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 61 refers), therefore, pursuant to Section
100 B (4) and 100 E and due to the timing of the funding being released
to the Local Authority and the urgent requirement of additional beds, the Chair ruled that this item would be
considered at this meeting. |
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MINUTES Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2018 were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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Resources Portfolio |
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Annual External Audit Letter 2017/18 PDF 57 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise,
Community and Resources, which presented the Annual Audit Letter 2017/18. The Board was advised that the Annual Audit Letter (the Letter) summarised
the findings from the 2017/18 external audit, completed by Grant Thornton, the
Council’s external auditor. Mark Heap, Audit Lead and Georgia Jones, Audit
Manager for the external auditor, Grant Thornton UK LLP, attended the meeting
and reported that an unqualified opinion had been issued on the Council’s
financial statements. The Letter also provided an unqualified conclusion that
the Council had adequate arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and
effectiveness in its use of resources. As this was the final visit by Georgia
Jones to Halton due to her recent promotion, the Board wished to place on
record their thanks to the external auditors. Ms Jones also wished her thanks
to Officers and Board Members for their assistance in the preparation of
previous audits, be recorded. RESOLVED: That the Annual
Audit Letter 2017/18 be approved. |
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Determination of Council Tax Base 2019/20 - KEY DECISION PDF 65 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on
the requirement for the Council to determine the Tax Base for its area and the
Tax Base for each of the Parishes. The Board was advised that the Tax Base was the measure used for calculating
Council Tax and was used by both the billing authority (the Council) and the
major precepting authorities (Cheshire Fire Authority
and the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner), in the calculation of their
Council Tax requirements. It was arrived at in accordance with a prescribed
formula which represented the estimated full year number of chargeable
dwellings in the Borough expressed in terms of the equivalent Band “D”
dwellings. Taking account of all the relevant information and applying a 97%
collection rate, the calculation for 2019/20 gave a base figure of 34,950 for
the Borough as a whole. It was noted that since 2013/14 the tax base calculation had included an
element for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (the replacement for Council Tax
Benefit). In addition, the tax base calculation would include an element for
Care Leavers Discretionary Discount, as approved by the Executive Board on 19
July 2018. Reason(s) for Decision To seek approval for the 2019/20 Council Tax
Base for the Borough. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected There was no alternative option, as unless
the Council Tax Base was approved, it would not be possible to set the level of
Council Tax to be charged for 2019/20. Implementation Date The 2019/20 Council Tax Base would be
implemented from 1 April 2019. RESOLVED: That
Council be recommended to approve 1)
setting the 2019/20
Council Tax Base at 34,950 for the Borough, and that the Cheshire Fire
Authority, the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the Environment
Agency be so notified; and 2)
the Council Tax Base for
each of the Parishes be set as follows:
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Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019-2022 - KEY DECISION PDF 179 KB Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the Medium Term Financial
Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2019/20 to 2021/22. The Board was advised
that the MTFS set out a three year projection of resources and spending based on
information currently available. The projections in the
MTFS showed that there was a continued need to make a significant level of
savings over the next three years. This
was the effect of the projections of public spending through to 2020 resulting
from the 2015 Comprehensive Spending Review and uncertainty from 2020 on
Government plans for public spending and continuity of the austerity programme.
The MTFS took into account the: · Budget 2018 announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 13 March 2018; · Comprehensive Spending Review 2015 announced by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer on 25 November 2015; and · The Local Government Finance Settlement 2018/19 dated 6 February 2018. The MTFS provided
initial guidance to the Council on its financial position into the medium term.
Revenue savings of approximately £9.8m, £8.2m, and £3.3m would be required over
the next three years. It was noted that
as a result, a total of £21.3m would need to be removed from the Council’s
budget, by reducing spending or increasing income. This represented 19.5% of the net budget and
continued to be a significant challenge to find sufficient savings over the
medium term in order to balance the budget. The Board was
advised that the MTFS had a number of objectives, as listed in the report. The
report set out the Council’s budget strategy, with budget savings proposals and
areas identified for further savings. The report
contained details of the Council’s Capital Strategy for the management of
assets such as land and buildings in Council ownership. Reason(s) for Decision To seek approval for the Council’s Medium
Term Financial Strategy for 2019/20 to 2021/22. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected The alternative option
of not maintaining a MTFS had been considered. However, this would not follow
good financial management practice, as the MTFS was a key element in informing
the Council’s financial planning and budget setting processes. Implementation Date The MTFS 2019/22 would be implemented from
1st April 2019. RESOLVED: That 1) the Medium Term Financial Strategy be approved; 2) the 2019/20 base budget be prepared on the basis of the
underlying assumptions set out in the Strategy; 3) the Budget Strategy and Capital Strategy be approved; 4) the Reserves and Balances Strategy be approved; and 5) the award of Council Tax Support for 2019/20 remains at the 2018/19 level of 21.55%. |
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Initial Budget Proposals 2019/20 - KEY DECISION PDF 103 KB Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Operational Director, Finance, which presented the revenue budget
proposals for 2019/20. The Board was advised
