Agenda and minutes

          The Minutes from the meeting held on 2^nd September 2025 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 the Board, were attached as Appendix 1 for information.

          The Board expressed that they would like to discuss the Voluntary Severance Scheme before any final decisions are made by the Executive Board.

          The Board considered an update regarding delivery of the Government’s Household Support Fund and progress with Discretionary Housing Payments between 1 April 2025 and 30 September 2025. This included the breakdown of spending for the Discretionary Support Scheme which included school meal vouchers and foodbanks. The Household Support Fund will be replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund and it was expected that Halton would receive the same amount, but it may be less effective as rents increase with inflation.

          The following additional information was provided in response to Member’s questions:

• Regarding foodbanks, it was clarified that Runcorn Food Bank had not spent all their allocation yet, but it was expected that they would.
• Both Widnes and Runcorn’s foodbanks received the same amount of funding. 
• When the Household Support Fund was introduced, the Council involved may third sector parties including the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. However, the money could not be used to fund salaries of those who worked in the third sector.
• Free school meals took up £1 million of the Household Support Fund’s payments and £500,000 was given to pensioners.
• There will be new Government guidance regarding payments from Government Funds.
• It was confirmed that the Team’s staffing structure had stated the same but there was a vacancy following a retirement.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

          The Board considered the performance of health safety management within the Authority for 1st April 2025 to 31st August 2025. This included the proposed recommendations because of the accident analysis data for the first half of 2025 from 1st April and will be actioned during the period 2025/26. The risk assessments remained the same and work was being done to ‘tie up’ the system. They had the first set of data for lone working, but this could not be compared until 2026. There had been a decrease in incidents in workplaces but increase in the 43 primary schools that reported to the Council. 15 incidents came from one school from two pupils with SENs. Support is given to school staff when these incidents happen and offer additional support when required.

          The following additional information was provided in response to Member’s questions:

• It was confirmed that academies do not report incidents to the Council, and these incidents would only be known if academies shared this information.
• The Board expressed that Academies should provide statistics for incidents that occurred in their schools. Officers agreed to see if they could obtain these statistics through the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Ofsted guidance emphasised that schools should collaborate with the local community.
• It was noted that officers had written to academies before asking them to share their incident statistics. 
• Officers agreed to see if this issue was unique to Halton.
• A Board Member noted that if a child was violent in school, then they could become violent in the community, and this would become a Council issue.
• Officers agreed to liaise with the Director of Education on this to see if Ofsted would need to be involved.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

          The Board considered an update on Widnes Market. The Market’s business plan outlined the strategic priorities and actions to be implemented by the Market Management Team to ensure that Widnes Market continued to operate successfully and sustainably. This has included using social media and partnerships with organisations including the Business Improvement and Growth Team, Digital Cheshire, and Halton Chamber of Commerce. 

          The following additional information was provided in response to Member’s questions:

• The data in 3.6 of the report was after the implementation of the social media strategies and showed the difference three months before they were implemented.
• A new social media strategy was planned to highlight free parking areas within a 3-minute walk to the market.
• Market stall occupancy was at 82% and it covered its own costs.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

          The Board considered the annual update on the work of the Programmes Office in securing and managing external funding resources. The report provided an annual update on the Programmes Office key activities and priorities and the funding statistics for the period 2024-25. Development and Investment Services was split into two halves: funding & development and monitoring and compliance which was increasing in the amount of work that needed to be done. The Team was aiming to get a ‘fair share’ of funding for Halton from Central Government and raise the borough’s profile. In the future, funding will come from the new Pride and Place Fund from the Government.

          The following additional information was provided in response to Member’s questions:

• As Halton has a castle, this should be promoted more as historical buildings were very popular with tourists from abroad. As the first constructed canal in the country, it was noted that the Bridgewater Canal should be promoted too.
• Officers run a project called ‘Destination Halton’ which worked with the Liverpool combined authority.
• A new place strategy was being worked on to encourage tourism and improve the area for residents.
• Officers do not instigate tourism these projects, but these projects should be able to access the incoming Pride and Place Fund.
• Historically, Halton did not get funding and the reason given was that Halton was not diverse enough in what they had.
• League tables that showed what areas received in terms of funding were not produced anymore.
• For future projects, officers agreed to look at holding a member seminar to inform members on how funding could be obtained.
• As Halton is not a priority area for National Lottery funding, there had been a decline in people applying for their funding in the borough.
• Halton got 7.9% of UKSPF due to the level of deprivation in the borough.
• Officers asked councillors or members of community groups to contact them their email address (funding@halton.gov.uk) if they wanted help to access funding.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

          The Board considered the performance management for the second quarter period to 30th September 2025. Key priorities for development or improvement in 2025-26 were agreed by Members for the various functional areas.

          The following additional information was provided in response to Member’s questions:

• The Board expressed a concern in the reduction of workforce stability.
• It was clarified that the planned solar panel farm for Halton Leisure Centre will go out to bid in early 2026 with a contract being awarded in the spring of 2026.
• Officers agreed to see if the figures of money and power that the solar panel farm would provide.
• Officers agreed to see if there was a subsidy cost for those who used the leisure centre.
• It was confirmed that meeting will be had soon to discuss the future of the old multi-story building in Widnes.
• Regarding green waste bins, it was confirmed that Stockport charged £80 for green waste collection, Liverpool and Cheshire West charged £50 and Warrington charged £43.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.