Here is a summary of the scheduled discussions for the upcoming St Helens Council Cabinet meeting. The cabinet is expected to discuss the annual review of the Climate Change Action Plan, and the procurement of adult social care fleet vehicles. Also on the agenda is an update on what the council does for its residents, and a discussion of criminal record checks for elected and co-opted members.

Climate Change Action Plan Annual Review

The cabinet will be presented with the annual review of the Climate Change Action Plan. The report pack highlights that St Helens Borough Council is aiming to achieve Net Zero by 2040, and that since 2022, there has been an 8.56% drop in greenhouse gas emissions in the borough. The council itself has reportedly achieved a 2.3% reduction in the past year.

The report pack states that the council has secured over £13.5 million in external funding for decarbonisation projects, against a revenue cost to the council of £0.048m. Examples of projects that have been funded include:

• Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations at Queen's Leisure Centre and Newton-le-Willows Health and Fitness
• LED street lighting upgrades across the borough
• Green retrofits of historic buildings
• Expanded recycling services for textiles and food waste
• Green Flag awards¹ for parks

The report pack states that the council is focused on delivering a programme of work for 2025-2026, including:

• Delivering a £6.6 million public building decarbonisation programme, funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).
• Progressing the St Helens Heat Network commercial business case.
• Expanding climate training, school food waste recycling and biodiversity initiatives.
• Developing a new Council-wide energy strategy.

The report pack includes the following recommendation:

Approve the annual Climate Action Plan as set out at Appendix B.

The report pack also notes that:

Climate change is not just a global issue, it's something already affecting residents here in St Helens. From heat waves in summer, warmer winters and heavier storms, the weather is changing and it's affecting our lives, our services and our future.

The report pack also states that:

By aiming for Net Zero, St Helens Council is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment for future generations. But it is not just about carbon, there are other benefits to be considered too;

• Cleaner air for everyone.
• Greener spaces that support wildlife and wellbeing.
• Smarter buildings that save energy and money.

The report pack also notes the importance of community involvement in delivering the Climate Action Plan, and that the council has worked with the Youth Cabinet to get their feedback on the plan. The report pack also mentions that Climate Commissions are hosted annually for businesses, charities and voluntary groups across the Borough, offering advice on how to reduce their emissions.

The report pack also notes that the council has adopted new plans and policies that support climate goals, including Transport and Travel Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), and the development of the Bold Forest Garden Village.

The report pack states that the council is aiming to increase the borough recycling rate to 50% or more.

Procurement of Adult Social Care Fleet

The cabinet will be asked to approve a contract to purchase new vehicles for Adult and Children's Social Care Services over a two-year period from 2025 to 2027. The report pack states that a procurement exercise has been undertaken to procure up to 9 coach-built adapted welfare buses to ensure the safe transportation of residents supported by the Council's Adult and Children's Social Care services.

The report pack notes that the council has a fleet of 9 coach-built adapted welfare buses that support the operational delivery of the Adult and Children's Social Care service transporting residents across the borough. The report pack states that the standard replacement cycle for coach-built adapted welfare buses is 7 years, and that all of the current vehicles exceed this by at least one year. The report pack also notes that older vehicles require more maintenance time in the workshop, incurring additional expenditure and often leading to operational disruption and the need to hire expensive specialist vehicles.

The report pack includes the following recommendations:

1) Award the contract to Treka Bus Ltd for the purchase of 6 coachbuilt adapted welfare buses utilising the TPPL Framework. 2) Delegate authority to the Director of Legal and Governance in consultation with Executive Director of Place Services to enter contracts as required to implement these recommendations.

The report pack states that the Adult and Children's Social Care services have been actively involved and consulted in relation to the specification of the replacement vehicle to ensure they meet the changing demands of the service, and that Health and Safety and Occupational Health services have also provided support in relation to the vehicle specification.

The report pack states that the STAR Procurement TPPL Purchase of HGV, Specialist Vehicles and Easte Supplies Framework will be used to procure these vehicles.

The report pack notes that the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2025-2028 identified a fleet replacement budget of £2.6m per year, and that the direct contract award to Treka Bus for 6 coach-built adapted welfare buses using the TPPL Framework will cost £690,000, funded through the fleet replacement programme budget.

The report pack also includes an Equality Impact Assessment, which states that all protected characteristics will be positively affected, and that age and disability are positively affected as this is a targeted service in which these groups of people access it the most.

With You, For You – What Your Council Does For Its Residents 24/7

A video highlighting recent activities undertaken by the council is scheduled to be played. These activities include:

• Highways Improvements
• Parks and Open Spaces
• Regeneration of St Helens Town Centre
• Restoration of Earlestown Town Hall
• 80th Anniversary of VJ Day
• Exam Success

Criminal Record Checks

The cabinet will be asked to consider a report on criminal record checks for elected and co-opted members.