Agenda

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council be recommended to approve the Calendar of Meetings for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council:

1)              adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A, which includes setting the budget at £224.237m, the Council Tax requirement of £71.959m (before Parish, Police, Fire and LCR Combined Authority precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,938.81;

2)              approve the capital programme set out in Appendix D; and

3)              approve the budget savings set out in Appendix E.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That

1)    Executive Directors continue to implement the approved 2025/26 saving proposals as detailed in Appendix 4;

2)    Executive Directors continue to identify areas where they can further reduce their directorate’s spending or generate income, in order to ensure the council wide forecast outturn overspend position for the year remains within budget;

3)    this report be shared with each Policy and Performance Board in order to ensure they have a full appreciation of the councilwide financial position, in addition to their specific areas of responsibility;

4)    Council be asked to approve the revisions to the capital programme set-out in paragraph 3.31 and incorporated within Appendix 5; and

5)    the forecast position for High Needs set-out in Para 3.19 to 3.24 and Appendix 3, be noted.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

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

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDATION: That Council be recommended to approve the 2026/27 Capital Strategy, as presented in the Appendix.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That

1)    the integration of the HR and Payroll Module into the Unit4 ERP Finance System, be approved; and

2)     Council be requested to include the project within the Capital Programme at an estimated cost of £456,459 as outlined in paragraph 5.1.

Executive Board considered the attached report.

RECOMMENDED: That Council be asked to include £1,161,300  total estimated cost of the energy efficiency works at Picow Farm Road within the capital programme, to be funded by grant funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund and including a Council contribution of between £162,000 - £200,000.

Under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, permission is sought for:

·       Councillor Lowe to be granted a period of absence from attending Council meetings for a period of 3 months, concluding on 4 June 2026, due to personal circumstances.

·       Councillor Stretch to be granted a period of absence from attending Council meetings for a period of 3 months, concluding on 4 June 2026, due to personal circumstances.

The Mayoral Committee considered a Part II item making a recommendation on the appointment of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

Council is requested to note the following recommendations, formal confirmation of which will be sought at Annual Council.

1)   Councillor Pamela Wallace be appointed as the Mayor; and

2)   Councillor Mike Wharton be appointed as the Deputy Mayor.

PART II

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 item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Executive Board considered the attached Part II report:

RECOMMENDED: That

1)    Members give approval to proceed with the works as identified in the report;

2)    Executive Board approval is given for recommendation to Full Council for an adjustment to the capital programme of up to £546,000; and

3)    Approval of the detailed costs and the option to be undertaken, be delegated to the Executive Director Environment and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Employment Learning, Skills and Community.