Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Moncur.

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 room, including from the public gallery, 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 to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, 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 23 May 2024

Decision Made:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director (Place)

The Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director (Place) seeking approval for publication of the Bootle Area Action Plan (Local Plan Document) for public comment and subsequent submission to the Secretary of State for Examination in Public. A link to the Publication Draft of the Bootle Area Action Plan and Policy Map was provided within the report.

Reference was made to a survey undertaken with children and young people and how the Bootle Area Action Plan (AAP) contributed towards a positive impact on that cohort, together with consultation and engagement with that cohort.

Decisions Made:

That the Council be recommended to:

(1)           approve the Publication Draft of the Bootle AAP and supporting assessments, for publication for public comment and submission to the Secretary of State for examination;

2)       delegate authority to the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member – Housing and Highways and the Cabinet Member – Regeneration, Economy and Skills, to make non-strategic changes to the Publication Draft of the Bootle Area Action Plan or supporting assessments prior to publication and/or submission; and

(3)      delegate authority to the Chief Planning Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member - Housing and Highways and the Cabinet Member – Regeneration, Economy and Skills, to make minor editorial and presentational changes to the Publication Draft of the Bootle Area Action Plan or supporting assessments prior to publication and/or submission.

Reasons for the Decisions:

To allow the draft of the Bootle Area Action Plan and supporting assessments to be published for public comment and subsequently submitted to the Secretary of State for examination.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Not to produce an Area Action Plan for Bootle. This is not appropriate as it is considered necessary to clearly set out a vision for the town and to provide the planning policy framework to allow the various planned and future regeneration projects and investment opportunities to secure planning approval.

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 indicating that Sefton Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019. Following the declaration, work had progressed within the Council and a climate emergency strategy and associated action plan was created. Annual reporting on progress made was required as part of the governance approach to the programme. Members were asked to note the progress made on achieving net zero carbon by 2030 and the programme of works supporting the Council’s transition to low carbon working. The Climate Emergency Annual Report 2023/24 was attached to the report.

Reference was made to financial pressures and positive work with partners within the Liverpool City Region and Cabinet Members thanked staff for their commitment to work on the climate emergency.

Decision Made:

That the Council be recommended to note the progress made on the targets in the Sefton climate emergency strategy and action plan.

Reasons for the Decision:

To support the delivery of the Council motion that declared a climate emergency and ensure the Council was aligning with future regional and national net zero targets.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Not acting would increase the risks to Sefton in future years, on the themes of energy cost and security, and climate change resilience (increased incidence of extreme weather events, sea level rise etc.). Sefton would also be subject to regional (2040) and national targets (2050) around achieving net zero, beyond the current scope of work, which would require additional action. Therefore, ensuring net zero emissions for Sefton Council operations was the first stage of this wider body of work.

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 that set out supplementary capital and revenue estimates for approval in the Council’s Capital Programme and Revenue Budget and an update on revised allocations of grant from central government and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Decisions Made:

That

(1)      a supplementary capital estimate of £0.859m for the Better Care Fund – Disabled Facilities Grant additional allocation funded by DLUHC be approved;

(2)      supplementary capital estimates of £0.003m for Devolved Formula Capital and £0.034m Schools Condition Allocation funded by grant from the Department for Education be approved;

(3)      a supplementary capital estimate of £0.500m for the Green Light Fund funded by grant from the Department for Transport, be approved;

(4)      a supplementary capital estimate of £0.449m for the Network North Roads Resurfacing Fund funded by grant from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority be approved;

(5)      a supplementary capital estimate of £0.065m for the Traffic Signal Obsolescence Grant funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority be approved;

the Council be recommended to:

(6)      approve a supplementary capital estimate of £3.500m for the Disabled Facilities Grants core programme in 2024/25, funded by the Better Care Fund;

(7)      approve a supplementary capital estimate of £4.040m for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities funded by the High Needs Provision Capital Allocation from the Department for Education;

(8)      approve a supplementary capital estimate of £0.450m for the ICT Equipment Refresh project funded by prudential borrowing;

(9)      approve a supplementary revenue estimate of £1.237m for the UKSPF Ways to Work grant funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority;

(10)    approve a supplementary capital estimate of £5.273m for the Southport Public Realm project funded by external grants and contributions and Council resources;

(11)    approve a supplementary capital estimate of £5.799m for the A59 Northway Pedestrian/ Cycle Improvements project funded by external grants and contributions and Council resources;

(12)    approve a supplementary capital estimate of £3.300m for the Carriageway Resurfacing Programme funded by grant from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; and

Rule 27

(13)    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 (Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services) had been consulted under Rule 27 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet and the Council 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 requirement to set supplementary budget estimates as part of the ongoing delivery of Council’s financial strategy for 2024/25.

Reasons for the Decisions:

To approve updates to the capital programme and revenue budget so that they could be applied to schemes in the delivery of the Council’s overall financial strategy.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

Not Applicable.