Agenda and minutes

            The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 20 May 2022 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Mayor made the following announcements:-

·         a Civic Service would be held at St Michael’s & All Angels Church, Greenway Road, Runcorn, WA7 5BS, on Sunday 17th July 2022, at 10am; and

·         an update on forthcoming Mayor’s charity fund raising activities and recent invitations he had received.

            There was no Leader’s Report for this meeting due to sickness absence.

            The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive, on the urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of the Council.

            RESOLVED: That Council note the report.

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board meetings on 17 March, 14 April, 17 May and 16 June 2022.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

The Council considered the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 23 March 2022.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

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

            Council is asked to consider the attached report.

            RECOMMENDATION: That Council adopts this Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2022/23.

            The Council considered the attached Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2022/23.

            RESOLVED: That Council adopts this Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2022/23.

            Council is asked to consider the attached report.

            RECOMMENDED: That

1.    the allocations to the individuals identified in this report be approved; and

2.    these allocations be reviewed following any future restructuring undertaken by the Chief Executive

            The Council was asked to consider the attached report.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    the allocations to the individuals identified in this report be approved; and

2.    these allocations be reviewed following any future restructuring undertaken by the Chief Executive.

Council is asked to consider the attached report:

          RECOMMENDATION: 

That Council approve

1)    the establishment of a Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Health Scrutiny Committee;

2)    the amended “Protocol for the establishment of Joint Health Scrutiny Arrangements in Cheshire and Merseyside” be adopted; and

3)    that Council nominates 2 Labour Councillors to sit on the new Committee for 2022/23.

The Council considered a report on the proposed arrangements for Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Scrutiny Committee.

          RESOLVED: 

That Council approve

1)    the establishment of a Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Health Scrutiny Committee;

2)    the amended “Protocol for the establishment of Joint Health Scrutiny Arrangements in Cheshire and Merseyside” be adopted; and

3)    that Councillors Dourley and P. Lloyd Jones be nominated  to sit on the new Committee for 2022/23.

The Council considered the reports of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 2 March 2022:-

·         Children, Young People and Families;

·         Employment, Learning, Skills and Community

·         Health;

·         Environment and Urban Renewal;

·         Corporate Services; and

·         Audit & Governance Board.

The Council considered the reports of the following Committees in the period since the meeting of Council on 2 March 2022:-

·         Development Management; and

·         Taxi Licensing Sub Committee

Council considered a Notice of Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order No. 6.

            The following Motion was proposed by Councillor Nelson and seconded by Councillor Harris:-

This Council commends the Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service in its continuing efforts to save lives and believes it to be an exemplar in driving policy that requires the installation of all buildings to have sprinklers, whether they be in new built or retrospective fitting.

Sprinklers are proven to provide an effective first response to fire in buildings and play a vital role in saving lives. There have been no recorded fire deaths in a building fitted with correctly installed and maintained residential sprinklers.

Halton Council takes the view that legislative change is required to national planning and building policy in order to ensure that the installation of sprinklers is undertaken in every new premises, and in high-risk premises that would benefit from retrofitting sprinklers. We oppose current moves that would weaken the requirement to have sprinkler provision in schools (Building Bulletin 100).

This Council resolves:

To explore local policy options for Halton to promote and ensure sprinkler inclusion locally in all new build premises, whether they be Council owned or not, and to explore options to retrofit systems where possible.

To write to the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and local Members of Parliament to promote changes to the law to require sprinklers in all new built premises. Furthermore, Council seeks that local authorities be awarded grant funding to support the retrofitting of sprinklers in all public buildings.

To write to the Secretary of State for the Department for Education, to strongly condemn the proposed removal of sprinkler provisions from the revision of the design guide for fire safety in schools (Building Bulletin 100) and to request that the requirement for sprinklers in all schools are strengthened rather than removed.

RESOLVED: That the motion be approved.

Council considered a Notice of Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order No. 6.

            The following Motion was proposed by Councillor Wainwright and seconded by Councillor Fry:-

Halton Council commends survivors and the families of the ninety-seven fans who lost their lives as a result of the Hillsborough disaster for their three-decade campaign for justice.

The Council also notes that Kevin Sampson’s recent drama for ITV, Anne - considered a masterpiece by many - has highlighted once again the fact that, despite the ninety-seven having been unlawfully killed, to date no individuals or organisations have been held accountable for their deaths.

The Council further notes that the impact of the campaign of lies, smears and propaganda orchestrated by South Yorkshire Police in 1989 and promoted by willing politicians and media continues to this day, with far too many members of the public even now parroting discredited lies about the behaviour of Liverpool fans in attendance at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989.

It is not surprising to Council that many families of the ninety-seven and Hillsborough survivors have expressed despair at this continuation of lies about Hillsborough.

Halton Council therefore undertakes to support the ‘Real Truth Legacy Project’ led by Ian Byrne in conjunction with many Hillsborough families and survivors. This is a campaign which seeks to ensure that current and future generations learn the truth about Hillsborough and aims to ensure that school children in Liverpool and the wider Liverpool City Region initially have access to a definitive account of the disaster and the subsequent cover-up.

The Council hereby notes its support for a key element of The Real Truth Legacy Project which is to have education about Hillsborough added to the National Curriculum, including a dedicated “Hillsborough Day” in Liverpool and the wider Liverpool City Region, to take place on the nearest day suitable to the anniversary of the tragedy on 15th April each year.

The Hillsborough Day would see every Halton and Liverpool City Region primary and secondary school taking part in a special assembly to mark the anniversary and to learn more about the disaster, the cover-up and the fight for justice through dedicated teaching resource packs made available to every school in the city region by local education leads.

For the sake of past and future generations, this is something Halton Council feels it must get behind and calls on all councils in the Liverpool City Region and beyond to add their support to the Real Truth Legacy Project.

            RESOLVED: That the motion be approved.