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 relating to the work of the body in question.  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.

The Chairman explained that he proposed to allow members of the public to speak at the end of the meeting in connection with the main item of business on the agenda, but offered the opportunity for any members of the public to raise any other matters at this point in the proceedings.

Mr Warren, Brookfield Lane, Chairman of the Allotments Association, referred to the meeting of the LSDC held on 23 January 2013 when a small working party of Members had been established to look at a locally focused method of management of allotments with a view to making recommendations. Mr Warren asked what options had been considered and whether any recommendations had been made to the Cabinet. Cllrs Edwards, Hardy, and Jackson responded (as the appointed members of the working party) and indicated that a site visit to the Moss Lane Allotment site had taken place, but that the matter had since been suspended, given the subsequent progress of the Macclesfield Community Governance Review. In the event of the establishment of a parish council for Macclesfield, allotments would automatically be vested with the new parish council.        

Liz Braithwaite asked if there was any danger of organisations in Macclesfield, other than the proposed new parish council, being offered assets by Cheshire East Council, if they were not immediately transferred. The Head of Communities indicated that any future considerations would be community lead. Members added that unfortunately it was not possible to give any assurances at this stage, as any future decisions could not be pre-empted.