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Contact: Caroline Halpin on 0151 471 7394 or e-mail caroline.halpin@halton.gov.uk
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Minutes Minutes: |
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Public Question Time PDF 27 KB Minutes: |
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Executive Board Minutes PDF 15 KB Additional documents: Minutes: |
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SSP Minutes The last meeting of the SSP on 21st July 2009 was cancelled therefore there are no minutes to consider at this meeting. Minutes: The Board was advised that the last meeting of the SSP on the 21st July 2009 had been cancelled. Therefore there we no minutes to consider at this meeting. |
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Service Plans 2010-13 PDF 16 KB Minutes: It was noted that three-year departmental service
plans were reviewed and rolled forward annually. The plans were developed in
parallel with the budget. The process of developing service plans for 2010-13
was just beginning and at this stage members were advised of priority areas over
the coming three years by Operational Directors from the following departments: ·
Highways, Transportation
and Logistics; ·
Environmental and
Regulatory Services; ·
Economic Regeneration;
and ·
Major Projects. The Board was advised
that once Members had identified their priorities from the information provided,
Operational Directors would then develop draft plans which would be available
for consideration early in the New Year. It was noted that plans could only be
finalised once budget decisions had been confirmed in March. RESOLVED: That (1) a list of priority areas for each department be circulated to Members for consideration; and (2) Members of
the Board email Derek Sutton with their priorities. |
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Biodiversity Initiatives PDF 30 KB Minutes: The Board was advised that the report summarised those developments and set out proposals to hold a seminar, designed to inform Elected Members, Council Officer and other stakeholders about the developments and their importance for the area’s biodiversity. It was noted that in addition to the regular exchange of biodiversity information and sharing of expertise, between the Mersey Gateway Team and Land Services, there were a number of new initiatives that had been either implemented, concerning biodiversity in Halton, as set out in the report. It was further noted that to ensure Members, Officers and Partner organisations were made aware of these recent developments, it was proposed to hold a half-day seminar, for about 40 delegates, targeted at people and organisations that had an interest in the Borough’s Biodiversity Programme. The Board was advised that the agenda for the 3 hour
event would include presentations on the Artery of Life, the Mersey Gateway
Nature Reserve proposals and the research by Professor Norman and Dr. James,
followed by three or four specific studies by The Board was further advised that a charitable trust was being established and would be a fixed cost item included as part of the Mersey Gateway Procurement package. It was noted that Members of the Board had not received the opportunity to scrutinise whether establishing a charitable trust would be more beneficial that operating it through the Council operations and it was agreed that a letter be sent on behalf of the Board to the Strategic Director, Environment requesting further information and the justification for the establishment of a Charitable Trust in relation to the Mersey Gateway Nature Reserve. RESOLVED: That (1) the date of the Biodiversity Initiatives
Seminar be noted; and (2) a letter be sent to the Strategic Director, Environment on behalf of the Board requesting further information and the justification for the establishment of a Charitable Trust in relation to the Mersey Gateway Nature Reserve. |
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Receipt of Petition - Level of Public Transport Provision on Halton Road PDF 24 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The
Board received a report a report of the Strategic Director, Environment which
informed Members of a petition that had been received from residents of It was noted that the petition was received on 21st
September 2009 by 106 residents requesting that the Council look again at
improving the bus service along The Board was provided with details of the timetable for the
currently operating 52 bus service. Unfortunately, it was noted that there no
direct commercial alternative bus services operating via The Board was advised
that the 52 service was subsidised by the Council and was operated under a
local bus contract agreement by Anthony’s Travel. The cost of the contract
currently stood at £20,840 per annum and was subsidised due to there being no
alternative commercial service operating via It was estimated that the cost of extending the 52 service on a Monday to Saturday daytime would be in the region of £14,000 per year which would have to be funded from the Council’s Bus Support allocation. It was recognised that the existing service did not adequataely meet the needs of the residents in providing access to Runcorn Town Centre. However, there was considerable pressure on the Council’s Bus Support allocation therefore the extended service would operate for a period of 6 months to enable an assessment to be made of the benefits. It was further proposed at the end of this 6 month trial period that the Operational Director (Highways, Transportation and Logistics), in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Planning, Transportation, Regeneration and Renewal, evaluate the assessment of costs and benefits and made a decision on whether to continue with the extension of the service, based on passenger numbers and availability of funding. Councillor Stockton addressed the Board on behalf of local residents in support of the extension to the 52 service. Arising from Members comments and questions it was noted that · bus services in the Borough were reviewed as part of an annual process undertaken by Officers and where gaps were identified the Council’s Bus Support Allocation was utilised to provide services as much as possible; · the Council operated a Public Transport Advisory Panel (PTAP) which had representation from local residents, members of the Board and local bus service providers; · although the PTAP met regularly and influenced bus service providers, there was no direct responsibility on providers to support loss making services. RESOLVED: That (1) support be given to extending the 52 bus service so that the
