A period of 20 minutes is allocated for questions to be put to Cabinet Members by members of the Council. A maximum period of two minutes will be allowed for each member wishing to ask a question. The Leader will have discretion to vary this requirement where he considers it appropriate. Members wishing to ask a question at the meeting should register to do so in writing by not later than 4.00 pm on the Friday in the week preceding the meeting. Members should include the general topic their question will relate to and indicate if it relates to an item on the agenda. Questions must relate to the powers, duties or responsibilities of the Cabinet. Questions put to Cabinet Members must relate to their portfolio responsibilities.
Where a question relates to a matter which appears on the agenda, the Leader may allow the question to be asked at the beginning of consideration of that item.
Minutes:
Councillor J Buckley asked if communities in areas where grittng routes were being removed could be consulted about the placement of extra grit bins.
The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste responded that the provision of grit bins was assessed on a variety of factors. There was a form on the Council’s website for requesting grit bins which she undertook to forward to Councillor Buckley.
Councillor J Clowes asked when the results of the winter gritting consultation would be available. She also commented that some roads in her ward which should have been gritted had not been; she asked if there were further prioritisation measures involved.
The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste responded that the outcome of the first review of Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure would be published by April to allow time to plan for winter 21/22. This would be communicated to members at that time. She also advised Councillor Clowes to raise the issue regarding ungritted roads in her ward through the Member Enquiries Service.
Councillor J P Findlow referred to the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone and its impact on cross-boundary travel.
The Deputy Leader indicated that the Council had responded to the consultation on the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone by making three specific requests, which he outlined. He undertook to share the consultation response with all members. A response to the Council’s response was awaited.
Councillor S Pochin asked about the number of unemployed people in Cheshire East at the end of 2019 and the corresponding number at the end of 2020, and how coronavirus was impacting jobs in the Borough. She also sought an assurance that the Council was dealing with requests for support funding from local businesses in a timely fashion and issuing grants where justifiable.
The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration responded with details of the relevant unemployment figures. He also outlined the financial support available to local businesses and the way in which requests for support were dealt with. He undertook to provide the full details of his response to Councillor Pochin. The Deputy Leader added that the Council had held regular business forums with representatives of the local business community since the start of the pandemic to provide an opportunity to share information, including details of the support available to businesses.
Councillor J Saunders, referring to the effect of the pandemic on schools, asked the Portfolio Holder for Children and Families if she agreed that all school staff should receive a vaccination as a priority and, if so, she would lobby the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation which advises on the priority of vaccinations.
The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families responded that she did believe that school staff should be prioritised and whilst this was a matter for the Government and the NHS, she would be looking to lend her support to any requests by the teaching unions for prioritisation. She added that testing was regularly taking place in schools which helped to identify cases which were asymptomatic. The Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services added that the issue of prioritisation for school staff had already been discussed with the Director of Public Health who had been asked to raise it with the NHS.
Councillor C Bulman, referring to news reports about inadequate food parcels being sent to families with children eligible for free school meals, sought an assurance that quality provisions were being provided in Cheshire East. She also asked when food vouchers would become available.
The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families responded that schools could choose who supplied their food parcels, although many were approaching the Council’s own catering service, which was ensuring that a range of good quality and healthy food products were being provided. The Council anticipated that the Department for Education would be introducing a food voucher scheme very soon.
Councillor S Akers Smith referred to the number of electric vehicle charging points available in the Council’s car parks and asked if there were plans to provide more.
The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration undertook to provide a written response.
Councillor Akers Smith also referred to the introduction of the new committee system and asked if the use of the term ‘chairman’ could be replaced with the term ‘chairperson’ or ‘chair’ when the new system was introduced.
The Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services undertook to provide a written response.
Councillor P Redstone asked for confirmation that roads in rural wards such as Odd Rode would continue to be gritted so that children could safely attend schools in Sandbach and Alsager.
The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste referred to her earlier response that details of the gritting routes would be published in April.
Councillor D Murphy sought an assurance that a waste recycling facility would be maintained in the Congleton area.
The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste referred to her response to a similar question under public questions and reiterated that proposals for the future of the recycling service would be brought forward following consideration of the responses from the Borough-wide consultation.