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 D Flude asked for an update on plans to welcome Syrian refugees into Cheshire East, including details of numbers and date of arrival. The Chairman undertook to provide a written response. Councillor Flude also asked if there was financial assistance available to people on benefits to help them meet the cost of pest control measures carried out in their homes. Again, a written response would be provided.

Councillor D Newton referred to research published by Oxford University into children’s centres which demonstrated that such centres made a real and significant difference. He asked what weight Cheshire East Council would give to the research when deciding whether or not to close children’s centres. The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families, Councillor Rachel Bailey, replied that for children’s centres to be effective it was important to reach the families that the Council needed to engage; Cheshire East’s rural demographic meant that at the moment, some of those people were unable to access services. The current consultation was about ensuring that the centres with the highest footfall were safeguarded whilst also ensuring that services were delivered in new and innovative ways to improve service delivery outside of existing buildings.