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 Chairman 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 Chairman may allow the question to be asked at the beginning of consideration of that item.

Councillor D Flude referred to proposals for users of the Crewe Lifestyle Centre to receive a discount on their tickets when using the car park. She sought clarification as to whether this would include users of the library and not just users of the swimming and sports facilities. The Portfolio Holder for Adults, Health and Leisure confirmed that the discount would apply to users of all the facilities at the Centre.

Councillor Flude also commented that some of the emissions reports on the Council’s website relating to certain locations in Crewe and Nantwich were seriously out of date. The locations were Hospital Street, Nantwich; Nantwich Road, Crewe; Earle Street, Crewe; and Wistaston Road, Crewe. The Chairman undertook to ensure that the information on emissions at these locations was updated on the website.

Councillor M Grant referred to the work taking place on the Manchester Bridge, Earle Street, Crewe and commented that the way in which the contractors were parking their vehicles was making things difficult for the traders in the small retail parks located at either side of the bridge. The Chairman replied that he was aware of the matter and had been pursuing it with Network Rail. He undertook to make further representations to Network Rail and was more than willing to meet people on site to discuss the matter.

Councillor M Warren commented that Everybody Sport and Recreation Trust had been contacting all of the non-ESAR swimming providers such as local swimming clubs to inform them that they would no longer be able to teach in the pools after April 2017. This seemed at odds with the Trust’s stated aim of building strong relationships with communities and partners. He asked if the Cabinet supported the Trust’s decision and whether it was likely to lead to similar decisions for other sports activities such as football and cricket. The Portfolio Holder for Adults, Health and Leisure replied that Cabinet had requested and received a report on the matter from the Trust and would be considering it within the next week. She added that it was entirely appropriate for the Trust to seek to make the best use of its facilities for the benefit of Cheshire East residents but that there would continue to be a role for local swimming clubs in providing choice, competition and specialist training, and that clubs would continue to have access to the facilities at cheaper rentals but possibly at less optimum times. The Portfolio Holder for Open Spaces added that the clubs would continue to receive significant public subsidies.