Agenda and minutes

            The minutes of the Council meetings held on 21 July 2010 and 1 September 2010, having been printed and circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meetings be confirmed and adopted.

            The Mayor made the following announcements:

·        She had been presented with a medal celebrating 150 years of the Cadets (1860 to 2010), in recognition of her contribution to the celebrations in their anniversary year;

·        The Borough Council had achieved  a place as finalist in the MJ Achievement Awards 2010 for their work in reducing Health Inequalities;

·        A glass plaque had been awarded by Inside Property North West 2010 for the Strategic Alliance Award for Widnes Regeneration;

·        A glass plaque had been presented by the Swedish delegation on the occasion of their recent visit to Halton Lodge Primary School on 4 October 2010;

·        A thank you card had been received from Hough Green Scouts and Guides in recognition of the provision of the Summer Holiday Playscheme; and

·        A thank you card had been received from the Free To Be Youth Club in Ditton Community Centre.

            The Leader reported on the following issues:

The main points from the Chancellor’s statement, announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, as they affected Halton as follows:

·                                The Government “would provide money” for the Mersey Gateway project;

·                                There would  be an increase in money for schools, including a pupil       premium;

·                                Extra money for Social Care (transferred from the Health budget) would be available;

·                                Sure Start would be frozen in cash terms;

·                                There would be a 4% annual reduction in Police spending and a total  reduction of 13% in the Fire service;

·                                Council tax benefit would be cut by 10%;

·                                Ring fencing of grants to local authorities would end;

·                                There would be a worse than expected 7.1% annual cut in Council budgets; 

·                                The grant settlement was expected by early December which would  contain the grant figures for the Council.

The Leader wished to place on record his thanks to all those involved in the Mersey Gateway project, and in particular to Councillor McDermott in recognition of his leadership on the project which had received support from all political groups, the private sector and partners in the wider North West Region.

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board from meetings held on 15 July 2010, 9 September 2010 and 23 September 2010.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

(Councillor Parker declared a Personal Interest in Minute ES 27 in that he was a Governor of St John Fisher Primary School)

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board Sub-Committee from meetings held on 22 July 2010, 9 September 2010 and 23 September 2010.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

            The Council considered the minutes of the Mersey Gateway Executive Board from 23 September 2010.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

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

The Executive Board considered the attached report:-

RECOMMENDED: That the Council

(1)       note the outcome of the consultation exercise; and

(2)       adopt the Leader with Cabinet model of governance with effect from May 2011 and the proposals, as detailed in the report, be published.

            The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director, Resources which outlined the outcome of the consultation exercise in respect of the Council’s Governance arrangements.

            RESOLVED:That

(1)       the outcome of the consultation exercise be noted; and

(2)       the Leader with Cabinet model of Governance be recommended and adopted with effect from May 2011 and the proposals, as detailed in the report, be published.

The Executive Board considered the attached report:-

RECOMMENDED: That the Council approve the revised Call-in Procedure and Rules for Debate as detailed in the Appendix attached to the report.

            The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director, Resources, on a revised Call-in procedure and rules of debate for inclusion in the Constitution.

            Councillor Murray referred to the cross party Working Group that had considered the revised Call-in procedure and advised Members that the decision taken had not been unanimous.

            RESOLVED: That the revised Call-in procedure and rules of debate as detailed in the Appendix attached to the report be approved.

The Executive Board considered the attached report:-

RECOMMENDED: That the Council

1)     Endorse the Children and Young People’s Plan Review 2010; and

2)     Approve the actions detailed in Section 11 of the Children and Young People’s Plan Review 2010, and summarised in 3.9 of the report and be taken into consideration in terms of meeting the Children & Young People’s Plan 2009-11.

            The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Young People on the review undertaken of Halton’s Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP)  2009-11.

Halton’s second CYPP had been published in 2009, to provide strategic direction for all services within the Children’s Trust in Halton. It represented Halton’s local vision and aspirations for children and young people in the Borough, and determined how the Children’s Trust Board would work together to commission services to address locally identified needs and better integrate provision.

            A multi agency task and finish group was established in April 2010 to produce the Review. The report set out developments in a number of key areas over the past twelve months and highlighted the many achievements over the same period, together with an overview of a number of areas where more work was needed in order to achieve the stated objectives by March 2011.

            RESOLVED: That

i)                    the Children & Young People’s Plan Review 2010 be endorsed; and

ii)                  the actions detailed in Section 11 of the Children & Young People’s Plan Review 2010, and summarised in 3.9 of the report be approved and be taken into consideration in terms of meeting the Children & Young People’s Plan 2009-11.

The Executive Board considered the attached report:-

            RECOMMENDED: That the Council confirm the appointment of a Diocesan Representative for Shrewsbury and Liverpool as a voting co-optee on the Children, Young People and Families Policy and Performance Board for a period of four years, commencing from the date of approval.

            The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Young People on the appointment of a representative from the Diocese of Shrewsbury and the Archdiocese of Liverpool of a voting co-optee on the Children, Young People and Families Policy and Performance Board.

                RESOLVED: That the appointment of a Diocesan representative for Shrewsbury and Liverpool, as a voting co-optee on the Children, Young People and Families Policy and Performance Board for a period of four years be approved.

RECOMMENDED: That Councillor Tom McInerney be appointed to represent the Council on the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority Outside Body.

The Council considered the nomination of Councillor Tom McInerney as the Council’s representative on the North Western Fisheries Conservation Authority Outside Body.

            RESOLVED: That Councillor Tom McInerney be appointed as the Council’s representative on the North Western Fisheries Conservation Authority Outside Body with immediate effect.

(Councillor P Lloyd Jones declared a Personal Interest in all minutes of the Policy and Performance Boards  as he was a non Executive Director of Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust, a Governor of Bolingbroke Academy School, Fairfield Junior School and St Bertelines C of E Primary School)

            The Council considered the reports on the work of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 21 July 2010:-

Children, Young People and Families

Employment, Learning, Skills and Community

Health

Safer

Environment and Urban Renewal

Corporate

Business Efficiency

            In receiving the minutes, the following comments were made:

• The recent ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted Inspections at Bankfield and The Heath Schools were noted;
• Congratulations be recorded for the work carried out by the Head and Officers in the Pupil Referral Unit;

            The Council considered the reports on the work of the following Committees in the period since the meeting of the Council on 21 July 2010:-

Development Control

Standards

Regulatory

Appeals

            In receiving the minutes of the Regulatory Committee on 17 August 2010, it was noted that Councillor Wallace was in attendance, and that this be noted at the next Regulatory Committee meeting.

The following changes to Committee Membership have been notified under Standing Order 30 (4):

• Councillor Wainwright has replaced Councillor Wharton on the Standards Committee

• Councillor Redhead has replaced Councillor Blackmore on Development Control

• Councillor Bryant has replaced Councillor Redhead on the Appeals Committee

• Councillor Carlin has stood down from Health PPB

• Councillor Hodge has stood down from Safer PPB

            It was noted that the following changes to Board and Committee Membership had been notified in accordance with Standing Order No. 30 (4):-

• Councillor Wainwright had replaced Councillor Wharton on the Standards Committee

• Councillor Redhead had replaced Councillor Blackmore on Development Control

• Councillor Bryant had replaced Councillor Redhead on the Appeals Committee

• Councillor Carlin had stood down from the Health Policy and Performance Board

• Councillor Hodge had stood down from the Safer Policy and Performance Board