Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2013 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which provided an update on the Schools Capital Programme for 2013/14.

 

The Board was advised that the schools capital grant allocations were normally announced by the Department for Education in December each year. However, the capital allocations of Basic Need, Condition Maintenance and Devolved Formula Capital would be confirmed by the end of January 2013.

 

It was reported that an important part of the capital programme was the Capital maintenance Programme, where key elements of school buildings were replaced in a rolling programme of works which could only be carried out during school holidays to minimise disruption.

 

The Board was advised that design work which would allow scoping and procurement as necessary, would be carried out in advance so that works could commence on site during the Easter and Summer school holidays. Details of these works were attached at Appendix 1.

 

A further report would be submitted to the Board once the capital allocations had been announced.

 

Reason(s) for Decision

 

To deliver and implement the capital programme.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

Not applicable.

 

Implementation Date

 

1 April 2013.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1)    the position in respect of the announcement of the capital funding for 2013/14 be noted;

2)    the proposals to be carried out from Capital Maintenance be agreed; and

3)     a further report be submitted to Executive Board when capital allocations are confirmed.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which provided a summary of the outcome of the first phase of consultation on the re-designation and extension of the age range at Ashley School.

 

          Details of the outcome from the consultation exercise, which took place in December 2012, were attached at Appendix A. The key issues raised during the process were noted as:

 

·     the size of provision – would it be large enough;

·     training for staff;

·     expansion of the physical environment of the school;

·     increased choice;

·     whether the school would have to change its status to an  Academy;

·     extension of the age range from 16 – 19; and

·     impact on the provision currently offered by Riverside College.

 

It was reported that the re-designation and expansion of the age range at Ashley School provided the Local Authority with the opportunity to address a gap in provision and ensured that children and young people of Halton had access to appropriate provision within their community.

 

The next stage of statutory consultation, which it was reported would now commence on 30 January 2013, would seek views on the following:

 

·       Re-designation of Ashley School so that it can cater for  vulnerable pupils, with a diagnosis of Autism and for those with identified Social Communication Needs who have a moderate to high learning ability;

·       Provision of 70 places for pupils aged 11-16; and

·       Extension of the age range to 19 with the provision of up to a maximum of 42 post-16 places

 

 

Reason(s) for Decision

 

A gap in provision had been identified for vulnerable pupils with a diagnosis of Autism and for those with identified Social Communication Needs who had a moderate to high learning ability.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

No change to the current provision was considered.  However this was rejected as it would not address the gap in provision identified and the views of the majority of the consultees.

 

Implementation Date

 

The next phase of the consultation was scheduled to commence on 31^st January 2013 for 6 weeks.

 

RESOLVED: That the Board

 

1)    notes the response to the first phase of consultation;

 

2)    agrees the revised post-16 capacity; and

 

3)    approves the statutory consultation.

 

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, on the draft Cheshire Police and Crime Plan for 2013/16.

 

          The Board was advised that, under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, the Police and Crime Commissioner must produce a Police and Crime Plan (the Plan) for their area for their term of office. The development of the Plan took into account arrange of information regarding local and national priorities through stakeholder analysis. It was noted that there were five key objectives with a number of performance measures designed to monitor progress. These five objectives, detailed in the report were:-

 

·       Enhance front line Policing to enable the Constabulary to prevent and further drive down crime;

·       Protect Cheshire’s communities from harm;

·       Support victims and witnesses of crime and take a robust stance in tackling those who continue to re-offend;

·       Continue to build on the strong partnership between the Police and the communities of Cheshire; and

·       Ensure the delivery of an efficient and effective Police service. This would include building on the use of innovative technology to deliver better services to the communities of Cheshire.

 

          Members were advised that the Plan had been considered at the recent meetings of the Safer Policy and Performance Board and the Safer Halton Partnership and those comments had been included in the formal Halton Borough Council consultation response. In addition, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service had advised that they would respond direct.

 

RESOLVED: That the response to the plan as set out in Section 6.0 of the report be approved.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, on the renewal of discretionary non-domestic rate relief.

