Agenda and minutes

          The Chair advised the Board that this was Councillor Joan Lowe’s last meeting and on behalf of everyone he thanked her for all her support over the years and for all her work within the Adult and Social Care Portfolio.

          The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2024, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board received a report from the Chief Executive, which provided information on an urgent decision taken since the last meeting of the Board. 

It was noted that the Council’s Constitution gave authority to the Chief Executive to take urgent decisions, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Operational Director Finance and/or the Operational Director Legal and Democratic Services, where necessary. 

One urgent decision had been made since the last meeting of the Board and full details were published on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED:  That the urgent decision taken since the last meeting of the Executive Board be noted.

The Board received a report of the Operational Director – Legal and Democratic Services, which sought the approval of Council to a number of changes to the Constitution.

The revised version of the Constitution picked up the changes to the Council’s working arrangements that had taken place during the year, as well as other changes which were intended to assist the Council to operate more effectively.

Members were referred to Appendix one where the proposed amendments were listed; these had been considered by the Chief Executive and the Corporate Services Portfolio Holder, in accordance with Article 16.02.

RESOLVED:  That Executive Board recommends Council to approve the changes to the Constitution including the matters set out in Appendix one.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director, Adults, which provided a summary of the review of health inequalities in Halton by the Health Policy and Performance Board (PPB). The report also provided the conclusions of the Board and detailed its recommendations for action.

          The health inequalities topic group had met monthly to receive evidence from several contributors and the report/recommendations were agreed by the Health PPB at its February meeting.

          It was noted that the Health PPB had also agreed a topic area for scrutiny during 2024/25 and a topic brief would be developed in due course.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the recommendations be noted; and

2)    the scrutiny topic for 2024 be noted.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director Environment and Regeneration, which sought support for the commissioning and production of a new Borough wide Housing Strategy and approval to undertake stakeholder engagement and wider community consultation as an integral part of the production process.

          The Council’s previous Housing Strategy was adopted in 2013 and covered a period up to 2018. The Strategy was in need of comprehensive review and replacement and the production required the identification, gathering and analysis of any supporting evidence base gaps, including an up-to-date Housing Needs Assessment. This would be a specialist task and would be commissioned externally.

          In order to guide the commissioning, production and consultation of the Housing Strategy an internal officer working group was set up in 2023, including representatives from Halton Housing Partnership (HHP). The key early messages from the group and HHP were set out at Appendix A.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the commissioning and production of a new Borough wide Housing Strategy and supporting evidence base be endorsed;

2)    delegated authority be given to the Executive Director Environment and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Urban Renewal, to agree details of the Housing Strategy production, including draft documentation and activity for stakeholder engagement and wider community consultation; and

3)    upon completion of the production and consultation process, the Board will receive a further report seeking a recommendation to Council that the new Borough wide Housing Strategy be approved.

MINUTES ISSUED: 23 April 2024

CALL-IN:  30 April 2024 at 5.00 pm.

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 30 April 2024.