that the Medium Term Financial Strategy forecast potential revenue budget funding
gaps of £21m over the next three years. This figure assumed that the Council
would apply a general council tax increase of 2.9%. Appendix 1 presented the
first set of proposals totalling £4.7m and it was proposed to implement these
immediately in order to achieve a part-year saving in 2018/19.This would assist
in keeping the Council’s overall spending in line with budget. In addition, a
number of proposals would take time to implement and therefore commencing this
process as soon as possible would assist with ensuring they were fully
implemented from 1 April 2019. It was reported that a
second set of budget saving proposals currently under consideration by the
Budget Working Group, would be recommended to Council on 6 March 2019, in order
to deliver a balanced budget for 2019/20. Reason(s) for Decision To seek approval for the initial set of
revenue budget proposals for 2019/20. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected There was no alternative option, as failure to
set a balanced budget would put the Council in breach of statutory
requirements. Implementation Date The 2019/20 revenue budget would be
implemented from 1 April 2019. RESOLVED:
That Council 1)
be recommended to
approve the initial budget proposals for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix 1,
attached to the report; and 2)
determine the
position of the Council on a
proposal to continue the 4 days unpaid leave arrangement. |
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2018/19 Quarter 2 Spending PDF 161 KB Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Operational Director, Finance, which reported on the 2018/19
Quarter 2 spending as at 30 September 2018. A summary of spending
against the revenue budget up to 30 September 2018 was attached to the report
at Appendix 1, along with individual statements for each department. The Board
was advised that, in overall terms, revenue expenditure was £2.515m above the
budget profile at this stage. It was reported that over the last quarter, the
rate of spending had continued at a faster pace than for the first three months
of the financial year. If current spending patterns continued, projections
showed that the Council would have a year-end outturn overspend position of
approximately £5.3m, if no corrective action was taken. It was further noted
that within the overall budget position for the quarter, the key budget
variances were in the Children and Families Department (Out of Borough
Residential Places and Out of Borough Fostering); Community and Environment
Department; Complex Care Pool;
Education, Inclusion and Provision; and Corporate and Democracy. The Capital Programme
had been revised to reflect a number of changes in spending profiles and
funding as schemes had developed and these were detailed in Appendix 2,
attached to the report. RESOLVED: That 1)
all spending continues
to be limited to only absolutely essential items; 2)
Strategic Directors take
appropriate action to ensure overall spending is contained as far as possible
within their total operational budget by year-end; and 3)
Council be recommended to approve the revised Capital Programme as
set out in Appendix 2 attached to the report. |
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Treasury Management Half Year Report 2018/19 PDF 135 KB Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Operational Director, Finance, which updated Members on the
activities undertaken on the money market, as required by the Treasury
Management Policy. The report provided
supporting information on the economic background, interest rate forecast,
short term borrowing rates, longer term borrowing rates, borrowing/investments,
budget monitoring, new long term borrowing, policy guidelines and treasury
management indicators. It was noted that no debt rescheduling had been
undertaken during the quarter. One of the key Treasury
Indicators set by the Council as part of the Treasury Management Strategy was
the Operational Boundary (the limit beyond which external debt was normally
expected to exceed) and the Authorised Limit (the limit beyond which external
debt was prohibited). Due to the valuation of the Mersey Gateway Bridge being
required to be included during the preparation of the 2017/18 Statement of
Accounts, an additional £644m was added to the Council’s Capital Financing
Requirement. This represented the
capital element of the future Unitary Payments the Council were due to make
over the next thirty years, funded from toll income. It should be noted that this was a purely
accounting adjustment and did not reflect any additional borrowing over and
above what was already taken. RESOLVED: That 1)
Council
be recommended to adopt the updated Operational Boundary and Authorised Limits
as detailed in paragraph 3.18 of the report; and 2)
the report be noted. |
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Discretionary Non Domestic Rate Relief PDF 102 KB Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on an
application 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 an application from a registered charity for rate relief on premises
in Victoria Road, Widnes, for Members’ consideration. RESOLVED: That
the request for 15% discretionary rate relief from Child Bereavement UK for the
period 26 September 2018 to 31 March 2019, be refused on the grounds of being a
charity which operates nationally. |
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Physical Environment Portfolio |
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Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which
provided an update following the appraisal options for the introduction of a
Community Shop. At its meeting on 20 September
2018, the Board had considered a report which set out a number of options to
progress the delivery of a Community Shop in Halton. It was noted that since
the previous report, there had been key developments on two of the options, and
details of these were set out in the report for Members’ information. It was reported that
following consultation and close working with Community Shop, the most viable
option to achieve a Community Shop in the Borough would be to progress the
Onward Homes Priory House office site. The Board was advised that the level of
capital funding to deliver the project was reduced compared to other options,
and there was an increased opportunity for the project to be secured within the
desired timescales. RESOLVED: That 1)
Executive Board approve
that the Council progresses the option of working with Community Shop, and
other partners, to deliver a Community Shop at Onward Homes Priory House Office
(the Onward Homes Option); 2)
Council be recommended
to approve an amendment to the Capital Programme and a £50k capital allocation
