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.

Minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2009

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 October 2009, be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the quarterly forecast position, based on information as at 30 September 2009, in relation to the Regeneration Portfolio’s 2009/10 Revenue Budget and Capital Programme. The report indicated the details of the Portfolio’s budgets that were monitored and reported on the risk-assessed basis as set out in annexe A of the report. The portfolio’s current capital programme was set out in Annexe B of the report.

The report concluded by seeking comments on the overall performance of the Portfolio’s Revenue Budget and schemes within the Capital Programme and whether any comments thereon should be referred to the Cabinet for consideration.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the progress taken on the Regeneration portfolio’s revenue budgets that were subject to risk-based monitoring be noted; and

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

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director that provided information on the activities undertaken by Sefton Business Village Partnerships.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the Sefton Business Village Partnership Activities report be noted; and

(2)      it be noted that further reports on activities undertaken by Sefton Business Village Partnerships will be submitted as and when necessary.

Joint report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services and Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No.64 of the meeting of Cabinet Member - Environmental held on 18 November, 2009 the Cabinet Member considered the joint report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environmental Services and the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director advising of the likely impact of current and planned climate change legislation and regulations, the implications of developing a low carbon economy (LCE) in Sefton, and seeking approval of recommendations for the strategic management of change; and indicating that a decision on this matter was required as current and planned climate change legislation would impose requirements on local authorities, which required a proactive and co-ordinated approach to tackle climate change and which could only be achieved by changing current modes of operation across almost all economic sectors and moving to the development of an LCE.

The report indicated that there was mounting concern in government that targets for reducing CO₂ emissions were not being met; that the UK government was committed to reducing carbon emissions, establishing the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in October 2008 to co-ordinate such commitments, and passing the Climate Change Act in November 2008, which set out a framework for moving the UK to a low carbon economy and which established legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 80% on 1990 levels by 2050, and 34% by 2020; and detailed the impact of the legislation on Merseyside and for Sefton.

The report also detailed the actions required to move towards an LCE, which included in the short term, more research and intelligence; awareness raising and engagement; preparing for the CRC policy; energy efficiency programme; skills development and employment; supply chain development; business support; and community engagement; and for the medium/long term sustainable transport infrastructure; critical mass of demonstration projects; and integration and co-ordination.

Attached as an appendix to the report was background information on the UK policy on LCE.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the report on the development of low carbon economy in response to climate change be noted; and

(2)      Cabinet be recommended to:

          (A)      recommend to the Sefton Borough Partnership that the co-ordinated response to the Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy agenda is made a highest level community strategy objective in the drafting of the required Sustainable Community Strategy and is practically delivered through the Economic Development and Sustainability Thematic Group of the Sefton Borough Partnership;

          (B)      insert the low carbon economy development objective in the next revision of the Council's Corporate Plan;

          (C)     nominate the Cabinet Member - Regeneration as the Low Carbon Economy Champion;

          (D)     reconfirm the Cabinet Member - Environmental as the Climate Change (Adaptation) Champion;

          (E)      nominate the Cabinet Member - Technical Services as the Corporate Community Energy Champion;

          (F)      recommend that the Economic Development and Sustainability Thematic Group of the Sefton Borough Partnership be a focus of co-ordinating wider community activity;

          (G)     recommend that progress on developing and delivering a comprehensive Climate Change Response Strategy and Action Plan be overseen by the Cabinet Member -  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

Report of the Housing Market Renewal Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Housing Market Renewal Director that sought endorsement of Sefton Council’s active participation in the proposed Merseyside Landlord Accreditation Scheme.

RESOLVED: That

(1)      the Merseyside Landlord Accreditation Scheme Report be noted; and

(2)      the Cabinet be requested to agree to Sefton’s active participation in the Merseyside Landlord Accreditation Scheme at an annual cost of up to £12,521 per annum for 2009/10 – 2010/11 funded entirely from the Migration Impacts Fund and/or Housing Market Renewal Budget.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

RESOLVED:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act. The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Housing Market Renewal Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Housing Market Renewal Director that sought approval to the making of a financial contribution towards public realm and site abnormal works as part of the development of the former Orrell Sports Ground site, Orrell Lane, by Bellway, the Council’s appointed lead developer partner for the Klondyke Housing Market Renewal neighbourhood.

This was a key decision but was not on the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions. However, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, a Rule 15 had been completed and signed by the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services).

RESOLVED: That Cabinet be recommended to:-

(1)      approve the making of a financial contribution of £700,000 towards the overall development costs in respect of the development of the former Orrell Sports Ground site;

(2)      note the additional £500,000 secured by the Housing Market Renewal Programme from Newheartlands sources;

(3)      note that the Council will receive a proportion of the profit generated by the development that is equal to the proportion of development costs represented by the Council’s financial contribution;

(4)      note that the Council will receive 20% of any additional profit generated from ‘overage’ as a result of the development;

(5)      instructs the Legal Director in consultation with the Finance and Information Services Director and Housing Market Renewal Director to enter into an appropriate legal agreement with Bellway Homes pursuant to securing the Council’s position in respect of the partnership arrangement.