Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors R Bailey, J Bratherton,  B Drake, M Muldoon, C O’Leary, J Priest and L Smith.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, and non-registerable interests in any item on the agenda.

It was noted the Councillors D Edwardes and J Snowball had a personal interest in the appointment of Mayor and of Deputy Mayor, respectively.

To elect a Mayor for 2025/26, who will also act as Chair of the Council.

Council was requested to elect a Mayor for the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2025-26 Municipal Year, who would also act as Chair of the Council for that period.

It was proposed by Councillor R Kain and seconded by Councillor J Wray that Councillor David Edwardes be elected as Mayor for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

The motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor David Edwardes be elected Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2025-26 Municipal Year and be appointed as Chair of the Council for that period.

The Mayor was invested with the chain of office and then completed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Mayor thanked the Council for electing him to this office and informed Members that he would not be having a consort and instead would invite ward councillors to accompany him to events in the areas they represent.  The Mayor reported that his chosen charities would be Windyway Animal Rescue and Macclesfield Roundtable.

Councillor D Edwardes, as Mayor, took the Chair.

To appoint a Deputy Mayor for 2025/26, who will also act as Vice Chair of the Council.

Council was requested to appoint a Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2025-26, who would also act as Vice-Chair of the Council for that period.

It was proposed by Councillor R Vernon and seconded by Councillor K Edwards that Councillor Judy Snowball be appointed as Deputy Mayor for the 2025-26 Municipal Year.

The motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Judy Snowball be appointed as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2025-26 Municipal Year and as Vice Chair of the Council for that period.

The Deputy Mayor was invested with the chain of office and then completed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Deputy Mayor thanked the Council for electing her to this office.

Councillor A Moran paid tribute to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Marilyn Houston, for their dedicated work undertaken during their term of office.

The Mayor presented Councillor Houston with a Past Mayor’s Medal.

Councillor Houston then addressed the Council, as outgoing Mayor.

The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the Mayor Making Ceremony and stated that the meeting would be adjourned for the Special Meeting of Council to take place and would be reconvened, following lunch.

(The meeting was adjourned at 12.06 pm and reconvened at 1.45 pm)

Apologies were received from Councillors P Coan, M Muldoon, J Priest and L Smith.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, and non-registerable interests in any item on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 26 February 2025.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 February 2025 be approved as a correct record.

To elect a Leader of the Council and Deputy Leader of the Council for 2025/26.

Leader of the Council

Nominations were invited for the election of the Leader of the Council.

It was proposed by Councillor L Crane and seconded by Councillor M Gorman that Councillor Nick Mannion be elected as the Leader of the Council for the 2025-26 Municipal Year.

The motion was put to the vote and a recorded vote was carried out with the following results:

FOR

Councillors L Anderson, S Bennett-Wake, J Bird, L Braithwaite, J Bratherton, M Brooks, L Buchanan, C Bulman, A Burton, C Chapman, D Clark, A Coiley, N Cook, S Corcoran, L Crane, B Drake, D Edwardes, K Edwards, M Edwards, H Faddes, R Fletcher, E Gilman, M Goldsmith, M Gorman, C Hilliard, M Houston, D Jefferay, N Mannion, G Marshall, A Moran, R Moreton, J Place, B Puddicombe, J Rhodes, H Seddon, G Smith, J Snowball, R Vernon, M Warren, F Wilson and B Wye.

AGAINST

Councillors S Adams, R Bailey, M Beanland, D Brown, R Chadwick, J Clowes, T Dean, S Edgar, A Gage, S Gardiner, K Hague, E Hall, A Harrison, G Hayes, A Heler, S Holland, T Jackson, R Kain, A Kolker, R Morris, H Moss, C O’Leary, J Pearson, B Posnett, J Pratt, P Redstone, J Saunders, M Sewart, M Simon, L Smetham, L Wardlaw, H Whitaker and J Wray.

NOT VOTING

Councillors C Browne, John Smith and Julie Smith.

The motion was declared carried with 41 votes for, 33 votes against and 3 not voting.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Nick Mannion be elected as Leader of the Council for the 2025-26 Municipal Year.

Deputy Leader of the Council

Nominations were invited for the election of the Deputy Leader of the Council.

