Agenda and minutes

In the absence of the Chair, Councillor Maher and the Vice Chair, Councillor Fairclough the Democratic Services Manager requested nominations for Chair of the Meeting.  It was moved by Councillor Lappin, seconded by Councillor Atkinson and agreed that Councillor Hardy Chair the meeting of the Cabinet. 

Decision Made:      Councillor Hardy, in the Chair

Apologies for absence were received from the Chair, Councillor Maher and the Vice Chair Councillor Fairclough.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting by switching their camera and microphone off during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer by 12 Noon the day before the meeting to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2020

Decision Made:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2020 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

The Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services in relation to the current telephony solution and the proposed procurement route for a new cloud telephony service.

Decision Made:     

(1)              that the Executive Director for Corporate Resources and Customers Services be authorised to conduct a procurement exercise for cloud telephony solution(s) with a view to entering into a contract for a maximum period of 2 years plus one year; and

(2)              that the Executive Director for Corporate Resources and Customers Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services be granted delegated authority to award the contract(s) resulting from the procurement and to award any extension thereof.

Reason for the Decisions:

To have an appropriate and best value contract(s) in place for telephony service provision.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

To continue with existing telephony solution, however this requires significant investment, does not support the Councils move to cloud based telephony and does not support agile working (soft telephony).

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

The Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services in relation to the Treasury Management activities undertaken to 30 September 2020.  The report set out that it was the second of the ongoing quarterly monitoring reports provided to the Audit and Governance Committee and the mid-year report to he Cabinet and Council, in order that the treasury management policies and practices maybe scrutinised.

Decision Made:

That the Treasury Management update to 30 September 2020 be noted; the effects of decisions taken in pursuit of the Treasury Management Strategy be reviewed; and the implications of changes resulting from regulatory, economic and market factors affecting the Council’s treasury management activities be considered.

Reasons for the Decision:

To ensure that Members are fully appraised of the treasury activity undertaken to 30 September 2020 and to meet the reporting requirements set out in Sefton’s Treasury Management Practices and those recommended by the CIPFA code.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

To comply with Regulation 5(2) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, notice has been published regarding the intention to consider the following matter(s) in private for the reasons set out below.

The Cabinet is recommended to pass the following resolution:

That, under the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item 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 Local Government Act 1972.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

Decision Made:

That, under the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

The Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services in relation to exempt information regarding Phase 1 Asset Disposals.

Decision Made:

That the exempt information be considered as part of the public report in relation to this matter, reference Minute No: 64 refers.

Reason for the Decision:

The exempt information is required to be considered with the information in the public report in order that an informed decision may be made.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

To invite the press and public back into the meeting to consider the following report:

Decision Made:

That the press and public be re-admitted to the meeting.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

Further to Minute No’s. 97 and 99 of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 January 2020 in relation to Asset Maximisation, the Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services that detailed the first phase of potential Asset Disposals.

Decision Made:       That:

(1)              The disposal of the assets detailed in the report, with a view to generating capital receipts to support the Growth and Investment Programme and the Council’s Framework for Change Programme, be approved;

(2)              authority be granted to Officers to negotiate terms and conditions for each disposal in line with the usual delegations set out in the Council’s Asset Disposal Policy; and

(3)              the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services be requested to provide a progress report to the meeting of the Cabinet scheduled to take place on 1 April 2021.