Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2021 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented amendments to the medical element of the Taxi Licensing Policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers, submitted by the Regulatory Committee.

Members were advised that on 30 June 2021, the Regulatory Committee considered an amendment to the medical element of the Taxi Licensing Policy for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers, as presented in Appendix 1 of the report.  Over the past 3 years, licensed drivers and new applicants had encountered problems in obtaining the medical assessments, as explained in paragraph 3.3.  This was exacerbated since the pandemic as some medical centres had withdrawn the service altogether and NW Boroughs Healthcare NHS FT had yet to restart assessing drivers, which has led to a backlog.

It was reported that the Regulatory Committee had agreed the amendments at its meeting on 30 June, and recommended their approval at Executive Board.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Board:

1)    agree a minimum standard for 3^rd party medical assessments;

2)    delegate the authority of approving who can undertake medical assessments in accordance with current policy to the Licensing Manager; and

3)    allow a technical exemption for certain licence holders from having to undertake the same medical assessment twice.

The Board considered a report from the Operational Director – Finance, which presented the Council’s total planned capital programme expenditure and associated funding over the next three years and requested that Council be recommended to approve the updated capital programme for 2021-24. 

It was reported that Council had approved the capital programme for 2021/22 at its meeting on 4 March 2021.  Since then new capital grant allocations have been received and slippage to capital projects for 2020/21 had been rolled forward to 2021/22.  The report presented the planned capital programme expenditure for 2021/22 to 2023/24 in Table 1 for both Directorates; Table 2 summarised how the capital programme would be funded.

It was noted that the capital programme was subject to regular review and monitoring reports were presented to the Board on a quarterly basis.  These included the actual spend incurred to date and how this compared to the capital allocation for the year; a forecast was also provided to indicate if the capital programme would be utilised in full during the year, or if there was any expected slippage to capital schemes.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    Council be recommended to approve the updated capital programme for 2021/24, including forecast spend and funding, as set out in Tables 1 and 2;

2)    the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, in liaison with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Urban Renewal, finalise the detailed implementation programme of Highways and Transportation schemes to be delivered in 2021/22.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, on progress against key objectives/milestones and performance targets for the fourth quarter period to 31 March 2021, for the People Directorate (Children and Young People and Adult Social Care and Health; and Enterprise, Community and Resources.

The Board was advised that the Directorate Performance Overview Report provided a strategic summary of key issues arising from the relevant quarter for each Directorate and was aligned to Council priorities or functional areas.  The Board noted that such information was key to the Council’s performance management arrangements and Executive Board had a key role in monitoring performance and strengthening accountability. Performance Management would continue to be important in the demonstration of value for money and strengthening accountability.

            RESOLVED: That the report, progress and performance information be noted.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which proposed a solution to the current situation that existed at Widnes Crematorium with the two cremators. 

Members were advised that Widnes Crematorium currently had two ATI UK Ltd cremators for which a service and maintenance contract was entered into with them, at the time they were installed.  Unfortunately on 18 March 2020, the Council received confirmation that ATI UK Ltd had ceased to trade, which had left the Council with no service and maintenance contract.

The report discussed the importance of regular servicing of the equipment and the steps taken to find a solution.  The proposal presented would see the replacement of one of the ATI UK cremators and the parts of the one removed would be kept for replacement parts for the other.  The current temporary cremator supplied would be removed, saving the cost of hire.

The Board considered the financial implications of the proposal, taking into consideration the income generated from the Crematorium per annum.

RESOLVED:  That

1)    delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Urban Renewal, to procure a replacement cremator and associated service and maintenance contract; and

2)    Council be recommended to include £200,000 in the 2020/22 Capital Programme for the scheme, as outlined in Section 5.0 of the report.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which sought approval on the proposed Arley Woodland and Bankfield Green Park Masterplan. 

The proposals would see a comprehensive set of improvements to the existing playing fields and open space at Arley Drive and land north of Bankfield Road.  Approval was also sought to deliver the project in line with the Masterplan, including making any suitable grant applications that may be required.

The report outlined the history of the site; current facilities and usage; access problems and its poor infrastructure.  The five key elements to the Masterplan proposals and budget requirements were also discussed.  Members were referred to appendices 1, 2 and 3 which showed the existing site plan, Arley Drive Playing Fields Site photographs and the Masterplan.

RESOLVED: That the Board:

1)    approves the Masterplan; and

2)    gives delegated authority to the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Urban Renewal, to progress the Arley Woodland Park project and prepare all necessary information for suitable grant applications.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented the Pavement Licence Policy and recommended its adoption as a formal policy of the Council.

Members were advised that in order to support economic recovery and encourage vibrant town centres, a policy was proposed to support Pavement Cafes.  The policy would guide those wishing to offer pavement café seating and table service.  It was important however, that a balance is struck to maintain the needs of other street users and ensure travel was unobstructed.  Therefore, the policy would require a minimum of 1500mm free space between the furniture and the edge of the footpath.

The report outlined details of the pavement licence and how it would be used by the authority and a business that had applies for one.  The Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board considered the pavement licence proposal at its meeting on 23 June 2021 and recommended the approval and adoption of the policy (appended to the report) by the Executive Board.

RESOLVED:  That the policy set out in Appendix A be adopted as a formal policy of the Borough Council.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Enterprise, Community and Resources, which requested approval to update the Local Development Scheme (LDS), attached at Appendix 1.

Members were advised that under statute, a council must prepare and keep updated a Local Development Scheme (LDS) that provides a timetable for the production of their statutory development plan (or ‘Local Plan’).  The LDS describes the planning policy documents that a council intends to prepare, and gives target dates for key stages in their production.  The updated LDS covers the remaining stages in the preparation of the Delivery and Allocations Local Plan that had recently gone through examination by an independent government inspector.

It was noted that the Environment and Urban Renewal Policy and Performance Board considered the updated LDS at its meeting held on 23 June 2021 and recommended its approval and adoption by the Executive Board.

RESOLVED:  That the Local Development Scheme 2021 be adopted as a formal part of Halton Borough Council’s planning framework.

PART II

In this case the Board has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Board considered:

1)    whether members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the Board during consideration of the following items of business in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and

2)    whether the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED:  That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business, in accordance with Sub-Section 4 of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – People, which provided a briefing on the issues arising from the planned national telecommunications digital switchover in 2025.

The Board considered the three options presented and it was agreed that the Council would support Option 3 – the investment of capital expenditure to upgrade the Telehealthcare Service.  This would enable the service to operate with health, housing and other key services providing additional data to support working preventatively in the community, whilst minimising risk and allowing people to live an independent life as possible in their own homes.

RESOLVED:  That the Executive Board supports an investment of capital expenditure to upgrade the Telehealthcare Service.

MINUTES ISSUED:   20 July 2021

CALL-IN:   27 July 2021 at 5.00 pm

Any matter decided by the Executive Board may be called in no later than 5.00pm on 27 July 2021.