Venue: The Boardroom, Municipal Building
Contact: Angela Scott on 0151 511 8670 or Email: Angela.scott@halton.gov.uk
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT 1985 URGENT BUSINESS Minutes: The Board was advised that a matter had arisen
which required immediate attention by the Board (Minute EXB 151 refers),
therefore, pursuant to Section 100 B (4) and 100 E and in view of the
representations by the Ward Councillors and Local Residents, the Leader asked
for urgent action and an update on the issues at the Parklands Club, Cronton, and ruled that this item would be considered at this
meeting. |
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MINUTES Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2016 were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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Health and Wellbeing Portfolio |
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Halton Urgent Care Centres PDF 469 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and
Economy, with an update on the development of Halton’s
Urgent Care Centres (UCC) and the impact they had on residents and the local
health economy. The Board was advised that UCCs were a community-based primary care
facility providing access to urgent care to a local population. In 2012/13, a
review of UCCs within Halton helped inform an options appraisal as to how
urgent care services within the Borough could be reconfigured to ensure local
pressures and demand were met. It was reported that a number of options were
considered for the delivery of an urgent care model in Halton. Following
extensive consultation with professionals / clinicians and members of the
public, the model chosen was to create two UCCs on the site of the former Minor
Injuries Unit at Halton Hospital and the Walk in Centre in Widnes. The report provided detail on the outcome for patients attending UCCs,
the impact on the local health economy and the positive impact on the people of
Halton. RESOLVED: That 1)
the
report and appendices be noted; and 2)
the Board continue to support Halton’s investment into the provision of the UCCs, as
outlined in Halton’s current and new Better Care Fund
(BCF) Plan, to be presented to a future meeting of Executive Board. |
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Discharge From Hospital Scrutiny Review PDF 217 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services
which presented the recommendations of the Discharge from Hospital Scrutiny
Review 2015/16. The report, attached at Appendix 1, advised that the Review Group sought
national and local evidence and undertook a range of site visits to understand
best practice and the systems and issues with ensuring timely, safe and
effective discharge of people from hospital. Councillor Joan Lowe, Health
Policy and Performance Board Chair, attended the meeting to present the
report. It was noted that the
contributors to the review included: Hospital Discharge Teams; the voluntary
sector; Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS FT; St Helens
and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHST; care home
support teams; NHS Halton CCG; two local GP’s and their surgeries and North
West Ambulance Service. The report contained details of the five recommendations of the Review
Group for Members’ information. Councillor Lowe then dealt with Members questions before being thanked
for her attendance. RESOLVED: That the report and contents of Appendix 1 attached to the report, be noted. |
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Resources Portfolio |
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Term Maintenance Contracts PDF 210 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and
Economy, which sought approval to award the three year term maintenance and
minor works contracts once the evaluation process was complete. The Board was reminded that at its meeting on 1 October 2015, it had
given approval for the commencement of a procurement process via The Chest, for
term maintenance and minor works contracts for mechanical, electrical and
building elements across the Borough. It was reported that the procurement process had taken longer than
originally intended, and the results of the evaluation would not be known until
week commencing 11 April 2016.
