Leader's and Deputy Leader's Announcements
To receive such announcements as may be made by the Leader and Deputy Leader.
Minutes:
The Leader, in summary
1 referred to the recently launched report by the Cheshire and Warrington Sustainable Inclusive Growth Commission, which set out projects which would help to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 and encouraged all to read the report.
2 encouraged those present to search on the Cheshire and Merseyside All Together Active website for details of the campaign to encourage residents to regularly undertake 75 minutes of physical activity to reduce the risk of colon cancer, dementia, and type two diabetes.
3 reported that the Council was planning for increased demand for services to support residents who were experiencing financial stress, including the established support such as the household support fund, emergency assistance, housing benefit and council tax support. The Council would continue to provide essential food and fuel vouchers.
4 announced that the Council would be launching a Warm Places scheme to provide spaces where people could go, free of charge, to spend time to keep warm if they were struggling to heat or keep their homes warm.
5 reported that the Council was facing extreme financial pressures due to rising energy prices, high inflation rate and increased costs to deliver and commission essential services. The Council would be joining with other councils to call on the government to provide funding so that it could ensure that the most vulnerable were supported and aware of the help available to them.
6 reported that the Council had been working with town councils to produce Town Centre Vitality Plans and encouraged all to look at these plans.
7 encouraged those eligible to get their flu vaccine and covid booster vaccine.
8 reported that Crewe Pride was taking place on Saturday 22 October 2022 from 12 noon to 4 pm at Crewe Market Hall, with a parade through the town centre.
The Deputy Leader, in summary
1 reported that the Council was supporting residents through established support schemes such as the Household Support Fund, workplace schemes and was also providing winter wellbeing items to those residents most in need such as warm clothing and energy saving products as well as essential food.
2 reported that the Council was facing extreme financial pressures due to raising energy price, rising inflation and increased delivery costs.
3 reported that the Council had secured a grant of £151,000 to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure at 15 locations in Cheshire East, including Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Middlewich, Congleton, and Nantwich.
4 reported that the Council had submitted expression of interests forms for several Investment Zones in Cheshire East
5 reported that the Inspector had issued his final report on the examination of the draft SADPD. The Council would now prepare a version for adoption at the Council meeting on 14 December 2022.
6 provided an update on the HS2 petitioning process and reported that the Council had submitted petitions against the Phase 2 Hybrid Bill, setting out objections to the Bill and how would like them to be resolved.