Agenda and minutes

          The Mayor reported the sad passing of Honorary Alderman and former Mayor, Cath Gerrard.

          The Council stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

          The minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2013, having been printed and circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

          RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting be confirmed and adopted.

          The Mayor made the following announcements:

·       Halton Borough Council had been presented with a square silver salver for safe keeping. This had formerly been presented to the late Alderman John Collins OBE. JP. BSc in May 1973 in recognition of his eminent services to the Borough of Widnes.

·       The Mayor read out a letter of thanks she had received from Mr S Johnson for the warm welcome and hospitality afforded the USA Rugby League Team during their stay in the Borough for  recent World Cup Event.

          The Leader made the following announcements:

·       Work continued on the arrangements for presentation of  a balanced budget for 2014/15; and

·       Feedback had been received on the recent Corporate Peer Challenge that had taken place and was organised by the Local Government Association. Members would be invited to a seminar in the New Year, to discuss the observations and recommendations which had been made.

a)    17 October 2013

b)    7 November 2013

c)     21 November 2013

          The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board meetings from 17 October 2013, 7 November 2013 and 21 November 2013.

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

The Council considered the minutes of the Mersey Gateway Executive Board meeting on 7 November 2013.

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

The Council considered the minutes of the meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board on 13 November 2013.

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

          It was noted that no questions had been submitted under Standing Order No. 8.

(N.B. Councillor Ron Hignett declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the following item of business as he was a member of the Public Sector Joint Venture Board)

Executive Board considered a report and presentation of the Chief Executive which updated Members on the proposed arrangements to fund the future development of Sci-Tech, Daresbury.

RECOMMENDED: That

1)    the proposals for the future development of Sci-Tech Daresbury be noted;

2)    Council be asked to approve the inclusion of Project Tech Space in the Council’s Capital Programme, to be funded as set out in the Threshold Report;

3)    authority be given for the Council to enter into the legal and funding agreements with the Joint Venture Partners for the delivery of the projects; and

4)    agree to the Council entering into the financial arrangements to deliver the projects.

Executive Board had considered a report and presentation of the Chief Executive which updated Members on the proposed arrangements to fund the future development of Sci-Tech, Daresbury.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the proposals for the future development of Sci-Tech Daresbury be noted;

2)    Council approve the inclusion of Project Tech Space in the Council’s Capital Programme, to be funded as set out in the Threshold Report;

3)    authority be given for the Council to enter into the legal and funding agreements with the Joint Venture Partners for the delivery of the projects; and

4)    agree to the Council entering into the financial arrangements to deliver the projects.

Executive 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.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve

1)    the Council Tax Base for 2014/15 to be set at 31,400 for the Borough, and that the Cheshire Fire Authority, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Environment Agency be so notified; and

2)    the Council Tax Base for each of the Parishes be set as follows;

Executive Board had 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.

RESOLVED: That Council approve

1)    the Council Tax Base for 2014/15 to be set at 31,400 for the Borough, and that the Cheshire Fire Authority, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Environment Agency be so notified; and

2)    the Council Tax Base for each of the Parishes be set as follows;

Executive Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which reported on the 2013/14 Half Year Spending as at 30 September 2013.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the revisions to the Council’s 2013/14 Capital Programme set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report.

Executive Board had considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which reported on the 2013/14 Half Year Spending as at 30 September 2013.

RESOLVED: That the revisions to the Council’s 2013/14 Capital Programme set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report be approved.

Executive Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on initial revenue budget proposals for 2014/15.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the initial budget proposals for 2014/15 as set out in Appendix 1.

Executive Board had considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on initial revenue budget proposals for 2014/15.

Members wished to place on record their thanks to all staff that had worked on the budget preparations.

RESOLVED: That the initial budget proposals for 2014/15 as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

Executive Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which provided an update on regeneration projects at Widnes Waterfront and Johnson’s Lane, and sought approval to vary the Capital Programme to allow these projects to proceed.

RECOMMENDED: That Council include the £0.52m remediation costs of the former Bayer site and £0.5m for the provision of infrastructure at Johnson’s Lane, Widnes, within the Capital Programme, to initially be funded from Growing Places Fund (GPF) loans (subject to successful bids) which will thereafter be repaid from the capital receipts generated from the sale of the respective sites.

Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which provided an update on regeneration projects at Widnes Waterfront and Johnson’s Lane, and sought approval to vary the Capital Programme to allow these projects to proceed.

RESOLVED: That the £0.52m remediation costs of the former Bayer site and £0.5m for the provision of infrastructure at Johnson’s Lane, Widnes, be included within the Capital Programme, to initially be funded from Growing Places Fund (GPF) loans (subject to successful bids) which will thereafter be repaid from the capital receipts generated from the sale of the respective sites.

Council are asked to note that Councillor Frank Fraser has been absent from attending Council meetings for four months, due to ill health.

