The Cabinet approved plans for flood mitigation in Crossens, the awarding of a contract for the provision of IT services, and the use of compulsory purchase orders for two infrastructure projects. The Cabinet also approved the adoption of two new planning documents, and received updates on the Healthwatch procurement and a number of major projects.

Southport Eastern Access and Maritime Corridor Major Schemes

The Cabinet agreed to begin the process of compulsorily purchasing land for the Southport Eastern Access and Maritime Corridor schemes. The Council will use its powers under the Highways Act 1980 to force landowners to sell land needed to build new junctions, cycle routes and walkways for both schemes. The Cabinet approved the plans because

The Order Lands had been determined to be the minimum needed to deliver both Schemes and the Schemes had both been designed to minimise the impact on those with land interests in the area.

The Cabinet considered negotiating with landowners but decided this would be too expensive and could delay the projects.

Financial Management 2024/25 to 2027/28

The Cabinet received a report on the Council's finances. The report stated that the Council was forecasting a balanced budget for 2024/25 but that there were a number of financial risks. The Cabinet agreed to note the report and to continue to monitor the situation. The Cabinet also noted that capital expenditure was forecast to be £83.015m against a budget of £88.8m.

Adoption of Supplementary Planning Documents

The Cabinet agreed to adopt two new Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), covering Short Term Lets and Boundary Treatments. SPDs provide guidance on how policies in the Council's Local Plan should be applied. They are a material consideration when determining planning applications but do not have the force of law.

The Short Term Lets SPD¹ will provide guidance to developers who are considering converting residential properties to short-term lets. The Council believes that the document will

help manage the growth in short-term lets and protect the amenity of residents and visitors

The Boundary Treatments SPD² will provide guidance on the design and maintenance of boundary treatments, including walls, fences and hedges. This is likely to cover aspects of the design, construction and maintenance of boundary treatments including their height, materials and how they relate to the street scene.

The Cabinet agreed to adopt the SPDs because they will ensure planning decisions are made using up-to-date policies.

Enterprise Arcade Business Case

The meeting received an update on the Enterprise Arcade, a new co-working and collaborative workspace for creative and digital businesses that is being delivered as part of the Southport Town Deal. The report to the meeting contained details of the Business Plan for the Arcade, which will comprise:

• A collaborative Ground Floor Food and Drink based offer
• Co-working / hot desk and start-up space on the first floor
• Three ‘grow on’ offices on the second floor
• A large single office on the third floor identified as suitable for an ‘anchor tenant’

The report noted that the Council had been unable to find an external provider to lease and manage the building. As an alternative, the Council considered leasing the building to non-digital/creative businesses, or selling it, but these options were rejected because of the risk that the Town Deal funding would have to be repaid. The report stated that the Council will continue to explore options to allow the building to be operated in the manner originally envisaged.

ICT Managed Service Contract

Sefton Council has awarded a new contract for the provision of ICT managed services to Agilisys Ltd.³ The contract will run for an initial period of four years, with the option to extend for a further year. The contract was awarded through the Crown Commercial Services framework.

Healthwatch Procurement

The Cabinet received an update on the procurement of a new contract for the provision of Healthwatch services. Healthwatch is an independent statutory body that gathers and represents the views of patients and the public on health and social care services in England. They provide information about local services and support people to have their say on the design and delivery of care.

The current contract expires on 31 March 2025 and the Council is seeking a new provider. A report to the meeting sought approval to commence the procurement exercise and delegate the decision-making process to council officers. The report requested approval to extend the current contract for a maximum of six months in order to ensure a smooth handover to a new provider.

Sefton New Directions

The Cabinet received an update on Sefton New Directions,⁴ a company wholly owned by Sefton Council that provides social care services. The report provided a financial update and an update on the company’s transformation programme.

The report noted that the transformation programme was ongoing and was critical to ensuring that services were sustainable and offered value for money.