Agenda and minutes

            The minutes of the meeting held on 11 November 2020, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

Council took part in a minute’s silence in honour of Councillor Morley, who had sadly passed away last month. 

            The Leader highlighted the following issues since the last meeting of the Council:

·         It was recommended that Councillor Rowe would be appointed Mayor and Councillor Dennett would be appointed Deputy Mayor at Annual Council in May 2021;

·         the ongoing response the pandemic had continued to dominate our agenda, but the roll out of the vaccine was giving a degree of optimism. A “Roadmap” for Halton as to how we go forward over the coming months was being developed. On 23 March two remembrance stones for those who died as a result of Covid-19 would be unveiled in the Borough;

·         The preparation for our budget for 2020/21 had also been a key feature of activity and in the circumstance; we have produced the best budget we could. It protects key services and would enable us to continue to support our communities;

·         The re-opening of the Silver Jubilee Bridge was a major boost in relation to access to Runcorn Old Town and the Station Quarter. It will be a big help to our ambitious regeneration objectives in that part of the Borough;

·         This is the last Council before the May elections and the Leader thanked all those members who would not be standing for their contributions and support over the years and wished them all the best for the future; and

·         Finally, the Leader thanked all members and officers for the support they have given him over the past 11 years. Whilst it had been a very challenging period for the Borough dominated in many ways by tough financial settlements and more recently the pandemic he was proud of the collective achievements and proud to have been Leader of this Council.

            Councillor J. Stockton also thanked Councillor Polhill for his exceptional role and achievements as Leader of the Council during the past 11 years.

            The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive, on the urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of the Council.

            RESOLVED: That Council note the report.

            The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board meetings on 19 November 2020, 10 December 2020 and 21 January 2021.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

The Council considered the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board  meeting on 7 October 2021.

            RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

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

Executive Board considered the attached reports.

RECOMMENDATION: That Council be recommended to approve the revisions to the Council’s 2020/21 Capital Programme as set out in the reports.

            The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the 2020/21 Revised Capital Programme.

            RESOLVED: That the revisions to the Council’s 2020/21 Capital Programme as set out in the report be approved.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDATION: That Council be recommended to:

1)    adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A, which includes setting the budget at £111.446m, the Council Tax requirement of £54.509m (before Parish, Police, Fire and LCR Combined Authority precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,549.34; and

2)    approve the revenue budget proposals for 2021/22 set out in Appendix B and capital programme set out in Appendix F.

            The Executive Board had considered a report setting out a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2020/21. Since then, Cheshire Fire Authority had set its budget and Council Tax precept and this had been included in the full report to Council.

            The Executive Board had recommended that Council adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A of the report, which included setting the budget at £115.70m, the Council Tax requirement of £52,179m (before Parish, Police, Fire and LCR Combined Authority precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,475.70.

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

            In accordance with Standing Order 16 (3), a recorded vote was taken.

            The following Members voted FOR the motion:-

Councillors Horabin, Abbott, Baker, J. Bradshaw, M. Bradshaw, D. Cargill, E. Cargill, Carlin, Cassidy, Dennett, Dourley, Jones, Fry, Gilligan, Harris, P. Hignett, R. Hignett, S. Hill, V. Hill, Howard, Jones, Leck, M. Lloyd Jones, P. Lloyd Jones, C. Loftus, K. Loftus, Logan, A. Lowe, J. Lowe, MacManus, A. McInerney, T. McInerney, Nelson, Nolan, Philbin, Polhill, C. Plumpton Walsh, N. Plumpton Walsh, Ratcliffe, Joe Roberts, June Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G. Stockton, J. Stockton, Teeling, Thompson, Wainwright, Wall, Wallace, Wharton, Whitley, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo

            There were no votes against the motion.

            There were no abstentions.

            RESOLVED: That the Council adopt the following resolution:

1.         The policies outlined in this paper be adopted, including the budget and council tax for 2021/22, the savings set out in Appendix B and the Capital Programme set out in Appendix F.

2.         That it be noted that at the meeting on 11 November 2020 the Council agreed the following:

(a)       The Council Tax Base 2021/22 for the whole Council area is 35,182 (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:

            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 items relate.

3.         Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2021/22 (excluding Parish precepts) is £54,508,880.

4.         In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Sections 31 to 36), the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2021/22 and agreed as follows:

(a)       £419,777,326 – being the aggregate of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDATION:  That Council be recommended to approve the 2021/22 Capital Strategy.

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            The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the Council’s Capital Strategy for 2021/22.

            Members noted that the Capital Strategy should be read in conjunction with the Treasury Management Statement, also considered at this meeting. The successful delivery of the Capital Strategy would assist the Council in planning and funding its capital expenditure over the next three years.

            RESOLVED: That Council approve the 2021/22 Capital Strategy, as presented in the Appendix attached to the report.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDATION:  That Council be recommended to adopt the policies, strategies, statements, prudential and treasury indicators outlined in the report.

            The Council considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the Treasury Management Statement, which incorporated the Annual Investment Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Strategy for 2021/22.

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

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDATION: That Council approve the Calendar of Meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year, as appended to the report.

            The Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on a calendar of meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

            RESOLVED: That the calendar of meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year, as appended to the report, be approved.

RECOMMENDED: That Council adopts this Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2021/22

            The Council considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, on the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22.

            The Localism Act 2011 required every local authority to prepare a Pay Policy Statement each year, which detailed the Council’s approach to a range of issues relating to the pay of its employees, principally its Chief Officers and the Authority’s lowest paid employees.

            The purpose of the Statement was to provide transparency with regards to the Council’s approach to setting the pay of its employees by identifying the following:-

·         The methods by which salaries of all employees were determined;

·         The details and level of remuneration of its most senior staff (i.e. its Chief Officers); and

·         The Committee responsible for ensuring the provisions set out in the Statement were applied consistently throughout the Council and recommending any amendments to the Full Council.

The report also detailed the requirement from April 2018 for employers with more than 250 employees to report on the gender Pay Gap. The calculation was prescribed statutorily, based on a snapshot date of 31 March the previous year.  Detailed information was published on the Council’s web site.

The following information was included in the report:-

·         Background to the Pay Structure;

·         Senior Management Remuneration;

·         Recruitment of Chief Officers;

·         Additions to Salaries of Chief Officers;

·         Pensions Contributions;

·         Payments on Termination;

·         Publication;

·         Lowest Paid Employees; and

·         Accountability and Decision Making.

RESOLVED: That the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22 be adopted.

            The Council considered the reports of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 11 November 2020:-

·         Children, Young People and Families;

·         Employment, Learning and Skills and Community;

·         Safer; and

·         Corporate Services.

In moving the minutes of the Policy and Performance Boards and Business Efficiency Board, the Chairs, wished to record their thanks to all Officers for their work during the year. Councillor T. McInerney requested his thanks to all schools be recorded for their work and the service they had provided during the past year.

In moving the minutes of the Health Policy and Performance Board, the Chair, Councillor J. Lowe, wished to record her thanks to all the Officers, front line workers and partner agencies for all their work during the past year.

The Council considered the reports of the following Committees in the period since the meeting of Council on 11 November 2020:-

·         Development Control; and

·         Regulatory

In moving the minutes of the Development Control Committee, the Chair, Councillor Nolan paid tribute to Councillor Morley who had recently passed away.

In moving the minutes of the Regulatory Committee, the Chair Councillor Wallace, wished to record her thanks to retiring Mayor, Councillor Margaret Horabin, for her many years of service as a Councillor and she wished her well for the future.