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Contact: Ann Jones on 0151 511 8276 or e-mail ann.jones@halton.gov.uk
No. | Item |
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Minutes: The Minutes from the meeting held on 28 July 2020, were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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PUBLIC QUESTION TIME PDF 67 KB Minutes: The Board was advised that no public questions had been received. |
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Covid-19 Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund PDF 101 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which set out how the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund (LADGF) provided by central Government had gone some way to support local businesses. It was noted that the impact of the Coronavirus was being felt in communities in many different ways and Halton’s businesses had been severely affected with many losing several months of trade and some were still not fully operational. It was reported that during lockdown, the Business Improvement and Growth Team collated all current Government advice to businesses into a single resource for use by Council colleagues and developed dedicated resource packs for specific target groups, for example the self-employed. With regards to the LADGF, this was designed, administered and delivered by the Council and targeted businesses that were not able to access previous grant schemes. The criteria for accessing the scheme was discussed in the report together with Halton’s focussed schemes for eligibility. The report provided the Board with details of numbers of applications and grants awarded and examples of feedback submitted from businesses. RESOLVED: That the report and comments made be noted. |
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Employment Learning and Skills Update PDF 91 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise,
Community and Resources which provided an update on the work of the Employment,
Learning and Skills Division. It was reported that since 20 March 2020 the staff within the Employment,
Learning and Skills Division had been operating a remote system for customers
and learners, with all learning centres currently closed. The staff were
now in the process of preparing for centres to reopen again and planning how
delivery to customers and learners would be rolled out given social distancing
measures. As well as guidance surrounding Covid-19 being core to the delivery
going forward, the Board was advised that the work of the Division would focus
on supporting those individuals that had been adversely affected economically
by the Pandemic and had lost jobs and/or confidence. The report provided Members with updates in the following areas: ·
ESF
Ways to Work; ·
Liverpool
City Region apprenticeship Hub; ·
LCR
Apprenticeship Growth Plan; ·
DWP
Work and Health Programme; ·
Merseylink
Employment and Skills Performance; and ·
Adult
Learning and Devolution. In response to Members queries regarding the potential for an increased
demand for apprenticeships once the furlough schemed ended, officers advised
that this was anticipated so a request had been submitted to Government for the
numbers of these to be increased. With regards to the Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) Programme, Members
were advised that this would support 1453 participants between October 2020 and
March 2022 and would provide positions of not less than 3 months duration. Members requested a progress report at a
future meeting of the Board. RESOLVED: That the report and comments made be noted. |
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Minutes: The Board received an update report from the Strategic Director –
Enterprise, Community and Resources, on the Library Service. It was reported that in line with Government advice all library
buildings were closed to the public on 23 March 2020. Library teams
worked quickly to shift activity to digital platforms with budgets being
reallocated to increase resources and support new demand. Members were
advised that an intensive social media campaign was developed to engage
audiences and highlight resources to new and existing customers. The report outlined the recovery of the libraries following the easing
of restrictions; all libraries were now open with safety measures in
place. The service had renewed its focus on three key values –
connection, creative learning and spaces. The Board was provided with
details and examples of current projects taking place using these renewed key
values. Members were also advised of The Joy Project, a planned season of
visual arts activity in public spaces taking place across the Borough this
Autumn. This was arranged in response to the need to engage creatively
with communities during the Pandemic, which had taken away the option of using
the Library buildings as venues. In response to Members queries, the following was noted: ·
There
was no actual unique story telling material for adults as this was not
available with publishers – there were however talking books and e-books
available for customers to download; and ·
Attendance
levels at the Libraries were down to 15% when compared to this time last year,
but there was a rise in digital customers and customers for the home library
service, which was proving to be a valuable service to the Boroughs vulnerable
and isolated residents who were impacted by the Coronavirus the most. RESOLVED: That the report is noted. |
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Councillor Geoff Logan declared a Discloseable
Other Interest in the following item as his wife was Secretary of the Runcorn Community Choir Group. |
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Community Development Service Annual report 2019/20 PDF 90 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Strategic
Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, informing of the operational
delivery for the Community Development Service for the period 1 April 2019 to
31 March 2020. It was commented that the Community Development Service helped support local community groups and organisations with their formation and facilitated the delivery of community led initiatives and activity. The Team also has a combined role in managing Area Forum projects delivery; enabling Elected Members to respond to community concerns and aspirations. It was noted that this combined role generated effective community engagement with Council departments, services and partner organisations and contributed to building resilience in Halton’s communities. The report discussed the work of the Community Development Team, its purpose, activities and performance for 2019/20 against the previous years. Also provided for Members information were examples of some projects that the Team had helped to deliver throughout the year within each Area Forum and information was provided on community development grants that had been awarded during the year. The Board welcomed the report and agreed that the knowledge, guidance and support provided by the Community Development Team was invaluable to the work Members did within their Wards’ and gave thanks for this to the whole Team. RESOLVED: That the report and comments made be noted. |
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Covid-19 Recovery and Halton's Economy PDF 66 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Strategic
Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which expanded on the Borough’s
Economic Reset Plan, which had previously been circulated to all Council
Members. It was reported that the Plan would be used to ensure that the Council could support local businesses in partnership with local organisations and businesses and partners operating in the Liverpool City Region. Further it was understood that local authorities were consolidating existing statutory and operational requirements as we emerged from the first phase of the Covid-19 crisis. Also, they were reallocating and securing resources in order to redefine their economies and were working hard to improve the economic and social prospects for local residents and businesses over the year ahead. A presentation was made to the Board which
provided further analysis and data on the potential impact of Covid-19 on Halton’s economy; this would be sent to the Board following
the meeting. The report also provided Members with a summary
of key findings and emerging issues to date, due to the impact of Covid-19. The Chair requested a follow on report be
submitted at a future meeting of the Board. RESOLVED:
That the report and presentation be noted. |
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Scrutiny Topic Group 2019-20 PDF 67 KB Minutes: The Board received a report from the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, regarding the scrutiny topic group for 2019/20 – Traded Areas in the Borough. It was noted that since the first meeting of the topic group on 13 February 2020, no further meetings had taken place due to the Coronavirus. Further, the operation of the traded areas had changed significantly since the topic was selected and as they started to reopen, their operations would not resemble those previously experienced as they will be in recovery mode, following the Covid-19 crisis. The Chair announced, that following consultation with Councillor McDermott (Chair of the Scrutiny Chairs’ Committee) the current topic group would cease; the 2020/21 topic group would be a fallow year; and that at a future meeting of the Board a topic group for the year 2021/22 would be considered. The Board agreed with the above proposals. RESOLVED: That 1) the current topic group should cease further activity; 2) there should be no topic group for 2021; and 3) at a future meeting of the Board during 2021, Members should consider a topic group for 2022. |
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On behalf of the Board the Chair thanked the Council Officers for their
hard work over the past 6 months which had clearly been demanding and unprecedented
due to the outbreak of Covid-19 Pandemic. |