Agenda and minutes

          The Minutes of the meeting held on 8^th July 2010 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

          The Sub-Committee considered a report which informed Members that the Operational Director, Employment, Economic Regeneration and Business Development had accepted a tender relating to the refurbishment of the Municipal Building and a contract had been entered into with the successful contractor.

          Tenders were invited from six contractors in a two stage tendering process designed to ensure that the contractor offering best value was appointed to carry out the project. From the analysis of the stage one bids which were assessed on both price and quality, three contractors were chosen to progress to stage two. Following the stage two process Globe Management Services Limited were the preferred contractor chosen for this project. The cost for the project would not exceed the current budget provision of £3m.

          RESOLVED: That Members note that the phase 1a tender submitted by Globe Management Services Limited had been accepted by the Operational Director Employment, Economic Regeneration and Business Development and a contract had been entered into, with a contract sum of £1,825,882.00.

          The Sub-Committee considered a report which sought approval to commit funding to a five year contract of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) for the Cheshire Area Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) to the value of £20,552 per year. Currently, Halton had one full time ISVA who provided support and advice to adults from the age of 16, including one to one counselling sessions, support through the court process or reporting to the Police, and acute case support. Previously, Halton had been able to maintain this service for £20,000 as the provider had secured match funding from other sources to maintain a full time position which equated to approximately £40,000. In the current economic climate this had proved more difficult and so Halton was facing the prospect of part-time provision of service against the full-time level of demand.

          In line with Central Government requirements, Cheshire had been developing a SARC to respond to victims of serious sexual offences. This SARC was designed to develop multi agency partnership working through high quality forensic examination and support services tabled to the needs of the victim. Cheshire SARC was based upon joint commissioning and officially commenced operation in April 2010.

          It was noted that through SARC Halton service users would continue to be offered ISVA services in the locality. In addition, the project offered long term approach to ISVA commissioning with some associated cost savings, such as continued full time ISVA provision for approximately £20,000.

          Members noted that the current request for funding was £10,276 from 1^st October 2010 for the commencement of central commissioning of ISVA services. Partners had then identified the cost for Halton for ongoing ISVA provision for 2011/12 would be £20,552.

          At present the Halton Domestic Abuse Forum funded the ISVA provision through Working Neighbourhood Funds. Within the budget for ISVA provision £20,000 was allocated for ISVA provision. This would provide the majority of funding required for this year’s commitment with future years funded by the Supporting People Grant with a built in review after three years.

          RESOLVED: That

1)       approval is given to participate in the SARC joint commissioning of after care services for victims of sexual assault, namely ISVAs;

2)       approval to fund this support service for victims is agreed; and

3)       this decision be reviewed after three years.

          The Sub-Committee was advised that until 31^st March 2010 weather data collection/ weather station maintenance was procured under joint collaborative arrangements with Cheshire utilising Vaisala and the Met Office. Vaisala Limited was one of two specialist companies who supplied and maintained the type of sensor system to collect real time data relating to the weather conditions within Halton.

          Members noted that changing to an alternative supplier (at a cost of between £30,000 to £40,000) was not an economic option at present as it would require the total replacement of the hardware embedded in the road surface, together with the replacement of the roadside instrumentation. The costs associated with the Vaisala weather forecasting and data collection were £24,954.32 for 2010/11. This was a saving on last year of £5,000.

          It was proposed that the Council continue with the joint collaborative arrangements for weather forecasting and data collection with the Cheshire Councils and Warrington Borough Council until 31^st March 2011. During this period a comprehensive review of weather data capture process would be carried out to ensure the most effective and accurate system was being utilised.

          In addition, Members were advised that the Council had procured salt from Peacock Salt Limited until the contract ended on the 31^st March 2010. During the snow and icy conditions which affected much of mainland Europe, extraordinary demands were placed on salt production and consequently, the reliability of supplies from Peacocks.

          At present, Cheshire East and Cheshire and Chester currently had a contract for salt procurement with Salt Union until the 31^st March 2013, which included rates for Halton and Warrington Borough Councils. The cost of procuring salt via the Cheshire Contract for 2010/11 would be £37.36 per tonne. Last year’s rate via Peacock’s was £37.50 per tonne.

