Venue: Via public remote access (please contact Clerk named for instructions)
Contact: Gill Ferguson on 0151 511 8059; Ann Jones on 0151 511 8276 or Email: ann.jones@halton.gov.uk; Email: gill.ferguson@halton.gov.uk
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Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2020 were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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LEADER'S PORTFOLIO |
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Additional documents: Minutes: The Executive Board received a report from the Chief Executive, which provided the urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of the Board and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was noted that the Council’s constitution gave authority to the Chief Executive to take urgent decisions, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Operational Director Finance and/or the Operational Director Legal and Democratic Services, where necessary. As Council meetings were suspended for some time during the Coronavirus outbreak, a number of urgent decisions had been necessary. A list of these decisions were provided to Members at Appendix 1 of the report and full details were published on the Council’s website. RESOLVED: That the urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of the Executive Board be noted. |
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CHILDREN, EDUCATION & SOCIAL CARE PORTFOLIO |
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Inspection of Local Authority Children Services PDF 72 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Board received the findings of the recent
Inspection of Local Authority Children Services (ILACS) in Halton and its
recommendations. It was reported that OFSTED conducted a
standard inspection under the ILACS framework from 2 March to 13 March 2020. The ILACS inspection provided a Judgement
across four areas and Halton was deemed to ‘require improvement to be good’
across all areas. Appended to the report
was the Judgement document which provided explanations of the findings within
each of these areas and their recommendations. Further, as required by the ILACS framework and
in response to the recommendations made, an Action Plan has been drafted and
submitted to OFSTED. This was also
attached to the report. RESOLVED: That the Board notes the findings of the inspection and contents of the Action Plan. |
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HEALTH & WELLBEING PORTFOLIO |
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Overview of Covid-19 data in Halton PDF 56 KB Minutes: The Board received a briefing and presentation from the Director of Public Health, on Halton’s data in respect of COVID-19. RESOLVED: That the Board notes the contents of the presentation and data in respect of COVID-19 in Halton. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report from the Director
of Public Health, that provided a briefing of Halton’s position on complex
Outbreak Management and the associated governance, Halton’s Testing Strategy
and approach to the Contain Framework in Halton. It was reported that on 22 May the Government
requested individual Covid-19 Outbreak Plans for complex settings be developed
by all councils with funding to be provided; the deadline for these was 30 June
2020. These were to be supported by a
local Outbreak Office with mutual aid from Cheshire authorities which was stood
up on 6 July 2020. The definition of a complex setting was
outlined in the report together with details of the Complex Outbreak Plans that
had been developed. It was noted that
these plans were also published on the Council’s website. The report provided details on the testing of
the Outbreak Plans; Governance of Outbreaks; Halton’s Outbreak Office; Mutual
Aid for Outbreaks; and a testing update since the last Systems Assurance
meeting held on 28 May. RESOLVED:
That the Board 1) notes Halton’s position on Complex
Outbreak Management and the associated governance, Halton’s Testing Strategy
and approach to the Contain Framework; and 2) notes that the Health Protection
(Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 (‘the
Regulations’) have been made under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act
1984 and as such delegated powers to Director – Public Health already exist to
exercise the powers and duties of the Council under the Act. This would cover
the Regulations. For the avoidance of doubt, the Director of Public Health is hereby authorised in respect of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 and any amendments thereto: (1) to give directions, (2) to act as Designated Officer and (3) is further authorised to appoint Authorised Officers. The above delegated powers shall only be exercised in consultation with the Chief Executive and the Leader. |
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COMMUNITY SAFETY PORTFOLIO |
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HBC (Halton Borough Council) Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency Plan PDF 75 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic
Director, Enterprise, Community and Economy, which presented the ‘HBC Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency
Plan’. It was reported that following the national lockdown
of the Country, supporting shielded individuals within the Borough had been a
key priority for the local authority.
There were more than 6,000 shielded individuals residing in Halton and
following the local lockdowns in areas such as Leicester, the authority needed
to be prepared to experience and manage the risk of its own local
lockdown. The HBC Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency
Plan (appended to the report) had been produced in response to a risk of a
local lockdown, where there may be an impact on shielded individuals in the
Borough. RESOLVED:
That the report is noted and the HBC Local Lockdown Shielded Contingency
Plan be approved. |
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO |
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Liverpool City Region and Halton Borough Economic Reset Plans PDF 82 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Board was presented with Halton’s draft Economic Reset Plan for consideration,
together with the Liverpool City Region’s Economic Recovery Plan, Building Back Better, provided for
information. It was noted that the main purpose of Halton’s Economic Reset Plan document was to set out a
framework for how the Council and its partners could support the Borough’s
economic recovery in the most effective, efficient and impactful way, following
the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, it
sought to identify and prioritise the key
interventions required to achieve this.
It was also highlighted that the document could also be used as a
lobbying plan to outline a wide range of financial ‘asks’ of Government and/or
the Combined Authority. The Board discussed the principles of the Reset
Plan as laid out in the report and its references to the Liverpool City
Region’s Economic Recovery Plan were noted. RESOLVED:
That Executive Board: 1) approved the general principles of
the Halton Economic Resent Plan; 2) supports proposals to engage wider
strategic partners in cross-referencing the document to other orgainsational resent plans; and 3) notes the contents of the Liverpool
City Region’s Economic Recovery Plan and acknowledges the contribution Halton
had made to the development of the document. |
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RESOURCES PORTFOLIO |
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2019/20 Financial Outturn Position PDF 172 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Operational Director – Finance, which presented the Council’s final overall revenue and capital spending position as at 31 March 2020. Members were advised that the final accounts were nearing completion and the revenue spending for each Department was shown in Appendix 1. It was reported that overall the
final outturn position showed a net overspend of £5.296m against a revised
budget of £108.621m. As highlighted to
the Board throughout the year, the outturn position was representative of the
continuing pressures evidenced on the Council’s budget position over the last 4
years. The report provided details on the key budget variances within the following
services: ·
Children and Families
Department; ·
Community and
Environment Department; ·
Adult Social Care,
Including Care Homes; ·
Education, Inclusion and
Provision; ·
Complex Care Pool; ·
Corporate and Democracy;
and · Finance. RESOLVED: That 1) the report is noted; and 2) the information contained within the report be taken into account when reviewing the 2020/21 budget monitoring position, medium term forecast and saving proposals for future years. |
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2020/21 Revenue Spending as at 31 May 2020 PDF 105 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Operational Director – Finance, which: a) reported the Council’s overall revenue net spending position as at 31 May 2020, together with an initial forecast outturn position; and b) reported on the financial impact of Covid-19 and the Government funding made available to the Council to date. A summary of spending against the operational revenue budget (excluding internal recharges) up to 31 May 2020 was presented in Appendix One. It was reported that the outturn forecast for the year estimated that total spending would be over budget by £6.616m; this was inclusive of additional costs and estimated income losses incurred as a result of Covid-19. It was noted that the spending position was made up of two elements as described in the report. RESOLVED: That 1) all spending continues to be limited to only absolutely essential items; 2) Strategic Directors seek to implement those approved budget savings proposals which were currently proving difficult to action or seek alternative saving proposals; and 3) Strategic Directors take urgent action to identify areas where spending could be reduced or suspended for the remainder of the current financial year. |
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MINUTES ISSUED: 5 August 2020 CALL-IN: 12 August 2020 at 5.00 pm Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 12 August 2020. |