Agenda and minutes

The Mayor’s Chaplain said prayers, at the request of the Mayor.

That, subject to the correction of minute 91 by the removal of the reference to Councillor D Topping and the insertion of the name of Councillor R Domleo as Chairman of the Staffing Committee, the minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2013 be approved as a correct record

Rachel Musson, Interim Chief Operating Officer, declared an interest in respect of item 7 – Designation of Section 151 Officer and left the meeting during consideration of this matter.

Councillors Dorothy Flude and Wesley Fitzgerald each declared a non pecuniary interest in respect of item 8 – Election of Mayor and Appointment of Deputy Mayor for the 2013/14 Civic year and left the meeting during consideration of this matter.

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To receive such announcements as may be made by the Mayor.

The Mayor announced that:

1.      Councillor Michelle Sherratt had given birth to a baby boy on 23^rd April; the baby had been named Quinn Lyrid Sherratt Hale. On behalf of the Council he expressed his good wishes to Michelle.

2.      That Councillor Steve Carter had been elected to represent the Macclesfield Hurdsfield Ward at a By-Election held on Thursday 25^th April. Councillor Carter was formally welcomed to the Council meeting.

3.      That since the last meeting, he had represented the Council at four funerals. He reminded Members that Council had paid its respects to Honorary Freeman Margaret Duddy MBE at its last meeting. He had attended her funeral on 8^th March at Disley Parish Church. 

4.      The following week he had attended the funeral, at Chester Cathedral, of John Platt OBE, Mr Platt had been the longstanding president and chairman of the world famous Cheshire Show and was for many years the Chairman of Governors at Reaseheath College.

5.      On 23^rdApril, he had represented the Council at the funeral of Michael Livesley. Michael was a former Leader of Macclesfield Borough Council and the father of Councillor Bill Livesley.

6.      On 24^th April he had represented the Council at the military funeral, in Handforth, of Lance Corporal Jamie Webb of the Mercian Regiment. Lance Corporal Webb died from wounds he received in Afghanistan.

7.      He had also been notified of the recent death of a former Macclesfield Borough Council Member, Harry Mottershead. Mr Mottershead  represented Poynton  on the Borough Council in the 1970s.

Members stood in silent tribute, as a mark of respect.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 35 and Appendix 7 to the rules, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to speak at Council meetings. 

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned, where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given. It is not a requirement to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

To approve the recommendation of the Staffing Committee for the appointment of a Chief Executive, including the salary to be paid and to resolve that the new Chief Executive also be appointed as the Council’s Head of Paid Service, as well as its Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer. In addition to seek approval that the Interim Chief Operating Officer be formally designated as the Council’s statutory Section 151 Officer.

(Rachel Musson, having declared an interest, left the meeting during consideration of this matter.)

Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Executive containing a recommendation from the Staffing Committee in respect of the appointment of a Chief Executive, including salary to be paid. The report also contained a recommendation on the designation of the Council’s Head of Paid Service, the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer, and separately a recommendation to seek approval that the Interim Chief Operating Officer be formally designated as the Council’s statutory section 151 Officer.

RESOLVED: That

(a)               Mr Mike Suarez be appointed as Cheshire East Council’s Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, with effect from the earliest possible date to be arranged;

(b)               the salary of the Chief Executive be confirmed as £150,000 a year, with a performance related payment of up to £10,000 in addition;

(c)               Mr Suarez be appointed as Electoral Registration Officer pursuant to Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act and Returning Officer, pursuant to Section 35 of that Act, and in respect of referenda and all other electoral matters referred to in the report: and

(d)               Ms Rachel Musson, (Interim Chief Operating Officer), be designated formally as Cheshire East Council’s statutory Section 151 Officer.

To approve the designation of Councillor D Flude as the Mayor Elect and that a second Member be designated as the Deputy Mayor Elect, with a view to their formal election and appointment as Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Cheshire East for 2013/2014, at the Mayor Making ceremony to be held on 15^th May 2013.

(Councillors Dorothy Flude and Wesley Fitzgerald, having each declared a non pecuniary interest, left the meeting during consideration of this matter).

Consideration was given to the nominations for the office of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2013/14.

It was moved and seconded that Councillor Dorothy Flude be designated as the Mayor elect and that Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald be designated as Deputy Mayor elect, with a view to their formal election as Mayor and appointment as Deputy Mayor respectively, for the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2013-14 civic year at the Mayor making ceremony on 15 May 2013.

The Mayor reminded Council that Group Leaders had met together and had agreed that voting on the whole of this item of business should not be dealt with by the secret ballot procedure.  It was then moved and seconded that the voting on the whole of this item of business should be by show of hands and that Standing Orders should be waived in order for this to happen. The motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED

That Councillor Dorothy Flude be designated as Mayor Elect and that Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald be designated as Deputy Mayor Elect, with a view to their formal election as Mayor and appointment as Deputy Mayor for Cheshire East for 2013-2014 civic year, at the Mayor Making ceremony to be held on 15 May 2013.

RESOLVED

That the Council's thanks be extended to his Worship the Mayor Councillor George Walton for the efficient and courteous manner in which he had conducted Council meetings during his term of office.