Issue - meetings

A period of 20 minutes is allocated for questions to be put to Cabinet Members by members of the Council. Notice of questions need not be given in advance of the meeting. Questions must relate to the powers, duties or responsibilities of the Cabinet. Questions put to Cabinet Members must relate to their portfolio responsibilities.

The Leader will determine how Cabinet question time should be allocated where there are a number of Members wishing to ask questions. 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.

Cllr S Hogben referred to eight blacklisting companies (Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Shanska UK and VINCI PLC), who, in October 2013, had announced that they were setting up The Construction Workers Compensation Scheme to compensate the victims they blacklisted. He asked which of these companies Cheshire East Council had dealings with.

Cllr Hogben also asked for an indication as to the amount of the deliverable housing supply that the Council could currently offer.

Cllr S Corcoran referred to the Ombudsman report relating to White Moss Quarry and his concerns regarding allegations that the date on an aerial photograph had been changed to make it appear that it was available during the consultation. He stated that he had obtained information under the Freedom of Information Act and the audit trail had revealed that there had been two entries and he requested that Cabinet fully investigate the second entry, as to who did it, what they did and why.

Cllr S Gardiner asked the Service CommissioningPortfolio Holder if he could advise Councillors on the level of preparedness for the storms forecast for later in the week.

Cllr A Moran referred to the night economy in Nantwich and a number of applications for takeaways to open to 03:30 hrs. The Licensing Committee had refused one of these applications, but the decision had been reversed on appeal, despite objections from the Town Council and the Police. The result of this was that the takeaway was now open until 03:30 hrs on three nights per week and there were concerns that other premises would now apply for the same hours. He referred to the consultation on the midnight levy and asked when this would be implemented, so that the premises who opened into the early hours of the morning would have to pay an extra contribution to policing and cleaning up the town.

Cllr L Smetham referred to comments made at the recent breakfast meeting, concerning the Community Governance review for Macclesfield and asked whether the Council was intending to give substantial weight to the residents’ views and comments in respect of the consultation.