Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests and for Members to declare if they have a pre-determination in respect of any item on the agenda.

Prior to Members declaring their interests, the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer advised regarding the declaration of financial interests and pre determination.  Members with landownership interests in current or prospective strategic sites or locations should declare their interests and not participate in the decision-making.  Aside from any such specific declarations, Members` interests in property in the administrative area of the Council are recorded on the Register of Interest.

If any Member approaches a decision with a closed mind, they should declare such predetermination, leave the room and not participate in the decision-making.   

In the interests of openness, in respect of agenda item 5, “Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy-Submission Version”, Councillor J Hammond declared that in relation to the Basford sites he had attended briefings with Agents, Officers, Local Ward Members and Parish Councillors however he had always kept an open mind about the proposals. 

In addition he also declared he was a Member of Haslington Parish Council which had been consulted at various stages of the Local Plan process.  He also declared that he was the Chairman of Ansa Environmental Services Limited who will be delivering Waste Management Services on behalf of the Authority. In all these connections, he had expressed no fixed view regarding the Strategy and retained an open mind.

In respect of the same item, in the interest of openness, Councillor A Thwaite declared that he was Chairman of East Cheshire Engine of the North, which was the Council’s development Company.

In respect of the same item, in the interest of openness, Councillor D Newton declared he was a member of East Cheshire Engine of the North, which was the Council’s development Company.

In respect of the same item, in the interest of openness, Councillor D Brown declared that he was a Member of Congleton Town Council and, as Portfolio Holder, had met with various developers but had not predetermined the Strategy.

In respect of the same item, in the interest of openness, Councillor D Hough declared that he was a Member of Alsager Town Council but had not met with any developers and had not made up his mind completely regarding the Strategy.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting which took place on 23 January 2014 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

(During consideration of the item, Councillor J Wray arrived to the meeting.   As a result he did not take part in the debate or vote on the item).

Consideration was given to the above report.

The following people attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the application:-

Councillor Miss Andrew

Peter Yates

Eileen Furr (Representing LEFA (Land East of Fence Avenue)

Parish Councillor John Cornell (Vice Chairman Weston & Basford Parish Council)

Gary Halman (Representing HOW Planning)

Mr Brooks (Representing the Tatton Estate)

Councillor Mrs Gaddum

Keith Williams

Town Councillor Mike Benson (Town Mayor, Sandbach Town Council)

Stuart Kinsey

Roger Bagguley

Terry Roeves (Representing Friends of Dean Row)

Parish Councillor Mrs Eyre (Representing Sutton Parish Council)

Councillor K Edwards

Brian Chaplin (Representing the Knutsford Aligned Community Groups)

Manuel Golding

Lillian Burns (Representing the Cheshire Association of Local Councils and Prestbury Parish Council)

Councillor R Fletcher

Celia Davies

Stuart Redgard

David Lewis

Dr Julie Ann Brown (Representing Somerford Parish Resident’s Action Group (SPRAG)

Debbie Jamison

Councillor L Brown

Councillor B Burkhill

Jenny Unsworth (Protect Congleton-Civic Society)

The Chairman thanked the public for their contributions and assured them that the points made would be taken into consideration.

An addition two statements were read out by the Head of Strategic and Economic Planning on behalf of Councillor Mrs L Smetham and Councillor R Menlove.

In response to comments made by Dr Julie Ann Brown, Mrs Bradley stated that, as Monitoring Officer, she knew of no instance of maladministration, underhand dealings or predetermination in relation to the strategic location LS6 Back Lane/Radnor Park, Congleton. In response to comments attributed by Councillor Burkhill to the Leader of the Council, Councillor M. Jones, Mrs Bradley stated that, as Monitoring Officer, that Councillor Jones had not taken nor was he taking any part in the Board Meeting and had no influence over the conduct of it.

(The meeting adjourned for lunch at 12.35pm and reconvened at 1.20pm).

Prior to the start of the debate, Councillor B Murphy moved a recommendation that Council defer consideration of the item on the grounds that the item did not include a Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between the Council and Stockport MBC in connection with the Council’s duty to co-operate, that Members therefore lacked document essential to forming a reasonable judgement regarding the Strategy, and objections put forward by a number of the speakers had not been properly and adequately resolved. 

Ms Dillon (Planning Solicitor) (whilst not having read the Memorandum), advised that the purpose of the Board meeting was to consider Local Plan Policy, that the Memorandum itself was not an expression of policy document and the Board had sufficient information before it, without considering the Memorandum, for it to make a recommendation to Council. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

(The meeting adjourned again at 3.30pm for a short break).

A number of comments were made by Members of the Board in respect of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version  ...  view the full minutes text for item 170.