Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes from the meeting held on 26 January 2021 were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

The Board was advised that no public questions had been received.

The Board was presented with the Minutes relating to the Corporate Services Portfolio which had been considered by the Executive Board since the last meeting of this Board.

            RESOLVED: That the Minutes be noted.

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director Enterprise, Community and Resources, which provided information on the Breathing Space process which came into effect on 4^th May 2021. It provides Council debtors with legal protections to ensure that creditors pause recovery and enforcement action for a period of up to 60 days.

            There were two types of breathing space: a standard breathing space and a mental health crisis breathing space.

            A standard breathing space is available to anyone with problem debt. It provided legal protections from creditor action for up to 60 days. The protections include pausing most enforcement action and contact from creditors and freezing most interest and charges on their debts.

            A mental health crisis breathing space was only available to someone who received mental health crisis treatment and it had some stronger protections. It lasts as long as the person’s mental health crisis treatment, plus 30 days (no matter how long the crisis treatment lasts).

            Members noted information on:

·         Debt-advice providers;

·         The insolvency service;

·         Applying for a standard breathing space and eligibility;

·         Applying for a mental health crisis breathing space and eligibility;

·         Qualifying and excluded debts; and

·         The Councils role throughout the process and the next steps when a breathing space end.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board considered a copy of the Annual Report from the Chair of the Corporate Services Board, 2020/21. The Board met four times during the year and the report set out the work carried out and the recommendations throughout the Municipal Year April 2020 to March 2021.

            RESOLVED: That the Annual Report be noted.

            The Board considered an update report from the Strategic Director Enterprise, Community and Resources, on the work of the External Funding Team in securing external funding resources into Halton. The Team focussed on the following funding resources: Government, European, National Lottery, Landfill Funding, Trusts and Foundations. The report covered the following issues:

·         An update on the team’s key activities and priorities;

·         Covid response;

·         Emerging issues in external funding; and

·         Funding statistics for the period 2020-21.

A Member queried the protocols put in place to replace European Funding streams from 2023. In response the Board was advised on the Government Priority Fund.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Board was provided with a report from the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented details of health and safety management within the Authority from 1 April 2020 to 31^st March 2021.

The report highlighted health and safety incidents that had taken place over the past twelve months and as a result of those incidents proposed actions for the future. In addition the report included information around the number of actual near misses, accidents that had resulted over 7 day absences, together with significant accidents. It also included Covid employee figures.

Arising from the discussion, the Board were provided with further information on the Lone Working Scheme for employees. The Scheme had been developed in conjunction with staff and its mandatory use had the support of Trades Unions and Senior Management. The Board agreed that its primary concern was for the Scheme to protect those employees.

            RESOLVED: That the contents of the report be noted including the recommendations and actions for 2021/22.

The Board received a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which presented the Performance Monitoring Report for Quarter 4 of 2020/21.

The reports related to the following functional areas which reported to the  Board and detailed progress against service objectives and milestones and performance targets, and provided information relating to key developments and emerging issues that had arisen during the period:

·         Finance;

·         Human Resources and Organisational Development;

·         ICT and Administrative Support;

·         Legal and Democracy;

·         Policy and Performance;

·         Property Services; and

·         Catering, Stadium and Registration Services.

            It was agreed that the Board would be provided with further information on the criteria applied by other local authorities in respect the Covid Self-Isolation Payments.

RESOLVED: That the Quarter 4 Performance Monitoring reports be received and noted.