Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

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.

No declarations of interest were received.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 September 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

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

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director – Communities, on the development of a Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Network for the Liverpool City Region and seeking consent for Sefton Council to be the accountable body for the sub-regional bid.

The report indicated that funding had been offered through the Department of Communities and Local Government to support the Climate Change Local Area Support Programme (CLASP), inviting sub-regional bids by 30 September 2010.  The programme would conclude in June 2011, so all necessary outputs and outcomes would need to be delivered within that period.  Agreement had been reached across the Liverpool City Region (LCR) that there should be a single co-ordinated bid.

The project would build community, Member and officer ability in/support for renewables installations/climate adaptation through co-learning and shared services that allowed LCR to do more with less through joint action to reduce costs whilst improving performance.  The concept behind this work was to build the LCR ability to make progress on the substantial opportunities the low carbon economy offered but to do it in a way that developed an efficient approach and use of the capacity available.

It was proposed that Sefton Council act as the accountable body, given that the LCR Board for Environment and Waste would like the Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service (MEAS) (who are hosted by Sefton) to be the project manager.  The project would simply be added to the existing partnership arrangements between MEAS/Sefton and the other 5 Districts by identifying this specific project as a priority within the work programmes.

The Cabinet Member stressed the importance of receiving regular detailed updates, particularly on the delivery element of the programmes to ensure value for money.

RESOLVED:

Joint report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy and the Environmental Protection Director.

The Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Interim Head of Corporate Finance and ICT Strategy and the Environmental and Technical Services Director on a proposed sustainable procurement policy which would support all contracting activity across the Authority.  The proposed policy was appended to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Report of the Operational Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Operational Services Director seeking approval for the acceptance of a Tender for the supply of frozen prepared meals for the Community Meals Service.

The report indicated that the current contract for the supply of prepared frozen meals was due to expire on 31 October 2010; that a contract with value greater than £500,000 required approval by Cabinet, that a number of alternative suppliers were considered as part of the tender process and the proposed tenderer offered the best value to the Council; and that the proposals were fully in line with the Council’s Procurement Strategy and the National Procurement Strategy for Local Government.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet be recommended to award the contract to Tenderer No. 1, for the period from 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2013, with two further option periods of one year.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the proposed procurement strategy for the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme for 2011 to 2015.

The report indicated that Cabinet approval was required for the establishment of this framework which would incur expenditure of over £500,000 throughout the duration of the programme.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet be recommended to approve the establishment of the Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme 2011-2015 Procurement Strategy.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on new duties being placed on the Council, from April 2011, in relation to local flood risk management.

Attached as an Appendix to the report was a fact sheet summarising the implications of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, which placed responsibility on local authorities, ‘for leading the co-ordination of flood risk management in their areas’.

Whilst welcoming the opportunity for the Council to lead the co-ordination of flood risk management, the Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of keeping a focus on the financial implications of the role, stressing the need for sufficient resources in future budgets for local flood risk management delivery and for the provision of a Client function.

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the work being undertaken in relation to the Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) for Sefton and identifying the strategic objectives, processes and parties involved in the preparation of the Plan.

The report indicated that a SWMP Steering Group had been set up, comprising officers from Sefton Council, the Environment Agency, United Utilities and Capita Symonds.  The strategic objectives for the SWMP agreed by the Steering Group were attached as Annex A to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the work being undertaken on the Surface Water Management Plan for Sefton be noted.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the statutory consultation for the revision of the Merseyside Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS) ‘Don’t Waste Your Say’.

The report indicated that Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) in partnership with the five Local Authorities – Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Councils (known as the Merseyside Waste Partnership) was leading the formal review of the JMWMS to identify the best ways in which the MWDA might deliver sustainable waste management over the next twenty years; and that this formal review involved public consultation.

The report indicated that the ‘Don’t Waste Your Say’ consultation commenced with a media launch on 5 October 2010 and during October and November 2010 residents across the 5 local authorities would have the opportunity to consult on waste disposal issues through a variety of methods which included roadshows at various Merseyside locations, focus groups, online research via a dedicated website and door to door surveys.

RESOLVED:

That the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy – Public Consultation ‘Don’t Waste Your Say’, be endorsed.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director informing him of the Trading Standards North West (TSNW) Annual Report 2009/10, attached as an Annex to the report, and requesting support for Sefton Trading Standards to continue to fulfil the position as ‘Lead Authority’.

Mr. Andrew Naisbitt, Trading Standards Manager and Vice Chair of TSNW presented the report and answered questions thereon.  He also referred to the recent Government removal of quangos, the implications for the Office of Fair Trading, the proposed changes to the UK Consumer and Competition Bodies and the greater role for the Citizens Advice service. In the light of these changes he emphasised the importance of the Council’s continuing role as lead authority for TSNW.

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the work of Consumer Direct in the North West Region and the potential changes to Consumer Direct after 2010.

The report indicated that Consumer Direct North West had requested that the local authorities in the North West region demonstrate their continued support for Consumer Direct North West.

The Trading Standards Manager presented the report, reiterating his comments made in Minute 64 above on the recent Government removal of quangos, the implications for the Office of Fair Trading, the proposed changes to the UK Consumer and Competition Bodies and the greater role for the Citizens Advice service. In this respect, he emphasised the importance of the Council’s continuing support for the provision of readily accessible consumer advice, delivered through the regional Contact Centres, funded by the Office of Fair Trading - in this case, Consumer Direct North West, operated by Agilisys Limited.

RESOLVED: That