Agenda and minutes

          The Mayor made the following announcements:

 

·       She had the pleasure of opening a new school library at Our Lady’s School, Palacefields, Runcorn;

·       She had attended the launch of the New Centre of Excellence at Riverside College, which had also been attended by the Duke of Westminster;

·       She wished to thank all those that had attended the Civic Ball at Halton Stadium. This had also been attended by the Lord Mayors of Chester and Liverpool, and six other Mayors from neighbouring authorities;

·       She had attended the Pink Ball, which raised funds for breast cancer charities, and was held in memory of the late Maureen King; and

·       She announced the introduction of a new Mayor’s Award, which was similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, which encouraged children aged 10-13 to become involved in a range of activities. The Grange School and West Runcorn Youth Club had agreed to pilot the Award.

Executive Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the Treasury Management Statement 2014/15.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council adopt the policies, strategies, statements and prudential and treasury indicators as outlined in the report.

 

 

The Executive Board had considered a report which proposed the Treasury Management Strategy for 2014/15, appended to the report and which detailed the following:

 

·       Treasury limits in force which would limit the treasury risk and activities of the Council

·       The current treasury position

·       Prospects for interest rates

·       The borrowing strategy

·       Policy on borrowing in advance of need

·       The annual investment strategy

·       Debt rescheduling

·       Minimum Revenue Provision policy statement

·       Creditworthiness policy

·       Policy on use of external service providers

·       Treasury Indicators

·       Adopting the CIPFA Code of Practice

 

RESOLVED: That the policies, strategies, statements and prudential and treasury indicators outlined in the report, be adopted.

Executive Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the Budget 2014/15.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council adopt the resolution as set out in Appendix A of the report, which included setting the budget at £108.234m, the Council Tax requirement of £37.101m (before Parish, Police and Fire precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,181.56.

 

 

The Executive Board had considered a report setting out a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2014/15. Since then the Cheshire Fire Authority and the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner had set their budgets and council tax precepts and these had been included in the report to full Council.

 

          The report included detail on the following:-

 

·       Medium Term Financial Strategy;

·       Budget Consultation

·       Review of the 2013/14 Budget;

·       2014/15 Budget;

·       the Local Government Finance Settlement;

·       Budget Outlook;

·       Halton’s Council Tax;

·       Parish Precepts;

·       Average Council Tax;

·       Police Precept;

·       Fire Precept;

·       Total Council Tax;

·       Capital Programme;

·       Prudential Code; and

·       School Budgets.

 

The Executive Board had recommended that Council adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A of the report, which included setting the budget at £108.243m and the Band D Council Tax for Halton (before Parish, Police and Fire precepts) of £1,181.56.

 

Councillor Wharton, Resources Portfolio Holder, thanked all the Officers involved for their support in producing this budget and wished to record his thanks to the Members of the Executive Board, the Budget Working Group and the Chairs of the Policy and Performance Boards for their contribution.

 

The Mayor advised that, following the introduction of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, there was now a requirement for Councils to adopt the practice of recorded votes on matters relating to budget setting, and that each Members’ vote be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. Therefore, it was

 

RESOLVED: That a recorded vote be taken.

 

The following Councillors voted for the motion:

 

Councillors Baker, D Cargill, E Cargill, Cassidy, Cole, Dennett, Edge, Fry, Gerrard, Harris, P Hignett, R Hignett, S Hill, V Hill, Howard, Jones, Lea, M Lloyd Jones, P Lloyd Jones, C Loftus, K Loftus, Logan, A Lowe, J Lowe, Macmanus, A McInerney, T McInerney, Nelson, Osborne, Parker, Philbin, C Plumpton Walsh, N Plumpton Walsh, Polhill, Ratcliffe, Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G Stockton, J Stockton, Thompson, Wainwright, Wallace, Wharton, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo.

 

There were no votes against the motion  and no abstentions.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1)    the policies outlined in the report be adopted, including the Budget for 2014/15, the savings set out in Appendix B and the Capital Programme set out in Appendix F;

 

2) it be noted that at the meeting on 11^th December 2013 the Council agreed the following:

 

(a)      The Council Tax Base 2014/15 for the whole Council area is 31,400 (item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the Act) and

 

(b)      For dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates, be set out as follows:

 

Parish	Tax Base
Hale	643
Daresbury	150
Moore	316
Preston Brook	319
Halebank	494
Sandymoor	950

 

          being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which special  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

Executive Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the 2013/14 Capital Programme.

 

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

 

 

 

The Executive Board had considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the 2013/14 revised Capital Programme.

 

The Council’s Capital Programme had been revised to reflect a number of changes in spending profiles and funding, as schemes developed. These were detailed in Appendix 1.

 

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 Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, on the Capital Programme for the Children and Enterprise Directorate.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the Capital Programme 2014/15.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Executive Board had considered a report of the Strategic Director, Children and Enterprise, which provided a summary of the 2014/15 Capital Programme for the Children and Enterprise Directorate.

