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 76 refers),
therefore, pursuant to Section 100 B (4) and 100 E, and in order to safeguard the
land at
HBC Field for the developer, the Board ruled that this item would be considered
at this meeting. |
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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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Children Education and Social Care Portfolio |
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Halton Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2017 -2018 PDF 94 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board received the Halton
Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB) Annual Report for 1 April 2017 to 31 March
2018, which was attached at Appendix A.
The report was presented by Audrey Williamson, Chair of the HSAB. It was noted that the Annual
Report fulfilled one of the Safeguarding Adults Board’s three core statutory
duties. It was reported that all
safeguarding partners had been invited to submit an annual summary of their
work activity. The focus of work activity addressed
HSAB’s priorities as identified from the 2016/17 Annual Report, Performance
Framework and Strategic Plan (2016/2018), in addition to acknowledging local
and national safeguarding adults emerging issues / trends / policies throughout
the year. The report provided a summary
analysis of the data gathered from Halton Borough Council’s Safeguarding Adults
Collection and highlighted what this information meant for informing the work
priorities for 2018/19. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, People, on a new approach to the
delivery of the Adult Placement Service in Halton, called Shared Lives. The
Board was advised that Shared Lives offered people an alternative and highly flexible
form of accommodation and/or care or support. The care and accommodation was
provided by individuals, couples or families in the local community. Shared
Lives schemes were an alternative to traditional kinds of care, such as care
homes. It
was noted that the funding model set out in the report, was based on guidance
and was designed to ensure that Shared Lives Carers providing long term
accommodation and support, were fairly and appropriately remunerated so as to
ensure service sustainability. RESOLVED: That the Board 1)
notes the contents of
the report; and 2)
approves the proposed scheme. |
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Health and Wellbeing Portfolio |
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2017 - 2018 Public Health Annual Report - Keeping Happy and Healthy in School PDF 92 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, on the
development of the Public Health Annual Report (PHAR) 2018 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
2017/18 the PHAR focused on Keeping Happy and Healthy in School. This topic
highlighted the key priority of Improved Child Development, in particular,
tackling social, emotional and physical activity. The report included a short
video film which examined how these issues were approached within two local
schools through Halton’s Healthy Schools Programme. RESOLVED: That the contents of the report be noted and recommendations supported. |
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(N.B. Councillor Ron Hignett declared that he was a member of the Town
Team, and as such, to avoid any perception of bias, he took no part in the
debate or decision on the following item of business) |
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Resources Portfolio |
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Discretionary Non Domestic Rate Relief PDF 84 KB Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and
Resources, on the receipt of two applications for discretionary non-domestic
rate relief. The Board was
advised that the Council became responsible for meeting the full cost of all
mandatory and discretionary rate relief from 1 April 2017, as part of the
Liverpool City Region 100% Business Rates Retention Pilot Scheme. Details of two
applications received were set out in the report. One was from a not-for-profit
organisation that worked with young people in the community, based in Widnes.
