision on the funding formula to be adopted for 2021-22; the changes to the NFF for 2021-22 were outlined in the report.  The consultation paper sent to schools was attached at Appendix A which also presented each factor of the NFF and the Council’s recommendation to continue to use this for 2021-22.  The consultation process and responses were provided in the report.

RESOLVED:  The Board approves the continuation of the National Funding Formula for 2021-22.

The Board received a request for a waiver of Standing Orders in relation to ‘The Venus Project’ who delivered the Parent to Parent Volunteer Family Support Programme.

The Programme recruited, trained, supervised and developed skills of local volunteers who were parents themselves, so that they could provide support and practical assistance to families under stress.  Additionally it also delivered the Intensive Cleaning Experience (ICE) Programme, which supported parents and carers to put in place and maintain household cleaning and decluttering routines.

It was reported that the contract was due to end in January 2021.  The reasons for a waiver request rather than implementing a tender process were outlined in the report.  The request was for a period of one year from 1 February 2021 to 31 January 2022, with the option of a further one-year extension.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Board approves the waiver in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.14.1 iv of Part 3, to allow the continuation of a contract with The Venus Project to deliver, on behalf of the Council, the Parent to Parent Volunteer Family Support Programme, for a period of one year with the option to extend for a further year. 

The Strategic Director – People, presented the Board with details of a proposal to increase the payments made to Halton’s Adult Placement Service Day Carers and to change the name of the service to ‘Shared Lives Services’.

Halton’s Adult Placement Service provided care for people who had been assessed as requiring support due to age, illness or disability.  It offered adults an alternative and highly flexible form of accommodation and/or care or support using the Adult Placement Carer’s home as a resource and the care was provided by individuals, couple or families in the local community.  Halton had used Adult Placement Carers for almost 20 years and was proud to say that in 2019 they were the regional winners of the Great British Care Awards for Dementia Care.

The report outlined the rationale for the requested increase in payments and the requested change to the name of the service.  In support of these requests and other minor changes, Members were referred to Appendix 1 – the Shared Lives Plus Funding Model; Appendix 2 – comparisons with other local authorities for 2020 day carer payments; and Appendix 3 – Halton Shared Lives Carers monthly breakdown of fees paid for 2019 and the proposed increase for 2020.  It was noted that there would be an increase of £38,871 per annum for the costs of the Service with the increased payment rates, which was still considerably less than the alternative of day care or residential services.

RESOLVED: That the Executive Board

1)    notes the report and accompanying appendices; and

2)    approves the requested payment increase, change of service name, advert for carers and minor changes to the scheme.

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which sought approval to the granting of a lease to Widnes FC Ltd, for the Recreation Club building on Dundalk Road and King George V playing fields.

The report outlined the background and history of the Club in recent years and Members were referred to the plan of the site attached to the report. 

The Council invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to lease the Recreation Club building and King George V playing fields, subject to them being retained for social, sports and recreational use.  Following a site visit made by interested parties, only Widnes FC Ltd expressed an interest to continue with discussions and went on to present a proposal to the Council. 

It was noted that the proposal would require significant investment and resources to deliver and the report laid out the Council’s position and steps required to be taken should the granting of a lease to Widnes FC Ltd be approved.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the Council enter into a lease agreement with Widnes FC Ltd;

2)    the Council bring forward the site for sporting development, subject to planning permission; and

3)    the Board delegates responsibility for oversight of the development and lease to the Operational Director – Economy, Enterprise and Property and the Operational Director – Communities and Environment, in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Physical Environment and Community and Sport.

MINUTES ISSUED:   15 December 2020

CALL-IN:   22 December 2020 at 5.00 pm

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 22 December 2020.