It was proposed by Councillor M Warren and seconded by Councillor N Mannion that Councillor Michael Gorman be elected as the Deputy Leader of the Council for the 2025-26 Municipal Year

The motion was put to the vote and a recorded vote was carried out with the following results:

FOR

Councillors L Anderson, S Bennett-Wake, J Bird, L Braithwaite, J Bratherton, M Brooks, C Browne, L Buchanan, C Bulman, A Burton, C Chapman, D Clark, A Coiley, N Cook, S Corcoran, L Crane, B Drake, D Edwardes, K Edwards, M Edwards, H Faddes, R Fletcher, E Gilman, M Goldsmith, M Gorman, C Hilliard, M Houston, D Jefferay, N Mannion, G Marshall, A Moran, R Moreton, J Place, B Puddicombe, J Rhodes, H Seddon, G Smith, John Smith, Julie Smith, J Snowball, R Vernon, M Warren, F Wilson and B Wye.

AGAINST

Councillors S Adams, R Bailey, M Beanland, D Brown, R Chadwick, J Clowes, T Dean, S Edgar, A Gage, S Gardiner, K Hague, E Hall, A Harrison, G Hayes, A Heler, S Holland, T Jackson, R Kain, A Kolker, R Morris, H Moss, C O’Leary, J Pearson, B Posnett, J Pratt, P Redstone, J Saunders, M Sewart, M Simon, L Smetham, L Wardlaw, H Whitaker and J Wray.

The motion was declared carried with 44 votes for and 33 votes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To determine the political representation on the Council’s committees.

Consideration was given to a report relating to the political representation on the Council’s committees.

The recommendations were moved and seconded and put to the vote.

RESOLVED:

1               that the Committees, as set out in the Appendix to the report, be appointed with the same functions, roles and responsibilities as are currently set out in the Constitution.

2        that the political groups and other representation, as set out in the Appendix to the report, and the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining this, as outlined in the report, be adopted and the allocation of places to Committees be approved.

To appoint the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Council’s committees.

Consideration was given to the appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Council’s Committees.

The Appendix to the report set out the nominated persons for Chair and Vice Chair for each committee.

The appointments for Chairs and Vice Chairs were moved and seconded and put to the vote.

RESOLVED:

That the offices of Chair and Vice Chair be allocated as detailed in the Appendix to the report.

To consider the recommendtion from the Finance Sub Committee.

Consideration was given to the recommendation from the Finance Sub Committee held on 10 March 2025 in relation to the approval of a virement of up to £8m from the central Contingency budget to the Adults and Health budget to cover inflationary pressures in 2025-26.

RESOLVED:

That Council approve a virement of up to £8m from the central Contingency budget to the Adults and Health budget to cover inflationary pressures in 2025-26.

To approve the appointments to the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel and the Cheshire Fire Authority.

Consideration was given to a report inviting Council to make appointments to the Cheshire Fire Authority and the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel.

The nominations for the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel and the Cheshire Fire Authority were moved and seconded and put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED:  That

1               Councillor David Brown, David Jefferay and Judy Snowball be appointed to the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel, with Councillor Russell Chadwick as nominated substitute.

2        Councillors Rachel Bailey, Peter Coan, Laura Crane, Rob Moreton, Patrick Redstone, Margaret Simon, Geoff Smith, Rob Vernon and Mick Warren be appointed to the Cheshire Fire Authority.

To seek the approval of Council in respect of a Councillor’s absence from Council meetings for a period of six months.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

To consider the report on the procurement of a new connectivity network contract.

Consideration was given to the report seeking approval in principle for the procurement of a new connectivity network contract which was expected to cost more than £1m.

The recommendations were proposed and seconded.  During the debate a ‘friendly amendment’ was proposed and accepted to add ‘in consultation with political group leaders’ to Recommendation 2.

RESOLVED:  That Council

1        approve in principle the procurement of a new connectivity network contract which is expected to cost more than £1m.

2      delegate authority to the Director of Digital of Cheshire East Borough Council, in consultation with political group leaders, to award the contract to the successful bidder following the competitive procurement process.

To note the urgent decisions taken by the Chief Executive on behalf of Council.

Council received a schedule of urgent decisions taken by the Chief Executive on behalf of the Council, which were reported for information in accordance with the Council procedure rules.

RESOLVED:

That the schedule of urgent decisions be noted.