Venue: The Boardroom, Municipal Building
Contact: Angela Scott on 0151 511 8670 or Email: Angela.scott@halton.gov.uk
No. | Item |
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MINUTES Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2014, were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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Health and Wellbeing Portfolio |
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Joint Health Scrutiny PDF 18 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, on
the establishment of Joint Health Scrutiny arrangements across Cheshire. The Board was advised that the new Local Authority (Public Health, Health
and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013,
required that local authorities form joint scrutiny committees where there was
a substantial development or variation proposal which impacted on more than one
local authority area. It was reported that having a protocol in place, prior to the
commencement of any joint scrutiny committees, would help to support a more
structured approach to joint scrutiny. It was noted that the Health Policy and Performance Board had considered
the draft protocol, attached at Appendix 1,
at its meeting on 4 March 2014, and had recommended that it be adopted
by Council. RESOLVED:
That Council be recommended to approve the Joint Health Scrutiny protocol. |
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Economic Development Portfolio |
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Implementing Halton Borough Council's Apprenticeship Scheme PDF 51 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and
Enterprise, which set out the options to resource a corporate Apprenticeship
Scheme. The Board was advised that Halton Borough Council’s People’s Plan reinforced
the need for the Council to continue to attract, develop and retain excellent
people. The benefits of apprenticeships, previously reported to the Board,
promoted a more balanced workforce, injected freshness and new ideas into the
organisation. In addition, they contributed to the Council’s wider employment
and regeneration policies. The report set out three funding options for Members’ consideration. It
was reported that Option 3 – to explore the use of European funding to develop
a Borough-wide apprenticeship scheme - was the preferred option of the
Council’s Organisational Development Group. It was further noted that a cascade briefing, scheduled for May 2014,
would brief managers on apprenticeships so as to cascade the benefits of an
Apprenticeships Scheme across the whole organisation. This would set out the
process for the identification, appointment, support
and monitoring of apprenticeships. RESOLVED: That 1) the
options to fund apprenticeships within the Council, as set out in section 3.4
of the report, be noted; 2) Option
3 be agreed as the preferred option; 3) the
target of 10 additional apprentices to be established during the next financial
year, be approved; and 4) a cascade briefing be approved to promote, and provide further information on, apprenticeships. |
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Voluntary Sector Funding – Grant Allocation 2014/15 PDF 24 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities on
the Voluntary Sector Grant Funding Awards for 2014/15. The Board was advised that voluntary sector organisations had been invited to submit applications for funding in 2014/15. Applications were assessed and recommendations agreed by a Panel consisting of the Executive Board Portfolio holder with responsibility for the Voluntary Sector and Officers from the Communities Directorate. The report
contained details of the recommended annual allocation for the financial year
2014/15. It was noted that a review of Voluntary Sector funding would need to
be undertaken as part of the budgetary setting process for 2015/16. RESOLVED: That the grant allocations, as outlined in the report, be approved. |
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Norton Priory Heritage Lottery Fund Bid PDF 30 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities,
which sought approval for the provision of financial support for the Norton
Priory Museum Trust (the Trust). The Board was advised that the Trust was granted a stage 1 pass from the
Heritage Lottery fund (HLF) in 2013, for its project “Monastery to Museum 900”.
The £5m scheme would conserve the 12th century undercroft
and redevelop the museum facilities. It was noted that a stage 2 bid for £3.67m would be submitted by 31
March 2014 to HLF. However, match funding of £690,392 was required, but may not
be in place until after the July 2014 deadline, which, it was reported, may put
the project at risk. The Board was further advised that HLF required confirmation that the
Council would underwrite the stage 2 match funding, in the event that all of the match funding was not secured by the Trust,
within the timeframe. RESOLVED: That, if the Trust is unable to raise all the match
funding required, the Board agree to underwrite the Norton Priory Museum
Trust’s HLF bid, by providing a loan of up to £300,000 plus interest, to be
repaid over a period of up to three years, commencing 2015. |
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Resources Portfolio |
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Directorate Performance Overview Reports for Quarter 3 2013/14 PDF 30 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which
detailed the Council’s performance against key objectives, targets and
milestones for Quarter 3. The Board was reminded that in September 2011, a review of the Council’s
existing performance management and monitoring arrangements had been
undertaken, based upon a set of principles agreed by the Corporate Policy and
Performance Board. This was based around the better management of performance
information in terms of both strategic focus and volume. The Directorate
Performance Overview Report provided a strategic summary of key issues arising
from performance in the relevant quarter for each Directorate, being aligned to
Council priorities or functional areas. The Board noted that such information
was key to the Council’s performance management arrangements, with the Board
having a key role in monitoring performance and strengthening accountability. It was reported that Directorate Risk Registers were under review and
would be refreshed in conjunction with the development of Directorate Business
Plans 2014-17; monitoring of high risks would be reported in due course to
Executive Board. RESOLVED: That the information contained in the report be noted. |
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Physical Environment Portfolio |
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Halton Homelessness Strategy 2013-18 - Key Decision PDF 28 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, on
Halton’s Homelessness Strategy 2013-2018 (the
Strategy). The Board was advised that the local authority had conducted a full
Strategic Review of Homelessness in accordance with the Homelessness Act 2002.
