Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Phil Riley, welcomed all present to the meeting.

Apologies were received from the Youth MP Zainab Shah and the Deputy Youth MPs Ethan Woods and Nadeem iqbal.

That, the Minutes of the meeting held on 14th November 2024 be agreed with the following amendment:

Page 11 – point 3 belongs to previous item (28.5 Approval to Award Tier 4 Services Lot 1).

That, the Minutes of the meeting held on 14th November 2024 be agreed as a correct record with the following amendment:

Page 11 – point 3 belongs to previous item (28.5 Approval to Award Tier 4 Services Lot 1).

RESOLVED

That, the Minutes of the meeting held on 14th November 2024 be agreed with the following amendment:

Page 11 – point 3 belongs to previous item (28.5 Approval to Award Tier 4 Services Lot 1).

No declarations of interest were received.

The Chair will ask Members to confirm that they have considered and understood any Equality Impact Assessments associated with reports on this agenda ahead of making any decisions.

The Leader asked members to confirm that they had considered and understood the Equality Impact Assessment assoicated with reports on the agenda ahead of making any decision.

To receive written questions or statements submitted by members of the public no later than 4pm on the day prior to the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To receive written questions submitted by Non-Executive Members no later than 4pm on the day prior to the meeting.

There were no questions from Non-Executive Members.

To receive an update from the Youth MPs along with any issues they would like to raise.

In the absence of the Youth MPs no update was submitted.

Verbal updates may be given by each Executive Member.

That the report be noted and the content of the Childcare Sufficiency Statement 2024, attached to the report as Appendix 1 be approved.

The Executive received a report which set out the outcomes of the annual Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2024 in respect of the Local Authorities statutory duty under The Childcare Act 2006 and 2016.

It was noted that data showed there was a plentiful supply of available early education childcare places across the Borough for children aged to 8+ years to meet current demand, although the availability of places varied across the wards.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted and the content of the Childcare Sufficiency Statement 2024, attached to the report as Appendix 1 be approved.

That the Executive Board:

1. Approves the early introduction, from April 2025, of a pilot food waste collection service to specific, localised areas of the borough.

2. Approves the development of a communications campaign for the early introduction.

3. Delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Environment and Communities in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment and Communities to procure the necessary items and services to implement the pilot food waste collection service.

4. Notes that at the time of writing, the New Burdens Funding commitment for food waste collections has not yet been confirmed and provided.

5. Gives approval to a budget of £223,200 (comprising £23,600 for the additional set up costs and £199,600 being the annual operating costs) to be included in the Council’s budget for 2025/26 (and, where necessary, to be funded by way of a contribution from the Council’s Budget Strategy Reserve).

6. Agree that a further report on the implementation of the Food Waste Collection Service is submitted to the Executive Board in due once full details of the funding package are made available by the Government.

The Executive Board considered a report advising that under new legislation Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) in England must arrange a weekly collection of food waste for recycling or composting from households from 2026, unless they had a transitional arrangement agreed delaying the introduction, usually due to contractual restrictions in the disposal of waste.

All ‘non-household municipal premises’, e.g. businesses in England where business had 10 or more employees working at the respective site, must arrange for separate collection of food waste from April 2025.  For businesses with less than 10 persons employed at the site, they had until 2027 to arrange for food waste collections.  Places of workshop, penal institutes, charity shops, hostels and public meeting places would come under the scope of the Simpler Recycling Regulations.

The preference was for food waste to be collected for treatment by anerobic digestion (AD) as this treatment generated biofuel and digestate from the food waste.  The digestate could be spread on to land, ensuring nutrients were recycled, creating a more circular economy.

New Burdens Funding to cover the ongoing revenue need for the new service was expected to be announced by Government later in 2024.

To enable the Council to learn from the introduction of a food waste collection service, it was proposed to introduce one of the six proposed collection rounds in late April 2025 as a pilot, with funding for the collections to be funded from the Council’s revenue account, if the New Burdens revenue funding was not available by the time the pilot commenced.  The areas selected for the pilot included parts of the following wards:

Billinge and Beardwood

Roe Lee

Shearbrow and Corporation Park

Livesey with Pleasington

Mill Hill and Moorgate

Wensley Fold

Blackburn South and Lower Darwen

Darwen West

Darwen East

RESOLVED

1.    That the early introduction of a pilot food waste collection service to specific, localised areas of the Borough be approved for implementation from April 2025.

2.    That the development of a communications campaign for the early introduction of the pilot be approved.

3.    That delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director of Environment and Communities, in consultation with the Executive member for Environment and Communities to procure the necessary items and services to implement the pilot food waste collection service.

4.    That it be noted that the New Burdens Funding commitment for food waste collections had not yet been confirmed and provided.

5.    That a budget of £223,200 (comprising £23,600 for the additional set up costs and £199,600 being the annual operating costs) be included in the Council’s budget for 2025/26 (and, where necessary, to be funded by way of a contribution from the Council’s Budget Strategy Reserve).

