Agenda and minutes

            The minutes of the meeting held on 18^th July 2007, having been printed and circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

 

            RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting be confirmed and adopted.

            The Mayor announced that he had been presented with the following items from three of the Council’s Twin Towns on visits on 28^th/29^th August 2007 to celebrate the 800^th birthday of Liverpool:

• a glass posey bowl had been presented by the Deputy Lord Mr Rericha Jan and the delegation from Usti nad Labem;
• a ceramic small bear, and a box wine set consisting of wine stopper, waiter’s friend, wine pourer and napkin ring, had been presented by Frau Dagmar Pohle District Burgermeister and the delegation from Marzahn-Hellersdorf; and
• a Porcelain vase with gold fish on it had been presented by Mr Li Jingming Senior Leader of Tongling City Council and the delegation from Tongling City, China.

            The Leader of the Council reported on the following issues:

 

• There had been a period of thorough consultation in respect of Building Schools for the Future. A cross-party working group had been set up to consider the issues and its recommendations were to be considered by the Executive Board the following day. A further period of consultation would then be triggered.

 

• A report regarding a Travellers’ transit site was to be considered by the Executive Board the following day with the aim of preventing irregular incursions, which had previously resulted in costs to the Council of approximately £200,000 per annum. The Council had been commended by Police for taking the action it had in establishing a temporary site, which had alleviated the situation. A government grant, plus rents charged, were expected to pay for any costs incurred in relation to the site which, if approved by the Executive Board, would be subject to the normal planning process.

 

• The Council had been awarded £1.2m from the Lottery Fund for the refurbishment of Halton Lea Library.

 

In response to a question regarding the Travellers’ transit site, the Leader confirmed that the issues raised by the Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board, in relation to issues such as alternative sites and costs, had been taken into account in the report and recommendation to the Executive Board where a decision was to be taken the following day.

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board held on 19^th July, 6^th September, 20^th September and 18^th October 2007.

 

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board Sub-Committee held on 19^th July, 6^th September, 20^th September and 18^th October 2007.

 

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

            The Council considered the minutes of the 3MG Executive Sub-Board held on 16^th July 2007.

 

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

            It was noted that no questions had been submitted under Standing Order No. 8.

(NB Councillor Loftus declared a personal interest in the following item of business in so far as it related to Belvedere as her husband worked for CIC. Councillor Hignett declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the following item of business due to being employed by CIC and left the room for the duration of its consideration.)

The Executive Board considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the amended programme for 2007/08, as set out in the appendix, be approved.

            The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director – Health and Community outlining the financial outturn for the 2006/07 housing capital programme and seeking approval for an amended 2007/08 programme.

 

            RESOLVED: That the amended programme for 2007/08, as set out in the appendix to the report, be approved.

(NB Councillor Hignett declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the following item of business due to being employed by CIC and remained outside the room for the duration of its consideration.)

The Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That the Capital Programme for Adult Social Care within 2007/8 be approved as outlined in the report.

            The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director – Health and Community providing detailed information in relation to the proposals to develop and improve services within Adult Social Care through the use of capital resources.

 

            In response to a question raised regarding The Priory development, the Leader confirmed that there was no change in the situation to date; that is, the Council believed The Priory still required planning permission in respect of the site.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Capital Programme for Adult Social Care within 2007/8 be approved as outlined in the report.

The Executive Board Sub-Committee considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That vehicle and plant replacement be included in the capital programme at a cost of £1.192m in 2007/8.

            The Executive Board Sub-Committee had considered a report of the Strategic Director – Environment requesting agreement to the replacement of part of the Council’s Fleet of Vehicles and Plant by various acquisition methods rather than through the current Contract Hire supply contract.

 

            RESOLVED: That vehicle and plant replacement be included in the capital programme at a cost of £1.192m in 2007/8.

The 3MG Executive Sub-Board considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the revised spending profile be approved.

            The 3MG Executive Sub-Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director – Environment on 16^th July 2007 providing an update on the Delivery Strategy from 2004 relating to the Mersey Multimodal Gateway.

 

The Council was advised that there had been considerable change since this time, for example Stobarts had taken over a substantial amount of assets and there was no longer a need to deliver an East/West link, so facilitating a £9m saving. It was therefore proposed that this matter be referred back to the Sub-Board for further consideration. In addition, the Leader undertook to set up a seminar for all Members to provide further information regarding the project.

 

            RESOLVED: That, in light of the changes since July, the 3MG Executive Sub-Board be requested to reconsider the Mersey Multimodal Gateway Delivery Strategy.

The Council is advised that Councillor Wainwright has filled the Labour Group vacancy on the Standards Committee. This change has been made in accordance with Standing Order No. 30(4).

            The Council was advised that Councillor Wainwright had filled the Labour Group vacancy on the Standards Committee. This change had been made in accordance with Standing Order No. 30(4).

(NB Councillors Hodgkinson, Harris and Findon each declared a personal interest in respect of minute number CYP13 in the following item of business due to being governors of Halton High School, The Bankfield High School and Fairfield High School respectively. Councillor J. Lowe declared a personal interest in minute numbers CYP20 and CYP23 in the following item of business due to being on the YMCA Board and on the Trustee Management Committee of the West Runcorn Youth Club.)

            The Council considered the reports on the work of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of the Council on 18^th July 2007:

 

Children and Young People

Employment, Learning and Skills

Healthy Halton

Safer Halton

Urban Renewal

Corporate Services

Business Efficiency Board

 

            In receiving the minutes the following was noted:

 

·        The Chairman of the Children and Young People Policy and Performance Board (PPB) thanked Councillors for their contribution to the Out of Borough School Admissions Scrutiny Topic (minute number CYP 19 refers), which had formed the basis of Building Schools for the Future.  In addition, the Chairman, and the Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People, congratulated parents, teachers, staff and pupils on their work, which had resulted in significant improvements at Key Stage 2 and in the number of pupils achieving 5 A* - C in GCSEs.

 

·        Since the meeting of the Employment, Learning and Skills PPB on 10^th September, the Brindley had won the National Lottery Award for the Best Arts Project.

 

·        A Members’ seminar was to be held in the New Year regarding “Improving Healthcare Access in Halton  - Consultation on: A Healthcare Campus Model” (minute number HEA 17 refers).

 

·        The Chairman of the Safer Halton PPB advised that, since becoming a Unitary Authority, continuous investment had resulted in the Borough’s roads being safer with 38 less deaths per year. This was due to the hard work of both Members and officers.

            The Council considered reports on the following Committees in the period since the meeting held on 18^th July 2007:

 

Development Control

Standards

Regulatory