A Homelessness Strategy had been formulated for the five year period to 2018,
based upon findings and recommendations of two other documents, as detailed in
the report. It was reported that during 2012/13, a Homelessness Scrutiny Review
was conducted by Members to review supported accommodation services within the
district. A number of recommendations were made, which formed part of the
Strategy. It was noted that the Localism Act 2011, introduced many changes to
homelessness and allocations legislation, and that the new allocated powers
would impact on future homelessness and service delivery. The legislative
issues and implications for the Council’s policy were detailed in the report
for Members’ information. Reason(s) For
Decision Local Authorities
were required to produce a strategy in accordance with the Homelessness Act
2002. Alternative
Options Considered and Rejected No alternatives
were considered, as a strategy was required to establish the key challenges,
objectives and priorities for tackling homelessness in Halton over the coming
years. Implementation
Date April 2014. RESOLVED: That the report be noted and Halton’s Homelessness Strategy 2013-2018 be approved. |
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De-commissioning of Belvedere Supported Housing Scheme PDF 22 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities,
which sought approval to decommission and close the Belvedere Supported Housing
Scheme. The Board was reminded that in July
2012, it received a report which set out proposals to reconfigure a number of
homeless accommodation services, following a scrutiny review undertaken by the Health
Policy and Performance Board. A new hostel in Albert Road, Widnes would open in 2015, at which point Belvedere
would be decommissioned. It was reported that occupancy levels at Belvedere had significantly
declined over recent months. However, the Council had a block purchase contract
with Community Integrated Care (CIC) for the provision of housing related
support at the premises at a fixed monthly sum, irrespective of occupancy
levels. It was noted that there was an opportunity to bring forward the plan to
close Belvedere and secure a budget saving in 2014/15. The report set out details for
the inclusion of the site in regeneration proposals for Runcorn Old Town,
currently underway. RESOLVED: That 1) the decommissioning
and closure of Belvedere Supported Housing Scheme be approved; and 2) upon
closure, it be agreed that the building be made safe and secure and disposed of
in accordance with the Council’s approach to vacant properties. |
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SCHEDULE 12A OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT 1985 PART II In
this case the Board has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in
view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED
that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been
satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in
maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the
information, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the
following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely
disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of
Schedule 12A to the Act. Minutes: (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 outweighed 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 was likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. |
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Resources Portfolio |
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Removals Contract - Waiver of Procurement Standing Orders Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and
Enterprise, which sought the approval of a waiver of Procurement Standing
Orders with regards to the provision of a removals service for the Borough
Council. The Board was advised that a removals
contract was awarded on 1 September 2013, following a procurement exercise. It
was reported that in December 2013, the appointed contractor withdrew from the
contract; in consultation with the Head of Procurement, action was taken to
appoint a replacement contractor, the details of which were set out in the
report. RESOLVED: That 1)
the
waiver of Procurement Standing Order 4.1 (Competition Requirements) under
Standing Order 1.8.4 ( c) be approved. This would allow a direct award of a
contract to the company named in the report for removal services for a period
of 3 years, with an option to extend two separate periods of one year each; and 2)
as a
retrospective waiver report, it be noted that the Operational Director,
Economy, Enterprise and Property’s approval to an emergency waiver under
Procurement Standing Orders 1.8.2, in consultation with the Head of
Procurement, to enable the company named in the report to be appointed to
undertake removal services on an interim basis, pending a new contractor being
appointed through a competitive process or waiver approval. |
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MINUTES ISSUED: 18
March 2014 CALL-IN: 25 March
2014 Any matter decided by
the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 25 March 2014 |