Questions
In accordance with Procedure Rule 11, opportunity is provided for Members of the Council to ask the Mayor, the appropriate Cabinet Member or the Chairman of a Committee any question about a matter which the Council, the Cabinet or the Committee has powers, duties or responsibilities.
At Council meetings, there will be a maximum question time period of 30 minutes. Questions will be selected by the Mayor, using the criteria agreed by Council. Any questions which are accepted, but which cannot be dealt with during the allotted period will be answered in writing. Questions must be brief, clear and focussed.
Minutes:
The following questions were asked by Members:-
1. Cllr D Marren referred to a recent employment tribunal case. He said that, at the preliminary hearing, the judge had struck out the Council’s costs application and the Council’s application to dismiss the case. A ten day hearing had now been scheduled for June of the following year and he sought assurance that the claim would be robustly defended and that there would be no settlement agreement. – The Leader of the Council, Cllr Rachel Bailey responded.
2. Cllr L Jeuda asked the Leader to justify the money spent on the employment of a barrister to defend the Council against a whistle blower who was claiming unfair dismissal and whether the residents of Cheshire East would be paying the bill for this. - The Leader of the Council, Cllr Rachel Bailey responded.
3. Cllr B Burkhill referred to the supplementary capital estimate for the Crewe Green roundabout, approved at the previous meeting of Council, and asked when this would be brought back to Council, as Members had voted on what they thought to be a loan, which now appeared to be a gift. – Cllr Paul Bates, Finance and Communities Portfolio Holder responded.
4. Cllr D Flude referred to correspondence received from a resident asking what the justification was for “The Voice” magazine produced by the Council and asked how residents could opt out of the 19 pence that they were paying for this, as part of their Council tax. – Cllr Peter Groves, former Democratic and Public Engagement, Assurance and ICT Portfolio Holder, responded and undertook to inform Cllr Flude what the resident concerned needed to do, so that she could pass the information on to them.
5. Cllr Kolker asked whether the Council could do anything to help with the provision of good and appropriate careers advice in schools. – Cllr George Hayes, former Children and Families Portfolio Holder, responded.
6. Cllr S Pochin asked, in light of the threat to the Consultation Partnership, with some partners refusing to commit to taking their share of the housing, what reassurance the Leader could give that the 100,000 houses required if the HS2 Hub station went to Crewe, that all the housing would not be built in Crewe and Nantwich. - The Leader of the Council, Cllr Rachel Bailey responded.
7. Cllr S Corcoran asked, in view of the concerns expressed regarding “The Voice” magazine, what the cost to the Council would be for the contract advertised on the Chest, dated 16 October 17, including public relations and image to support the work of the Communications Team. - Cllr Peter Groves, former Democratic and Public Engagement, Assurance and ICT Portfolio Holder, stated that this was a procurement issue and undertook to arrange for a written response to be provided.
8. Cllr N Mannion asked, in view of the new housing development allocated in the Local Plan on former Green Belt land on either side of Chelford Road, Macclesfield and the associated additional ... view the full minutes text for item 40