Under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, permission is sought for Councillor Fraser to be granted an extended period of absence from attending Council meetings for a further period of 3 months, concluding on 14 March 2014.

Council was advised that Councillor Frank Fraser had been absent from attending Council meetings for four months, due to ill health.

Under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, permission was required for Councillor Fraser to be granted an extended period of absence from attending Council meetings for a further period of 3 months, concluding on 14 March 2014.

All Members wished Councillor Fraser a speedy recovery.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Frank Fraser be granted a period of absence from attending Council meetings for 3 months, concluding on 14 March 2014.

          The Council considered the reports of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 16 October 2013:

·       Children, Young People and Families;

·       Employment, Learning and Skills;

·       Health;

·       Safer;

·       Environment and Urban renewal;

·       Corporate; and

·       Business Efficiency.

In considering the minutes, Councillor Wainwright requested that his apologies be recorded for absence from the Business Efficiency Board meeting on the 27 November 2013.

The Council considered the reports of the following Committees in the period since the meeting of Council on 16 October 2013:

·       Development Control;

·       Regulatory;

·       Appeals.

        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 items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Council considered:

(1)      whether Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of Council 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 paragraphs 3 and 5 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 outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting 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, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Mersey Gateway Executive Board considered a report of the Chief Executive.

Council are asked to approve the following:

 (A)

(1)      The Final Business Case including the preferred Local User Toll Discount Scheme;

(2)      The Final Funding Submission and Final Funding Agreement with the Department for Transport as presented in the Final Funding Letter;

and

( B )

Council delegate to the Chief Executive ( in consultation with the Leader, the Portfolio Holder Resources, the Portfolio Holder Transportation, the Operational Director (Legal and Democratic Services), the Operational Director  (Finance ), the Operational Director (Policy, Planning and Transportation) and the Mersey Gateway Project Director ) authority to

i)                 enter into the following formal contracts;

a)    the Mersey Gateway Project Agreement with the Merseylink consortium;

b)    the Demand Management Participation Agreement with Sanef S. A;

c)  the Governance Agreement with the Mersey Gateway Crossings Board;

           and

ii)            to write to senior officials at the Department for

                      Transport to confirm that the terms and conditions in the

                      Final Funding Letter offered by Ministers are accepted by

                      the Council.             

          Mersey Gateway Executive Board had considered a report of the Chief Executive on the funding agreement and final business case for the Mersey Gateway Project.

          Councillors Chris Loftus, Cole, Morley and Tom McInerney made observations on the funding arrangements. In addition, Councillor Rowe read out a letter which had been sent by the Mayor of Halton, Councillor Margaret Ratcliffe, to the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, on the issue of tolling.

          RESOLVED: That

(A)      Council approve the following:-

(1)      The Final Business Case (including the recommended Local User Toll Discount Scheme - attached)

(2)      The Final Funding Submission and Final Funding Agreement with the Department for Transport as presented in the Final Funding Letter;

and

( B )  Council delegate to the Chief Executive ( in consultation with the Leader, the Portfolio Holder Resources, the Portfolio Holder Transportation, the Operational Director (Legal and Democratic Services), the Operational Director  (Finance ), the Operational Director (Policy, Planning and Transportation) and the Mersey Gateway Project Director ) authority to

i)        enter into the following formal contracts:-

a)      The Mersey Gateway Project Agreement with the Merseylink consortium;

b)      The Demand Management Participation Agreement with Sanef S. A;

c)   The Governance Agreement with the Mersey Gateway  Crossings Board;

           and

ii)            to write to senior officials at the Department for

                    Transport to confirm that the terms and conditions in the

                     Final Funding Letter offered by Ministers are accepted by

                     the Council; 

(C)   That the Leader, on behalf of the Council, make representation to Government, inviting Government to contribute financially to an improved LUDS to ensure ALL Halton residents can cross Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridges – free of any tolls

(D)   That the Leader, on behalf of the Council, writes to Government, expressing the Council’s anger and frustration at the double standards shown by Government by stating existing roads such as the A14 in the southeast of England should not be tolled but insisting that the A533 an existing road crossing the Silver Jubilee Bridge, but in the north of England, must be tolled.                   

          To consider the attached Part II report:-

            RECOMMENDATION: That Council approves

1)   the Development Agreement with Consolidated Property Group (CPG) for the redevelopment of the former Crosville Site, Runcorn; and

2)   the Capital Programme is revised as outlined in paragraph 5.3 of the report to enable this development to proceed.

          Council considered a report of the Chief Executive on the progress made to develop the former Crossville site and the need to revise the Capital Programme to allow the development to proceed.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the Development Agreement with Consolidated Property Group (CPG) for the redevelopment of the former Crosville Site, Runcorn be approved; and

2)       the Capital Programme as outlined in paragraph 5.3 of the report, be revised to enable this development to proceed.