Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2017

Decision Made:

That the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 12 January 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided details of the current forecast outturn position for the Council for 2016/17 as at the end of December 2016 which was informed by the latest analysis of expenditure and income due to the Council, in addition to the progress in delivering approved savings; the current forecast on Council Tax and Business Rates collection for 2016/17; and the current position of the Capital Programme.

The Head of Corporate Resources reported that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services) at its meeting held on 14 February 2017 had considered the report on the 2017/18 Budget and the Medium Term Financial Plan 2017/18 to 2019/20, previously submitted to the Cabinet on 12 January 2017. (Minute No. 73 refers) and he circulated the minutes of the meeting setting out the comments of the Committee on the report.

Decision Made: That

(1)          the forecast deficit outturn position of £0.063m, as at the end of December 2016, and the approach currently been undertaken to reduce this in advance of the year end be noted;

(2)          the progress to date on the achievement of approved savings for 2016/17 and residual savings carried forward from previous years be noted;

(3)          the forecast position on the collection of Council Tax and Business Rates for 2016/17 be noted;

(4)          the current position of the 2016/17 Capital Programme be noted; and

(5)          the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services) in relation to the 2017/18 Budget and the Medium Term Financial Plan 2017/18 to 2019/20 be noted.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure the Cabinet are informed of the forecast outturn position for the revenue budget and delivery of savings as at end of October 2016; the updated forecast of the outturn position with regard to the collection of Council Tax and Business Rates and the latest forecast outturn of the Capital Programme.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided details of the proposed procedures and strategy to be adopted in respect of the Council’s Treasury Management Function in 2017/18.

Decision Made:

That the Council be recommended to give approval to:

(1)       the Treasury Management Policy Document for 2017/18 as set out in Annex A of the report;

(2)       the Treasury Management Strategy Document for 2017/18 as set out in Annex B of the report; and

(3)       the basis to be used in the calculation of the Minimum Revenue Provision for Debt Repayment in 2016/17 as set out in Annex C of the report.

Reasons for Decision:

To enable the Council to effectively manage its treasury activities.

Alternative Options considered and Rejected:

None.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources on proposals to establish the Prudential Indicators required under the Prudential Code of Capital Finance in Local Authorities. This would enable the Council to effectively manage its Capital Finance Activities and comply with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Prudential Code of Capital Finance in Local Authorities.

Decision Made:

That the Council be recommended to:

(1)       approve the Prudential Indicators as detailed in the report, and summarised in Annex A of the report, as the basis for compliance with The Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities;

(2)       give approval to the relevant Prudential Indicators being amended, should any changes to unsupported borrowing be approved as part of the 2017/18 Revenue Budget;

(3)       note that estimates of capital expenditure may change as grant allocations are received, as indicated in paragraph 2.2 of the report; and

(4)       grant delegated authority to the Head of Corporate Resources in conjunction with the Cabinet Member – Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services to manage the Authorised Limit and Operational Boundary for external debt as detailed in Section 5 of the report.

Reasons for Decision:

To enable the Council to effectively manage its Capital Financing activities, and comply with the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided an assessment of the robustness of the estimates and the tax setting calculations, the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves and the production of longer term revenue and capital plans, based on the proposals set out in the report on the Revenue Budget 2017/18 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2017/18 - 2019/20, submitted to the Cabinet on 12 January 2017 (Minute No. 73 refers) and to be presented to the Budget Council meeting on 2 March 2017.

Decision Made:

That the Council be requested to note the matters raised in the report during the determination of the Revenue Budget 2017/18.

Reasons for Decision:

To ensure that the Council consider the report in making their budget decisions.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

Report of the Head of Inward Investment and Employment

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Inward Investment and Employment which provided details of the application submitted to the Coastal Communities Fund to support the delivery of a major capital project to renovate Southport Pier and construct new income generating facilities.  The outcome of the submission would be known in April 2017.

The report indicated that a procurement process needed to commence before April 2017, to enable the Council to be in a position to appoint a contractor to commence works as soon as funding had been confirmed.  This was to ensure that works that could be disruptive to the operation of the Pier can be completed before the busy summer trading season, and works over the beach can be completed as a single phase before inclement weather in winter 2017. This would be the most cost effective and least disruptive approach.

