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.

The following declaration of interest was received:

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 February 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Joint report of the Planning and Economic Development Director, the Acting Finance and Information Services Director and the Head of Regeneration and Technical Services

The Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Acting Finance and Information Services Director, the Planning and Economic Development Director, and the Head of Technical Services, regarding the quarterly forecast position, based on information as at 31 December 2009, in relation to the Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and Capital Programme; and indicating that a decision on the matter was required to comply with the corporate performance management process.

The report also sought a view on whether any comments should be made to the Cabinet regarding the overall performance of the revenue budget and the schemes within the capital programme.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the progress of the Technical Services Portfolio’s revenue budgets that are subject to risk based monitoring be noted;

(2)               the progress made on the schemes within the portfolio’s elements of the Council’s Capital Programme be noted;

(3)               the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) be recommended to note the contents ofthe report and indicate whether any comments about the overall performance of this Portfolio’s revenue budget should be referred to Cabinet; and

(4)               the Cabinet Member be requested to alert Cabinet to the budget pressures facing Technical Services due to the challenge of starting the financial year with a non-balanced budget; the impact of severe weather conditions on highway maintenance; and impact of the recession on car parking revenue.

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

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Assistant Director Technical Services – Transportation and Development, seeking approval for the Legal Director, in conjunction with the Planning and Economic Development Director, to make an application to the Magistrate’s Court for the stopping-up of part of the highways adjoining the properties 61-69 (odd) Shakespeare Street, Southport under the provisions of Section 116 of the Highways Act 1980, following an application by the Salvation Army, 1 Cadman Court, Hanley Road, Leeds, LS27 0RX, under Section 117 of the Highways Act 1980.

RESOLVED:

That the Legal Director, in conjunction with the Planning and Economic Development Director, be authorised to request the Magistrate’s Court to make up the Orders, for the stopping-up of part of the highway adjoining the properties 61-69 (odd) Shakespeare Street, Southport, under the provisions of Section 116 of the Highways Act 1980, as detailed in the report and shown upon the plan numbered DC0575, subject to the applicant bearing all costs associated with the application.

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

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director seeking approval in conjunction with the Legal Director to issue a licence pursuant to Section 184 of the Highways Act, 1980 as detailed within the report and indicating that a decision on this matter was required in order to allow the construction of vehicle crossings to new and existing developments/properties.

RESOLVED:

That the Legal Director, in conjunction with the Planning and Economic Development Director, be authorised to issue a Section 184 Highways Act, 1980 highway licence to the undermentioned applicants as shown on the plans numbered DC0527 and DC0528 and as detailed in the report, subject to the applicant bearing all costs associated with the proposal and indemnifying Sefton Council against all claims, disbursements and actions arising from the proposed works.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director, seeking approval to award a contract to provide the Merseyside Engineers Laboratory, on behalf of all Merseyside Metropolitan Authorities, a site investigation resource, including boring, drilling, excavation of trial pits, sampling, insitu testing and laboratory testing of soil samples, together with any or all necessary ancillary works, and indicating that a decision on the matter was required to comply with the Contract Procedure Rules and Delegated Authority to approve expenditure as contained within the Constitution.

The report indicated that the indicative annual value of work across all activities was £50,000 based upon recent years experience; that the actual workload would be dependent on the requirements for Site Investigation Surveys within the Merseyside Metropolitan Districts during the term of the contract; that the precise location and extent of the works were unknown at this time, therefore the contracts had been priced on a schedule of rates basis; and that 3 cost models were assembled for a range of Site Investigation Services which represented various and typical site investigation operations likely to be required and were defined in the following terms:

Cost Model No 1 - Boreholes, trial pits and sampling

Cost Model No 2 – Core drilling, sampling and laboratory testing

Cost Model No 3 – Core drilling, sampling, laboratory testing and interpretative reporting.

RESOLVED:

That the four lowest tenders in each model category be approved.

Model 1

Model 2

Model 3

Report of the Head of Regeneration and Technical Services

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Head of Regeneration and Technical Services seeking approval to extend the current Highway Grounds Maintenance Contract for its final year option from 1 April 2010 and request that the consultation on other contracts which impacted on an area were undertaken with Members to inform delivery that was tailored to the needs of areas; and indicating that a decision on the matter was required to allow the continued delivery of grounds maintenance works through the existing term maintenance contract and make arrangements for a further twelve months.

The report indicated that the contract for the delivery of Grounds Maintenance work on the highway was initially awarded in April 2006 via Leisure Services to the current contractor Veolia for a three-year period with an option to extend for a further one or two years; that whilst deficiencies had been identified throughout the contract, much of these were attributable to changing demands and expectations of the Council such as the outsourcing of departments to Capita Symonds (Capita) and One Vision Housing, and limited budgets.

