Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2009

RESOLVED:  

That the Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held on 17 December 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

In accordance with Paragraph 2.5 (ii) of the Cabinet Procedure Rules, Councillor Tattersall (as a Cabinet Member) will give a verbal report on the resolution passed by the Southport Area Committee at its meeting held on 6 January 2010 with regard to a petition to be presented by a local resident requesting the provision of a temporary Southport town centre library during the work on the Southport Cultural Centre.

The Cabinet will be aware that the provision of a Temporary Library Service was considered at the last Cabinet meeting held on 17 December 2009 (Minute No 236) and it was resolved that Minute No.29 of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services) held on 9 December 2009 be noted at this stage; namely:

That the Cabinet be advised that this Committee considers:

          (1)      that the timetable and funding for the refurbishment of the Southport Cultural Centre should not be jeopardised in any way; and

          (2)      that Party Groups should be invited to include financial proposals for a temporary Southport town centre library in their budgets at the appropriate time, should they wish to do so.

In accordance with Paragraph 2.5(ii) of the Cabinet Procedure Rules, Councillor Tattersall (as a Cabinet Member) reported on the resolution passed by the Southport Area Committee at its meeting held on 6 January 2010 with regard to a petition submitted by local residents requesting the provision of a temporary Southport town centre library during the work on the Southport cultural Centre.

The resolution of the Southport Area Committee (Minute No. 113) which had been circulated to the Members of the Cabinet, called upon the Cabinet to reverse its previous decision not to provide a temporary Town Centre library for Southport residents.

Councillor Hands also reported on the content of the public petition submitted to the Southport Area Committee.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the resolution of the Southport Area Committee be noted;

(2)      the Cabinet wishes to provide an affordable temporary replacement for the Southport Town Centre library for the duration of the Southport Cultural Centre works and recognises the urgency of this matter; and

(3)      officers be requested to review options for a temporary library facility that would be contained within the current revenue budget and, that reports are made regularly to the Cabinet Member designated to oversee the Cultural Centre project.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Cabinet considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive on the proposed Performance Reward Grant option for Sefton's Local Area Agreement for 2007-2010.  The report indicated that Performance Reward Grant would be paid on performance against the 29 stretch targets in the Local Area Agreement in accordance with the model for distribution set out in Annex 1 of the report following consultations with the Sefton Borough Partnership Board.

Members of the Cabinet expressed the view that the matter should be considered in further detail during the Budget Process and that its impact upon the Area Based Grant resources should be taken into account.

RESOLVED:  

That the report be deferred for further consideration during the Budget Process and a further report be brought back to the Cabinet if necessary.

Report of the Finance and Information Services Director

The Cabinet considered the report of the Finance and Information Services Director on the requirement for the Council to set its Council Tax Base for 2010/11.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:  

That, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 1992, as amended, the amount calculated by Sefton Council as the Council Tax Base for Sefton and for each Parish Area for 2010/11 shall be as follows:

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

Further to Minute No. 48 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Health and Social Care held on 23 December 2009, the Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being on the capital funding received from the North West Improvement and Efficiency Partnership for the purpose of improving the efficiency of Financial Assessments.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the inclusion of the funding of up to £150,000 in the Health and Social Care Capital Programme 2009/10 and it be noted that financial commitment will only be entered into as and when grant approval is gained for each phase of the project.

Report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being

Further to Minute No. 49 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Health and Social Care held on 23 December 2009, the Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being on the proposed virement of monies within the Health and Social Care Capital Programme to ensure that there is adequate funding for Disabled Facilities Grant to support increased spending commitments.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the virement of £250,000 from the Social Care SPC (C) 2008/09 - 2010/11 Capital Grant provision for 2009/10 in the Health and Social Care Capital Programme to the Disabled Facilities Grant budget.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families which provided an update on the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme and sought approval for the establishment of additional posts to support the Programme.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the progress of the BSF programme be noted;

(2)            approval be given to the establishment of additional posts as detailed in the report to support the programme; and

(3)       it be noted that all costs will be contained within the approved budget of £300,000 for 2009/10 and that a further report will be presented to the next meeting updating the total cost, benefits and risks of programme entry.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

This item was withdrawn from the agenda at the request of the Planning Committee, as the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) had not had the opportunity to consider the report following the cancellation of its meeting on 5 February 2010 due to the extreme weather conditions.

The report will be re-submitted to the Cabinet in due course, following consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Planning Committee.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 139 of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 13 January 2009, the Cabinet considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director which sought approval to make an Article 4(2) Direction within Moor Park Conservation Area so that planning permission will be required for a greater range of alterations to properties, helping to ensure that the character of the Conservation Area is maintained.

RESOLVED:  

That the Council be recommended to authorise the making of a Direction under Article 4(2) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended) in respect of the Moor Park Conservation Area.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No. 111 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Technical Services held on 13 January 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the award of additional funding by Cycling England/Department for Transport for the Southport Cycle Town Work Programme for 2009/10.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the inclusion of the additional funding of £250,000 in the Capital Programme 2009/10.

Joint report of the Head of Regeneration and Technical Services and Leisure Director

Further to Minute No. 87 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 13 January 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Regeneration and Technical Services and the Leisure Director on the award of funding by DEFRA for the Pathfinder Fund Project, in connection with the Coastal Change Policy.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the capital elements of the project in the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix A of the report totalling £145,000 to be fully funded from the DEFRA grant.

Report of the Leisure Director

Further to Minute No. 74 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism held on 6 January 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Leisure Director which provided an update on progress with the Master Plan for Crosby Coastal Park and to the procurement of the Phase 1 works.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the increased provision of £26,879 in the capital programme, to be funded from Section 106 deposits, bringing the total scheme costs of the Phase 1 works for Crosby Coastal Park to £226,879.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

The Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Communities which sought approval to the acceptance of specific funding for the provision of a Sefton Drugs Action Team facility at 221-223 Knowsley Road, Bootle.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)            approval be given to the inclusion of specific grant funding of £80,000 in the Health and Social Care Capital Programme for the provision of the facility; and

(2)       the Head of Technical Services and Regeneration be authorised to proceed with the works as proposed.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, 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.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

RESOLVED:

That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

Further to Minute No. 114 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Technical Services held on 13 January 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic /Director - Communities on the proposed terms for the exchange of land required for the Thornton to Switch Island Link Road.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the terms and conditions for the exchange of the land set out in the report be accepted;

(2)       the Strategic Director - Communities be given delegated powers to agree any other terms; and

(3)       the Legal Director be authorised to complete the necessary documentation.