Agenda and minutes

          The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2024 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board received a report from the Chief Executive, which provided information on urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of the Board. 

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. 

Three urgent decisions had been made since the last meeting of the Board 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.

          The Board considered a report of the Director ICT and Support Services, which sought approval of a key project that would adopt/deliver innovative security technologies to address the evolving cyber threat landscape, reducing cyber risk and detection time, the primary aim of which would be to improve the security footprint of the Authority.

          Following approval of the Halton Digital Strategy by Executive Board in April 2024, the IT Security Team had evaluated eight security offers and three had been chosen for final evaluation. Detailed evaluation had taken place and it was agreed that MDR offered the price point, level of service and had the in house resource to manage and maintain an essential key technology solution.

Reason(s) for Decision

The security of the authority, compliance with the DHLUC Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF)

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Following approval of the Halton Digital Strategy by Management Team and Executive Board in March and April 2024, the IT Security Team have evaluated eight security offerings within the marketplace this was narrowed down to three Tier 1 solutions, the offerings in question are cloud based remote management services primarily for threat detection, response and remediation.

Implementation Date

It is intended to initiate a 20 day proof of concept installation 24 June 2024 prior to any go live, this would also comply with additional cyber security requirement prior to the general election.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the procurement of a MDR (Managed Detection Response) System for a single payment of £638,001, delivering over a five-year contracted term be approved; and

2)    the investment strategy be approved.

          The Board considered a report of the Corporate Director – Chief Executive’s Delivery Unit, which outlined a proposed model for a Transformation Programme Board, using Working Party principles. The Council’s Transformation Programme started on 1 April 2023, and it had grown in both scope and complexity. The Programme would be in place until 31 March 2026.

          It was proposed that given the operation of the Transformation Programme would require more intensive governance between now and March 2026, a dedicated Transformation Programme Board would need to be established. The Board would:

·       consist of the ten Executive Members of the Council, appointed as a Working Party;

·       make recommendations to Executive Board as and when necessary; and

·       receive recommendations from Policy and Performance Board Topic Groups as part of the Council's scrutiny arrangements pertaining to Re-imagine Halton Transformation projects.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the report is noted;

2)    the establishment of a Transformation Programme Board be approved;

3)    a Working Party consisting of the ten Executive Members be appointed to form the Transformation Programme Board, and make recommendations to the Executive Board, as required; and

4)    the Board agrees to request and evaluate progress update reports from other Council Boards and Committees, on current and planned policy development work related to transformation project activity.

          The Board considered a report of the Corporate Director – Chief Executive’s Delivery Unit which outlined the requirement for a Productivity Plan to be submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities. A copy of a letter from the Minister for Local Government and the Productivity Plan were attached as appendices to the report.

          RESOLVED: That the Board endorses the Productivity Plan for submission to DLUHC

          The Board considered a report of the Director of Finance, on the Council’s total planned capital programme expenditure and associated funding over the next three years.

          The 2024/27 Capital Strategy Statement was approved by Council on 6 March 2024. Subsequently, new capital grant allocations had been received and slippage to capital projects for 2023/24 had been rolled forward to 2024/25. The report brought all the separate elements together and outlined the planned capital programme expenditure and funding for the next three years.

          RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to approve the updated capital programme for 2024-27, including forecast spend and funding, as set out in Table 1 and Table 2.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director, Environment and Regeneration, which sought agreement to progress delivery of Kingsway Quarter development. This included capital funding to undertake the demolition of Kingsway Leisure Centre, following its relocation to the new Halton Leisure Centre in 2025.

          The Kingsway Quarter was identified as a priority development and a map of the site with an approximate site boundary was attached as Appendix A to the report. Architects had been commissioned to undertake a feasibility study and engage with Planning and Highways, and a series of technical survey and viability appraisals were also being undertaken. It was noted that this predevelopment work had been jointly funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and would be used to inform site marketing and disposal and prepare a ‘Development Framework’.

          In order to expediate the site’s redevelopment, it was proposed that delegated responsibility should be delegated to the Director of Economy, Enterprise and Property, in consultation with the Deputy Leader and the Climate Change Portfolio holder, for site marketing and disposal on the basis of residential led development.

Reason(s) for Decision

The demolition work will result in significant expenditure by the Council.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

For the demolition and site clearance to proceed as soon as the site is vacated, to ensure that the risk of ASB is minimised, the work needed to be commissioned now. A key requirement is a bat survey which can only be carried out at specific times of the year when bats are active between May and September but ideally completed by end of August. Any delay risks Anti-Social Behaviour in the building following its decommissioning and ultimately a delay in the site being offered to market.

Implementation Date

A bat survey work needed to be commissioned mid-July to ensure timescales were met.

          RESOLVED: That the Board

1)    recommend Council adjust the Capital Programme for the sum of £750,000.00 to enable demolition of Kingsway Leisure Centre and associated preparation works to aid formal land disposal;

2)    endorse the vision for Kingsway Quarter site for residential led development, as set out in para 3.6 of the report and in accordance with the wider Widnes Town Centre Strategy;

3)    approves delegated authority to Director of Economy, Enterprise and Property, in consultation with Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, for site marketing and disposal; and

4)    authorises the Director for Economy, Enterprise and Property to arrange for all required documentation for the transactions to be completed to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director, Environment and Regeneration, that provided an update on the work of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Homes England, to create a Strategic Place Partnership for the City Region. The new partnership model would provide improved governance arrangements to prioritise and coordinate support and investment for residential-led development and housing renewal projects across the Liverpool City Region. The report sought approval to take the necessary steps to contribute to formation of the new Partnership.

          RESOLVED: That the Board

1)    note the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Homes England are working with local authority partners to create a Strategic Place Partnership for the Liverpool City Region;

2)    approves entering into a Strategic Place Partnership Memorandum of Understanding with partners, leading to production of a Business Plan and new governance arrangements to be established; and

3)    provides delegated authority to the Director of Economy, Enterprise and Property, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change to agree details for the formation of the Strategic Place Partnership.

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 which sought approval for the refurbishment of the current Runcorn Library building into an NHS Health and Education Hub, with a subsequent lease of the building to the NHS, whilst re-locating the library service temporarily before integration in the extended Brindley Theatre.

          RESOLVED: That the Board

1)    approves the refurbishment of the asset and subsequent lease to NHS on the terms reported in section 3.4;

2)    authorises the Executive Director, Environment and Regeneration, to arrange for all required documentation for the construction works and lease to the satisfaction of the Director Legal and Democratic, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services; and

3)    authorises the Executive Director, Children and Young People, to arrange for all required documentation for a Collaboration Agreement with the NHS to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services.

          The Board considered a report which sought approval for the procurement and installation of a new cremator at Widnes Crematorium.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    delegated authority be granted to Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Urban Renewal, to procure a replacement cremator and associated installation, service and maintenance contract; and

2)    Council be recommended to include £308,000, in the 2024/25 Capital Programme for the scheme, as outlined in section 5.0 of the report.

MINUTES ISSUED: 16 July 2024

CALL-IN:  23 July 2024 at 5.00 pm.

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 23 July 2024.