Agenda and minutes

The Board observed a minute’s silence in honour of Councillor Howard, who sadly passed away last week.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 15 July were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which requested approval of amendments to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers Assessment of Previous Conviction Policy and the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers Condition (Driver Conditions).

It was reported that the Regulatory Committee had considered and approved the above amendments at its meeting on 30 June 2021.  The reasons why these amendments were necessary were described in detail in Appendix 1 of the report.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the amendments to the ‘Previous Convictions Policy’ be approved and adopted; and

2)    the amendment to the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver’s conditions relating to the requirement to report matters relating to their behaviour be approved and adopted.

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented an application for discretionary non-domestic rate relief, under Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, for consideration.

The report outlined details of the application from Mersey Weaver District Scouts, in respect of their premises at Unit 3, Ringway Road, Runcorn.  Appended to the report was the potential annual cost to the Council of granting discretionary rate relief.

RESOLVED:  That the request for 15% discretionary rate relief from Mersey Weaver District Scouts in respect of their premises at Unit 3, Ringway Road, Runcorn, from 1 April 2021 be approved.

The Board received a report from the Operational Director – Finance, which reported the Council’s overall revenue net spending position as at 30 June 2021, together with an initial forecast outturn position. The report also included the financial impact of Covid-19 with a summary of Government funding made available to the Council to date.

A summary of spending against the operational revenue budget up to 30 June 2021 was presented in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 and these provided detailed figures for each individual Department.  In overall terms the outturn forecast for the year showed that net spend would be over the approved budget by £4.661m.   It was noted that this figure was based on current service demand and forecast of future costs and income levels.  Appendix 3 presented the Capital Programme as at 30 June 2021.

The implications to the Council of the recently announced 1.25% increase in National Insurance contributions was discussed.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    all spending continues to be limited to only absolutely essential items;

2)    Strategic Directors take urgent action to identify areas where spending could be reduced or suspended for the remainder of the current financial year; and

3)    Council be requested to approve the revisions to the Capital Programme as set out in paragraph 3.14.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – People, which presented the outcome of the consultation on the full cost domiciliary care clients receiving support from two carers and being charged for both carers, thus removing the subsidy provided by the Council.

The proposals made at the June meeting of the Board were agreed and this report presented Members with the outcome / feedback from the consultation process and an outline of the next steps to be taken.  A summary of 78 responses was attached as Appendix 1 and discussed in paragraphs 3.9 and 3.10 of the report.

Reason(s) for Decision

Executive Board approval is required to enable the Council to begin charging full cost domiciliary care clients with two carers for both carers (rather than just one as is currently the case), in line with the Care Act.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Continuing to subsidise the cost of domiciliary care provision for those with two carers who are deemed able to afford the cost of their own care was neither fair nor cost effective.  It is simply not equitable that full cost domiciliary care clients with two carers were only paying for one carer, which represented half the cost of the actual package of care.

Implementation Date

New clients to be charged for both carers with effect from 11 October 2021;  existing clients to have charges increased on an incremental basis of 15% per month from October 2021 to March 2022; and with effect from 1 April 2022, all full cost domiciliary care clients receiving support from two carers will be charged for both carers.

RESOLVED:  That Executive Board

1)    note the contents of the report, particularly the outcome of the consultation process (paragraphs 3.9 and 3.10); and

2)    approve the implementation of charging full cost domiciliary care clients for both carers on the basis outlined at paragraph 3.16.

The Board received a report from the Director of Public Health, advising them of the Chief Executive’s use of emergency powers, in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.14.2, to make a direct award for the Substance Misuse Service contract, to cover the period 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.

It was noted that due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, a waiver was granted in December 2020 to allow continued provision of the service by the incumbent provision for the period up to 30 September 2021, in anticipation that the procurement exercise would be completed by this time.  The Board was advised that unfortunately, although the exercise was now underway, it would not be completed within this timeframe.  The Chief Executive’s use of emergency powers had allowed the continued delivery of the specialist service whilst the procurement process is completed.

RESOLVED:  That the Board notes the report. 

The Board considered a report of the Chief Executive, which informed of the current arrangements in Halton to meet the requirements under the Modern Day Slavery Act 2015 and its review and changes in 2019/20.

The report also advised of the current arrangements in Halton to support victims of Modern Slavery (MS) and Human Trafficking (HT) and presented Halton’s Transparency Statement, which had been refreshed for 2021-2023 and required the Board’s agreement, so it could be published on the Council’s website.

It was reported that following the review of the Modern Day Slavery Act in 2019 and a period of consultation in 2020, Government had brought in some changes and made 80 recommendations – the report provided Members with links to these changes under paragraph 9 of the report.  Also presented in the report were the different strands of activity across Halton and Cheshire, which showed how the Council was meeting its responsibilities within the Act; this included the Transparency Statement, which was attached at Appendix 1.

It was noted that a seminar for all Members on the subject of modern slavery and human trafficking, and the refreshed Transparency Statement would be arranged as soon as possible.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Board notes the contents of the report and agrees the Council’s refreshed Transparency Statement.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which requested approval to market Priory Meadow for housing on a gifted homes bases.

The report outlined some background and historical information in respect of the site and gave details of the tender opportunity that presented itself.  It was noted that the site was one of the last pieces of the Castlefields Masterplan and would make an important contribution to meeting the housing needs of the Borough.

RESOLVED:  That Executive Board

1)    approves the marketing of Priory Meadow;

2)    agrees to Officers testing the market for gifted homes and entering into legal agreements on this basis; and

3)    authorises the Operational Director for Economy, Enterprise and Property, and the Operational Director for Legal and Democratic Services to ensure full legal compliance in relation to the project.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which sought approval of Halton’s Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) 2021 – 2037.

            Halton’s Playing Pitch Strategy set out the Council’s strategy for identifying and meeting the playing pitch and associated facility needs of the Borough from now, through to 2037.   It considered how well the existing playing pitch provision and associated facilities met the needs of communities in terms of supply and demand throughout this time period. 

            It was noted that the Strategy had been produced in accordance with national planning guidance using the Sport England Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance, which was very rigid in its approach and provided robust and objective justification for future playing pitch provision throughout Halton.

Appended to the report was the Halton Borough Council Strategy and Action Plan (appendix 1) which set out a series of initial recommendations for further consideration; and the Halton Borough Council Playing Pitch Strategy Draft Assessment Report (appendix 2) which set out the latest background information for each sport.

            RESOLVED: That

1)    the Assessment Report and the accompanying Strategy and Action Plan be approved;

2)    the Assessment Report and the accompanying Strategy and Action Plan be published on the Council’s website; and

3)    the Halton Playing Pitch Strategy 2021 – 2037 be the basis for making strategic decisions on future playing pitch provision and associated facilities across the Borough.

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 items of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A 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 the public interest in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business, in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A 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 proposals for residential development at Foundry Lane, Widnes and sought approval to enter into a contractual Development Agreement with an appointed partner.

RESOLVED:  That the list of recommendations from 2.1 to 2.5 in the report be approved.

MINUTES ISSUED:   21 September 2021

CALL-IN:   28 September 2021 at 5.00 pm

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 28 September 2021.