Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2019 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, on the Public Health Annual Report (PHAR) 2019 for Halton.

            The Board was advised that the PHAR was the Director of Public Health’s independent assessment on the health of the local population. It was reported that for 2018/19 the PHAR focussed on Workplace Health, which highlighted key areas pertinent to the health and wellbeing of the working population in the Borough. The report included a short video film which examined the measures taken to both prevent poor health and improve the health of workers and their families.

            The Board wished to place on record their thanks to the Health Improvement Team.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People, on the domestic abuse refuge and community support services.

The Board was reminded that, in March 2019, it had approved the commencement of a joint procurement process with Children’s Services to commission an integrated domestic abuse system, based in Grangeway. This would require the refurbishment of a Council owned property.

            It was reported that the refurbishment costs were now considered to be prohibitive. Therefore, it would be necessary to commence a new procurement process. The report sought approval for the waiver of the relevant Procurement Standing Orders to allow for the award of a new contract from July 2020.

            RESOLVED: That pursuant to  Procurement Standing Orders 1.14.4 and 1.14.5, Executive Board approve a further extension to the existing Adult Domestic Abuse Services.

(N.B. Councillors Polhill and Wharton declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business as they were both Non-Executive Directors of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board)

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided an update on the Mersey Gateway Project.

            The Board was advised that the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board managed the day to day operation  of the Mersey Gateway Bridge on behalf of the Council. The Board had received a progress report at its meeting on 11 April 2019 and this report now provided an update for the first six months of 2019/20.

            The report provided Members with the up to date position in respect of the Construction and Finishing Works; the Operation and Maintenance update; the Economic Impact and Handback Land; Finances including Project Funding, Financial Performance and the Local User Discount and Extended Discount Schemes.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on two applications for discretionary non-domestic rate relief.

            The Board was advised that, under the amended provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the Council was able to grant discretionary rate relief to any business rate payer. Since 1 April 2017, the Council had been responsible for meeting the full cost of all mandatory and discretionary rate relief granted, as part of the Liverpool City Region 100% Business Rates Retention Pilot Scheme.

            The report set out details of applications from two registered charities for discretionary rate relief by Halton Haven Hospice and the Cathie Stankevitch Foundation, both in Widnes, for Members’ consideration.

            RESOLVED: That

1)    the application for 15% discretionary rate relief from Halton Haven Hospice in respect of premises at 23 Queen’s Avenue, Widnes, from 14 October 2019, be approved; and

2)    the application for 15% discretionary rate relief from the Cathie Stankevitch Foundation in respect of premises at 25 Albert Square, Widnes, from 14 June 2019 be approved.

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(s) 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.

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 item of business in accordance with Section 100A (4) 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 that 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 Section 100A (4) 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.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided an update on the disposal of land at HBC Field.

            RESOLVED: That Executive Board

1)            approves the disposal to the company named in the recommendation on the terms set out in the report;

2)            gives delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holders (Physical Environment and Resources) to take all reasonable steps to complete the disposal; and

3)            authorises the Operational Director for Economy, Enterprise and Property to arrange all required documentation to be completed to the satisfaction of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services.

MINUTES ISSUED:  16 December 2019

CALL-IN: 23 December 2019 at 5.00 pm.

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 23 December 2019.