Venue: The Boardroom, Municipal Building
Contact: Angela Scott on 0151 511 8670 or Email: Angela.scott@halton.gov.uk
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Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2019 were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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Children Education and Social Care Portfolio |
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Full Cost Clients in Residential Care PDF 135 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the
Strategic Director, People, on people placed in residential care as a full cost
client. The Board was advised that the Care Act stipulated that a person with
assets above the upper capital limit was deemed as able to afford the full cost
of their care; such persons were referred to as self-funders. The report set
out details of how local authorities identified those people who were required
to self-fund alongside Halton’s policy on commissioning services for those that
met the criteria. It was reported that a task and finish group had been established to
look at current practice in relation to self-funders which considered whether
any adjustments need to be made in light of a number of issues. Members noted
details of a legal challenge to the Council’s policy regarding self-funders and
recent internal audit findings. It was reported that the Task and Finish Group required the Board to
decide on future provision and support to self-funders. The report provided
information on the Council’s obligations under the Care Act, a summary of
current practice in Halton and information on current practice in other areas
with an overview of the local and national context. RESOLVED: That 1) the
report be noted; and 2) the
Board approves implementation of the suggested practice improvements outlined
in option (ii) in paragraph 3.6 of the report. |
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Halton Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report PDF 67 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board received the Safeguarding Adults Board (HSAB) Annual Report
for 2018/19. It was reported that all
Safeguarding Adults Boards were required to produce an annual report, summarising
their key achievements and priorities. The report set out the national and
local developments on safeguarding adults at risk. The HSAB continued to contribute to
the objectives of the Health and Wellbeing Board’s Joint Health and Wellbeing
Strategy and Halton’s Strategic Partnership’s
Sustainable Community Strategy. For 2018/19, the focus was on
self-neglect and hoarding; this work culminated in the re-launch of the Halton Self-Neglect Panel. For the year ahead, it was
reported that the priorities would be:- ·
Quality Assurance; ·
Learning and Professional Development; and ·
Co-production and Engagement. The previous Chair, Audrey Williamson, had
stood down from the HSAB. The Board wished to pass on their thanks for the work
she had carried out in the past. It was noted that Mil Vasic, Strategic
Director for People at Halton Borough Council, had
taken over the role of Chair. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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Resources Portfolio |
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Determination of Council Tax Base 2020/21 - KEY DECISION PDF 65 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on
the requirement for the Council to determine the Tax Base for its area and the
Tax Base for each of the Parishes. The Board was advised that the Tax Base
was the measure used for calculating Council Tax and was used by both the
billing authority (the Council) and the major precepting
authorities (Cheshire Fire Authority, Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner
and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority), in the calculation of their
Council Tax requirements. It was arrived at in accordance with a prescribed
formula which represented the estimated full year number of chargeable
dwellings in the Borough expressed in terms of the equivalent Band “D” dwellings.
Taking account of all the relevant information and applying a 97% collection
rate, the calculation for 2020/21 gave a base figure of 35,359 for the Borough
as a whole. It was noted that since 2013/14 the
tax base calculation had included an element for the Council Tax Reduction
Scheme (the replacement for Council Tax Benefit). In addition, the tax base
calculation would include an element for Care Leavers Discretionary Discount
and Foster Carers Discretionary discount. Reason(s) for
Decision To seek approval
for the 2020/21 Council Tax Base for the Borough. Alternative
Options Considered and Rejected There was no
alternative option, as unless the Council Tax Base was approved, it would not
be possible to set the level of Council Tax to be charged for 2020/21. Implementation
Date The 2020/21 Council
Tax Base would be implemented from 1 April 2020. RESOLVED: That Council be
recommended to approve 1) setting
the 2020/21 Tax Base at 35,359 for the Borough, and that the Cheshire Fire
Authority, the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner, the Liverpool City
Region Combined Authority and the Environment Agency be so notified; and 2) the
Council Tax Base for each of the Parishes be set as follows:
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Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020/2023 - KEY DECISION PDF 175 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on
the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2020/23. The Board was advised that the MTFS
set out a three year projection of resources and spending based on information currently
available. The projections in the MTFS showed
that there was a continued need to make a significant level of savings over the
next three years. It was noted that the projections for 2020/21 took account of
the Chancellor’s 2019 Spending Review. However, as this was only for one year,
it created uncertainty to the following two year’s projections. The MTFS provided initial guidance
to the Council on its financial position into the medium term. Revenue savings
of approximately £7.9m, £15.1m and £4.40m would be required over the next three
years. It was noted that as a result, a total of £27.4m would need to be
removed from the Council’s budget, by reducing spending or increasing income.
