Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor V. McGurk.

Minutes from the previous meeting held on 12^th December 2024.

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 12^th December 2024 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 12^th December 2024 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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.

Members confirmed that they had considered and understood the Equality Impact Assessments associated with reports on the agenda ahead of making any decisions.

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.

The Youth MP Zainab Shah and Deputy Youth MP Ethan Wood provided a verbal update on recent events and activities.

This included working with Public Health regarding priorities to mitigate the impact of child poverty in Balckburn with Darwen. 

Following various consultation meetings, a wish list of what they would like the Government and council to do and how the Youth Forum could help had been identified.  This included their top three priorities:

·       Housing

·       Food

·       The School Day

However, other priorities they had identified on the poverty strategy included stigma and wellbeing, early years and transport.

They would continue to work with Public Health and bring back an update to a future meeting.

They also reported that representatives had attended the YPS SEND inclusion project where there had been discussions regarding the barriers young people faced in education, in their communities and accessing leisure and youth activities.   The new BwD SEND Youth Forum was to be launched later in the month and a promotional video had been produced in collaboration with Children’s Services, SEND young people, Appletrees and YPS.

They confirmed that the UK Youth Parliament House of Commons event was scheduled for 28^th February 2025 which members of the Youth Forum and Senior Voice Group would be attending.

A number of topics had been identified for debate during 2025 and updates would be submitted to future meetings.

Verbal updates may be given by each Executive Member.

The Leader advised he had nothing to report.

(1)  That the proposed changes to the community equipment service and contracting model, including the introduction of simple aids to the catalogue be approved.

(2)  That it be noted that Lancashire County Council were leading this procurement on behalf of partners with an option for the Council to join the framework, subject to Executive Board approval in Spring 2025.

(3)  That the proposal to align funding of equipment for people in receipt of Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding with Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council’s approach be approved.

The Executive Board considered a report which set out progress in relation to the contracts for community equipment services serving residents of the Borough.  This service would end in June 2025 and a re-tendering process was to be undertaken.

The current service was commissioned by Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB with the Council as associates.  Lancashire County Council were leading on the re-procurement on behalf of the three partners.

The report set out the progress to date, the high-level changes proposed both in the service specification and in the operational processes, the financial implications and the process for jointly managing this contract.

The proposed changes included improved recycling of equipment, a ‘click and collect’ service for smaller items, one computer system to order equipment and improvements to the operational processes.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the proposed changes to the community equipment service and contracting model, including the introduction of simple aids to the catalogue be approved.

(2)  That it be noted that Lancashire County Council were leading this procurement on behalf of partners with an option for the Council to join the framework, subject to Executive Board approval in Spring 2025.

(3)  That the proposal to align funding of equipment for people in receipt of Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding with Lancashire County Council and Blackpool Council’s approach be approved.

(1)  That the Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy 2025/26 to 2026/27 be endorsed.

(2)  That it be agreed an annual update on the delivery of the Strategy be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.

The Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy for 2025/26 to 2026/27 was submitted for consideration.  The Strategy outlined the principles by which the Council would determine how and where to invest any new future resources and provided a summary of the key developments the Council anticipated happening, across all areas of adult social care commissioning.

The Strategy was aligned with the delivery of the Council’s vision for Adult Social Care which was to “Building healthier, happier, safer communities, enabling people to be independent and in control of their lives.”

RESOLVED

(1)  That the Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy 2025/26 to 2026/27 be endorsed.

(2)  That it be agreed an annual update on the delivery of the Strategy be presented to the Executive Board for consideration.

(1)  That the list of projects, as detailed in Appendix 2 attached to the report, be approved for inclusion in the 2024/25 Schools and Education Capital Programme funded from the School Condition Allocation and Devolved Formula Capital.

(2)  That the variations to the 2023/24 Capital Programme for schemes at the following sites be approved:

·       Newfield School - £650,000

·       Shadsworth Junior School - £1,700

·       St. Michael with St. John Primary School - £70,000

(3)  That delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director of Children’s and Education in consultation with the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education to undertake the procurement for the works in accordance with the Contracts and Procurement Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution.