6.    That a further report on the implementation of the Food Waste Collection Service be submitted to a future meeting of the Executive Board once full details of the funding package were made available by Government.

That the Executive Board:

1.    Notes the scale and range of major growth programmes and initiatives in development and delivery in the Borough.

2.    Notes the priorities within the current BwD UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Delivery Plan, acknowledge the distribution of this funding in line with these priorities, as set out at Appendix A, and welcome the Government’s announcement to extend this programme by a further year for 2025/26, noting that this is with a reduced overall funding package, and further information is awaited on allocations and any associated spend and outcome criteria.

3.    Notes that a further report on future UKSPF funding seeking agreement to the priorities and deliverables with the funding made available will be brought to a future meeting along with details of terms and conditions that funding will be subject to.

4.    Note that the Government has extended the current delivery timescales for Darwen Town Deal, and our Blackburn Skills & Cyber Campus development and J5 M65 Growth Axis Programme, by one-year with a new deadline of March 2027.

5.    Note the Government’s intention to retain and refocus the Long-Term Plan for Towns programme, which identified Darwen as one of 55 places to benefit from up to £20M in new public funding, and await new guidance on how the programme will operate and note that a further report will be brought to a future meeting once the guidance is received seeking approval to use the funding and any conditions that may be subject to it.

6.    Note Government’s confirmation of the £20M Capital Projects Programme, awarded to Lancashire’s three upper-tier authorities, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire County Councils, in advance of establishing the Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA), of which £6M is in support of the Blackburn town centre Tech Innovation Quarter and approve its inclusion in the Council’s capital programme.

7.    Note that Lancashire County Council are acting as the accountable body for this government funding and agree that the Council enters into a grant funding agreement with Lancashire County Council in respect of this funding.

8.    Give approval to a supplementary capital estimate of £6M (funded as outlined above) of which £4m will be allocated to the redevelopment of the St Johns Church and £2m will be used for the Blackburn Skills and Cyber Campus.

9.    Approve that, with Government’s agreement, the planned investment of up to £2m for the Making Rooms will now be funded from the £20M Levelling Up Partnership Programme in place of the investment in the AMRC, and not from our LCCA Capital Projects Programme allocation as previously intended.

10.Agree to invest an additional £1.5M in Council capital funding support for Blackburn with Darwen’s Youth Investment Fund (YIF) Programme to complement the £4.3M secured from Government, subject to confirmation that Council support will secure an extension to the Government’s current funding deadline to ensure completion of the YIF Programme, and;

11.Agree to invest up to £1M in additional Council capital funding support for the King George’s Hall  ...  view the full decision text for item 47.

The Executive considered a report which provided an update on the Council’s major growth programmes and initiatives, along with key changes in delivery programmes and timescales.

Additional capital funding was also requested as support for two major growth programme initiatives, first the BwD Youth Investment Fund Programme and King George’s Hall Upgrade.  Additional Council investment support would complement Government funding and enable these specific initiatives to deliver better outcomes for the Borough, service users and customers.

RESOLVED

1.    That the scale and range of major growth programmes initiatives in development and delivery in the Borough be noted.

2.    That the priorities within the current BwD UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Delivery Plan be noted, the distribution of this funding in line with these priorities, as set out at Appendix A be acknowledged; the Government’s announcement to extend this programme by a further year for 2025/26 be welcomed, and it be noted that this was with a reduced overall funding package, and further information was awaited on allocations and any associated spend and outcome criteria.

3.    That a further report on future UKSPF funding seeking agreement to the priorities and deliverables with the funding made available would be brought to a future meeting along with details of terms and conditions that funding will be subject to.

4.    That it be noted the Government had extended the current delivery timescales for Darwen Town Deal, the Blackburn Skills and Cyber Campus development and Junction 5 M65 Growth Axis Programme by one year with a new deadline of March 2027.

5.    That the Government’s intention to retain and refocus the Long-Term Plan for Towns programme, which identified Darwen as one of 55 places to benefit from up to £20m in new public funding be noted, and new guidance on how the programme would operate was awaited and a further report would be submitted to a future meeting once the guidance had been received seeking approval to use the funding and any conditions that may be subject to it.

6.    That the Government’s confirmation of the £20m Capital Projects Programme, awarded to Lancashire’s three upper-tier authorities, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire County Councils, in advance of establishing the Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA), of which £6m was in support of the Blackburn town centre Tech Innovation Quarter and its inclusion in the Council’s capital programme be approved.

7.    That it be noted that Lancashire County Council were acting as the accountable body for this government funding and it be agreed that the Council enters into a grant funding agreement with Lancashire County Council in respect of this funding.

8.    That a supplementary capital estimate of £6m (funded as outlined in (6) above) of which £4m was to be allocated to the redevelopment of the St Johns Church and £2m would be used for the Blackburn Skills and Cyber Campus be approved.