The second was from a registered charity also based in Widnes, which
automatically received 80% mandatory relief with a 15% discretionary top-up
rate relief from the Council. Members considered and discussed the individual
merits of each application. RESOLVED:
That 1)
Discretionary
Rate Relief of 90% be awarded to Power in Partnership Ltd, from 4 January 2016
until 31 March 2022; and 2)
the application
for an additional 5% Discretionary Rate Relief from Widnes
Sea Cadet Corps in respect of
their premises in Cliffe
Street, Widnes, be refused. |
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Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy PDF 112 KB Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and
Resources, on a proposed amendment to the Council Tax Section 13A Discount
Policy. It was reported
that over recent years, the Council had experienced a significant increase in
the number of children coming into care, resulting in pressures on availability
of foster care placements in the Borough. It was reported that a key objective
was to increase the number of Foster Carers in the Borough. At its meeting
on 6 November 2018, the Corporate Policy and Performance Board (PPB) considered
a report proposing a change to the Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy, in
respect of Foster Carers, to provide a 100% discretionary council tax discount,
as detailed in Appendix 1, attached to the report. In addition, the PPB also
recommended that Executive Board consider whether to provide a 100%
discretionary council tax discount for all Special Guardians resident within
the Borough who had responsibility for Halton children. RESOLVED:
That 1)
the amendment to the
Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy, outlined in paragraph 3.4 of the
report, in respect of Foster Carers, be approved; 2)
Council Tax Relief to
Special Guardians, as outlined in paragraph 3.6 of the report be not approved;
and 3) the Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy presented within Appendix 1, attached to the report, be approved. |
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Change to the Rate of Council Tax Empty Homes Premium PDF 64 KB Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on proposed changes
to the rate of Council Tax Empty Homes Premium. The Board was
advised that the Local Government Finance Act 2012 allowed billing authorities to
levy an empty homes premium of up to 50% in addition to the full council tax on
dwellings unoccupied and unfurnished for more than two years. Since 1 April
2013, Halton Borough Council had levied the maximum 50% on all such properties
which did not fall into any statutory exemptions. It was reported that
additional legislation gave billing authorities further powers to increase the
level of empty homes premium, as detailed in the report. Since the introduction
of the Empty Homes Premium, the number of properties in Halton empty for more
than two years had reduced from 250 to 157, as at 1 November 2018. RESOLVED:
That the level of Empty Homes Premium on dwellings that have been unoccupied
for more than two years, be applied as follows: 1)
from 1 April 2019, 100%
premium in addition to the full council tax charge for each dwelling unoccupied
and unfurnished for more than two years; 2)
from 1 April 2020, 100%
premium in addition to the full council tax charge for each dwelling unoccupied
and unfurnished between two and five years, and 200% premium for dwellings
unoccupied for more than five years; and 3)
from 1 April 2021, 100%
premium in addition to the full council tax charge for each dwelling unoccupied
and unfurnished between two and five years, 200% for dwellings unoccupied
between five and ten years, and 300% for properties unoccupied for more than
ten years. |
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Physical Environment Portfolio |
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Building Control Joint Service - KEY DECISION PDF 165 KB Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and
Resources, on a Joint Building Control Service. It was reported
that a Collaboration Agreement had been in place between Halton and Knowsley Councils since July 2015, with the aim of
exploring the potential for a shared Building Control service. In January 2018,
the Leaders and Chief Executives of both Councils,
endorsed the undertaking of work to examine the potential establishment of a
Regulation 12 company, as detailed in the report, on the basis that the Company
would be jointly and equally owned by both Councils. The Board was
advised that in order to complete the work, approval was required to formalise
an interim shared service agreement until 31 March 2020 with Halton, for the
provision of Building Control services. Reason(s) for Decision The Building
Control Service required sufficient resource and capacity to continue to
provide high quality advice to residents, developers and investors. Following
the departure of all Building Control Officers in November 2017, temporary
arrangements had been in place to provide service continuity. The reason for
the decision was to place the Service on a sustainable footing for future
service delivery. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Do nothing – The current temporary arrangements (the use of an agency
member of staff) were not cost effective, nor efficient, and the current team
lacked capacity to offer a high quality service and generate income. Outsourcing – A
higher quality, more cost effective service could be offered through a joint
shared service. An in-house service was far more responsive in terms of support
for public services (for example, public safety at events) and did not rely
upon commercial contracts as the basis for delivery. The preferred approach
retained local control over service delivery.
