Agenda and minutes

            The Council stood for a minute’s silence in memory of former Councillor David Reynolds, who had represented the Farnworth Ward until 2004.

          The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 17 May 2019 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

            The Leader made the following announcements:-

·         The Council continued to deal with the challenging budget situation where approximately £12m of savings were needed to balance the budget for 2020/21; and

·         He reported on the expected announcement by the Boundary Commission for England in September 2019, on proposals for the Ward Boundary Review.

(N.B. Councillors Polhill and Wharton declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the item of business at EXB 115, as they were both Non-Executive Directors of the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board)

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board meetings on 14 March 2019, 22 March 2019, 11 April 2019, 14 May 2019 and 13 June 2019.

            All of the minutes were moved and seconded by Councillors Polhill and Wharton respectively, with the exception of Minute EXB 115 (11 April 2019), where they had both made a declaration. This minute was therefore moved and seconded by Councillors S. Hill and T. McInerney respectively.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

The Council considered the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 27 March 2019.

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

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

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the updated Capital Programme for 2019/22, including forecast spend and funding, as set out in Table 1 and Table 2, attached to the report.

          The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the 2019/20 to 2021/22 Capital Programme.

          RESOLVED: That the updated Capital Programme for 2019/22, including forecast spend and funding, as set out in Table 1 and Table 2 attached to the report, be approved.

          The Council considered the report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator, outlining the Annual Reports for each of the Policy and Performance Boards for 2018/19, which had been submitted and which outlined their work and made recommendations for future work programmes.

          RESOLVED: That the 2018/19 Annual Reports, submitted from the Policy and Performance Boards, be received.

          Standards Committee had considered the report of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services/Monitoring Officer, which summarised the work of the Standards Committee in its annual Report.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

(N.B. Councillor Rowe declared a potential Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the following item of business as a potential nominee for the position)

To consider an appointment to the Liverpool City Region Transport Committee.

            Nominations were invited for the position of Opposition Member on the Liverpool City Region Transport Committee.

            It was proposed by Councillor Ratcliffe and seconded by Councillor

G. Stockton that Councillor Rowe be appointed.

            RESOLVED: That the appointment of Councillor Rowe as the Opposition Representative on the Liverpool City Region Transport Committee be approved.

            The Council considered the reports of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 6 March 2019:-

·         Children, Young People and Families;

·         Health;

·         Safer;

·         Environment and Urban Renewal;

·         Corporate Services; and

·         Business Efficiency.

In respect of Minute CYP8 on the Children, Young People and Families Policy and Performance Board, the Chair, Councillor Dennett thanked the Officers that had been involved in securing a sum of money from the Early Outcomes Fund. He also thanked the Mayor, Councillor Margaret Horabin for her work and dedication during her thirteen years of membership of the Board.

The Council considered the reports of the following Committees in the period since the meeting of Council on 6 March 2019:-

·       Development Control;

·       Regulatory; and

·       Appeals Panel.

        In this case Council has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs ?? of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Please note that if this resolution is passed, members of the press and public will be asked to leave the room prior to the consideration of the following business.

Council considered:

(1)      whether Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the Board during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and

(2)      whether the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information.

          RESOLVED: That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

(N.B. The following Councillors declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business as they were all Non-Executive Directors of Halton Transport Ltd, and left the room prior to consideration of the item:- Councillors MacManus, Morley, Wharton and Zygadllo)

            The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive, on Halton Borough Transport Limited.

            RESOLVED: That Members note and support the recommendations as set out in the report.