Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2014 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, on school admission arrangements for 2015.

The Board was advised that in January 2014, Halton had published a statutorily required consultation paper on the proposed admission arrangements and co-ordinated admission schemes for the September 2015 intake.

It was noted that there were no changes proposed for the oversubscription criteria for admission to Local Authority maintained community and voluntary controlled primary schools, and no change to the current oversubscription criteria for admission to Local Authority maintained community secondary schools.

In addition, it was also noted that there were no proposed changes to the current arrangements for Primary Schools admissions. However, Members were advised that Wade Deacon, as an Academy, were responsible for their own admission arrangements, and they had proposed different arrangements for 2015, to those previously determined. A copy of their proposed arrangements were attached as an appendix to the report. The Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise had contacted Wade Deacon on behalf of the Board, advising of his objections to those proposed arrangements. The outcome of this consultation was awaited.

Reason(s) For Decision

The decision was statutorily required and any revision to the proposed arrangements may adversely affect school place planning, as detailed in the report.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Other options considered and rejected included the allocation of places through random allocation (lottery), as this method could be seen as arbitrary and random.

Implementation Date

The Policy would apply to the September 2015 academic intake.

RESOLVED: That the

1)    Schools Admission Policy, Admission Arrangements and Co-ordinated Schemes for admission to primary and secondary schools for the 2015/16 academic year, attached to the report, be approved; and

2)    the Department for Education School Admissions Code be endorsed, and all Halton Schools, including Academy and Free Schools be required to ensure that their admissions criteria are reasonable, clear, objective, procedurally fair and comply with all legislation.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which sought approval for the 14-19 Strategic Commissioning Statement (the Statement) for 2014/15.

The Board was advised that adoption of the Statement would enable the Borough Council to fulfil its statutory duty to secure sufficient suitable education and training provision to meet the reasonable needs of all young people in the Borough.

The report detailed the five key priority areas for the Borough. It was noted that these priorities and supporting evidence had been consulted on with partners in specific task groups, and ratified by the 11-19 Strategic Partnership and Children’s Trust Commissioning Partnership. The Statement was coherent with the purpose of positive activities for young people supporting them in their health, lifestyle and career aspirations, which would enable them to achieve their full potential in their transition to adulthood.

Reason(s) For Decision

To ratify the 14-19 Strategic Commissioning Statement for 2014/15 to ensure that Halton Borough Council fulfilled its statutory duties under Sections 15ZA and 19A of the Education Act 1996 (as inserted by the Apprenticeship, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009), to secure sufficient suitable education and training provision to meet the reasonable needs of all young people in the Borough and to make available to young people support that would encourage, enable or assist them to participate in education or training (Section 68, Education and Skills Act 2008).

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

This was not applicable; the 14-19 Strategic Commissioning Statement provided information about Halton’s priorities to meet its statutory duties.

Implementation Date

With immediate effect following the meeting of Executive Board.

RESOLVED: That the 14-19 Strategic Commissioning Statement 2014/15 be ratified in order to fulfil Halton Borough Council’s statutory duty.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which sought permission for the waiver of Procurement Standing Orders to extend the Play, Learn and Loan contract to March 2015.

The Board was advised that the local authority had a contract with Halton Play Council to deliver a Play, Learn and Loan service in six venues in the Borough. In order to commission a service from 1 April 2014, a ‘market test’ exercise was undertaken via the CHEST. It was reported that two providers expressed an interest, although the current provider was the only one able to demonstrate delivery based on the current budget. Details of the content of the market test were contained in the report.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the report be noted; and

2)    a waiver of Procurement Standing Orders be approved, in line with Procurement Standing Orders 1.8.2 (c,d,e), following approval of the Head of Procurement, in relation to an extension of the current contract for a further one year.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, which presented the Better Care Fund (BCF) plan between Halton Borough Council and the NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The Board was advised that BCF was announced in June 2013 as part of the Government’s Spending Round. It provided an opportunity to transform local services so that people were provided with better integrated care and support. Each Health and Wellbeing Board had responsibility for signing off the plan and monitoring its implementation on behalf of the constituent Council and CCG.

It was reported that during 2015/16, the Fund would be allocated to local areas, and put into pooled budgets under joint governance arrangements with the Borough Council, NHS and CCG. It was noted that conditions were attached to the release of funding from 2015, with progress against national conditions and local/national metrics.

Details of consultation undertaken were set out in the report. The first draft of the BCF was submitted in February 2014 to the Local Government Association and NHS England. It was further noted that the Health and Wellbeing Board had approved the final draft at its meeting on 12 March 2014.

Reason(s) For Decision

To approve the draft Better Care Fund joint submission by Halton Borough Council and NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group 2014/16.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

The completion of the BCF was a statutory obligation for Local Authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups.