9.    That with the Government’s agreement, the planned investment of up to £2m for the Making Rooms would now be funded from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

That the Executive Board:

1. Notes the Consultation Statement and summary of responses (attached as Background Paper 2), which summarises comments received and how they have been considered in the preparation of the final Supplementary Planning Document; and

2. Approves the adoption of the Natural Environment SPD (attached as Background Paper 1)

The Executive Board considered a report which provided a summary of the comments received during a public consultation exercise (undertaken during the summer 2024) on the Natural Environment Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which provided supporting guidance on the environment-based policies of the new Local Plan.  The report also included proposed amendments to the SPD.

RESOLVED

1.    That the Consultation Statement and summary of response (attached to the report as Appendix 2) which summarised comments received and how they had been considered in the preparation of the final SPD be noted.

2.    That the Natural Environment SPD (attached to the report as Appendix 1) be adopted.

That the Executive Board approves:

1.    A supplementary capital estimate of £1.6million, funded by way of capital grant funding once it is awarded to the Council under the Local Vehicle Infrastructure Application.

2.    The phase one programme (2025-2027) to make additional parking for EV charging at locations specified by the BwDBC EVCI Strategy (approved by the Executive Member in July 2023) where nearby residents have no access to off-street parking.

3.    The phase two programme (2027-2031) to add EV charging directly on street, in locations highlighted by the Strategy where residents have no access to off-street parking.

4.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Growth and Development, in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth and Development, to seek and accept tenders for works, subject to adequate budget provision and a concession contract to appoint a CPO.

The proposed project aims to achieve our overall corporate priorities and follow the directives set out within the approved Strategy.

A report was submitted seeking approval for the allocation of the grant funding when received from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) application.  The LEVI application was for £1.6m to aid the installation of electric vehicle charge points in the Borough and commission a concession contract to appoint a Charge Point Operator (CPO) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant funding.

There would be a two-phase plan to install charge points throughout the Borough in line with the recommendations set out in the approved Lancashire with Blackburn with Darwen Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy (attached to the report at Appendix A).

RESOLVED

1.    Thar a supplementary capital estimate of £1.6m, funded by way of capital grant funding once it was awarded to the Council under the Local Vehicle Infrastructure Application be agreed.

2.    That the phase one programme (2025-2027) to make additional parking for EV charging at locations specified by the Council’s EVCI Strategy where nearby residents had no access to off-street parking be agreed.

3.    That the phase two programme (2027-2031) to add EV charging directly on streets, in locations highlighted by the Strategy where residents had no access to off-street parking be agreed.

4.    That delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director of Growth and Development, in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth and Development, to seek and accept tenders for works, subject to adequate budget provision and a concession contract to appoint a Charge Point Operator.

5.    That it be agreed that the proposed project aimed to achieve the Council’s overall corporate priorities and follow the directives set out within the approved Strategy.

That the Executive Board:

1.    Approves a capital budget of £5.25m capital budget for Project 1 (profiled as set out in the report), in addition to the prior approved £0.75m, of which £0.3m has been spent to date.

2.    Approves the procurement strategy identified within section 4 of

this report.

3.    Approves the spending profile of Project 1.

4.    Delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Growth and Development, in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth and Development, to seek and accept tenders within the budget provision approved above.

A report was submitted requesting approval for the drawdown of capital funding and approval required to undertake the various activities to support the delivery stage of Project 1 – South East Blackburn Active Travel.

A hybrid delivery model would be implemented across the entire programme of works, consisting of more than 50 individual projects, to procure the construction work required.  This model would utilise mixed resources, internal and external.  It would also ffer value, quality and better cost control, whilst also being considerate to the variability of internal resources that were utilised year-round to undertake statutory highway duties.

The budget allocation approved by the Executive Board in December 2023 was:

£300,00 in 2023/24

£450,000 in Q2 of 2024/25

Additional drawdown for budgets per financial year was:

£610,000 in 2024/25

£4,640,000 in 2025/26

The breakdown of spending was included in the report.

RESOLVED

1.    That a capital budget of £5.25m for Project 1 (as set out in the report) be approved in addition to the prior approved £0.75m, of which £0.3m had been spent to date.

2.    That the procurement strategy identified within section 4 of the report be approved.

3.    That the spending profile of Project 1 be approved.

4.    That delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director of Growth and Development, in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth and Development, to seek and accept tenders within the budget provision approved in (1) above.

That the Executive Board approves the adoption of the Insurance and Risk Financing Strategy.

The Executive Board considered a report which set out the Council’s proposed insurance and Risk Financing Strategy, attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The Strategy set out the Council’s overall approach to risk retention and transfer, including the procurement of corporate insurance cover through relevant policies of insurance to protect against loss or damage to the Council’s assets and potential liabilities.

RESOLVED

That the Insurance and Risk Financing Strategy be adopted.

None.

No matters had been referred to the Executive Board.