Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cummins and P. Dowd.

No declarations of interest were made.

Minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2014

Decision Made:

That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 27 March 2014 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Older People and Head of Transformation

The Cabinet considered the joint report of the Director of Older People and Head of Transformation on the Adult Social Care Change Programme and the proposed planned activity to be undertaken under the Programme.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       the proposed approach associated with Community Services be approved and the intention to commence consultation on the models of support be noted; and

(2)       the financial and other risks to the Council set out in the report be noted.

Reasons for Decision:

The Council had significant existing responsibilities for Adult Social Care and invests considerable resources (£92 million per annum) into this service. The Adult Social Care Change Programme’s overall aim was to develop a model for Sefton Council’s Adult Social Care that is sustainable, modern and flexible, delivering the four strategic priorities as set out in the ASC Strategic Plan 2013-20 as approved in November 2013, and the delivery of the changes associated with the Care Act.

New requirements, duties and responsibilities associated with the Care Act would be designed, developed and implemented from April 2015 with full implementation planned for April 2016. In the light of the timescale, breadth of changes and associated risks, it was important that the Council prepared for the implementation despite of a lack of clarity about some of the key features.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Maintaining the status quo is not an option due to demographic and budgetary pressures and new legislation.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director Corporate Services on the new procurement strategy for the Council, which identified the changes made to the procurement processes operating within the Council and the measures of success for those changes.  

Decision Made:

That the Procurement Strategy be approved.

Reason for Decision:

To seek approval for a new Procurement Strategy for the Council.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

The Cabinet considered the report of Head of Corporate Finance and ICT.which provided details of the proposed withdrawal from part of the Arvato contract with regard to the provision of the financial management system and the discussions held with Halton Council for the provision of a hosted financial system.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       approval be given to the phased withdrawal from the Arvato contract with regard to the Financial Management System with effect from 1 April 2015;

(2)       the ongoing discussions with Halton Council for the provision of a hosted financial system from 1 April 2015 be noted;

(3)       the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT be given delegated authority to continue negotiations in consultation with the Cabinet Member - Performance and Corporate Services, with Halton Council on the contractual, financial and service delivery arrangements for the new hosted financial system;

(4)       it be noted that the proposal was a Key Decision but had not been included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions, because at the time of publication, options regarding the Council’s new financial arrangements were still being evaluated. Consequently, the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services) had been consulted under Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision until the commencement of the next Forward Plan because the licenses are required.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure Cabinet are informed of the proposals to withdraw from an element of the Arvato contract in respect of the Financial Management System and to seek approval to explore with Halton Council a hosted arrangement .

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided details of the revenue outturn position on the 2013/14 General Fund; and sought approval to an increase in General Balances and to utilise resources from General Balances in order to cover anticipated additional expenditure in 2014/15.

The Chief Executive indicated that Officers had been diligent in the management of resources and this had given the Council early budgetary savings which have helped to contribute to earmarked reserves / balances to assist the Authority phase in savings in coming years.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       the General Fund net underspend of £3.578m for 2013/14 be noted;

(2)       the Schools Delegated Budget net underspend of £0.107m for 2013/14 be noted;

(3)       the level of General Balances be increased by £3.578m;

(4)       the General Balances be utilised to cover the following anticipated additional expenditure in 2014/15:

·         Finance the Be Active Programme for 2014 (£0.020m) , and

·         To cover the anticipated deficit for Bootle Golf Course during 2014/2015 (£0.095m).

·         To create an Apprenticeship Partnership Fund of £0.068m to support schools in the employment of apprentices.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure Cabinet are informed of the revenue outturn position for 2013/14; to seek approval to transfer the underspend to General Balances and to utilise resources from reserves in order to cover anticipated additional expenditure in 2014/2015

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided details of the progress made in the achievement of the approved savings for 2014/15 and any residual savings carried forward from 2013/14 and the additional Government one-off financial support to local authorities relating to the Care Act 2014.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       the progress to date on the achievement of approved savings for 2014/2015 and residual savings carried forward from 2013/14 be noted;

(2)       the potential overspend on the Specialist Transport Unit be noted; and

(3)       the additional resources of £0.125m to support the implementation of the Care Act within the Council be noted, and approval be given to the inclusion of these monies in Sefton’s Budget for 2014/15.

Reason for Decision:

To ensure Cabinet are informed of the latest position on the achievement of savings, and to allow the use of new resources to help implement the Care Act 2014.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided details of the Council’s overall capital spending in 2013/14 and the reasons for major variations in expenditure on individual schemes.

Decision Made:

That the report be noted.

Reasons for Decision:

The report provided details of the Capital Outturn position for 2013/14.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided details of the latest capital projects that had been recommended for inclusion within the Capital Investment Plan for 2014/15 by the Strategic Capital Investment Group and the urgent decision taken by the Leader of the Council with regard to the REECH Project.

The Head of Corporate Finance and ICT reported that there was a typographical error in the figure provided in recommendation (vi) in the report relarting to the Section 106 Deposits and the correct figure was £1,559, 766.

Decision Made:

That:

(1)       approval be given  to the Adult Social Care Change Programme in the Capital Investment Plan at a cost of ?40,000 being funded from the resources set aside for Adult Social Care Transformation as detailed in paragraph 2 of the report:

(2)       the Council be recommended to give approval to the scheme to relocate Air Quality Monitoring Equipment from the land at Hemans Street and Rimrose Road at a cost of £15,000 being funded from capital receipts as detailed in paragraph 3 of the report;

(3)       the Council be recommended to give approval to the revenue trajectory funding of£549,000 been capitalised to undertake capital work to provide additional places for early education for 2 year old as detailed in paragraph 4 of the report, subject to the Department of Education (DfE) agreeing to switch the grant funding received from revenue to capital;

(4)       approval be given to the inclusion of the Formby Strategic Flood Risk Management Programme at a cost of £50,000 into the capital investment plan as detailed in paragraph 5 of the report;

(5)       approval be given to the inclusion of the Merseyside Groundwater Study at a cost of £60,000 into the capital investment plan as detailed in paragraph 6 of the report;

(6)       approval be given to the inclusion of Parks & Open Spaces related Section 106 Deposits at a cost of £1,559,766 in the Capital Investment Plan as detailed in paragraph 7 of the report;

(7)       it be noted that the urgent decisions indicated below had been taken by the Leader of the Council on 16 June 2014 in accordance with Chapter 5 (Leader of the Council – Matters Delegated Paragraph 2) of the Council’s Constitution and with the agreement of the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) to invoke Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules and Rule 46 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, as detailed in paragraph 10 of the report:-

1.         Note the success to date in delivering the REECH Project, and the positive impact it is making on the economic and social well being of Liverpool City Region;

2.         Agree that additional ERDF funding up to an estimated value of ?3.5m be accepted and an increase in the REECH capital programme expenditure of 3.5m, offset by 3.5m income;

3.         Agree that Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Tourism be authorised to approve and to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Corporate Services which sought the appointment of Council representatives to serve on Outside Bodies set out in the report for 2014/15, or for periods longer than one year. Details of the proposed representation on Outside Bodies were set out in the report.

Decision Made:

That: