Agenda and minutes

          The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2023  were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Executive Board received a report from the Chief Executive, which provided information on the urgent decisions 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 considered a report of the Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, which sought approval to proceed with a procurement process with regards to the provision of term maintenance and minor works contracts for mechanical, electrical and building elements for use across the Borough. The current maintenance and minor works term contracts would come to an end on 31 December 2024, and it was proposed that the new arrangements would be set up for a 3-year period with the potential for up to a 1 year extension subject to satisfactory performance.

          It was noted that based on previous expenditure, it was anticipated that the total annual value of the contract could be up to £2m a year.

          RESOLVED: That the Board approve that the procurement process be entered into via the Chest with the purpose of securing term maintenance and minor works contracts for mechanical, electrical and building elements for use across corporate and school buildings Borough-wide.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, that set out the proposed Terms of Reference for the Widnes Town Centre Panel. The Terms of Reference included the role of the Panel, Panel Membership, possible future arrangements for key stakeholders to be invited to attend meetings and details for quarterly meetings.

          RESOLVED: That the proposed Terms of Reference outlined in Section 3 of the report be approved.

The Board received a report of the Executive Director – Children’s Services, which requested the approval of the School Admissions Policy, Admission Arrangements and Co-ordinated Schemes, for admission to primary and secondary schools, including Academy, Free School and Voluntary Controlled schools for the September 2025 intake.

The Board was advised that on 2 October 2023, the Local Authority issued a statutorily required consultation on the proposed admission arrangements and co-ordinated admission schemes for the September 2025 intake for primary and secondary schools (attached as appendices 1 and 2 respectively).  The primary scheme also included the proposed oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled schools for whom the Local Authority was the admission authority. 

The report provided details of the consultation, which ran until 10 November 2023. One response was received which was outside the remit of the consultation and had been responded to separately.  Additionally, no amendments to the oversubscription criteria were suggested, as these reflected the criteria which are considered good practice and acceptable by the Department for Education.

It was noted that all Halton’s secondary schools were either academies, free schools or voluntary aided and were therefore their own admission authorities, with responsibility for consulting and determining their own admissions criteria and their own Published Admission Number (PAN).

Reason(s) for Decision

Local Authorities as the admission authority for community and voluntary schools are required to consult and then determine their admission arrangements annually, and are also required to determine coordinated schemes for primary and secondary admission rounds that apply to all schools.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None

Implementation Date

The implementation date is September 2024 which is when the timetabled process for the September 2025 intake commences.

RESOLVED:  That the Board approves the Coordinated Scheme for Admission to Primary Schools – which also contains the Local Authority’s admission criteria to community and voluntary controlled schools, and approves the Co-ordinated Scheme for admission to secondary schools, both of which will apply to the September 2025 intake.

The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Children’s Services, which provided a summary of the capital funding received by the Council from central Government to support capital works and programmes within schools for 2024/25.

The Board was advised that the Department for Education (DfE) had not announced the School Condition Allocation Capital Grant for 2024/25 however, given the timescales for some of the proposed capital projects, there was a requirement to present this report, so it was compiled using the 2023/24 allocation, which was £748,583.

The report set out details of the indicative funding available to support capital projects across the schools estate and also explained how the School Condition Allocation would be utilised.   

Reason(s) for Decision

To agree funding for capital works across Halton’s educational establishments.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Implementation Date

Any works to be undertaken from the funding detailed in the report would be implemented with effect from 1 April 2024.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the position regarding capital funding from the Department for Education for 2024/25 be noted;

2)    the proposals to be funded from the School Condition Capital Allocation be approved; and

3)    the capital allocations are put forward for inclusion in the budget report to full Council.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Adult Services, which presented the draft Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy for Care and Support 2023 – 2026 for approval. The Strategy document outlined the Council's Commissioning intentions over the next three years which would aim to support residents, unpaid carers and their families to have access to the right services, information, advice and guidance in order to make good decisions about the care and support they need.

Reason(s) for Decision

The priorities and commissioning intentions identified within the Strategy will not only aim to support addressing key local challenges identified but will prioritise approaches that reduced or delayed the need for care and support, building on the strengths of people’s existing support networks and also ensured we adhere to our duties under the Care Act 2014.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

The commissioning intentions and associated actions listed within the Strategy have been carefully considered and it is felt that they present the best options available to promote health and wellbeing and deliver services which lead to positive outcomes for people.

Implementation Date

This is a three-year strategy which takes effect from 1 April 2023 and runs to 31 March 2026.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    contents of the report and associated Appendix be noted; and

2)    the draft Strategy be approved.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Adult Services, which provided an update on the procurement process for the supply of a Floating Support Service. It was noted that due to unforeseen circumstances, a three-month delay to the proposed contract commencement date was required in order to undertake the tender process and allow for the required three month mobilisation period. The revised mobilisation period was now scheduled to take place from 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2024.

