Agenda and minutes

            The minutes of the meeting held on 16^th March 2010 having been printed and circulated were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            It was confirmed that no public questions had been received.

            The minutes from the last Safer Halton Partnership (SHP) Meeting held on the 23^rd February 2010 were presented to the Board for information.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be noted.

            The Board received an update on the progress of Working Neighbourhood Funds (WNF) Alcohol Projects from Collette Walsh, Halton and St Helen’s Primary Care Trust.

            The Board was advised that there were nine projects subject to WNF funding, that these linked to a 12 point plan which was currently under consultation and that a survey had been undertaken to devise the plan.

            Arising from Member’s comments and questions it was agreed that a further report would be submitted to the Board, including a copy of the survey summary and the 12 point plan.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)       the update regarding WNF projects be noted; and

(2)       a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Board, as set out above.

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Resources on the progress towards meeting Halton’s Sustainable Community Strategy targets.

            The Board was advised that the revised Local Area Agreement (LAA) which comprised an element of Halton’s Sustainable Community Strategy, was signed off by the Secretary of State in June 2008.

It was noted that the LAA contained a set of measures and targets agreed between the Council, local partner agencies and government. The Agreement was refreshed in March 2010 following a review by Government Office North West.

            It was further noted that progress on the 2009/10 financial year was appended to the report and included those indicators and targets within the remit of the Board.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board received a report of the Chief Executive on the Performance Management reports for quarter 4, 2009/10.

            Members were requested to consider and raise any questions or points of clarification in respect of the 4^th quarter performance management reports on progress against service plan objectives and performance targets, performance trends/comparisons, factors affecting the services etc. for;

·        Health and Partnerships

·        Highways and Transportation

·        Environmental and Regulatory Services

·        Culture and Leisure.

            RESOLVED: That the 4^th quarter performance management reports be received.

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Adults and Community which sought agreement to participate in a multi area approach towards the commissioning of alcohol and substance misuse treatment services.

It was noted that as part of the emerging sub regional collaborative agenda, St. Helens, Halton and Warrington Councils identified problematic drug use and alcohol related harm as issues of particular concern. Initial work across the three local Council areas identified that the substance misuse treatment system had a number of common features.

These were that they were all were more or less successful in attracting and retaining service users but there was less evidence for the progression of service users and a concern that treatment services were perpetuating, rather than addressing social exclusion.

            The Board was advised that in July 2009, Mott MacDonald were commissioned to look at current arrangements in terms of total expenditure, the numbers in treatment, per capita costs of treatment and the number of service users being discharged from treatment via a planned exit.

            The key findings of the review were appended and summarised in the report.

            The Board was further advised that the Key Findings document identified a complex set of contrasting arrangements with the overall service user experience characterised by an ease of accessibility, good retention but an overwhelming emphasis on substitute prescribing with little evidence of progression.

            The key findings document also considered options for collaboration. Acknowledging the constraints imposed by existing contracts, it proposed the best option as partial collaboration, as set out in the report.

            Arising from Member’s comments and questions, it was noted that Members had a number of unanswered questions in relation to the information provided from the survey and it was proposed that these be sent to the Chief Executive for a response.

            Although the report requested comments on the report, the Board wished to wait until a response was provided, as outlined above, before it did so.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board received an update from the Strategic Director, Adults and Community on key issues and progression of the agenda for the protection of vulnerable adults in Halton.

            The Board was advised that since the last report to the PPB in March 2010, a number of key issues had arisen both locally, regionally and nationally, as set out in the report.

            It was noted that Members had requested that a representative from one of the Policy and Performance Board’s involved with the Review be invited to Halton’s Safeguarding Children’s Board (HSCB) meetings, and that the minutes of future meetings of HSCB be submitted to future Safer Policy and Performance Boards as appropriate.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board considered a report which outlined the Safer Halton Policy and Performance Board’s Annual Report for 2009/10.

            It was noted that the remit of the Board had recently been amended, therefore, the Board agreed that a request for continuation of the Cemeteries Working Party on it’s current basis be issued to Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board.

            Further to this the Board agreed a further topic on Emergency Planning be added to it’s 2010/11 Work Programme.  

            RESOLVED: That the Safer Halton Policy and Performance Board’s Annual Report for 2009/10, be referred to full Council.