Decision Made: That

(1)       the proposed method of procurement and evaluation as set out within the report be approved:

(2)       the Head of Investment & Employment be authorised to accept the most advantageous bid received in each instance if a successful grant offer is received;

(3)       Subject to (2) above, the Head of Regulation and Compliance be authorised to enter into contracts with the successful contractors if a successful grant offer is received;

(4)       The scheme be included in the capital programmefor 2017/18 to be presented to Council on 2 March 2017 if the grant is approved;

(5)       the provision made within the existing pier contingency fund for works proposed of this nature, be noted; and

(6)       it be noted that the proposal was a Key Decision but had not been included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions. Consequently, the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Regeneration & Skills has been consulted under Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet 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 of the lead in time required if a grant offer is received.

Reasons for Decision:

Cabinet approval was required to comply with the Council’s procedure rules.  The recommendations would support the receipt of the most competitive tenders for the proposed works and permit the project to progress in accordance with identified programme requirements subject to a grant offer being received.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

All appropriate design and technical options had been considered during the scheme development and it was believed that the final proposals which have received planning and listed building consents represent the most appropriate solution.

Report of the Head of Schools and Families

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Schools and Families which indicated that the Government had initiated a series of area based reviews of post 16 education and training institutions and Sefton was included in the review of the Liverpool City Region. The proposal for Sefton was that the four further education institutions of Hugh Baird College, KGV College, Southport College and South Sefton College merge to form a single Sefton College that would be stronger, more sustainable and provide an offer that meets the educational needs of young people in Sefton and the economic needs of the area.  This was in keeping with the Sefton 2030 vision.

The four colleges had proposed merging in two tranches: KGV College and Southport College merging and Hugh Baird College and South Sefton College merging by September 2017, with these north/south colleges then merging to form the Sefton College in September 2018. 

The report set out the details of the proposed merger of South Sefton College and Hugh Baird College including the consultation procedure and financial implications and indicated that consultation on the merger of KGV College and Southport College had already started.

The Chair expressed his concern at the negative and inaccurate reporting of the proposals set out in the report by the Champion Newspaper.

Decision Made: That

(1)       the report be noted:

(2)       approval be given to the commencement of the statutory consultation process relating to the proposal to merge South Sefton College with Hugh Baird College;

(3)       officers be granted delegate responsibility to start negotiations with Hugh Baird College as to the level of transitional financial support required in August 2017, to support this new venture in the first year of operation; and

(4)       it be noted that a further report about the outcome of negotiations with Hugh Baird as to the level of transitional financial support required; and a report on the outcome of the consultation process ending on 5 April 2017 would be submitted to the Cabinet.

Reasons for Decision:

The Local Authority had the statutory power to discontinue a maintained school following the statutory process detailed in the report and this process had to be followed to enable the merger to take place.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

None.

Report of the Director of Public Health

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Public Health which provided details of a recent funding application made to Sport England designed to improve swimming facilities and programmes in Sefton and to seek approval to accept a grant, if awarded.

Decision Made: That

(1)       approval be given to the acceptance of the grant if awarded, subject to satisfactory grant conditions;

(2)       approval be given to the commencement ofa procurement exercise without commitment pending thegrant award;

(3)       the project be included in the 2017/18 capital programme to be considered by Council on 2 March 2017 subject to the grant being awarded; and

(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. Consequently, the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Adult Social Care and Health) had been consulted under Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision until the commencement of the next Forward Plan becauseof timescales associated with the initial bid submission, expected project delivery and procurement process.

Reasons for Decision:

In March 2016 the Director of Health and Social Care and the Cabinet Member - Health and Wellbeing approved Sefton’s involvement in a national swimming pilot, which included the submission of a funding bid to Sport England.

The total requested from Sport England was £531,582.  Confirmation was expected by the end of February 2017. If agreed the funding would include capital resources to enable the renovation of two swimming pool changing facilities which would be fully DDA compliant and as such permission to proceed was required urgently to comply with the funding timescales. It was not possible to defer this decision to the Cabinet meeting in March, hence the request for approval in advance of the award being made.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The changing facilities at Dunes Splash World and Bootle Leisure Centre are outdated, in poor condition and in need of refurbishment. If Members elect not to accept the grant, alternative funding options would need to be identified.