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 27 January 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Assistant Director - Transportation and Development

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Assistant Director Technical Services – Transportation and Development seeking approval for the Legal and Democratic Services Director, in conjunction with the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director, to make an application to the Magistrate’s Court for the stopping-up of Willard Street and Glynne Street, Bootle and associated passageways leading therefrom and part of Hertford Road, Bootle – fronting 43-78, and associated passageways leading therefrom under the provisions of Section 116 of the Highways Act 1980, following an application by the Programme Manager Housing Market Renewal Initiative, Sefton Council, under Section 117 of the Highways Act 1980.

RESOLVED:

That the Legal and Democratic Services Director  be authorised to request the Magistrate’s Court to make up the Orders under Section 116 of the Highways Act, 1980, for the stopping-up of Willard Street and Glynne Street, Bootle and associated passageways leading therefrom, as detailed in the report and shown upon the plan numbered DC0546 and part of Hertford Road, Bootle – fronting 43-78, and associated passageways leading therefrom, as detailed in the report and shown upon the plan numbered DC0547, subject to the applicant bearing all costs associated with the application.

Report of the Assistant Technical Services Director – Transportation and Development

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services seeking approval for the Council to endorse and support the application by the Programme Manager of the Housing Market Renewal Initiative, Sefton Council, for the stopping-up of Willard Street and Glynne Street, Bootle and associated passageways leading therefrom and part of Hertford Road, Bootle – fronting 43-78, and associated passageways leading therefrom, under the provisions of Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as detailed in the report and shown on plans numbered DC0549 and DC0550.

RESOLVED:

That the application to close Willard Street and Glynne Street, Bootle and associated passageways leading therefrom and part of Hertford Road, Bootle – fronting 43-78, and associated passageways leading therefrom pursuant to Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as detailed in the report and as shown upon plans numbered DC0549 and DC0550 be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Assistant Director Technical Services – Transportation and Development on the planning application S/2009/1080 for the construction of a vehicular access to a classified road at 52 Church Road, Seaforth.

The Principal Solicitor clarified that the reasoning behind any refusal would be explained in the standard decision letter issued by the Planning and Economic Regeneration director.

RESOLVED:

That the Planning Committee be recommended to refuse planning application S/2009/1080 on the grounds that, if permitted, the proposal would lead to conditions detrimental to highway safety.

Report of the Assistant Technical Services Director (Transportation and Development)

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Assistant Director Technical Services – Transportation and Development on the Winter Service Contract, and seeking approval to the extension of the existing contract to Graysons H&E Services for a period of five years from 1 July 2013.

The report indicated that Graysons H&E Services had been awarded the existing contract in 2006, and since that time officers had been able to assess their performance; that the service was on a call-out basis and required under the worst possible conditions during the winter months; and that despite the extreme weather conditions during this winter, the contractors had responded 100% of the time when required.  The current contract was due to expire at the end of winter 2012, but officers recommended that this be extended for a further 5 years; that this would be beneficial to both parties; and that it would give the contractor time to plan for the future.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the extension of the contract for the Winter Service for ‘Graysons H&E Services’ for a period of five years from 1 July 2013 be approved; and

(2)               the Legal and Democratic Services Director be authorised to process the necessary documentation.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the fees and charges in relation to the planning portfolio, and seeking approval for a number of proposed increases.

The report indicated that each year those fees and charges levied by individual departments were reviewed and increased (where appropriate) to reflect current service delivery costs, national guidelines and/or inflation; that some of the services of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Department had been transferred to other portfolios and charges previously included for these areas had been removed from the list; and whilst the Council had increased its charges on two occasions for Building Regulations Services – 3% in 2003 and 5.5% in 2008 - current market conditions required a further increase in charges, primarily where the costs of delivering the service were not covered by income.

A copy of the summary of those fees and charges included within the Planning Portfolio, together with proposed increases in charges were attached as an annex to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted.

Joint report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director and Leisure and Tourism Director

Further to Minute No 180 of the meeting held on the 29 October 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director and the Leisure and Tourism Director on ‘Shop Sefton 2010’ – Supporting Our Town Centres, seeking approval to enter into a partnership agreement with Liverpool Biennial in order to deliver a range of activities within Sefton’s town centres that would help to enhance their viability and vitality, and indicating that a decision on the matter was required to comply with standard portfolio reporting procedures.

The report indicated that whilst officers had met with different owners of empty shops throughout the borough in order to use premises for a range of activities, including art work shops, window dressing, business advice etc, in order to create greater foot fall and raise the profile of centre, due to rent and other overheads the remaining Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) grant of £48,131 would not sufficiently cover all costs for such purposes.  Officers had explored alternatives and recommended that a partnership with Liverpool Biennial be established to deliver a range of activities in retail centres across the Borough.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the report, and the fact that further progress reports would be submitted, as necessary, be noted by the Cabinet Member; and

Cabinet be recommended to:

(1)               note and endorse the bid submitted to the Arts Council, England;

(2)               subject to securing Arts Council grant funding – as outlined in paragraph 7.2 of the report, agree that Sefton Council enter into a Partnership Agreement with Liverpool Biennial as outlined in paragraph 8.0 of the report;

(3)               note that the indicative delivery timetable is subject to change, as outlined in paragraph 6.0 of the report; and

(4)               give authority to the Legal and Democratic Services Director to execute the partnership agreement.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No 258 of the Cabinet Meeting held on 5 February 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the Economic Strategy for Rural Merseyside and Action Plan – Phase 2 and indicating that a decision on the matter was required in order to comply with the standard portfolio reporting procedures.

The report indicated that whilst the vast majority of the £3.9 billion available from the Rural Development Programme for England, was earmarked for agri-environment and other land management schemes in rural areas, some £2.2 million was available for the Merseyside sub-region; that a study had been undertaken by specialist consultants – ‘Rural Innovation’ and the next steps required for the development of an Action Plan, which would attract funding from a number of sources including the Regional Development Agency and European Regeneration Development Fund; and that the Action Plan would support the preparation of master bids to draw down the funding if approved.

RESOLVED:

That the report, and the fact that further update reports would be submitted, as necessary, be noted.