          It was therefore proposed that the Council continue with the joint collaborative arrangements for salt procurement with the Cheshire Councils and Warrington Borough Council until 31^st March 2013. As a consequence for this coming winter it was intended that Halton’s salt would be sourced from Salt Union rather than Peacock’s.

          It was noted that extension of these arrangements with the Cheshire Councils and Warrington was in keeping with the joint collaborative arrangements for Winter Maintenance highlighted during the Winter Resilience Reviews of 2008/09 and 2009/10.

          RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee

(1)      approves a 1 year extension to the current joint collaborative arrangements for weather forecasting and data collection until March           31^st     2011; and

(2)      the circumstances associated with the current joint collaborative           arrangements for salt supply are noted.

          The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Economy which advised that a Highway Improvement Term Contract with Lambros (Paving Contractors) Limited was formed on 9^th July 2007 for an initial period of three years with an option to extend the term, by mutual agreement, for further periods of 12 months, up to a maximum of five years. Members noted that the annual value of works undertaken through the contract had increased since it was originally formed and therefore, Members were requested to consider the extension of the Contract. Lambros had confirmed in writing their desire to extend the Contract.

          The Contract included a range of performance measures designed to ensure that works were undertaken to the specified standard and quality and delivered in accordance with the agreed scheme programmes. Throughout the programme of the Contract, Lambros’ performance in this respect had been excellent, achieving a high standard of work throughout the Borough and there had not been any cause to issue performance penalties.

          If the option to extend the current contract, in accordance with the original procurement strategy were not taken up, then the Council would have to find an alternative way of delivering the range of highway improvement schemes and minor works that had been identified in the Local Transport Plan Implementation Programme for 2010/11. A number of alternatives had been considered:

·       Invite “Spot” Tenders for individual schemes and minor works;

·       Procure the work through the current Highway Maintenance Term Contract; and

·       Procure a new Term Contract to deliver the programme.

          The Contract was designed essentially to deliver the quality transport corridor of the integrated transport programme as outlined in the Council’s Local Transport Plan (LTP) 2006/7 to 2010/11, valued at around £450,000 per year. However, as the LTP capital allocation increased due to the 25% performance addition, and the contract was utilised to deliver a wider range of highway construction works, the value of instructions through the contract had grown to approximately £800,000 per annum, and a current total spend of £2.4m.

          It was proposed that as this was the final year of the three year capital transport settlement and the final year of the LTP2, and funding for highway improvements and capital works was uncertain beyond March 2011, a 12 month extension to the term contract should be granted, as outlined in the original tender documents. Dependent upon future funding availability and continuing good performance by the Contractor, the Contract would be extended for a further 12 month period if necessary, and this would be reported to the Board at the appropriate time.

          RESOLVED: That the Highway Improvement Term Contract with Lambros (Paving Contractors) Limited of Longmeadow Road, Knowsley, Prescot be extended for a period of 12 months to July 2011 to enable the delivery of approximately £800,000 worth of highway improvements.

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 outweighs 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 is likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information will be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

          The Sub-Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director, Adults and Community which outlined options for the provision of statutory assessments of need for Halton residents who are D/deaf. Deafness Support Network (DSN) were currently contracted to provide services to the D/deaf community across Halton.

          The report outlined the current contracted service with DSN, the scrutiny review by Healthy Halton Policy and Performance Board in September 2008, the additional costs outside the contract, and consultation on hearing impairment services in Halton with stakeholders. In addition, the report contained information on the three options for the future of hearing impairment services which included continuing to contract with DSN, to end the contract and establish in-house provision and to tender out the service.

          Arising from the discussion Members suggested that the hearing impairment services in Halton be referred for scrutiny by the Health Policy and Performance Board.

          RESOLVED: That the Sub-Committee

1)       note the contents of the report and the findings from consultation summarised in Appendices 1 and 2;

2)       support implementation of Option 3 as detailed in 3.8.3; and

3)       waive Standing Orders 4.1 and 4.3 in the light of the exceptional circumstances, namely that service provision needed to be maintained whilst a tendering process was undertaken, and authorise the Operational Director Planning and Commissioning, in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder, to award a contract to Deafness Support Network as detailed in 3.8.4.

MINUTES ISSUED: 26 July 2010

CALL IN:   3^rd August 2010

Any matter decided by the Executive Board Sub Committee may be called in no later than 3^rd August 2010