In response to a significant increase in complaints received by the Council either directly or via Elected Members from October 2008 to date, due deficiencies within the current contractual arrangements, Capita had mapped areas of maintained and non-maintained land to establish ownership with a view to improve decisions made regarding future service provision. The Council’s Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Department had also undertaken an extensive consultation exercise on a ward by ward basis which had gathered the Elected Members’ expectations, opinions and concerns regarding the issue.

In order to allow sufficient time to enable a full and comprehensive review of this service, a single one year extension to the contract was proposed with the Contractor’s overall performance to be re-evaluated by continual review and monitoring prior to a re-tendering for a new contract to commence in 2011.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the extension of the Highway Grounds Maintenance contract for a 12 month period commencing 1 April 2010 be approved;

(2)               the involvement of members at an area level which had informed the approach taken and the merits of applying this approach to other contracts which impact on areas as set out in section 2.7 and Annex 1 of the report, be noted;

(3)               consultation with Members at an area level on contracts which impact on an area to ensure that the service is tailored to need and not a one size fits all approach be approved; and

(4)               the fact that regular updates on performance of the contract which are informed by Members’ experiences in their area as well as formal performance management data from Capita Symonds  would be submitted, be noted.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No 69 of the Cabinet Member - Regeneration Meeting held on 23 November 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the Sefton Business Village Partnership, outlining an update on the current projects and activities being developed and delivered by the Business Village Partnerships in Southport, Birkdale, Formby, Crosby, Waterloo, Bootle, and Altside, and indicating that a decision on the matter was required in order to comply with the standard portfolio reporting procedures

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the contents of report be noted, and

(2)               the fact that further reports on activities undertaken by Sefton Business Village Partnerships would be presented, as appropriate, be noted.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Assistant Director Technical Services – Transportation and Development on the progress regarding the A565 Route Management Strategy, seeking approval for the proposed timetable for its completion and indicating that a decision on the matter was required to secure the adoption of the A565 Route Management Strategy and Action Plan. 

The report indicated that the Route Management Strategy was now well advanced; and that it was proposed to complete and ensure progress on the development of the A565 Route Management Strategy within the timescales detailed in paragraph 5.1 of the report through the development of a funding package, and a costed Action Plan. This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council’s Forward Plan and Key Decisions.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               progress in the development of A565 Route Management Strategy be noted; and

(2)               the proposed timetable to complete the development of the Strategy be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

Further to Minute No 282 of the Cabinet meeting held on 4 February 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director – Communities, on the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Public Realm Improvements and seeking approval to include the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Project within the Capital Programme for 2010/11.

The report indicated the additional information on the nature of the proposed scheme, and requested that the Cabinet Member, subject to approval by the NWDA/ERDF, agree for funding to be included within the Capital Programme 2010/11.  The report also outlined timescales/slippages and financial implications of the scheme.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the contents of the report be noted;

(2)               Cabinet be recommended to approve the inclusion of the Dunnings Bridge Road Corridor Project within Sefton’s Capital Programme 2010/11, subject to ERDF, RDA and LTP funding being confirmed;

(3)               Cabinet be recommended to note that no further expenditure commitment would be entered into until all resources for the project were secured;

(4)               Cabinet be recommended to request further progress reports; and

(5)               the Planning and Economic Development Director be requested to investigate any potential orders which could be enforced to prohibit HGV vehicles parking adjacent to the former Peerless Oil Refinery Site, Bootle.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director, seeking approval to revise the funding allocations for individual schemes within the approved 2009/10 Local Transport Plan Transportation Capital Programme, as the amended funding allocations would reflect the current financial and programme position for 2009/10, and indicating that a decision on the matter was required as the Cabinet Member had the delegated powers to approve the programme of schemes within the Local Transport Plan Transportation Capital Programme. The detail and funding profile of the programme had changed, due to changes to scheme cost estimates and project delivery timetables.

RESOLVED:

That the revised 2009/10 Local Transport Plan Transportation Capital Programme be approved

Minute of the Southport Area Committee and the report of the Strategic Director - Communities

The Cabinet Member considered Minute No 132 of the Southport Area Committee held on 3 February 2010, in conjunction with the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the Winter Service and indicating that a decision on the matter was required as Area Committee had requested the Cabinet Member Technical Services to explore the possibility of gritting roads and pavements on approaches to schools.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the minutes of the Southport Area Committee be noted; and

(2)               the Planning and Economic Development Director be requested to take into the account the possibility of gritting roads and pavements on approaches to schools, as suggested by Southport Area Committee, when producing his annual report on the Winter Gritting Service.