Decision details

Consideration was given to the following Notices of Motion :-

THANK YOU TO COUNCIL STAFF          

Submitted by Councillor David Topping and Seconded By Councillor Michael Jones

This Council thanks all those staff who worked long, unsocial hours during the recent spell of adverse weather to ensure that traffic kept flowing on the Council’s road network. Their hard work and commitment clearing and gritting roads kept Cheshire East moving. Particular praise should be paid to the work undertaken to clear and grit pavements around a wide range of key locations across the Borough; these included hospitals, doctor’s surgeries, old people’s homes and shops. The same staff have also been responding to the very wet conditions that we have been experiencing; which have resulted in frequent flooding events across the Borough.

The Council’s thanks also go to our local supply chain and to farming contractors who provided an invaluable service in working to keep our more rural communities open for business.

Tribute should also be paid to our refuse crews, who braved the adverse weather to provide as normal a service as they could, to all of the Council’s travelling staff who ensured that, as far as possible, business continued as normal during the adverse weather and to our Customer Services team who over this difficult period have continued to advise and help our residents.

(In considering the Notice of Motion, Council agreed to make special reference to Care For staff and refuse staff in addition to those staff in the areas set out in the Notice of Motion).

That, subject to the above additional references, the motion be approved.

LOAN SHARKS AND CREDIT UNIONS

Submitted by Councillor Sam Corcoran and Seconded by Councillor Michelle Sherratt

Cheshire East Council:

Notes and welcomes the UK-wide campaign to end ‘legal loan sharking’.

Believes that the lack of access to affordable credit is socially and economically damaging. Unaffordable credit is causing a myriad of unwanted effects such as poorer diets, colder homes, rent, council tax and utility arrears, depression (which impacts on job seeking behaviour) and poor health.

Further notes that unaffordable credit is extracting wealth from the most deprived communities.

Believes it is the responsibility of all levels of government to try to ensure affordable credit for all, and therefore pledges to use best practice to promote financial literacy and affordable lending. This will help to ensure that wealth stays in the local economy.

Pledges to promote credit unions in Cheshire East, community-based co-operative organisations offering access to affordable credit and promoting saving, to all members of the community.

Will work to make credit union payroll deduction facilities available to council staff to facilitate easy access to local credit unions and support saving for people in the area.

Calls on the government to introduce caps on the total lending rates that can be charged for providing credit.

Calls on the government to give local authorities the power to veto licences for high street credit agencies where they could have negative economic or social impacts on communities.

RESOLVED

That the motion be accepted.

PLANNING COMMITTEE UPDATE REPORTS

Submitted by Councillor David Brickhill and Seconded by Councillor Michael Jones

In connection with the proceedings of the Strategic Planning Board on
30^th January, when the following late update papers were produced after publication of the agenda for the meeting:

Update 1 containing 14 pages on 23^rd at 11.42 including the Parish Council’s response prompted by Councillor Hogben

Update 2 containing 18 pages on 25^th at 17.22

Update 3 containing 12 pages, on 29^th at 18.24

All of which led to delays in the business of the Board and a deferment. This Council calls upon officers and the Committee to ensure that:

·        Update papers which are issued after publication of the agendas for planning meetings should be produced without delay prior to the meeting in question.

·        Where it is necessary for update papers to be brought to the attention of Members within the five working days before planning meetings, the application in question should only be determined where:

o       The officers advise that it is necessary to do so in view of the urgency of the matter; and

o       Members of the Committee/Board agree that they and the public have had sufficient time to absorb the information in question; but

·        That in other cases, the Committee/Board should resolve to defer consideration of the application in question.

RESOLVED

That the motion stand referred to the Strategic Planning Board for consideration.
LYME GREEN

Submitted by Councillor Brendan Murphy and Seconded by Councillor Lloyd Roberts

Council resolves that the Designated Independent Person’s report should be published unless there is well-founded legal advice to the contrary.

(In moving his motion Cllr Murphy made a correction to the wording to replace the word “advice” with the word “reason”).

RESOLVED

That the motion be not accepted.

STRATEGIC HOUSING LAND AVAILABILITY ASSESSMENT

Submitted by Councillor David Brown and Seconded by Councillor Michael Jones

This Council welcomes the recent decision to approve the 2013 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, and supports its use to evidence a 5 year housing supply wherever appropriate.

RESOLVED

That the motion be accepted.