be approved to provide a contribution towards the costs involved in developing
a Community Shop in Halton; and 3)
the Strategic Director,
Enterprise, Community and Resources, be authorised, in consultation with the
Physical Environment Portfolio holder, to take all such actions and to make any
decisions necessary in order to progress the Onward Homes Option. |
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Runcorn Station Quarter PDF 101 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided an update on the Runcorn Station Quarter and Masterplan. The Board was advised that the aim of the Masterplan and accompanying delivery strategy was to enable the regeneration of the Runcorn Station Quarter area. Recognising the importance of a rejuvenated Runcorn Station, the Masterplan also took account of the forthcoming HS2 and West Coast Mainline improvements. It was reported that in developing the Masterplan, key stakeholders had been advised of the emerging proposals and that responses to date had been extremely positive. Members noted that there were some guiding principles around the redevelopment of the Station Quarter which had informed the production of the Masterplan document. These were detailed in the report. The Masterplan also presented options for the incremental and phased development of the area as well as some catalyst stages which would unlock further opportunities within the Station Quarter and beyond. RESOLVED: That 1) the Runcorn Station Quarter Masterplan Guiding Principles methodology and approach, as outlined in sections 3.10 to 3.12 of the report, be approved and adopted; 2) the Board formally endorses the preferred road scheme for the Station Quarter as outlined in the recent planning application (October 2018), and as set out in paragraph 3.15 of the report; and 3) a further report be brought to the Board, following the completion of the exercise to identify a development partner. |
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Children, Education and Social Care Portfolio |
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The funding formula for mainstream schools and high needs for 2019-20 - KEY DECISION PDF 91 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Strategic Director, People, on the funding formula for mainstream
schools and high needs for 2019/20. The Board was advised
that in July 2017, the Secretary of State confirmed the introduction of the
national funding formula, used by the Department for Education to calculate the
Schools Block element of the Dedicated Schools Grant allocated to Halton.
However, this arrangement had been deferred for a year until April 2021. As a
result, each local authority area had to consider which formula to use to fund
mainstream schools in 2019/20 and 2020/21. It was noted that, after
consultation with schools and Schools Forum, Halton mainstream schools and
academies would move to the National Funding Formula with transitional
protection for 2018/19. A report highlighting
key changes to the funding of mainstream schools was presented to the meeting
of the Schools Forum on 10 October 2018. Reason(s) for Decision To ensure that there was a fair distribution of
resources across the schools in the Borough and that the needs of the children
and young people with special educational needs could be met. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Consideration was given to either the
transfer of 0.5% from the Schools Budget to the High Needs Budget or no
transfer. Both of these options were rejected as they would not provide
sufficient funding to address the high needs funding gap. Implementation Date 1 April 2019. RESOLVED:
That the Board 1)
approve the continuation
of the National Funding Formula for 2019/20 with transitional protection; and 2)
note the decision to transfer 1% from the Schools Budget to High Needs Block
and the requirement to submit a disapplication request to the Secretary of
State for Education. |
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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
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 paragraphs
3 and 5 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 paragraphs 3 and 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. |
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Health and Wellbeing Portfolio |
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Acquisition of Orchard House Minutes: The Board considered a
report of the Strategic Director, People, on the acquisition of Orchard House,
to allow for its remodelling into supported accommodation for young adults with
learning disability and autism. The Board was advised
that the Council and Halton CCG had considered a number of property options
suitable for supported accommodation, following the availability of capital
funding from NHS England. The proposal was to acquire Orchard House and to
convert it into two separate self-contained apartments each with a secure
garden. It was reported that the facility would accommodate and support young
adults with autism and/or learning disabilities, who may have challenging
behaviours. RESOLVED: That
the Board 1)
notes the content of the
report; 2)
recommends that Council
include an amount as stated in the report, in the Capital Programme, which will
be fully funded by NHS England, to meet the cost of the Orchard House scheme; 3)
approves the waiver of
Procurement Standing Order 1.14.4(v), to allow the Council’s requirements to be
delivered by a particular supplier; and 4)
authorises the
Operational Director, Economy, Enterprise and Property, to arrange for all
required documentation to be completed to the satisfaction of the Operational
Director, Legal and Democratic Services. |
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Children Education and Social Care Portfolio |
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Oakmeadow Refurbishment Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, People, on the refurbishment of Oakmeadow Intermediate Care Unit. The Board was advised that NHS England had agreed to allocate capital funding for additional beds at Oakmeadow for the winter period. Following discussions with Halton’s Director of Adult Social Services and the Chief Executive of St Helens and Knowsley Hospital Trust, it had been agreed to use a proportion of the funding to open additional beds in Oakmeadow, which in turn would help to alleviate the pressure on the hospital for beds over the winter period. Details of costs for the refurbishment were contained in the report. RESOLVED: That the Board agrees to progress with the refurbishment of Oakmeadow, with immediate effect. |
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MINUTES ISSUED: 20
November 2018 CALL-IN: 27 November
2018 Any matter decided by
the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 27 November 2018 |