Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes from the meeting held on 3^rd June 2008  were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            It was confirmed that no public questions had been received.

            The Minutes of the Executive Board and the Executive Board Sub-Committee relating to the work of the Corporate Services Policy & Performance Board since its last meeting was submitted for information.

            Members queried the membership of the Member Working Party and the proposed name change of Castlefields Ward to Castle Ward referred to in Minute EXB9. Members were advised that membership of the Working Party would be made up of Ward Councillors, relevant Portfolio Holder and a member of the opposition group. The Working Party will consider suggestions regarding the proposed change of ward name.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

            The Board received an update report on the Government’s Empowerment White Paper – Communities in Control. The Empowerment White Paper was published in July 2008. This was the latest in a series of Government Papers that put strongly Empowerment at its heart.

            Previous to this, in 2006, the White Paper, Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities, set out a radical agenda for change with reforms to empower citizens and communities. This was followed by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which introduced a range of measures to ensure that local government gave local people more influence over the services and decisions that affect their communities.

            The Board was advised that there had been a number of papers, research and guidance, which had built up a clearer picture of the ways in which the Government expected local authorities to deliver the Community Empowerment agenda and the implications for Council’s on how they operate and deliver services.

Although there were many existing examples of good practice of community empowerment including the Youth Parliament and Youth Forum and Community Engagement with Service user groups, for example carers, and neighbourhood management, all current practices, including petitions, would need to be examined against these new or emerging requirements from Government.

            It was suggested that the Executive Board be requested to develop an action plan with the Council’s partners as to how this new agenda should be developed in Halton. In addition, it was also agreed that a further report be brought back to the Board at its January 2009 meeting.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)       the contents of the report and the implications for the Council be noted;

(2)       the Executive Board be asked to develop an action plan with partners to take this agenda forward;

(3)       future reports on Community Empowerment be made as new guidance and legislation is published; and

(4)       a further update report be submitted to the Board meeting on 6^th  January 2009.

            Since 2006, Halton had continued to develop neighbourhood management in those areas of the Borough that fell within the 3% most deprived under the 2004 Index of Multiple Depravation. Work was currently being focused in three pilot neighbourhoods, each of which fell within the above category: Central Widnes, Hallwood Park and Palacefields and Castlefields and Windmill Hill.

            A Strategic Partnership Board made up of key local service providers, elected Members, resident representatives and the voluntary sector, currently oversaw the development of neighbourhood management in Halton. The Board reports directly to the Halton Strategic Partnership Board. In addition to the Strategic Board, there were well-established neighbourhood boards working in each of the three neighbourhoods. The three neighbourhood boards included local residents, key local service providers, local stakeholders and ward councillors.

            The Board received a presentation from the Neighbourhood Management Director which outlined the key developments over the past quarter within neighbourhood management. The Halton Neighbourhood Management Board had met twice on 3^rd June and 15^th July 2008. In addition, the Board also had an away day at Norton Priory on 8^th July 2008. The key issues at these meetings were outlined in the report. In addition, it was reported that the three neighbourhood management boards were continuing to development with all three having evolving Neighbourhood Action Plans and growing programmes of events and interventions.

            It was reported that the Halton Neighbourhood Management Board Away-Day had been well attended and proved to be productive. The away-day set the following key areas of work for the partnership over the coming months:-

-           A restatement of the Partnerships Neighbourhood Management Vision;

-           to track the closing the gap with regard to key indicators between the Neighbourhood Management areas and Halton;

-           to investigate the value for money/business case for the sustaining neighbourhood management beyond 2010; and

-           to reach a consensus about if, when and how to rollout neighbourhood management after 2010 beyond the current pilot areas.

            It was noted that with regard to intervention activity and expenditure, the partnerships overall level of expenditure was in line with its budgets for 2008/09.

            On behalf of the Board the Chairman thanked Neighbourhood Management for their contribution towards the Council’s recent Comprehensive Performance Assessment.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board received a presentation from the Strategic Director Corporate and Policy on the most up to date position with regard to the current performance of the Council’s two markets based in Widnes and Runcorn.  The presentation provided an outline of the facilities, occupancy rates, financial performance and current issues at both markets.

            The Board discussed the following initiatives which could be implemented at Runcorn Market to improve occupancy and financial performance including; a street market, a continental Christmas market, and a reindeer promotion near to Christmas. It was agreed that a Market Working Party be arranged to examine initiatives for possible improvements at both Widnes and Runcorn Markets.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)       the presentation be noted; and

(2)       a Market Working Party be arranged consisting of the following membership:

            :            Councillors Browne, Gilligan, Lowe, Inch and Wainwright.

            The Board had previously agreed a number of topics for review this year.

            A main recommendation of the review of compliments and complaints from last year was for the Council to use the Customer Excellence model to develop a customer care strategy across the organisation. A draft topic brief for the review of customer care had been previously circulated to Members for consideration and endorsement.

            RESOLVED: That the draft topic brief for the review of customer care be endorsed.

(N.B Councillor Inch requested that her vote against this decision be noted)

            The Board considered a report which outlined the progress of Performance Management 1^st Quarter against the Service Plan objectives and performance targets, performance trends/comparisons, factors affecting the services, etc, for:

-            Exchequer and Customer Services;

-            Financial Services;

-           ICT Services;

-           Legal and Member Services;

-            Personnel Services;

-           Policy and Performance;

-           Halton Stadium;

-            Property Services;

            RESOLVED: The 1^st Quarter Performance Management Reports be received.