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.

Councillor K Edwards asked what processes the Council had in place to ensure that as many people as possible who were eligible to vote at elections in Cheshire East were registered in view of recent changes to the way in which the electoral registration process was to be conducted.

The Portfolio Holder for Governance, Councillor J P Findlow, responded that the recent changes to electoral registration arrangements required individuals to register themselves rather than the householder having to register all those eligible to vote at an address. He had scrutinised the Council’s processes for conducting the annual canvass and was satisfied that these were thorough and were achieving significant results. He added that the Government had stipulated that anyone already on the existing register would in any event be permitted to vote in the May 2015 elections even if they had for whatever reason failed to renew their registration. Cheshire East Council wanted to be more inclusive and get more people onto the register.

Councillor D Flude referred to the forthcoming consultation on Dementia services in relation to Hollins View and Lincoln House and asked about the Council’s policy on consultation, adding that she would like to see a copy. She also asked if the Health and Voluntary Sectors would be taking part in the Dementia consultation.

The Portfolio Holder for Care and Health in the Community, Councillor J Clowes, responded that each consultation was looked at in terms of what would best serve the users and their carers. Individual users of the services and their families will have received letters from the Council inviting them to attend a one-to-one meeting to talk through what was being looked at and what the various options were. For those users who did not have a family or carer, the Council would arrange for them to have a mentor or advocate to help them through that process. People with learning difficulties would be given the necessary support to respond to the consultation.

Councillor L Jeuda referred to the failure of two private care homes in Macclesfield where the CQC was concerned. She also quoted the chief executive of Age UK in Macclesfield as saying publicly that the care provision in Macclesfield was reaching crisis point and that it was difficult for anyone to find affordable good quality care in the town. Councillor Jeuda added that if Hollins View were to close with the loss of 32 short term respite beds, this would only add to the crisis, with many people being left unsupported. She asked the Portfolio Holder to agree with her that now was not the time to close a well run and greatly valued local facility at Hollins View.

The Portfolio Holder for Care and Health in the Community, Councillor J Clowes, responded that Sutton Oaks Care Centre was due to close; it had failed to carry out the agreed procedure by going to its users without consulting the Health Service or Cheshire East Council which had put their clients in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38