Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meetings of Council held on 6 December 2017, having been circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Mayor made the following announcements:

·       He had attended a preview of the “China’s First Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors”  Exhibition at the World Museum, Liverpool. He purchased a small statue to remember the occasion which will be donated and displayed in the Town Hall.

The Leader made the following announcements:

·       He made a statement regarding the Liverpool City Region Devolution Deal and the future arrangements for Police and Fire Services. The Leader, on behalf of the Council, re-stated Halton’s position that it was a “red line” and that Halton would not support leaving Cheshire Police or Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. This position would be made clear in any meetings attended by either the Leader or the Chief Executive;

·       A seminar/briefing would be held for Members on the proposals for Halton Hospital and Wellbeing Campus.

The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board meetings on 14 December 2017, 18 January 2018 and 22 February 2018.

RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

The Council considered the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 17 January 2018.

RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

It was noted that no questions had been submitted under Standing Order No. 8.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A attached to the report, which includes setting the budget at £109.227m, the Council Tax requirement of £47.447m (before Parish, Police and Fire precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,377.88.

The Executive Board had considered a report setting out a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2018/19. Since then, the Cheshire Fire Authority and the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner had set their budgets and council tax precepts and these had been included in the report to full Council.

The Executive Board had recommended that Council adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A of the report, which included setting the budget at £109.227m, the Council Tax requirement of £47.447m (before Parish, Police and Fire precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,377.88m.

Councillor Wharton, Resources Portfolio holder, thanked all the Officers involved for their support in producing this budget and wished to record his thanks to the Members of the Executive Board, the Budget Working Group and the Chairs of the Policy and Performance Boards for their contribution. In addition, he thanked the Leader for his help and support in delivering this budget.  

In accordance with Standing Order 16 (3), a recorded vote was taken.

          The following Members voted FOR the motion:

Councillors Abbott, S. Baker, M. Bradshaw, J. Bradshaw, D. Cargill, E. Cargill, Carlin, Cassidy, Dennett, Edge, Fry, C. Gerrard, Gilligan, Harris, P. Hignett, R. Hignett, S. Hill, V. Hill, Horabin, Howard, Jones, M. Lloyd Jones, P. Lloyd Jones, C. Loftus, K. Loftus, Logan, A. Lowe, J. Lowe, MacManus, McDermott, A. McInerney, T. McInerney, Morley, Nelson, Nolan, Parker, Philbin, Polhill, C. Plumpton Walsh, N. Plumpton Walsh, June Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G. Stockton, J. Stockton, Thompson, Wall, Wallace, Wharton, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo.

There were no votes against the motion.

There were no abstentions.

RESOLVED: That Council adopt the following resolution:-

1)    The policies outlined in this paper be adopted, including the budget and council tax for 2018/19, the savings set out in Appendix B and the Capital Programme set out in Appendix F.

2)    That it be noted that at the meeting on 6 December 2017 the Council agreed the following:

(a)      The Council Tax Base 2018/19 for the whole Council area is 34,435 (item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the Act) and

(b)      For dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates, be set out as follows:

          being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which special items relate.

3)    Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2018/19 (excluding Parish precepts) is £47,447,298.

4)    In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Sections 31 to 36), the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2018/19 and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council adopt the policies, strategies, statements, prudential and treasury indicators outlined in the report.

The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, which incorporated the Annual Investment Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Strategy for 2018/19.

RESOLVED: That Council adopt the policies, strategies, statements, prudential and treasury indicators, outlined in the report.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the revised Capital Programme as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report.

The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which sought approval to a number of revisions to the Council’s 2017/18 Capital Programme.

RESOLVED: That the revisions to the Council’s 2017/18 Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix 3 attached to the report, be approved.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve a variation to the Capital Programme to cover the costs as outlined in Section 5.3 of the report.

The Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on options for delivering the de-linking of the Silver Jubilee Bridge in Runcorn.

RESOLVED: That a variation to the Capital Programme to cover the costs as outlined in Section 5.3 of the report, be approved.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve a variation to the Capital Programme to cover the costs, as outlined in paragraph 5.1 of the report

          Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented design options for a new link road between the Mersey Gateway Bridge and West Bank.

          RESOLVED: That the variation to the Capital Programme to cover the costs, as outlined in section 5.1 of the report, be approved.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the Capital Allocations for inclusion in the Budget report.

          The Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided a summary of the Capital Programmes for 2018/19 for the People Directorate.

          RESOLVED: That the Capital Allocations, included in the Budget report, be approved.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the calendar of meetings for the 2018/19 Municipal year, as appended to the report.

Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on a calendar of meetings for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED: That the calendar of meetings for the 2018/19 Municipal year, as appended to the report, be approved.

(N.B. Councillors Polhill and Wharton declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business, as they were both Non-Executive Directors of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board)

          The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services, on Mersey Gateway, which asked Members to consider and respond to issues raised.

          UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED: That Council

1)    Agree to consult on making an updated RUCSO in the form (or substantially the same form) as that in Appendix 1 on the basis prescribed in this report;

2)    after giving full and proper consideration to any comments received, make the updated RUCSO in the form (or substantially the same form) as that in Appendix 1 and delegate to the Operational Director (Legal & Democratic Services) the authority to make any non-material or consequential amendments as are necessary to give it effect;

3)    authorise the Operational Director (Legal & Democratic Services) to take all necessary steps to bring the RUCSO into effect, provided that any material amendments or considerations shall be considered by the Council before the RUCSO is brought into effect;

4)    leave toll charges unchanged - as specified in the draft updated RUCSO;

5)    amend the LUDS Hardship Scheme as proposed in paragraph 4.5 of the report so as to become the HLUDSS and address the anomaly in respect of disabled Halton residents as proposed in paragraph 4.6;

6)    invite Government to meet the cost of the journeys over the Bridges undertaken by eligible Halton residents living in Council Tax Bands G and H who are currently excluded from the LUDS;

7)    leave administration Fees in respect of registering with Mersey Gateway/ Merseyflow unchanged; and

8)    invite Merseylink to review the charges and current arrangements in respect of breakdowns.

The Mayoral Committee considered a Part II item making a recommendation on the appointment of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

Council is requested to note the following recommendations, formal confirmation of which will be sought at Annual Council.

1)   Councillor John Bradshaw be appointed as the Mayor

2)   Councillor Margaret Horabin be appointed as the Deputy Mayor.

          The Mayoral Committee had considered a Part II item which made recommendations for the appointment of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2018/19 Municipal Year. Formal confirmation would be sought at the Annual Meeting of Council.

          RESOLVED: That Council note that

1)    Councillor John Bradshaw be appointed as Mayor; and

2)    Councillor Margaret Horabin be appointed as Deputy Mayor.

The Council considered the reports of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 6 December 2017:-

·       Children, Young People and Families;

·       Employment, Learning and Skills and Community;

·       Health;

·       Corporate Services; and

·       Business Efficiency Board.

In moving the minutes of the Corporate PPB, the Chair, Councillor Gilligan, drew Members’ attention to the success of the Welfare Benefits Team.

The Council considered the reports of the following Committees in the period since the meeting of Council on 6 December 2017:-

·       Development Control;

·       Regulatory; and

·       Standards

Council considered a Notice of Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order Number 6.

          The following motion was proposed by Councillor Bill Woolfall and seconded by Councillor Geoff Zygadllo:-

TYRED CAMPAIGN

‘On Monday 12 September 2012 a coach bound for Liverpool carrying 53 people from the Bestival music festival on the Isle of Wight, left the road and crashed into a tree instantly killing Michael Molloy (18), Kerry Ogden (23) and the coach driver, Colin Daulby (63), and left others with life changing injuries. The inquest into the crash found that the front nearside tyre which was actually older than the coach itself, at 19 years, was responsible for the crash. In 2014, Liverpool City Council unanimously agreed a motion in support of Michael’s mother Frances calling for a change in the law requiring a ban on tyres older than six years on commercial vehicles. Despite the wide spread public and political support for this campaign, no change in the law has been made, shamefully leaving others at risk from faulty and dangerous tyres.

Council notes that Frances Molloy has launched “Tyred” – the official campaign to pressure Government – to change the law to ban the use of tyres older than ten years on commercial vehicles.

Council wholeheartedly supports “Tyred” and instructs the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition to call together cross-party support for a change in the law.

Council further resolves to support the “Tyred” campaign until such a change in the law is achieved and to draw the attention of the Local Government Association, especially its Environment and Transport Board, to this Council’s view that the concerns should be fully addressed.

Finally, Council asks the Chief Executive to write to all schools in the Borough asking them to require coach and bus operators they use for school trips etc, to adhere to the provisions set out in the Tyred Campaign. Council should also ask Officers to look at our own procurement procedures with a view to inserting an appropriate clause in any contracts with commercial operators and to also ensure that this standard applies to our own vehicle fleet’.

RESOLVED: That the Motion be agreed.