Implementation Date

The final submission date was 4 April 2014.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the contents of the report and appendices be noted; and

2)    the Better Care Fund report (Appendix 1) be approved for submission to the Local Government Association and NHS England, prior to the 4 April 2014 deadline.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, which sought approval to extend the current Healthwatch Contract for one year.

The Board was advised that the aim of Healthwatch Halton was to give citizens and communities a stronger voice to influence and challenge how local health and social care services were provided within Halton. It was noted that Healthwatch Halton had been operating for one year and had been set up as a Community Interest Company, having established its governance arrangements. It had developed its local profile through focused events, organisational membership, a new web site and various forms of social media.

It was reported that a waiver of Standing Orders was required to extend contractual arrangements for a further year, to enable Healthwatch Halton to become fully established within the local community, including wider promotion of the services it provided. The report provided details of the Business Case for the extension to the contract for Members’ consideration.

RESOLVED: That the Board approve the use of Procurement Standing Order 1.8.4 (e) to waive Procurement Standing Order 4.1 in respect of Healthwatch Halton with a value not exceeding £172,514.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities, which sought approval to the extension of existing contracts for Personal Care and Housing Related Support.

The report set out which contracts were under consideration for extension. These were detailed in Appendix 1 and were listed as being:

·       Learning Disability and Mental Health Services;

·       Sheltered Accommodation Services; and

·       Service User Involvement Service.

It was noted that the report also set out the Business Case for the extension to the respective contracts, for Members’ consideration.

RESOLVED: That

1)    an extension to the contracts listed in Appendix 1,  be approved;

2)    the Board agrees to the use of Procurement Standing Order 1.8.4   ( c) to waive Procurement Standing Orders 2.0.1 to 2.14 for the Learning Disability and Mental Health Services and Sheltered Housing Scheme contracts, whose values exceed £1,000,000; and

3)    the Board agrees to the use of Procurement Standing Order 1.8.4   ( c) to waive Procurement Standing Orders 3.1.1 to 3.7 for the Service User Involvement and Adult Placement contracts, whose values are in excess of £173,943 but not exceeding £1,000,000.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which set out the proposed Calendar of Meetings for the 2014/15 Municipal Year, which was appended to the report for information.

          RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to approve the Calendar of Meetings for the 2014/2015 Municipal Year, as appended to the report.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which sought the approval of the Council to a number of changes to the Constitution.

          Members were advised that the revised version 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.

          The proposals for change had been considered by the Chief Executive and the Executive Board Member for Resources in accordance with Article 16.02. It was reported that, apart from the purely technical changes, the proposed amendments that were considered to be of particular significance were listed as an appendix to the report.

          RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to approve the revised Constitution, including the amendments set out in Appendix 1 attached to the report.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, on the results of the formal Polling District, Places and Stations Review.

          The Board was advised that the Electoral Administration Act 2006 required the Council to carry out a review of all its polling stations every four years.  The main purpose of the review was to ensure that all residents had reasonable facilities for voting.

          It was reported that, as part of the review process, electors, Councillors and other interested parties had been consulted; details of all polling districts and polling stations had been published on the Council’s website.  It was noted that no comments had been received. In addition, the Polling Station Review Working Party had considered the scheme and recommended it for approval.

          RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to adopt the amendments to the scheme, as detailed in the Appendix to the report, for the period 2014/19.

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, on the adoption of the Directorate Plans for 2014/17.

          The Board was advised that each Directorate was required to develop a medium term business plan or Directorate Plan, in parallel with the budget. These would be subject to annual review and refresh. Draft Service Objectives and Performance Indicators and targets had been developed and these would form the basis of the quarterly performance monitoring presented to the Board during the forthcoming year.

          It was noted that Elected Members had engaged in the process primarily through the Policy and Performance Boards. It was reported that the plans could only be finalised once budget decisions had been confirmed.

          RESOLVED: That

1)              the Draft Directorate Plans be approved; and

2)              the Chief Executive be authorised, in consultation with the Leader, to make any final amendments and adjustments that may be required.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, on the proposed fees and charges for 2014/15 for Council services.

          The Board was advised that a review of fees and charges had been carried out as part of the budget preparations for 2014/15. It was proposed that existing fees and charges be increased in line with inflation, although some would increase more to reflect charges in adjacent authorities. In addition, others had been reviewed with consideration of the impact of the price change.

          The schedule in Appendix 1 included a number of statutory fees which it was noted might increase during the coming financial year, with the relevant fees increased accordingly. Charges for The Brindley were listed in Appendix 2 and were for the 2015/16 financial year. Details of other increases were contained in the report.

          RESOLVED: That the proposed fees and charges for 2014/15 as set out in Appendix 1, be approved and referred to the relevant Policy and Performance Boards for information.

MINUTES ISSUED: 1 April 2014

CALL-IN: 8 April 2014

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 8 April 2014