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 S Corcoran referred to a question he had raised at the previous meeting regarding a payment to an officer who had been recommended for dismissal. He commented that the response he had received had explained how the payment had been made but not why. At the Leader’s request, the Acting Director of Legal Services advised that the response provided previously represented the totality of what could be said on the matter and there was nothing further to add from his perspective to the answer already provided.

Councillor L Jeuda asked if the Council’s Legal Team was aware that a senior officer of the Council who was currently a witness at an employment tribunal hearing was married to an employment tribunal judge in the North-West who, whilst not involved with the hearing in question, had sat with the judge involved with the hearing on at least one occasion, and that this may have led to the hearing being called off. At the Leader’s invitation, the Acting Director of Legal Services replied that the Council’s barrister in the case had been informed of the connection at the outset but had only made it known to the tribunal panel once the case had started. That was an oversight for which the barrister had apologised. The Acting Director of Legal Services was satisfied that no Council officer had acted inappropriately in the matter.

Councillor B Burkhill asked if the Council would give support to a campaign to keep the last remaining bank in Handforth open. The bank in question was RBS. The Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Regeneration undertook to consider what the Council could do to assist.

Councillor R Fletcher asked if there had been a reduction in the service for cutting back hedges overhanging pavements as this was causing difficulties for pedestrians in Alsager. The Portfolio Holder for Environment responded that he was not aware of any policy to reduce hedge cutting. He asked Councillor Fletcher to provide further details so that he could look into the matter.

Councillor J Nicholas asked for an assurance that, in light of the current pressures on the retail sector, no more Council funding would be allocated for the purchase of retail premises in the Borough. The Leader noted the comments and gave an assurance that the Council would operate in an open and transparent way with an evidence-base behind any purchases.