Implementation Date 1 January 2019. RESOLVED:
That 1)
a shared service
arrangement for Building Control services for Halton and Knowsley
Councils be approved on the basis set out in the report and with a joint
structure to be hosted by Knowsley Council for a
period until March 2020; 2)
the Strategic Director,
Enterprise, Community and Resources be authorised to execute all relevant
documentation required for the establishment of a shared service agreement for
Building Control services for Knowsley and Halton
Council, as set out in the report; and 3)
the proposal to explore the establishment of a Building Control Regulation
12 company be endorsed, which would be the subject of a future report to
Executive Board. |
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A Strategy for Halton's Trees and Woodlands PDF 98 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and
Resources, on the adoption of a policy for Halton’s
Trees and Woodlands. In March 2016,
the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board considered a
report of the Tree and Woodlands Working Group which had proposed the
development of a Tree Strategy for Halton. Attached to the report at Appendix
1, was a proposed Strategy which followed the principles developed by the
Member–led Tree and Woodland Working Group, as detailed in the report. The Board was advised that the intention of
the Strategy was to clearly articulate how the Council managed its trees and
woodlands and help to identify priorities for its work programme. RESOLVED:
That Executive Board adopt the document ‘A
Strategy for Halton’s Trees and Woodlands’,
attached to the report at Appendix 1, as the Council’s policy with regards to
the management of its trees and woodland assets. |
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Masterplan Strategy for Improvements at Town Park, Runcorn PDF 82 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and
Resources, on a proposed Masterplan Strategy for improvements to Town Park,
Runcorn. The Board was
advised that Town Park was created as an integral part of the original Runcorn
New Town development. The Park currently fulfilled the original concept as a
substantial continuous open space central to the New Town character and
retained many features of the original layout and design. It was reported
that the aim of the Town Park Masterplan was to preserve a strong landscape
identity for the future as well as to provide a setting for sustainable leisure
and recreational needs for Halton residents. A key element of
the proposals were noted as being the development of three visitor/
activity hubs, as detailed in the report. The Masterplan approach allowed for
the proposed infrastructure improvements to the wider park area and hub
facilities to be undertaken either separately or in combination with each
other. RESOLVED:
That the Board 1)
approves the Masterplan;
and 2)
gives delegated
authority to the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, in
consultation with the Executive Board Member for Physical Environment, to
progress the Town Park project and prepare all necessary information for
suitable grant applications. |
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Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) Local Plan Document PDF 59 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board
considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and
Resources, which sought approval to publish the Statement of Community
Involvement (SCI) Local Development Document. The Board was advised
that the SCI document set out how councils would engage with local communities
and other interested parties in producing their Local Plan and determining
planning applications. It was reported that the Council’s first SCI was adopted
in 2007, revised in 2013, and was now being updated due to legislative changes
in the way that planning documents were prepared. It was noted
that at its meeting on 14 November 2018, the Environment and Urban Renewal
Policy and Performance Board had considered the document and recommended that
it be adopted by the Executive Board for public consultation. A final version
of the SCI would then be presented to the Board for formal adoption by the
Council. RESOLVED:
That the draft Statement of Community Involvement, attached to the report at
Appendix A, be approved for the purposes of a six week public consultation. |
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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 paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of
the Local Government Act 1972. |
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Transportation Portfolio |
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Street Lighting Contract - KEY DECISION Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on the Street Lighting Maintenance Contract for the Borough. It was reported that the current contractor had given notice that they would not extend the existing contract, which ended on 24 November 2018. Therefore, it was necessary to procure an alternative provider to ensure service continuity and to comply with the Council’s legal duty to deal with damaged and dangerous equipment on the highway. Reason(s) For Decision It was necessary to take this decision at this stage in order to ensure continuity for this important service. It was unlikely that the Council would be able to reach a satisfactory conclusion with the existing contract and therefore, a new arrangement was necessary. Alternative Options Considered and Rejected Two alternative arrangements had been considered. One to remain with the existing contractor, which had been rejected for the reasons outlined in the report. The second was to go out to a full tender exercise, which had been rejected for the following reasons: · The need for continuity of service; · The time and resources it would take; and · The fact that a recently tendered contract existed that the Council could utilise. Implementation Date This would be determined by the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, in consultation with the Transportation Portfolio Holder, following the process outlined in the report. RESOLVED: That the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, be authorised, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transportation, to take the necessary actions to ensure value for money through an appropriate procurement route for the Council. |
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Physical Environment Portfolio |
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3MG HBC Field Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which updated Members on the disposal of part of HBC Field. It was reported that the Chief Executive had used his delegated powers, in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holders for Physical Environment, Transportation and Resources, as detailed in the report. RESOLVED: That Executive Board endorses the use of delegated powers by the Chief Executive. |
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MINUTES ISSUED: 18
December 2018 CALL-IN: 3 January
2019 With the exception of Minute EXB 75, which
is exempt due to the need to issue the contract, any matter decided by
the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 3 January 2019. |