Issue - meetings

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the meeting. Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

Mrs Dorothy Flude, Mr Terry Beard and Honorary Alderman Peter Kent attended and spoke regarding proposed community governance arrangements for Cheshire East Borough.

Mrs Flude felt that the newly-appointed service delivery committee for the unparished area of Crewe was not representative of the area and that the Council should look again at a town council for Crewe.

Honorary Alderman Kent felt that the changes to the community governance arrangements introduced by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 had not anticipated a situation such as that of Crewe which was politically different from the Borough as a whole. He added that any proposed community governance arrangements for Crewe should be decided by a vote of the local electorate and not merely by consultation with key stakeholders.

Mr Beard urged that a further community governance review of the unparished area of Crewe be undertaken at the earliest opportunity and that local Members be involved.