Agenda and minutes

The Chair reported that the Mayor had submitted his apologies for absence as he was representing the Council and people of Sefton at a ceremony been held in St. Georges Hall, Liverpool that evening when the Freedom of the City of Liverpool was to be awarded posthumously to 96 people who lost their lives at Hillsborough 27 years ago and to key campaigners.

Apologies for absence were also received from Councillors Ball, Byrom, Cummins, Dawson, Dutton, Hands, Hardy, Jamieson, Daniel Lewis, Owens, Spencer, Thomas, and Tweed.

Members are requested to give notice of any disclosable pecuniary interest, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the Members Code of Conduct, before leaving the meeting room during the discussion on that particular item.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2016

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2016 be approved as a correct record.

The Chair reported that in the absence of the Mayor, there were no Mayoral communications to report on.

To deal with matters raised by members of the public resident within the Borough, of which notice has been given in accordance with the procedures relating to public questions, motions or petitions set out in Paragraph 36 to 46 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules in Chapter 4 of the Council Constitution.

(Details of any further petitions notified or questions submitted by members of the public will be circulated at the meeting).

The Chair reported that no matters had been raised by Members of the Public.

To receive and consider questions to Cabinet Members, Chairs of Committees or Spokespersons for any of the Joint Authorities upon any matter within their portfolio/area of responsibility, of which notice has been given by Members of the Council in accordance with Paragraph 48 to 50 of the Council and Committee Procedure Rules, set out in Chapter 4 of the Council Constitution.

The Council considered a schedule setting out the written questions submitted by:

·         Councillor Bliss to the Chair of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee (Councillor John Kelly)

·         Councillor Jones to the Cabinet Member – Children, Schools and Safeguarding (Councillor John Joseph Kelly)

·         Councillor Keith to the Cabinet Member – Locality Services (Councillor Fairclough)

·         Councillor Lynn Thompson to the Cabinet Member – Locality Services (Councillor Fairclough)

·         Councillor Hands to the Cabinet Member – Locality Services (Councillor Fairclough)

·         Councillor McGuire to the Cabinet Member – Locality Services (Councillor Fairclough)

·         Councillor McGuire to the Leader of the Council (Councillor Maher)

·         Councillor David Barton to the Cabinet Member – Planning and Building Control (Councillor Veidman)

·         Councillor Dawson to the Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care (Councillor Cummins)

together with the responses given. Supplementary questions were responded to by the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member – Locality Services.

(The Cabinet Member – Children, Schools and Safeguarding (Councillor John Joseph Kelly) requested that it be noted that the question submitted by Councillor Jones set out in the schedule, did not relate to a Sefton Liberal Democrat Councillor)

The Head of Regulation and Compliance reported that it came to light in July this year that there was an administrative issue as to whether one of the Parent Governor Representatives had been appointed for 2 years or 4 years to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services & Safeguarding) and she requested the Council to confirm the appointment of Mrs Ryan Palmer to the Committee for a further period until 22 January 2018.

Councillor Bliss reported on the following changes to the membership of Committees and Outside Bodies:

·         Councillor Jones to replace Cllr Dutton as a Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Adult Social Care and Health) and Councillor Dutton to be the Substitute Member for Councillor Jones on the Committee;

·         Councillor Dutton to replace Councillor Ball as a Substitute for Councillor Pitt on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding);

·         Councillor Dutton to replace Councillor Ball as a Substitute for Councillor Bliss on the Local Joint Consultative Committee; and

·         Councillor Bliss to replace Councillor Ball as a Council representative on the Southport Pier Trust.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       Mrs Ryan Palmer be appointed as a Parent Governor Representative on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services and Safeguarding) for a further period until 22 January 2018; and

(2)       the changes to the membership of the Committees and Outside Body referred to above be approved.

Report of the Head of Corporate Resources

Further to Minute No. 29 of the Cabinet meeting held on 1 September 2016, the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Resources which provided details of the Government’s offer of a four year financial settlement up to 2019/20.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED:

That the four-year funding settlement for the period 2016/17 to 2019/20be accepted and that the production of an appropriate efficiency plan be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Head of Corporate Resources as the Chief Financial Officer (Section 151 Officer).

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Council considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance which requested the Council to approve and authorise the absence of Councillor Ball from attendance at Council and Committee Meetings pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough and

RESOLVED:

That the current absence from all Council and Committee Meetings of

Councillor Ball due to ill-health be authorised and approved for a six month period until 21 March 2017 pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor David Barton:

“This Council:

·         Notes that there are a range of options that provide heritage- related funding provided by Central Government and various National Bodies applicable to heritage sites owned by both the public and private sectors within and across the Sefton Metropolitan Borough as a whole;

·         Notes that these funding bodies: "The Heritage Lottery Fund" (HLF); "Funds for Historic Buildings" (FFHB), "The Heritage Alliance" and "The Big Lottery Fund" may support with the cost of restoration across Sefton as a whole, with special regard to its multiple proud Conservation areas from Southport to Bootle. Various grant programmes that support projects to give historic buildings and heritage assets a new lease of life and for which local authorities are eligible to apply;

·         Recognises that potential funding organisations are presently available for an assortment of heritage buildings across Sefton Metropolitan Borough to support our local and regional economy, and that in order to truly deliver the best future for “Imagine Sefton 2030” these same potential funding organisations must be accessed as soon as possible;

·         Applauds the work of all those Council Officers involved across the multiple Sefton Departments that have already demonstrated vast prowess in getting the best value for the Sefton pound and their continued commitment to improving our communities, particularly with regards to local heritage;

·         Commends the work of those within both the Local Sefton Authority Departments and the individual land owners from Southport to Bootle that have already engaged in the exciting process of Community Conservation;

·         Believes that is in the interests of the residents of Sefton Metropolitan Borough, the North West of England and Britain as one nation that this Local Authority pursues these additional funding organisations and bodies in earnest; and

·         Calls upon Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council to make stronger use of its website and media communications to provide a gateway for these funding organisations to both the public and private sectors with the objective of truly delivering for the residents and visitors of Sefton MBC.”

It was moved by Councillor David Barton:

“This Council:

·         Notes that there are a range of options that provide heritage- related funding provided by Central Government and various National Bodies applicable to heritage sites owned by both the public and private sectors within and across the Sefton Metropolitan Borough as a whole;

·         Notes that these funding bodies: "The Heritage Lottery Fund" (HLF); "Funds for Historic Buildings" (FFHB), "The Heritage Alliance" and "The Big Lottery Fund" may support with the cost of restoration across Sefton as a whole, with special regard to its multiple proud Conservation areas from Southport to Bootle. Various grant programmes that support projects to give historic buildings and heritage assets a new lease of life and for which local authorities are eligible to apply;

·         Recognises that potential funding organisations are presently available for an assortment of heritage buildings across Sefton Metropolitan Borough to support our local and regional economy, and that in order to truly deliver the best future for “Imagine Sefton 2030” these same potential funding organisations must be accessed as soon as possible;

·         Applauds the work of all those Council Officers involved across the multiple Sefton Departments that have already demonstrated vast prowess in getting the best value for the Sefton pound and their continued commitment to improving our communities, particularly with regards to local heritage;

·         Commends the work of those within both the Local Sefton Authority Departments and the individual land owners from Southport to Bootle that have already engaged in the exciting process of Community Conservation;

·         Believes that is in the interests of the residents of Sefton Metropolitan Borough, the North West of England and Britain as one nation that this Local Authority pursues these additional funding organisations and bodies in earnest; and

·         Calls upon Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council to make stronger use of its website and media communications to provide a gateway for these funding organisations to both the public and private sectors with the objective of truly delivering for the residents and visitors of Sefton MBC.”

In the absence of a Seconder, the Motion fell, no debate was held and no action will be taken.

To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor McKinley:

“Developing a Merseyside-wide strategic and operational plan to meet the functional literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of the adults of the Liverpool City Region (LCR).

The devolution deal for the LCR includes planning and delivering the learning and skills agenda. This is a great opportunity to develop a comprehensive wide ranging skills strategy that will meet the future needs of business and offer employment opportunities to our residents. It is recognised that we are making great progress in some areas with the allocation of £20 million plus which the local authorities have the lead on and will help to drive the learning and skills agenda. However, these opportunities will not be maximised for all residents unless we address the adult literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of all residents in a systematic and planned way.

Poor standards of English, maths and ICT is a significant factor in trapping individuals in the downward cycle of poverty and deprivation.  Confidence in mathematics, written and spoken English are transformational skills that can make a huge difference to the lives and employment prospects of LCR residents. In Sefton and North Liverpool we have one of the highest concentrations of deprived lower super output areas in the country and amongst the highest level of need for adult literacy, numeracy and ICT in the UK.

Some good work is already in place, unfortunately, in spite of some excellent work done by local colleges and others, many areas across the City Region continue to be blighted by intergenerational unemployment and poor skills.  A more strategic approach to adult literacy, numeracy and ICT will help to underpin any strategy to develop wider skills.

The LCR Employment and Skills Board is working to address the skills gap and a clearly focused strategic and operational plan for literacy, numeracy and ICT will help to drive this.

Sefton Council actively supports and endorses the development of a holistic Merseyside-wide plan to meet the adult literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of the LCR.  Such a plan to be based on clear demographic profiling of areas of greatest need and work with all appropriate stakeholders to prioritise and target these areas to address residents’ functional literacy, numeracy and ICT needs.”

It was moved by Councillor McKinley, seconded by Councillor Sayers and following debate, unanimously

RESOLVED:

Developing a Merseyside-wide strategic and operational plan to meet the functional literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of the adults of the Liverpool City Region (LCR).

The devolution deal for the LCR includes planning and delivering the learning and skills agenda. This is a great opportunity to develop a comprehensive wide ranging skills strategy that will meet the future needs of business and offer employment opportunities to our residents. It is recognised that we are making great progress in some areas with the allocation of £20 million plus which the local authorities have the lead on and will help to drive the learning and skills agenda. However, these opportunities will not be maximised for all residents unless we address the adult literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of all residents in a systematic and planned way.

Poor standards of English, maths and ICT is a significant factor in trapping individuals in the downward cycle of poverty and deprivation.  Confidence in mathematics, written and spoken English are transformational skills that can make a huge difference to the lives and employment prospects of LCR residents. In Sefton and North Liverpool we have one of the highest concentrations of deprived lower super output areas in the country and amongst the highest level of need for adult literacy, numeracy and ICT in the UK.

Some good work is already in place, unfortunately, in spite of some excellent work done by local colleges and others, many areas across the City Region continue to be blighted by intergenerational unemployment and poor skills. A more strategic approach to adult literacy, numeracy and ICT will help to underpin any strategy to develop wider skills.

The LCR Employment and Skills Board is working to address the skills gap and a clearly focused strategic and operational plan for literacy, numeracy and ICT will help to drive this.

Sefton Council actively supports and endorses the development of a holistic Merseyside-wide plan to meet the adult literacy, numeracy and ICT needs of the LCR.  Such a plan to be based on clear demographic profiling of areas of greatest need and work with all appropriate stakeholders to prioritise and target these areas to address residents’ functional literacy, numeracy and ICT needs.