(4)  That subject to (5) below, the expenditure to be incurred on individual projects be approved in line with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

(5)  That it be agreed that projects proposed to be funded from S106 Agreements would not commence until funding under those agreements had been received in full by the Council.

(6)  That it be noted reports would be provided for the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education detailing any variations/amendments to programmes of work and seeking necessary approvals where these were required to ensure compliance with financial instructions and the Constitution.

A report on the Capital Programme for Schools and Education for the 2024/2025 academic year was submitted for consideration.

The report provided a list of live capital programme schemes as set out in Appendix 2 (table a) and (table b) (attached to the report) which provided details of variations to existing schemes.  It was noted that the carried forward figure of £13,856,681 included £3,269,000 in relation to Section 106 commuted sums.  If these monies were not received within the expected timeframes the financing for the schemes they were supporting would need to be reviewed.  It was also noted that schemes agreed in the 2024/25 Schools; Capital Programme were unlikely to commence on site before April 2025 as the schemes needed to be planned and procured in line with the Councils standing financial instructions.

The Executive Board were also asked to consider variations for the 2023/24 Capital Programme for schemes at:

·       Newfield School - £650,000

·       Shadsworth Junior School - £1,700

·       St. Michael with St. John Primary School - £70,000

RESOLVED

(1)  That the list of projects, as detailed in Appendix 2 attached to the report, be approved for inclusion in the 2024/25 Schools and Education Capital Programme funded from the School Condition Allocation and Devolved Formula Capital.

(2)  That the variations to the 2023/24 Capital Programme for schemes at the following sites be approved:

·       Newfield School - £650,000

·       Shadsworth Junior School - £1,700

·       St. Michael with St. John Primary School - £70,000

(3)  That delegated authority be granted to the Strategic Director of Children’s and Education in consultation with the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education to undertake the procurement for the works in accordance with the Contracts and Procurement Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution.

(4)  That subject to (5) below, the expenditure to be incurred on individual projects be approved in line with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

(5)  That it be agreed that projects proposed to be funded from S106 Agreements would not commence until funding under those agreements had been received in full by the Council.

(6)  That it be noted reports would be provided for the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education detailing any variations/amendments to programmes of work and seeking necessary approvals where these were required to ensure compliance with financial instructions and the Constitution.

(1)  That the evaluation and overview of the first year of the new fostering recruitment programme, with the Council as the lead authority be noted.

(2)  That the proposed budget for 2025/26 be agreed and it be noted how this would be funded, as set out in the report and at Appendix 1.

(3)  That a further report be submitted to the Executive Board no later than December 2025 setting out how the Fostering Recruitment Hub would be funded in a sustainable way from 2026/27 onwards.

The Executive Board were presented with an evaluation of year one of the Foster with Us Hub which was a collaboration between five local authorities in Lancashire and Cumbria  - Blackpool, Westmorland and Furness, Cumberland and Lancashire County Council with Blackburn with Darwen as the lead. 

The Hub had been launched on 13^th May 2024 taking fostering enquiries across the geographical area and focused on recruitment activity and pre-approval training as the core offer. 

Appendix 1 attached to the report, provided an overview and evaluation of the first year of the Hub being in place, with recommendations for sustainability proposals for a year two continuation.

It was noted that the DfE had confirmed that there would be a 50% contribution towards year two costs for 2025/26.  Given the underspend from year one, this meant that the Hub had already secured full funding for a second year without the need to request any financial contribution from across the cluster from Executive Boards.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the evaluation and overview of the first year of the new fostering recruitment programme, with the Council as the lead authority be noted.

(2)  That the proposed budget for 2025/26 be agreed and it be noted how this would be funded, as set out in the report and at Appendix 1.

(3)  That a further report be submitted to the Executive Board no later than December 2025 setting out how the Fostering Recruitment Hub would be funded in a sustainable way from 2026/27 onwards.

