Agenda and minutes

            The Minutes from the meeting held on 25 January 2022 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 the minutes of the Member Development Group meeting held on 14 October 2021. On behalf of the Board the Chair thanked Councillor J Stockton, who had recently retired as a Councillor, for his work on Member Development.

RESOLVED: That the minutes 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;

·         Emerging issues in external funding; and

·         Funding statistics for the period 2021-22.

            A Member raised concern regarding the future loss of European monies and queried how the Council would move forward. In response, Members were advised that it was anticipated any future funding would be considerably less and there would be a need to strongly lobby Government to secure any future monies that would be available to replace European monies.

            Arising from the discussion, Councillor A Lowe thanked the Team for the improvement works that had taken place around Halton Lea.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

            The Board was advised that on 23 March 2022, the Government announced an extension to the Household Support Fund, which previously operated from October 2021 to March 2022. The Fund was intended to support vulnerable households particularly those including children and pensioners.

            The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had issued guidance and grant allocations for councils, with the grant funding covering the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022. Halton’s allocation of grant funding was £1,297,880 of which 5% was permitted to provide for the costs of administering the grant. A spending plan had been prepared, as set out in the Appendix, regarding how the grant funding might be utilised via a combination of Council departments and voluntary sector partners, to deliver help and assistance to vulnerable households over the six month period. The plan would also provide a basis for monitoring spending against the grant, as required by the DWP and ensure that it was fully utilised in accordance with the grant guidance by 30 September 2022.

            In order to ensure at least one third was allocated for vulnerable households with children, free school meal vouchers of £12 per week would once again be provided to approximately 7,500 eligible pupils at an estimated cost of £630,000 (summer half term holidays and summer school holidays). To support vulnerable pensioner households with at least one third of funding, all 4,303 pensioners currently receiving Council Tax Reduction would be provided with an award of £120. It was estimated that this would deliver approximately £516,360. The remaining grant (up to a third) would be used to assist other vulnerable households.

            A progress report regarding delivery of the Household Support Fund would be presented to the Board on 6 September 2022.

            RESOLVED: That

1.    progress with delivery of the Household Support Fund, as outlined in the report, be noted; and

2.    a further progress report be brought to the next meeting of the Board.

            The Board considered a copy of the Annual Report from the Chair of the Corporate Services Board for 2021/22. 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 2021 to March 2022.

            RESOLVED: That the Annual 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 2021 to 31^st March 2022.

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.

            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 2021/22.

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.

            The Board discussed issues around recruitment within the Council, including the current delays being experience by new employees prior to their employment. It was agreed that a report would be brought to a future meeting on the current problems the Council was experiencing with recruitment of staff, comparison with other authorities within Liverpool City Region and the numbers and cost of agency staff.

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