Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2020 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Executive Board received a report from the Chief Executive, which provided the urgent decisions 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.  As Council meetings were suspended for some time during the Coronavirus outbreak, a number of urgent decisions had been necessary. 

A list of these decisions were provided to Members at Appendix 1 of the report and full details were published on the Council’s website.

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

The Board received the findings of the recent Inspection of Local Authority Children Services (ILACS) in Halton and its recommendations. 

It was reported that OFSTED conducted a standard inspection under the ILACS framework from 2 March to 13 March 2020.  The ILACS inspection provided a Judgement across four areas and Halton was deemed to ‘require improvement to be good’ across all areas.  Appended to the report was the Judgement document which provided explanations of the findings within each of these areas and their recommendations.

Further, as required by the ILACS framework and in response to the recommendations made, an Action Plan has been drafted and submitted to OFSTED.  This was also attached to the report.

RESOLVED:  That the Board notes the findings of the inspection and contents of the Action Plan.

The Board received a briefing and presentation from the Director of Public Health, on Halton’s data in respect of COVID-19.

RESOLVED: That the Board notes the contents of the presentation and data in respect of COVID-19 in Halton.

The Board considered a report from the Director of Public Health, that provided a briefing of Halton’s position on complex Outbreak Management and the associated governance, Halton’s Testing Strategy and approach to the Contain Framework in Halton.

It was reported that on 22 May the Government requested individual Covid-19 Outbreak Plans for complex settings be developed by all councils with funding to be provided; the deadline for these was 30 June 2020.  These were to be supported by a local Outbreak Office with mutual aid from Cheshire authorities which was stood up on 6 July 2020.

The definition of a complex setting was outlined in the report together with details of the Complex Outbreak Plans that had been developed.  It was noted that these plans were also published on the Council’s website. 

The report provided details on the testing of the Outbreak Plans; Governance of Outbreaks; Halton’s Outbreak Office; Mutual Aid for Outbreaks; and a testing update since the last Systems Assurance meeting held on 28 May.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    notes Halton’s position on Complex Outbreak Management and the associated governance, Halton’s Testing Strategy and approach to the Contain Framework; and

2)      notes that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 (‘the Regulations’) have been made under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 and as such delegated powers to Director – Public Health already exist to exercise the powers and duties of the Council under the Act. This would cover the Regulations.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Director of Public Health is hereby authorised in respect of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 and any amendments thereto: (1) to give directions, (2) to act as Designated Officer and (3) is further authorised to appoint Authorised Officers.

The above delegated powers shall only be exercised in consultation with the Chief Executive and the Leader.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Economy, which presented the ‘HBC Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency Plan’. 

It was reported that following the national lockdown of the Country, supporting shielded individuals within the Borough had been a key priority for the local authority.  There were more than 6,000 shielded individuals residing in Halton and following the local lockdowns in areas such as Leicester, the authority needed to be prepared to experience and manage the risk of its own local lockdown. 

The HBC Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency Plan (appended to the report) had been produced in response to a risk of a local lockdown, where there may be an impact on shielded individuals in the Borough. 

RESOLVED:  That the report is noted and the HBC Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency Plan be approved.

The Board was presented with Halton’s draft Economic Reset Plan for consideration, together with the Liverpool City Region’s Economic Recovery Plan, Building Back Better, provided for information.

It was noted that the main purpose of Halton’s Economic Reset Plan document was to set out a framework for how the Council and its partners could support the Borough’s economic recovery in the most effective, efficient and impactful way, following the Covid-19 pandemic.  Further, it sought to identify and prioritise the key interventions required to achieve this.  It was also highlighted that the document could also be used as a lobbying plan to outline a wide range of financial ‘asks’ of Government and/or the Combined Authority.

The Board discussed the principles of the Reset Plan as laid out in the report and its references to the Liverpool City Region’s Economic Recovery Plan were noted.

RESOLVED:  That Executive Board:

1)    approved the general principles of the Halton Economic Resent Plan;

2)    supports proposals to engage wider strategic partners in cross-referencing the document to other orgainsational resent plans; and

3)    notes the contents of the Liverpool City Region’s Economic Recovery Plan and acknowledges the contribution Halton had made to the development of the document.

The Board received a report from the Operational Director – Finance, which presented the Council’s final overall revenue and capital spending position as at 31 March 2020.

Members were advised that the final accounts were nearing completion and the revenue spending for each Department was shown in Appendix 1. 

It was reported that overall the final outturn position showed a net overspend of £5.296m against a revised budget of £108.621m.  As highlighted to the Board throughout the year, the outturn position was representative of the continuing pressures evidenced on the Council’s budget position over the last 4 years.   The report provided details on the key budget variances within the following services:

·         Children and Families Department;

·         Community and Environment Department;

·         Adult Social Care, Including Care Homes;

·         Education, Inclusion and Provision;

·         Complex Care Pool;

·         Corporate and Democracy; and

·         Finance.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the report is noted; and

2)    the information contained within the report be taken into account when reviewing the 2020/21 budget monitoring position, medium term forecast and saving proposals for future years.

The Board received a report from the Operational Director – Finance, which:

a)    reported the Council’s overall revenue net spending position as at 31 May 2020, together with an initial forecast outturn position; and

b)    reported on the financial impact of Covid-19 and the Government funding made available to the Council to date.

A summary of spending against the operational revenue budget (excluding internal recharges) up to 31 May 2020 was presented in Appendix One.  It was reported that the outturn forecast for the year estimated that total spending would be over budget by £6.616m; this was inclusive of additional costs and estimated income losses incurred as a result of Covid-19.  It was noted that the spending position was made up of two elements as described in the report.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    all spending continues to be limited to only absolutely essential items;

2)    Strategic Directors seek to implement those approved budget savings proposals which were currently proving difficult to action or seek alternative saving proposals; and

3)    Strategic Directors take urgent action to identify areas where spending could be reduced or suspended for the remainder of the current financial year.

MINUTES ISSUED:  5 August 2020

CALL-IN:  12 August 2020 at 5.00 pm

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 12 August 2020.