Leader's and Deputy Leader's Announcements
To receive such announcements as may be made by the Leader and Deputy Leader.
Minutes:
The Leader, in summary:
1 paid tribute to the late Cllr Chris Hilliard acknowledging their contributions to the work of the Council.
2 stated that this council meeting marked one year since he had been elected as Leader and acknowledged the challenges and tough decisions faced over the past year.
3 highlighted the Council’s reliance on exceptional financial support to balance the 2025-26 budget and warned of a £51m funding gap to 2029
4 highlighted the Government’s Fair Funding Review consultation and urged councillors to respond
5 confirmed that the Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council remained part of the devolution priority programme for a Mayoral Combined Authority and the Councils had requested that the Mayoral elections move from May 2026 to May 2027.
6 referred to the Government’s decision to introduce legislation to mandate a leader and cabinet model for councils in England and that the Council would need to prepare for this change
7 highlighted the improvements in the Children and Families services following Ofsted monitoring.
8 acknowledged the work of councillors and officers in driving the transformation programme.
The Deputy Leader, in summary:
1 paid tribute to the late Cllr Chris Hilliard.
2 reported that the traCE system would be launched on Wednesday 23 July, which was a new, map-based online tool to report potholes, fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles and streetlighting and would replace the current Fix My Street platform.
3 reported that the Council had received long awaited approval and grant funding from the Government for the Middlewich Eastern Bypass.
4 referred to the ongoing regeneration work in Crewe.
5 announced the launch of four new community grants - Cost of Living Community Response Fund, Digital Communities Fund, Enabling Prosperity and Wellbeing in Cheshire East Fund and Healthy Neighbourhoods Fund
6 reported the launch of a new SEND strategy which had beendeveloped by the Cheshire East 0–25 SEND Partnership.
7 reported that additional DfE funding had been secured for supported internships for young people with SEND.
8 highlighted that the AI transformation programme was underway which was expected to say £40m over three years. AI would be used in customer services, adult social care and children’s services.
9 reported the launch of the “We Still Need You” project for male veterans by Mentell, funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
10 highlighted that the Active Travel consultation was open until 31 August 2025.