Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor P. Dowd.

The Chair reported that he had agreed that the Cabinet would consider the item on the proposed development of a zoned waste and recycling collection service (Minute No. 139) as an urgent item, in view of the proposed timescales for the implementation of the service.

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.

The following declarations of interest were received:

Minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2010

RESOLVED:  

That the Minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 30 September 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Chief Executive

Further to Minute No. 109 of the meeting held on 30 September 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive which provided an update on the Transformation Programme and Prioritisation Process, and sought approval for some initial budget options to reduce the 2011/12 - 2013/14 budget gap.  The report also provided details of the emerging risks association with externally funded activities.

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

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the Council be recommended to give approval to the specific budget proposals set out in Appendix A of the report; 

(2)      Officers be authorised to prepare for the implementation of the proposals immediately pending final decisions of the Council; and

(3)      the progress on the Prioritisation Process related to external funding and in particular the level of risk associated with currently funded activities be noted.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

Further to Minute No. 50 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Children's Services, held on 26 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families seeking approval to the implementation of a scheme to be funded from the Youth Capital Fund Allocation for 2010/11.

RESOLVED:  

That the scheme be included in the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

Further to Minute No. 51 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Children's Services held on 26 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families seeking approval to the implementation of a scheme to be funded from the Basic Need (New Pupil Places) Allocation for 2010/11.

RESOLVED:  

That the scheme be included in the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

Further to Minute No. 52 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Children's Services held on 26 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families seeking approval to the implementation of a scheme to be funded from the Schools Access Initiative Allocation for 2010/11.

RESOLVED:  

That the scheme be included in the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11.

Joint Report of the Strategic Director Communities and the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Cabinet considered the joint report of the Strategic Director - Communities and the Planning and Economic Development Director on proposals for the development of a Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Network for the Liverpool City Region funded through the Department of Communities and Local Government Climate Change Local Area Support Programme.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the proposals set out in the report be supported; and

(2)            approval be given to Sefton Council being the Accountable Body for the sub-regional project, to be hosted and managed by the Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

The Cabinet considered the report of the Strategic Director - Communities which incorporated a copy of the Asset Management Report for 2010 which outlined the value and condition of the Council's property assets, the management arrangements and provided a summary of activity and outcome delivered in the preceding year.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the Asset Management Report be approved;

(2)       a further report on the review of the asset management arrangements in Sefton be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet; and

(3)       it be noted that a new Corporate Asset Management Plan will be produced in the current municipal year and be submitted to the Cabinet in due course.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on proposals for the inclusion of a scheme to undertake a structural assessment and maintenance option appraisal of the Southport Pier in the Capital Programme.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the inclusion in the Leisure and Tourism Capital Programme 2010/11 of a sum of £20,000 for a new scheme to carry out structural assessment and maintenance option appraisal works at Southport Pier.  The funding for this work to be provided entirely from the Southport Pier Maintenance Sinking Fund.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

Further to Minute No. 60 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 20 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the proposed procurement strategy for the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme for 2011-2015.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the establishment of a framework for regional coastal monitoring activities, as set out in the report.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

Further to Minute No. 118 of the meeting held on 2 September 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the implications of amending the draft protocol to govern the lifting of the current moratorium on the siting of telephone transmission masts on Council owned land by including the Area Committees in the site selection and consultation process and by delegating to the relevant Area Committee the decision to authorise the use of Council land for the siting of telephone transmission masts.

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

RESOLVED:   That

(1)            approval be given to the revised protocol set out in the report and to the delegation of decision making on the use of Council land for the siting of telephone transmission masts to the relevant Area Committee; and

(2)       the Council be recommended to amend Part 3 of the Council Constitution (Responsibility for Functions) by the inclusion of the following text:

            "AREA COMMITTEES - Specific Delegations

            Environmental and Technical Services

            1.  Determination of applications for permission to site mobile phone masts on Council owned land within the Wards covered by the Area Committee, in accordance with the Council's protocol."

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on proposals to implement an extension to the current energy supply contracts for gas and electricity to take advantage of market prices and enable sufficient transition time to implement the review of the Council's energy procurement which is currently underway and to realign delegated authority for this function.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)            approval be given to the waiving of the Council Contract Procedure Rules in relation to seeking price offers from incumbent suppliers to extend the contract under renewed tariffs;

(2)       the Environmental and Technical Services Director be granted delegated powers to accept the price offer which is economically the most advantageous for the Council and to award the contract extension accordingly for six or twelve months; and

(3)       the Environmental and Technical Services Director report the results of the contract price renewal exercise and his actions to a future meeting of the Cabinet.

Report of the Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No. 34 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism held on 6 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Leisure and Tourism Director on proposals to undertake improvement works at Victoria Park, Crosby.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the inclusion of the scheme for improvements to Victoria Park in the Leisure and Tourism Capital Programme 2010/11 up to the value of £116,218 only.

Report of the Operational Services Director

Further to Minute No. 59 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 20 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Operational Services Director on the tenders received for the supply of frozen prepared meals for the Community Meals Service via a service level agreement with Sefton New Directions.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the award of the contract to the School Meals and Catering Section for the period from 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2013 with two further options of one year.

Report of the Operational Services Director

Further to Minute No. 49 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 29 September 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Operational Services Director on proposals to change the existing collection arrangements for residual and recyclable waste by the introduction of a zoned waste collection service from January 2011.

RESOLVED:

That approval be given to the implementation of a new zoned system of waste and recycling collection from January 2011.

Report of the Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Director

Further to Minute No. 54 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member - Regeneration held on 27 October 2010, the Cabinet considered the report of the Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Director on proposals for the Council to enter into a licence to allow the Council to demolish vacant properties in the Klondyke area of South Sefton in the ownership of Adactus Housing Association.

RESOLVED:  

That approval be given to the Council entering into a licence to allow the Council to demolish vacant properties owned by Adactus Housing Association in the Klondyke area of South Sefton, subject to the financial resources being available to do so.

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 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.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items 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; and

(2)      the representatives of the Trade Unions be permitted to remain in the meeting during consideration of Minute No.s 142 and 143.

Joint report of the Strategic Director – Communities and Interim Head of Corporate Personnel

The Cabinet considered the joint report of the Strategic Director - Communities and the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel on proposals to establish a framework for the restructure of departments and Senior Management within the Communities Directorate.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the proposals to establish a revised structure for the Communities Directorate, as referred to in the report and detailed at Annex C, be endorsed;

(2)       the appointment procedures set out in paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3 of the report be approved;

(3)       it be noted that the changes to the structure will contribute £250,000 of savings as part of the 2011/12 budget; and

(4)       it be noted that, in accordance with the Responsibility for Functions provided in the Council's Constitution, the personnel implications described in the report have been approved by the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel, in consultation with the Strategic Director - Communities.

Joint report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families and the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel

The Cabinet considered the joint report of the Strategic Director - Communities and the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel on proposals to establish a revised structure for the Schools Advisory Service in the Children, Schools and Families Directorate.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)       the proposals to establish a revised structure for the Schools Advisory Service, set out in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.8 and Annex 2 of the report, be endorsed;

(2)       the appointment procedures set out in paragraphs 3.5 to 3.7 of the report be approved;

(3)       it be noted that the changes to the structure will assist in contributing to savings over the period of the Strategic Budget Review;

(4)            approval be given to the change in designation of the service from the Schools Advisory Service to Schools and Settings Improvement Service; and

(5)       it be noted that, in accordance with the Responsibility for Functions provided in the Council's Constitution, the personnel implications described in the report have been approved by the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel, in consultation with the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families.