(1)  That the award of £20m Government funding to support the delivery of the Blackburn Growth Axis Transport Package (South East) and the funding for the following two projects be noted:

·       Project 1 – South East Blackburn Active Travel (Walking and Cycling) Network (report submitted to the Executive Board in December 2024).

·       Project 2 – M65 Junction 5 Improvement Scheme

(2)  That the progress made agreeing the acquisition terms for two parcels of third-party land required to deliver the M65 Junction 5 Improvement Scheme be noted.

(3)  That the placing of orders with statutory utility providers to commence service diversions and instructing Balfour Beatty to commence mobilisation activities and enabling works for the M65 Junction 5 Improvement Scheme be approved.

The Executive Board considered a report which sought approval for the Council to commence enabling works and other mobilisation activities in advance of construction works which were due to commence in July 2025 in elation to improvements at Junction 5 of the M65.

The Council intended to place orders with statutory utility providers for service diversion works required in advance of the main construction works.  In addition, the Council would instruct Balfour Beatty to undertake a package of enabling and mobilisation works to facilitate a start on site.

Legal had been instructed and the acquisition process was underway under delegated procedures and approvals regarding land at the southeast corner adjacent to Haslingden Road which was required for part of the scheme.

It was noted that funding for all works was already included in the current 2024/25 Capital Programme.  Details of the construction costs and capital funding requirements to progress to Stage 2 (Construction) would be submitted to a future meeting.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the award of £20m Government funding to support the delivery of the Blackburn Growth Axis Transport Package (South East) and the funding for the following two projects be noted:

·       Project 1 – South East Blackburn Active Travel (Walking and Cycling) Network (report submitted to the Executive Board in December 2024).

·       Project 2 – M65 Junction 5 Improvement Scheme

(2)  That the progress made agreeing the acquisition terms for two parcels of third-party land required to deliver the M65 Junction 5 Improvement Scheme be noted.

(3)  That the placing of orders with statutory utility providers to commence service diversions and instructing Balfour Beatty to commence mobilisation activities and enabling works for the M65 Junction 5 Improvement Scheme be approved.

(1)  That delegated authority be granted to the Executive Member for Finance and Governance to agree and submit a response to the Government’s consultation on Local Authority Funding Reform.

(2)  That the outcome of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26, as set out in the report, be noted.

(3)  That the response to the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26 as set out at Appendix A attached to the report, be noted.

(4)  That it be noted further work was required to determine the estimate of Business Rates Retained for 2025/26 which would reflect the Council’s local knowledge/circumstances and that this work had begun following the release of guidance from Government on this matter.

(5)  That it be acknowledged that the estimates of Council Tax income presented in the report were subject to decision by Finance Council on 24^th February 2025 and were, therefore, indicative at this stage.

(6)  That the updated Medium Term Financial Plan 2025/28 be noted and this would be further updated once decisions on the Council’s budget were taken at Finance Council on 24^th February 2025.

The Executive Board received a report which provided an update on the development of the Council’s budget for 2025/26.  An update was also provided on the outcome of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and what this meant for the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.

It was noted that further work would be undertaken on the development of the budget.  Subject to confirmation of the final Local Government Finance Settlement, ultimately, it was for the Finance Council on 24^th February 2025 to agree the Council’s budget for the next financial year.

RESOLVED

(1)  That delegated authority be granted to the Executive Member for Finance and Governance to agree and submit a response to the Government’s consultation on Local Authority Funding Reform.

(2)  That the outcome of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26, as set out in the report, be noted.

(3)  That the response to the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26 as set out at Appendix A attached to the report, be noted.

(4)  That it be noted further work was required to determine the estimate of Business Rates Retained for 2025/26 which would reflect the Council’s local knowledge/circumstances and that this work had begun following the release of guidance from Government on this matter.

(5)  That it be acknowledged that the estimates of Council Tax income presented in the report were subject to decision by Finance Council on 24^th February 2025 and were, therefore, indicative at this stage.

(6)  That the updated Medium Term Financial Plan 2025/28 be noted and this would be further updated once decisions on the Council’s budget were taken at Finance Council on 24^th February 2025.

None.

No matters had been referred to the Executive Board.