Therefore, due to the timings of Executive Board meetings, it would not
be possible to report the outcome of the evaluation in time to award the
contracts with a commencement date of 1 June 2016. Approval was therefore sought for the
delegation of such award, in consultation with the Portfolio holder for
Resources. RESOLVED: That delegated authority be approved for the
Operational Director, Economy, Enterprise and Property, in conjunction with the
Portfolio holder for Resources, to award the three year term maintenance and
minor works contracts for mechanical, electrical and building elements for use
across the Borough, once the evaluation process has been completed. |
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Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy Statement PDF 324 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and
Resources, on the adoption of a policy statement for Council Tax Section 13A
Discount. The Board was advised that Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act
1992 (as amended) provided the Council with discretionary powers to reduce the
amount of council tax liability in exceptional circumstances, where national
discounts or exemptions could not be applied. It was noted that the Council was
required to have a Section 13A Discount Policy Statement in place. The Policy Statement, attached as an appendix to the report, outlined
the process for making applications and set out the decision making process and
appeals arrangements. RESOLVED: That the Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy
Statement, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved. |
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Transportation Portfolio |
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Highways Asset Management Plan PDF 260 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and
Resources, which sought approval of Chapters 1-4 of the Draft Highways Asset
Management Plan (HAMP). The Board was advised that a HAMP was a guidance document used by the Council’s Highways Service which identified current assets, developed a framework for Asset Management to enhance existing good practices and improve the management of the highway network. In addition, it addressed maintenance challenges moving forward. Some of the potential benefits of adopting Asset Management practices were as follows:
It was noted that, unless each local Highway Authority was actively committed to Asset Management and other Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme principles, then they could expect a cut in future funding of up to 15.5% by 2020/21, through the Incentive Element Funding Formula. This demonstrated the importance for the Council to develop and sustain its highway asset management capability. The report had been considered by the Environment and Urban Renewal
Policy and Performance Board at its meeting on 13 January 2016, which had
supported the recommendation. RESOLVED: That 1)
Chapters
1-4 inclusive of the Draft Highway Asset Management Plan, attached at Appendix
1 to the report, be approved; and 2)
the
remaining Chapters of the HAMP be brought to the Board for consideration at the
appropriate time. |
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(N.B. the following Councillors
declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business for the
reasons stated: Councillor Polhill as he was Chair of the Mersey Gateway
Crossings Board and vacated the Chair during consideration of the item; Councillor
Wharton as a Non- Executive Director of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board) |
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COUNCILLOR DAVE CARGILL IN THE CHAIR |
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Mersey Gateway Bridge Project - Revised Department for Transport Funding Letter PDF 204 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Community and Resources, which presented the revised Department for Transport (DfT) Funding Letter in respect of the Mersey Gateway Bridge Project, which incorporated the improved Local User Discount Scheme, for approval. It was reported that on 23 January 2014 the Mersey Gateway Executive Board approved a number of documents and the process which took the Mersey Gateway Bridge Project through to financial close. This included providing a delegation to the Operational Director, Finance, as the Council’s Section 151 Officer, to authorise such written confirmations as required by the Department for Transport’s Funding Letter. It was announced on 25 July 2014 that the Government would provide additional funding to improve the Local User Discount Scheme; this would enable Halton residents to undertake unlimited journeys at no cost, other than an annual registration fee, across the Mersey Gateway Bridge. Following this announcement the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board had undertaken negotiations with the Department for Transport regarding the revised terms and conditions of the Government’s additional funding offer; the result of the negotiations were presented in a revised Funding Letter, which was appended to the report. RESOLVED: That 1) the Department for Transport’s revised Funding Letter in respect of the Mersey Gateway Bridge Project be approved; and 2) the Operational Director, Finance, be authorised to certify the Department for Transport’s revised Funding Letter, on behalf of the Council, as the Section 151 Officer. |
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COUNCILLOR POLHILL IN THE CHAIR |
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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 item 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: 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 items 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 items 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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(N.B. Councillor
Polhill declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of
business, as he was Director of Widnes Regeneration) |
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Proposed Acquisitions Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People and
Economy, which sought approval for the acquisition of a number of sites, as set
out in the report. The Board was advised that in 1999, the Council had entered into a Joint
Venture Agreement with the development company St Modwens.
Widnes Regeneration Limited (WRL) was formed and over the next twelve years WRL
made a significant impact in supporting the regeneration of Widnes. However, it
was reported that the partnership had become dormant and St Modwens
had worked with the Council to wind up the Company. It was reported that an agreement had been reached to acquire a package
of sites, as detailed in the report, subject to contract and Executive Board
approval. The report provided a brief rationale for the purchase of each site. RESOLVED: That 1)
the
purchase of the three sites as set out in the report, be agreed; 2)
the
Operational Director, Economy, Enterprise and Property, be authorised to arrange
for all required documentation to be completed to the satisfaction of the
Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services; and 3)
Council
be recommended to approve the allocation of Capital Funding, not exceeding
£235k, to acquire the sites outlined in the report. |
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Parklands Club, 1A Parklands, Cronton Minutes: The Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services, provided an update and drew Members’ attention to concerns raised by Local Residents and Ward Councillors. RESOLVED: That the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services, be instructed to seek Counsel’s advice on this matter, and to bring a further report to Executive Board in due course. |
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MINUTES ISSUED: 11
April 2016 CALL-IN: 18 April
2016 Any matter decided by
the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 18 April 2016 |