Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes of the meeting held on 15^th November 2017 having been circulated were signed as a correct record.

            The Board considered the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board relevant to the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board.

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be received.

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented the Performance Monitoring Reports for Quarter 2 of 2017/18.

The reports related to the following functional areas which reported to the Board and detailed progress against service objectives and milestones, and performance targets and provided information relating to key developments and emerging issues that had arisen during the period:

·                         Development and Investment Services;

·                         Highways and Transportation, Logistics and Development Services;

·                         Waste and Environmental Improvement and Open Space Services; and

·                         Housing Strategy.

            Arising from the discussion the following matters were raised by Councillor Stockton and a written response would be provided:

·         PPTLI14 – average no of days to repair street lighting fault; and

·         PPTLI16 - % of buses on time

            RESOLVED: That the second quarter performance monitoring reports be received and noted.

Members were provided with an update on Business Planning for the period 2018-19 and were asked to consider the Directorate objectives, milestones and measures for services for this period that fell within the remit of this Policy and Performance Board (PPB).

Key priorities for development or improvement for the various functional areas reporting to this PPB were outlined in a three year Business Plan presented to the Board in 2017. Given the remit of this Board, extracts from the Draft Plan were presented for consideration.

Members were informed that plans could only be finalised once budget decisions had been confirmed in March and that some target information may need to be reviewed as a result of final outturn data becoming available post March 2018.

RESOLVED: That the Draft Business Plan extract be received and forwarded to the Executive Board for approval.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which outlined the risks which had been identified in respect of the release of sky lanterns and helium balloons into the open air and the options available to control their use within the borough. It was proposed that in order to mitigate the risks associated with the use of sky lanterns and helium balloons, a Policy be adopted to prohibit the release of both on Council owned land.

            It was noted that the Policy would only apply to Council owned land and would not prohibit the release from private land. However, following approval by the Executive Board, a communications campaign would raise awareness of the safety risks and environmental impacts and may discourage the use of such events on private land.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the recommendation set out within paragraph 4.8 of the report be endorsed; and

2.    a report be presented to the Executive Board recommending the adoption of a Policy to prohibit the release of sky lanterns and helium balloons on Council owned land.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which requested Members to endorse proposed changes to current Policy and operating practices at Halton Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).

            Due to increased costs associated with operating Halton’s two HWRCs, together with the continuing financial pressures being felt by the Authority as a result of cuts to its funding by Central Government, a review of the Council’s HWRCs operations had been undertaken. The purpose of the review was to identify options to reduce the overall costs associated with the operation of the Centres whilst maintaining a high level of customer service.

            As part of the review, and in addition to looking at Halton’s own current practices, research was undertaken into the operation of HWRCs across a number of other local authority areas; both regionally and nationally and four key options for change had been identified for Members’ consideration. The four were as follows and were detailed in the report, together with the rationale behind each:

·         To reduce the current opening hours at the Centres;

·         To amend aspects of the current Vehicle Permit Scheme;

·         To introduce a new ‘’Halton Resident Only’ Policy; and

·         To introduce a new Policy of charging for the deposit of ‘non household’ waste items at the HWRCs.

            Subject to the endorsement by the Board, it was proposed that a report would be submitted to the Executive Board in April and the proposals would be introduced on a phased basis throughout the new financial year.

            Members of the Waste Topic Group were thanked for their contributions towards the review and subsequent report.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the proposals set out in paragraph 4.30 of the report be endorsed; and

2.    a report be presented to the Executive Board recommending the approval and implementation of the proposals set out in paragraph 4.30 of the report.

            The Board considered a report which provided an update on the work of the Regeneration Working Party. Following a presentation to the Board in September 2017, a Working Party was established to enable Members to contribute to the design and development of future development regeneration schemes, with particular regard to the opportunities that would arise following the completion of the Mersey Gateway and handback of land that was no longer required for this project.

            The Working Party had met and considered the following key impact areas and their initial comments on each to date were outlined in the report:

·         Runcorn/Runcorn Station Quarter;

·         The Widnes Waterfront;

·         Astmoor Business Park;

·         Ditton Corridor; and

·         West Runcorn Employment Growth Area.

            It was noted that once the following three remaining key impact areas were considered by the Working Party a further report would be presented to the Board:

·         Halton Lea Healthy New Town;

·         Southern Widnes; and

·         West Bank

            In addition to the customary consultation that would be required on individual projects, it was also proposed that the Board would receive an update report on a six monthly basis.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    Members welcome the work being undertaken by the Regeneration Working Party in contributing to the development of Halton’s Regeneration Priorities; and

2.      Members agree to the continuation of the Working Party in order to complete the assessment and review of the remaining regeneration priority areas.

            The Board received a presentation from pupils representing Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy School which outlined to Members the work of the Ormiston Citizenship Programme, how pupils would benefit from the Programme and the improvements they aimed to make for the wider community. In addition, pupils explained a variety of environmental improvements they aimed to achieve which would improve the local area and the range of activities they had undertaken to raise funds for a selection of different charities.

            Pupils discussed with Members a poster campaign which would target Primary School children to encourage them to dispose of litter appropriately and a needle exchange programme.

            On behalf of the Board the Chair thanked the pupils for their informative presentation and congratulated them for innovative environmental improvement campaigns and their charity work. In addition, the Divisional Manager - Waste and Environmental Improvement, had forwarded his contact details to the School to see if the Waste Management Department could support the School with their work.

            RESOLVED: That the presentation be received.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided information on the Liverpool City Region (LCR) joint Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP), a copy of which had been forwarded to Members for comment. Halton had produced its first statutory Public Rights of Way Improvement Plan in 2009. With the creation of the LCR joint ROWIP each authority had identified the successes of previous individual ROWIP whilst combining the ambitions of each member authority looking to the future.

            Members noted that the ROWIP was a statutory document which dealt specifically with Rights of Way and traffic free corridors. The document was designed to give a forward looking vision as to how they would be used, promoted and upgraded over the next decade. The Plan aimed to bring Rights of Way in line with all other Highways and include them in the LCR’s overall commitment to promote and encourage sustainable travel. It was not intended as a comprehensive guide to all future maintenance and capital schemes. Instead Halton would bring forward schemes which would then be evaluated. It was the ambition of the LCR to ensure that ROWIP enhancements were linked into the mainstream delivery of a range of schemes. At present, such committed schemes being taken forward through this programme were:

·         Bridgewater Canal Pedestrian and Cycle Improvements

·         Runcorn East Rail Station Access Improvements

·         Jaguar Land Rover JLR-3MG Cycle Corridor

·         A56 Sustainable Links to Sci-Tech Daresbury

·         Astmoor Business Hub Corridor

            One of the many advantages of a joint ROWIP approach was the ability to coordinate funding bids toward common goals as well as working together to create successful, user friendly cross boundary links. It was hoped that this approach would progress economic and socio-economic targets (for example, walking and cycling strategies) whilst improving transport links and opening up sustainable travel choices across the region.

            RESOLVED: That the Board supports the Rights of Way Improvement Plan and recommends that the Executive Board formally endorses it.