Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes from the meeting held on 30^th January 2018 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board was advised that no public questions had been received.

            The Board was presented with the Minutes relating to the Corporate Services Portfolio which had been considered by the Executive Board since the last meeting of the Board.

            Under Minute EXB101, a Member commented that the plans did not include affordable rented property and that this should be monitored for similar applications. In addition, under Minute EXB102, a Member requested could all Councillors be kept updated. It was agreed that this would be considered.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be noted.

The Board considered the minutes of the Member Development Group meeting held on 23^rd November 2017.

Arising from the discussion, Mark Reaney agreed to check the progress on the development of an electronic system to enable Members to update their development plans online.

RESOLVED: That the minutes be noted.

            The Board received an update report on the reviewed Corporate Health and Safety Policy, a copy of which had been previously circulated to Members. The Health and Safety (at work) Act placed a legal duty on employers to ensure, so far as is practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees and others affected by our actions. It stated that organisations with five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy, setting out how it manages health and safety.

            It was reported that the Policy had been reviewed and the only amendments related to the name changes for the Directorates.

            On behalf of the Board, the Chair thanked Tony Dean for his contribution and wished him well in his retirement.

            RESOLVED: That the reviewed Corporate Health and Safety Policy be noted.

The Board was provided with a report from the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented details of corporate accident statistics with associated trends, from 1 April 2017 to 31^st March 2018.

Officers commented that the report highlighted the national and local health and safety information, in particular the new HSE strategy, and together with performance and incident trends, these formed the basis for the recommended actions for 2017/18. In order to be proactive in health and safety management the report also indicated the number of completed risk assessments and training delivered to staff.

            It was highlighted that there had been an increase in the number of accidents leading to ‘days lost’, with 24 this year and 19 last year. This had led to an increase in the number of actual ‘days lost’ with 269 this year compared to 173 last year and an increase in the number of ‘over 7 day’ absences and specified injuries (as reported under RIDDOR).

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board considered a copy of the Annual Report from the Chair of the Corporate Services Board, 2017/18. The Board met three times during the year and the report set out the work carried out and the recommendations throughout the Municipal Year April 2017 to March 2018.

            RESOLVED: That the Annual Report be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which proposed the following two amendments to the Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy Statement, in relation to discretionary council tax relief provided to Care Leavers:

·         Where a Care Leaver was jointly and severally liable to pay council tax with one or more residents in a property who were not Care Leavers, the Council tax for the property would only be reduced by 50% (rather than 100%). This was to ensure that non Care Leavers were not advantaged through the policy and that relief was only provided to eligible Care Leavers; and

·         The wording of the Section 13A Policy Statement would be amended to enable the Council to provide discretionary council tax relief to Care Leavers regardless of which Council had previously acted as their corporate parent. This would ensure that the Council could provide a reciprocal agreement to that provided for Halton Care Leavers who move to other boroughs.

            RESOLVED: That the Executive Board be recommended to approve the amended Council Tax Section 13A Discount Policy Statement attached as Appendix A.

          The Board considered an update report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on Apprenticeships within Halton Borough Council. The report outlined the

·       current number of apprenticeships;

·       the number of new apprenticeships since the introduction of the Government Apprenticeship Levy introduced in April 2017;

·       the development of the existing workforce through the use of the Apprenticeship Levy to promote Continuous Professional Development;

·       the work commissioned in 2017 by the Liverpool City Region which resulted in a number of initial recommendations around additional brokerage support and details of the 3 key priorities identified;

·       an outline of the regional and national picture; and

·       Halton’s Apprenticeship Policy which was updated in 2017.

          RESOLVED: That the information be noted and a further report be submitted in 6 months.

            The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which sought to develop a work programme of topics for the Board to examine in 2018/19. It was noted that the Board had previously arranged a Topic Group to consider the Discretionary Support Scheme and this had provided significant guidance to Officers and the Executive Board in relation to the delivery of that extremely important service. It was proposed that this Topic Group would continue to meet and consideration would be given to setting up a second Topic Group if required.

            Arising from the discussion it was noted that:

·         an update report on discretionary support would be provided to the next meeting;

·         the Board’s remit with regard to Traveller sites would be checked; and

·         a presentation from the IT section be provided to a future meeting.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the Discretionary Support Scheme Topic Group continue to meet; and

2.    consideration would be given to setting up a second Topic Group if required.

            The Board considered a report which presented information and calculations for the Council in relation to the Gender Pay Gap. From April 2017, Gender pay reporting legislation required all organisations that employed over 250 employees to publish statutory calculations every year showing how large the pay gap was between their male and female employees. The gender pay gap was defined as the difference in the average earnings of men and women over a specified period, regardless of their role or seniority.

            Halton Borough Council’s information was published on 30^th March 2018, full details of which were outlined in the report.

            RESOLVED: That the content of the report be noted.

The Board received a report from the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented the Performance Monitoring Reports for Quarter 3 and 4 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:

·         Finance;

·         Human Resources and Organisational Development;

·         ICT and Administrative Support;

·         Legal and Democracy;

·         Policy and Performance;

·         Property Services; and

·         Catering, Stadium and Registration Services.

            It was noted that demand for job recruitment had increased within the Council and the reasons for this were being analysed.

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