This represented 25% of the Council’s net budget and continued to be a
significant challenge to find sufficient savings over the medium term in order
to balance the budget. The Board was advised that the MTFS
had a number of objectives, as listed in the report. The report set out the
Council’s budget strategy, with budget savings proposals and areas identified
for further savings. The report contained details of the Council’s Capital
Strategy for the management of assets such as land and buildings in Council
ownership. Reason(s) for
Decision To seek approval of
the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2020/21 to 2022/23. Alternative
Options Considered and Rejected The alternative
option of not maintaining a Medium Term Financial Strategy had been considered.
However, this would not follow good financial management practice, as the
Medium Term Financial Strategy was a key element in informing the Council’s
financial planning and budget setting processes. Implementation
Date The MTFS 2020/21
would be implemented from 1 April 2020. RESOLVED: That 1) the
Medium Term Financial Strategy be approved; 2) the
2020/21 base budget be prepared on the basis of the underlying assumptions set
out in the Strategy; 3) the
Reserves and Balances Strategy be approved; and 4) the
award of Council Tax Support for 2020/21 remains at the 2019/20 level of
21.55%. |
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2019/20 Quarter 2 Spending PDF 245 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director,
Finance, which reported on the 2019/20 Quarter 2 spending as at 30 September
2019. A summary of spending against the revenue budget
up to 30 September 2019 was attached to the report at Appendix 1, along with
individual statements for each department. The Board was advised that, in
overall terms, revenue expenditure was £2.654m above the budget profile at this
stage. It was reported that the trend showed the overspend continuing at a
steady pace over the first six months of the year. If current spending patterns
continued, projections showed that the Council would have a year-end outturn
overspend position of approximately £6.145m, if no corrective action was taken. In March 2019, Council approved budget savings
proposals totalling £9.250m. However, it was noted that a delay in implementing
a number of savings proposals impacted detrimentally upon the forecast outturn
position in Appendix 1. Within the overall budget position for the
quarter, the key budget variances were in the Children and Families Department;
Community and Environment Department; Education, Inclusion and Provision; ICT
and Support Services; Complex Care Pool; and Corporate and Democracy. The Capital Programme had been revised to
reflect a number of spending profiles and funding as schemes had developed and
these were reported in Appendix 2, attached to the report. RESOLVED: That 1) all spending continues to be limited to only
absolutely essential items; 2) Departments seek to implement as soon as
possible the 2019/20 budget savings proposals which were approved by Council in
March 2019; 3) Strategic Directors take appropriate action
to ensure overall spending is contained as far as possible within their total
operational budget by year-end; and 4) Council be asked to approve the revised
Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 2. |
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Treasury Management Half Year Report 2019-2020 PDF 116 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance,
which updated Members on the activities undertaken on the money market, as
required by the Treasury Management Policy. The report provided supporting
information on the economic outlook, interest rate forecast, short term
borrowing rates, longer term borrowing rates, borrowing and investments, budget
monitoring, new long term borrowing, policy guidelines and treasury management
indicators. It was noted that no debt rescheduling had been undertaken during
the quarter. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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Discretionary Non Domestic Rate Relief PDF 75 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise,
Community and Resources, on an application for discretionary non-domestic rate
relief. The Board was advised that, under the
amended provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, the Council was
able to grant discretionary rate relief to any business rate payer. Since 1
April 2017, the Council had been responsible for meeting the full cost of all
mandatory and discretionary rate relief granted, as part of the Liverpool City
Region 100% Business Rates Retention Pilot Scheme. The report set out details of an
application from a registered charity for rate relief by Runcorn and District
Foodbank, in Russell Road, Runcorn, for Members’ consideration. RESOLVED: That the
application for 15% discretionary rate relief from Runcorn and District
Foodbank in respect of their premises at Russell Road, Runcorn, be approved. |
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Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places and incorporating the Ward Boundary Review PDF 87 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Returning Officer, David Parr, on
the results of the formal polling districts, places and stations review. Following a report to the Board
on 18 July 2019, a Polling Station Review Working Party was established and a
consultation with electors, Councillors and other interested parties via the
Council’s web site and Direct Link Offices commenced. Responses to the consultation were
considered by the Working Party at its meeting on 21 August 2019. Details of
the recommendations arising were set out in the appendix attached to the
report. RESOLVED: That Council be
recommended to adopt the amendments to the scheme detailed in the appendix
attached to the report for the period 2019/2024. |
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MINUTES ISSUED: 19 November 2019 CALL-IN: 26 November 2019
at 5.00 pm. Any matter decided by
the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 26 November 2019. |