          The proposed new contract commencement date was 1 July 2024 and would be for an initial three years until 30 June 2027. Officers would seek to extend the current contract with the current provider for the three-month duration of the mobilisation period, allowing for continuity of the current service delivery before the new contract commenced on 1 July 2024.

          RESOLVED: That the contents of the report be noted.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Adult Services, which sought approval to commence a new tender procedure for the supply of a Domiciliary Care Service in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.3.5, as the contract value will exceed £1m in value. The report also sought approval for a second pre-determined contract extension period commencing 2 April 2024 up to a period of 12 months as the contract value would exceed £5m.

Reason(s) for Decision

·       the decision is statutorily required;

·       the contract value is £5m; and

·       the decision impacts on all wards and communities within the Borough.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

There are no alternative options. The Council must commence a new tender procedure for the supply of a Domiciliary Care Service in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.3.5 to ensure continuity of Service once the current contract ceases.

Implementation Date

The proposed contract will be for an initial five years commencing 2 October 2024 until 1 October 2029 with an option to extend by 2 x 12 month periods, 2 October 2029 until 1 October 2030 and 2 October 2030 until 1 October 2031.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    the contents of the report be noted;

2)    the Preliminary Estimates Report to commence a new tendering procedure for a Domiciliary Care Service in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.3.5 be approved;

3)    in order to undertake the new tendering procedure in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.15.3, the second available pre-determined contract extension period of the current Domiciliary Care Service be approved; and

4)    in relation to recommendation 3 above, approval be given to the Executive Director – Adult Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder Adult Social Care, to agree the contract extension period with the incumbent Provider up to a maximum of 12 months from 2 April 2024.

          The Board considered a report of the Executive Director – Environment and Regeneration, which requested approval of a Public Spaces Protection Order for Dog Control to help tackle dog fouling and other forms of irresponsible dog ownership. A copy of the proposed Order was attached as Appendix 1.

          The Board was advised that the Council had previously introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order in 2019. The Order enabled Officers to use enforcement powers to hold those responsible for irresponsible dog ownership covered by the Order, accountable. Consultation on the proposed 2024 Order had taken place between August and September 2023 and it was noted that those who had responded to the consultation agreed with the Council’s proposal. Following the consultation process, there were no material changes to the 2019 Order in the proposed 2024 Order.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    approval be given for the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order attached as Appendix 1 to be made;

2)    the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order comes into effect as of 1 February 2024; and

3)    delegated authority be granted to the Executive Director – Environment & Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, to make variations to the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order, but only to the extent of varying where the Dogs on Leads and Dog Exclusion Provisions of the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order shall apply, and only in such circumstances where appropriate consultation has been carried out which provides support for any proposed variation.

          The Board considered a request for a waiver in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.14.4 v of Part 3 of Procurement Standing Orders in relation to the Resettlement Contract with Plus Dane, which was due to expire 31 March 2024. A one-year waiver would extend the contract to 31 March 2025 with the existing provider who had established and sustainable relationships with the client group. This approach would enable Officers to appraise a range of commissioning/delivery options for the future delivery of the service.

          RESOLVED: That the

1)    contents of the report be noted; and

2)    request for a one-year waiver to the Resettlement Contract in compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.14.4v be approved.

N.B. Councillor J. Lowe declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business as she has a family member employed at St Lukes Care Home.

          The Board considered a report which sought approval in respect of the provision of capital funding to support the decarbonisation schemes at St Luke’s and St Patrick’s Care Homes, following the submission of a bid to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).

          In line with the Council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2040, and in accordance with the Climate Change Action Plan 2022-27, funding had been sought for undertaking decarbonisation works at both St Luke’s and St Patrick’s Care Homes by submitting a bid to the PSDS. The outcome of the bid should be announced by the end of January 2024. A second bid had been submitted covering 3 Corporate sites and this would be subject to a further report in due course should the bid be successful.

          It was proposed that should the bid be successful, the works to both Care Homes would be undertaken by Sure Group, Sure Maintenance, who are the Council’s main mechanical term contractor working in conjunction with Eric Wright Construction.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the provision of £1.609m of capital funding over a 2 year period, subject to the PSDS bid being successful, or £2.98m if the bid is unsuccessful, be agreed, to enable the decarbonisation works to proceed at both St Luke’s & St Patrick’s Care Homes; and

2)    Council be asked to approve this scheme for inclusion within the 2024/25 capital programme.

MINUTES ISSUED:  23 January 2024

CALL-IN:  30 January 2024 at 5.00 pm.

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