 

The Board was reminded that, at its meeting on 13 December 2012, it had approved the granting of discretionary rate relief for all existing recipients, except for Halton Community Transport and Moorfield Sports and Social Club, for whom additional information was requested. This additional information now confirmed that the two latter organisations were both still eligible to receive the discretionary rate relief. Appendix 1 contained a summary of the financial implications.

 

It was noted that discretionary rate relief was usually granted to organisations for a three year period, with Regulations requiring twelve months’ notice of ceasing that relief. Such notice had been given to these organisations in March 2012.

 

RESOLVED: That, under the provisions of Section 47, Local Government Finance Act 1988, discretionary rate relief be granted to the following organisations at the percentage indicated, for the period from 1^st April 2013 to 31^st March 2016:

Halton Community Transport Moorfield Sports & Social Club

20% 100%

 

(N.B. The following Councillors declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business for the reasons stated:

Councillor R Hignett as a member of the Joint Venture Board;

Councillor D Cargill as a member of the Merseyside Phasing-in Sub Committee – Euro Structural Funding;

Councillor Polhill as a Member of the Enterprise Zone Board)

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise which updated them on the funding for the development of the

Sci-Tech Daresbury.

 

          It was reported that the key strategic site and international hub for world class science at Sci-Tech Daresbury became an Enterprise Zone in August 2011. A Daresbury Joint Venture Partnership, set up in 2010, had been successful in securing £9.77m of Regional Growth Funding (RGF) grant-aid. The grant application had four key components, detailed in the report as Project Tech Space, Power (Phase 1), Environmental Improvements and Transport Improvements.

 

          The Board was advised that the bid included a realistic target on job creation and that the total cost of the works was estimated to be £22m. Details of funding secured were given in the report and the Board noted that a further bid for the Growing Places Fund (GPF) had been approved in November 2012, and an offer letter awaited. A condition of the GPF funding was that it be re-invested in the Liverpool City Region, with the first repayment due in August 2015 and the final one in December 2019.

 

Reason(s) for Decision

 

On 17 October 2012, the Daresbury JV Partnership was informed that it had been successful in securing £9.77m of Regional Growth Fund funding and £1.8m of Growing Places Funding.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

If the offer of these funds was not accepted, the Borough would lose the opportunities provided by £11.57m plus match funding.

 

Implementation Date

 

The final grant offer will be signed off by 19 April 2013 following due diligence.

 

          RESOLVED: That the Board

 

1)    accepts the offer of £9.77m of Regional Growth Fund (RGF) from the Office for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS);

 

2)    accepts the offer of £1.8m of Growing Places Funding (GPF) from the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership;

 

3)    gives authority for the Council to enter into back-to-back contracts with Joint Venture Partners for the delivery of the project; and

 

4)     agrees to the Council entering into a claw back agreement with Joint Venture Partners at Daresbury, in accordance with the RGF and GPF offers.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities on a draft of Halton’s Housing Strategy 2013-18, for public consultation.

 

          The Board was advised that the Local Government Act 2003 required local authorities to produce a housing strategy, to give an overview of housing in their district and to set out priorities for action. The strategic housing role was defined in the document Homes For the Future (2007) as providing “leadership, planning and delivery”.

 

          It was noted that there had been significant achievements since the last Housing Strategy was published in 2008, and these were detailed in the report. The Draft Housing Strategy 2013-18 had taken a slightly different approach from previous years, in that two documents had been produced. These were attached to the report, the first being a short easy to read document which focused on the strategic objectives, priorities and planned activities for the next three years (Appendix A)  and a supported evidence paper setting out the context in which the Strategy had been developed (Appendix B).

 

          The Draft Strategy contained three overarching strategic objectives with priorities within each, as set out in the report. It will be the subject of a seven week consultation period with partners, stakeholders and residents.

 

Reason(s) for Decision

 

Under Part 7 of the Local Government Act 2003, local authorities were expected to produce a Housing Strategy, which gave an overview of housing in their district and set out priorities for action.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

Not applicable.

 

Implementation Date

 

May 2013.

 

          RESOLVED: That the content of the Draft Housing Strategy be approved and the arrangements for public consultation, as outlined in paragraph 3.4.1 of the report, be noted.

 

 

 

MINUTES ISSUED: 25 January 2013

 

CALL-IN: 1 February 2013

 

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 1 February 2013