 

Council was advised that in December 2013, the Department for Education announced the schools capital grant allocations for 2014/15, as set out in the table in the report. It was noted that this funding would support the following projects:

 

·       Capital Maintenance;

·       Basic Need Three Year Capital allocation;

·       Universal Free School Meals Capital; and

·       Devolved Formula Capital.

 

RESOLVED: That the Capital Programme for 2014/15 for the Children and Enterprise Directorate, be approved.

 

 

Executive Board considered a report of the Chief Executive on the establishment of a Combined Authority for the Liverpool City Region.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council

 

1)    confirms its previous decision that the Council should formally become a constituent member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority;

2)    notes the position on the making of the Orders attached in Appendix 1 and the Parliamentary process currently in train;

3)    endorses the Constitution for the Combined Authority as attached in Appendix 2;

4)    approves the Operating Agreement for the Combined Authority as attached in Appendix 3;

5)    approves arrangements set out in the report to appoint Members to the Combined Authority and its Committees;

6)    notes that no allowances (other than travel and subsistence) will be paid to Members of the Combined Authority, the Scrutiny Pool and other Committees and Boards, with the exception of the Merseytravel Committee;

7)    agrees that the payment of allowances for Co-opted Members of the Transport Committee will be dealt with in accordance with the current Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority Scheme and the Council’s own scheme be amended accordingly;

8)    notes that a review of the Combined Authority’s arrangements will be undertaken during the first year and reported to the Combined Authority’s Annual General Meeting in 2015; and

9)    agrees that approval to make any technical amendments to the Constitution and Operating Agreements for the Combined Authority and any other associated requirements to achieve the creation of the Combined Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

 

 

          The Executive Board considered a report of the Chief Executive on the establishment of a Combined Authority for the Liverpool City Region from 1 April 2014.

 

RESOLVED: That Council

 

1)    confirmed its previous decision that the Council should formally become a constituent member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority;

2)    noted the position on the making of the Orders as attached in Appendix 1 and the Parliamentary process currently in train;

3)    endorsed the Constitution for the Combined Authority as attached in Appendix 2;

4)    approved the Operating Agreement for the Combined Authority as attached in Appendix 3;

5)    approved the arrangements set out in the report to appoint members to the Combined Authority and its Committees ;

6)    noted that no allowances (other than travel and subsistence) will be paid to Members of the Combined Authority, the Scrutiny Pool and other Committees and Boards, with the exception of the Merseytravel Committee;

7)    agreed that the payment of allowances for co-opted members of the Transport Committee will be dealt with in accordance with the current Merseyside Integrated Transport Authority Scheme and the Council’s own scheme be amended accordingly;

8)    noted that a review of the Combined Authority’s arrangements will be undertaken during the first year and reported to the Combined Authority’s Annual General Meeting in 2015; and

9)    agreed that approval to make any technical amendments to the Constitution and Operating Agreement for the Combined Authority and any other associated requirements to achieve the creation of the Combined Authority is delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

 

To consider the attached report:-

 

 

RECOMMENDATION: That Council approves the Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15.

 

          Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which contained details of the Council’s recommended Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15 (the Statement).

 

          The Localism Act 2011 required every local authority to prepare a pay policy statement each year, which detailed the Council’s approach to setting the pay of its employees.

 

The report detailed the following information:

 

·       Background to the Pay Structure;

·       Senior Management Remuneration;

·       Recruitment of Chief Officers;

·       Additions to Salaries of Chief Officers;

·       Pension Contributions;

·       Payments on Termination:

·       Publication;

·       Lowest Paid Employees: and

·       Accountability and Decision Making.

 

RESOLVED: That the Pay Policy Statement for 2014/15 be approved.

 

 

Council are asked to note a change of membership for the Bridgewater Community Healthcare Trust Outside Body as follows:-

 

Councillor Morley will replace Councillor Wright.

 

RECOMMENDED: That this change be noted.

The Council noted the following change to the membership of Outside Bodies:

 

·       Bridgewater Community Healthcare Trust - Councillor Morley would replace Councillor Wright.

At its meeting on 11 December 2013, Council resolved to grant Councillor Frank Fraser a period of absence from attending Council meetings for 3 months due to ill health. This extension would conclude on 14 March 2014.

 

In the event that Councillor Fraser continues to be absent from meetings of the Council, under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, permission is sought for Councillor Fraser to be granted a further period of absence from attending Council meetings for a period of 3 months, concluding on 6 June 2014, due to continued ill health.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Councillor Fraser be granted a further period of absence from attending Council meetings for a period of 3 months, concluding on 6 June 2014.

Council was advised that Councillor Frank Fraser had been absent from attending Council meetings due to ill health. In December 2013, Council had resolved to grant him an extended period of absence from attending meetings, which would conclude on 14 March 2014.

 

          All Members wished to send Councillor Fraser their best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

RESOLVED: That Councillor Fraser be granted a further period of absence from attending Council meetings for a period of 3 months, concluding on 6 June 2014.