Issue - meetings

To consider a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillors S Jones and R Fletcher and two Notices of Motion submitted by Councillors D Neilson and D Hough, attached.

Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion, submitted by Cllrs S Jones and Fletcher :-

This Council is concerned about the capacity of the Quality Care Commission (QCC) ,to carry out its functions effectively.  The Council resolves to ask the Chief Executive to register our concerns, at Ministerial level and with the Chief Executive of QCC, with copies of correspondence to our local MPs.

This Council asks Cabinet to refer to the relevant Scrutiny Committees with a view to establishing an all-party Task/Finish group to investigate the position in Cheshire East regarding the interface between the QCC and our own safeguarding service to ensure that our vulnerable residents, particularly those in receipt of domiciliary care, are properly protected.   

RESOLVED

That the motion stand referred to Cabinet.

Consideration was given to the following Notices of Motion Submitted by Cllrs D Neilson and D Hough :-

One

In the written answer to Cllr. John Narraway’s question to full Council, regarding the cost of redundancies and subsequent savings, it looks like the cost has been £23.8m, with estimated savings of £2m per annum.  This would appear to give a payback time of over 10 years, when Cabinet reports have suggested a payback period of 4 years.

Motion :-

That this Council ask the Corporate Scrutiny Committee to review the costs of redundancies and pay back time and report back to Council on their findings.

Cllr Mason, Portfolio Holder Procurement, Assets and Shared Services provided the following information in respect of how the figures, included in the response, relating to the cost of redundancies, had been calculated :-

Monthly Staffing Costs

April 2009 – £26.385m

April 2011 – £24.958m

This 2 year reduction was rounded to £1.5m, giving an average monthly reduction of £750k. This was then multiplied by 24 months = £18m.

Redundancy Cost 9/10 –  £13.9m

Redundancy Costs 10/11 –£9.8m   

                                             £23.7m    = £23.7m Costs

                                             £18.0m Savings = 1.3 Year Pay Back

It having been suggested that the motion was founded on erroneous information, the Mayor put the matter to the vote and it was : -

RESOLVED

That the motion will not  be referred to Cabinet.

Two

That the Council suspends all new redundancy requests, until a review is carried out, relating to the counter productive effect of employees getting jobs with other employers, while their services are still required and being allowed voluntary redundancy. Thus leaving extra redundancy cost to the Council, plus the extra costs involved of recruiting from outside the organisation.

It having been suggested that the second motion was consequential upon the first, the Mayor put the matter to the vote and it was :-

RESOLVED

That the motion will not be referred to Cabinet.