last journey departing from (2) following an assessment of the benefits of the extended service, the ... view the full minutes text for item 37. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: The Board received a report of the
Strategic Director, Environment which informed Members of the petition that had
been received from the residents of Murdishaw and surrounding
areas following the withdrawal of the commercially operated Arriva Northwest X1
service from Liverpool City Centre, on Sunday evenings from 19.00 hours. It was noted that the
petition had been received on 25th August 2009, signed by 37
residents concerning the withdrawal of the commercial Arriva Northwest X1 service
from Liverpool City Centre on Sunday evenings. The basis of their concerns that
there were a number of elderly people, who on occasions liked to go into
Liverpool for shopping, theatre and other purposes but were unable to return
home after 19.00 hours, without the added expense of a taxi fare. It was further noted
that Arriva Northwest operated the commercial service X1 Monday – Friday on a
half-hourly frequency from 06.00 hours until 19.00 hours and then hourly until
22.00 hours, with the last journey leaving The Board were advised
that there were in fact two alternative public transport service available,
should a return journey to Runcorn be required on a Sunday. It was, however,
accepted that these services would take longer to return to Runcorn than the X1
service. The alternative services available were outlined in the report. The Board was further
advised that Arriva Northwest had indicated that the service after 19.00 hours
on a Sunday evenings was not commercially viable and would, therefore, only be
reinstated with a financial contribution from the Council. It was estimated that
the annual cost of extending the X1 service on a Sunday evening to 22.00 hours
would be in the region of £18,000. The Council currently had a budget to
provide socially necessary services which could not be operated on a commercial
basis. Unfortunately, this budget was under severe pressure and, given that
there were alternative facilities available, it was felt that it would be
inappropriate to fund the extension. RESOLVED: That (1) given the
existing alternative services available, an extension to the X1 should not be
supported using Council funding; and (2) the
organisers of the petition be advised of this decision. |
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Proposed Policy for Vehicle Access Crossings over Footways and Verges PDF 136 KB Minutes: The Board was advised
that vehicle access across a footway required a properly constructed access
crossing to prevent the footway or any utility apparatus lying under the
footway suffering damage as a consequence. The practice of vehicles repeatedly
crossing footways which had not been strengthened not only caused damage to the
surface and to any equipment beneath it, but also in many cases poses a hazard
to pedestrians and other lawful users of the footway. The Board was further
advised that it was also the custom of some property owners to deposit objects
such as planks of wood, metal ramps and even concrete in the drainage channel
to aid access. These practices could cause serious injury to members of the
public and damage to the vehicles that the public may be travelling in or on
and may result in claims for compensation being brought against the Council. The report set out the sections
of the policy and explained the issues to be considered and proposed courses of
action for each of the following:
RESOLVED: That the
Board supports the following recommendations and forwards its comments to the
Executive Board for consideration: (1) that access
crossings only be permitted and constructed in accordance with the criteria set
out in 3.2.1 of the report. (2) the application
procedure be adopted as set out in paragraph 3.3.2 of the report. (3) should a
programme structural footway maintenance scheme be carried out by the Council
within two years of an owner/tenant having paid for a crossing, then a partial
or full refund would be offered in accordance with Appendix 7. This would be
available, if requested, up to 12 months after the completion of the
maintenance works. A crossing would also be offered, where appropriate, at a
reduced cost or free of charge (depending on the scope of the works), if
structural maintenance works were to be carried out as set out in paragraph
3.4.1 of this report. (4) the enforcement procedure
set out in the report to Policy and Performance Board (Planning, Transportation
and Development on 11th October 2000 be amended as set out in
paragraph 3.5 of the report. (5) for the avoidance of doubt, and in
accordance with Section 184 of the Highways Act 1980, it was agreed that the
Council should construct any, or all access crossings within the Borough, and
seek to recharge the costs to the frontage property owner; and (6) the revised ... view the full minutes text for item 39. |
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(NB: Councillor Hignett
declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the following item due to being
employed by Community Integrated Care and left the meeting during consideration
of the item) COUNCILLOR NOLAN IN THE CHAIR |
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Final Report from the Topic Team on the Scrutiny Review of Supported Housing PDF 35 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Scrutiny Topic Team,
following a number of delays, as set out in the report, was reconvened in April
2008 and a final series of meetings and visits was held with the Topic Team in
September/October 2009 to approval the content of the final report and
recommendations which was attached to the report. The Board was further
advised that each of the three areas recommendations had been outlined in the
report:
RESOLVED: That (1) the Urban Renewal PPB considers the
scrutiny report and comments on the content and recommendations, as summarised
in section 4 of the covering report; and (2) the scrutiny
report, subject to any amendments arising from the above, be presented to the
Executive Board for decision as soon as is reasonably practicable. |