SEFTON METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORWARD PLAN

For the four month period 1 November 2024 - 28 February 2025

This Forward Plan sets out the details of the key decisions which the Cabinet, individual Cabinet Members or Officers expect to take during the next four month period. The Plan is rolled forward every month and is available to the public at least 28 days before the beginning of each month.

A Key Decision is defined in the Council's Constitution as:

1.	any Executive decision that is not in the Annual Revenue Budget and Capital Programme approved by the Council and which requires a gross budget expenditure, saving or virement of more than £100,000 or more than 2% of a Departmental budget, whichever is the greater;

2.	any Executive decision where the outcome will have a significant impact on a significant number of people living or working in two or more Wards

Anyone wishing to make representations about any of the matters listed below may do so by contacting the relevant officer listed against each Key Decision, within the time period indicated.

Under the Access to Information Procedure Rules set out in the Council's Constitution, a Key Decision may not be taken, unless:

it is published in the Forward Plan;

5 clear days have lapsed since the publication of the Forward Plan; and

if the decision is to be taken at a meeting of the Cabinet, 5 clear days notice of the meeting has been given.

The law and the Council's Constitution provide for urgent key decisions to be made, even though they have not been included in the Forward Plan in accordance with Rule 26 (General Exception) and Rule 28 (Special Urgency) of the Access to Information Procedure Rules.

Copies of the following documents may be inspected at the Town Hall, Oriel Road, Bootle L20 7AE or accessed from the Council's website: www.sefton.gov.uk

Council Constitution

Forward Plan

Reports on the Key Decisions to be taken

Other documents relating to the proposed decision may be submitted to the decision making meeting and these too will be made available by the contact officer named in the Plan

The minutes for each Key Decision, which will normally be published within 5 working days after having been made

Some reports to be considered by the Cabinet/Council may contain exempt information and will not be made available to the public. The specific reasons (Paragraph No(s)) why such reports are exempt are detailed in the Plan and the Paragraph No(s) and descriptions are set out below:-

1. Information relating to any individual

2. Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

3. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the	authority holding that information)

4. Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the Authority

5. Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

6. Information which reveals that the authority proposes a) to give under any enactment a notice under or by virtue of which requirements are imposed	on a person; or b) to make an order or direction under any enactment

7. Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime

8. Information falling within paragraph 3 above is not exempt information by virtue of that paragraph if it is required to be registered under—

(a) the Companies Act 1985;

(b) the Friendly Societies Act 1974;

(c) the Friendly Societies Act 1992;

(d) the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 to 1978;

(e) the Building Societies Act 1986; or

(f) the Charities Act 1993.

9.Information is not exempt information if it relates to proposed development for which the local planning authority may grant itself planning permission pursuant to regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1992

10. Information which—

(a) falls within any of paragraphs 1 to 7 above; and

(b) is not prevented from being exempt by virtue of paragraph 8 or 9 above, is exempt information if and so long, 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 public are welcome to attend meetings of the Cabinet and Council which are held at the Town Hall, Oriel Road, Bootle or the Town Hall, Lord Street, Southport. The dates and times of the meetings are published on www.sefton.gov.uk or you may contact the Democratic Services Section on telephone number 0151 934 2068.

NOTE:

For ease of identification, items listed within the document for the first time will appear shaded.

Phil Porter

Chief Executive

FORWARD PLAN INDEX OF ITEMS

Item Heading	Officer Contact
Sefton New Directions	Neil Watson neil.watson@sefton.gov.uk Tel: 0151 934 3744
Housing Strategy: People with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism	Steve Metcalf steve.metcalf@sefton.gov.uk
Healthwatch	Rebecca Bond rebecca.bond@sefton.gov.uk

SEFTON METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORWARD PLAN

Details of Decision to be taken	Sefton New Directions To update Cabinet on the Sefton New Directions transformation programme and to provide a 2025/26 budget position for the company.
Decision Maker	Cabinet
Decision Expected	7 Nov 2024
Key Decision Criteria	Financial	Yes	Community Impact	Yes
Exempt Report	Part exempt (Paragraph 3)
Wards Affected	All Wards
Scrutiny Committee Area	Adult Social Care
Lead Director	Executive Director - Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing (Place Director)
Persons/Organisations to be Consulted	Sefton New Directions and key partners such as Cheshire & Merseyside ICB.
Method(s) of Consultation	Meetings and Emails.
List of Background Documents to be Considered by Decision-maker	Sefton New Directions
Contact Officer(s) details	Neil Watson neil.watson@sefton.gov.uk Tel: 0151 934 3744

SEFTON METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORWARD PLAN

Details of Decision to be taken	Housing Strategy: People with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism The 9 councils in Cheshire and Merseyside (Cheshire East, Cheshire West, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Warrington and Wirral) with NHS Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care System (ICS) work together in order to commission and deliver the right mix of housing, care and health services required by people with learning disabilities and/or Autism who have care and support needs. The purpose of this Housing strategy for people with learning disabilities and/or Autism is to set out the requirement for and the opportunities to develop good quality housing and supported housing to meet the needs of the population of people with learning disabilities and/or Autism in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Decision Maker	Cabinet
Decision Expected	7 Nov 2024
Key Decision Criteria	Financial	No	Community Impact	Yes
Exempt Report	Open
Wards Affected	All Wards
Scrutiny Committee Area	Adult Social Care
Lead Director	Executive Director - Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing (Place Director)
Persons/Organisations to be Consulted	Sefton Officers; Members; Merseycare; People First; Carers Centre; Autism Sub-Group; and Cheshire and Merseyside partners
Method(s) of Consultation	Meetings; Emails; and sharing of information
List of Background Documents to be Considered by Decision-maker	Assessment of future accommodation with support needs Assessment of future accommodation with support needs Housing Strategy: people with learning disabilities and/or Autism
Contact Officer(s) details	Steve Metcalf steve.metcalf@sefton.gov.uk

SEFTON METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

FORWARD PLAN

Details of Decision to be taken	Healthwatch To seek approval to commence a procurement exercise for Healthwatch services.
Decision Maker	Cabinet
Decision Expected	7 Nov 2024
Key Decision Criteria	Financial	Yes	Community Impact	Yes
Exempt Report	Open
Wards Affected	All Wards
Scrutiny Committee Area	Adult Social Care
Lead Director	Executive Director - Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing (Place Director)
Persons/Organisations to be Consulted	Stakeholders and partners - such as Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.
Method(s) of Consultation	Internal meetings & emails; Meeting with partners and stakeholders
List of Background Documents to be Considered by Decision-maker	Healthwatch
Contact Officer(s) details	Rebecca Bond rebecca.bond@sefton.gov.uk