Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor J Clowes.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding 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 are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

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.

Councillor Carolyn Lowe, Sandbach Town Council, spoke on the closure of Arclid Household Waste Recycling Centre and asked that before a decision was made the Council assess the impact of users from other local authorities on Cheshire East facilities and look if income generation from rubble charges and trade waste could offset the costs of the Arclid Recycling Centre.

Mr Dick Macaulay, Chairman of the Sandbach Woodland and Wildlife Group, spoke in objection to the closure of Arclid Household Waste Recycling Centre. He stated that the Waste Centre was an essential resource for his Group, who regularly used it to dispose of rubbish collected during their woodland restoration work. He was concerned that the closure would lead to increased incidents of fly tipping.

Councillor Andrew Lindsay, Vice Chairman of Brereton Parish Council, addressed the meeting on the closure of Arclid Household Waste Recycling Centre.  He stated that this was the nearest Centre to Brereton and its closure would mean travelling further away to the Congleton, Alsager or Middlewich sites which had their own traffic and congestion issues.  The closure would lead to increased fly tipping and a reduction in recycling.

Councillor Sue Helliwell, Alsager Town Council, spoke about the Supported Bus Service Review and asked about the proposals and costs for the 78 bus service and the 315 bus service.  She also asked that the consultation was advertised as widely as possible to encourage residents to respond.

Councillor D Brown responded by saying that the consultation was open to 26 July and that residents could respond on-line at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/busreview or pick up a consultation pack at their local library.  A drop in event had been held in Alsager on 26 June, with a further event being held on 13 July at Mount Pleasant Village Hall, Scholar Green.  Owing to commercial reasons, he could not give out the costs of individual bus contracts but the combined costs of the 78 and 315 services was well into six figures.  The consultation had been advertised through media releases, posters had been provided to bus operators and town and parish councils and consultation packs had been provided to operators to put on board buses and at libraries across Cheshire East.

Councillor Jonathan Parry, Middlewich Town Council, stated that air quality was an ever increasing problem and action was required.  The Government was looking at the removal of speed humps as it had been proven that humps almost double the amount of harmful gases that vehicles pump out.  He asked what the Council was planning to do about the numerous and excessive amount of speed humps around Middlewich. 

Councillor D Brown responded that the humps had been installed in response to road safety concerns.  The Council undertook air monitoring in residential streets in Middlewich.^.  The Council would be holding an air quality workshop event in September to engage the public and Town Council on the issue and consider ideas and suggestions to improve air quality.  The use of chicanes also produced emissions from cars  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

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 G Baxendale asked about the timeline for work on the Congleton Relief Road.

Councillor D Brown responded that the Inspector’s report was awaited on the compulsory purchases of land.  It was expected that the 2 stage tender process would start in July 2017 with construction due to be complete in Summer 2020.

Councillor S Corcoran stated that there were plans for a roundabout at J17 Sandbach which would eliminate the queues but developers wanted to build an inferior one which would result in queues of over half a mile long for 3 hours a day and asked if Cabinet agreed with him that this was not a non-material amendment to a planning application.

The Leader responded that she noted the question but as this was a regulatory matter it would be inappropriate for Cabinet to respond.

Councillor M Deakin asked about graveyard provision in Alsager as he understool that the number of plots available was in single figures and people wished to be buried where they had lived all their lives. The Local Plan team had tried to tackle the problem but had got no further forward.  He asked if Cabinet could kick start talks with local residents to try to solve this issue.

The Leader responded to say that a conservation had been held with Orbitas, a strategy was under commission and a paper would be brought to Cabinet in the future to look at the issue, with engagement taking place with Alsager Town Council to find a solution.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th June 2017.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 June 2017 be approved as a correct record, subject to the addition of Councillor L Durham to the list of Members in Attendance.

To consider the final report of the Safer Parking for Communities around Schools Task and Finish Group.

Cabinet considered the report and findings of the Safer Parking for Communities around Schools Task and Finish Group. 

Cllr M Simon, Chair of the Task and Finish Group, attended the meeting and spoke to the report.

RESOLVED:

1        That Cabinet:

a        receive the Safer Parking for Communities around Schools Task and Finish Group report; and

b        note the recommendations detailed in the Task and Finish Group report;

2        the Portfolio Holders undertake to come back to the next meeting of Cabinet with a formal response to each recommendation and the response be submitted to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

To consider a report on the implementation of the Household Waste Recycling Centre Review.

Cabinet considered a report on the implementation of the Household Waste Recycling Centre Review.         

At the meeting of Council on 23 February 2017 the decision on closure of Arclid Household Waste Recycling Centre was deferred to allow time for the Council, Sandbach Town Council and local members to evaluate alternatives to closure. 

This work had taken place and concluded that a viable and suitable alternative to closure was not available and therefore the strategy going forward was for the Arclid site to close on 30 September 2017.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet

1        note the questions posed from Sandbach Town Council and the Council’s response;

2        having reviewed submissions from Sandbach Town Council, support the closure of Arclid Household Waste Recycling Centre from 30 September 2017; and

3        authorise the Corporate Manager for Waste and Environment Services, in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Legal Services, to take the necessary actions to close the Arclid site.

To consider a report seeking approval of the Housing Repairs and Adaptations for Vulnerable People Financial Assistance Policy.

Cabinet considered the revised Home Repair and Adaptations for Vulnerable People Policy.

The Policy had been reviewed in order to refocus the help offered to ensure delivery of Outcome 5 of the Council’s resident-outcomes: ‘People live well and for longer’. The Policy set out a series of six grants and loans that would help residents. 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1        approve the Housing Repairs and Adaptations for Vulnerable People Financial Assistance Policy; and

2        delegate approval to the Executive Director Place to put all necessary steps in place to implement the Policy.

To consider a report on changes to the legislation and regulations regarding self-build and custom housebuilding and the implications of those changes for the self-build register.

Cabinet considered a report on the changes to the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Regulations.

The Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 provided for local authorities to create and maintain a register of persons in their area who wish to build their own home. The Housing and Planning Act 2016 and associated Selfbuild and Custom Housebuilding Regulations 2016 placed further duties upon the Council relating to duty to grant permission, time for compliance, serviced plots, exemptions, local eligibility conditions and charging of fees.

It was proposed that the local connection test, as set out in paragraph 5.12 of the report, be amended to say:

·       Live in Cheshire East

·       Work in Cheshire East

·       Have an offer of employment in Cheshire East

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1        agree to the introduction of a local connection test for entry onto the Self Build Register, as defined in paragraph 5.12 of the report;

2        agree that the Council should not carry out a financial assessment of applicants to the self-build register;

3        approve the charging of a fee for entry onto the self-build register, set at a level to cover the Council’s reasonable costs incurred, in accordance with the Regulations; and

4        delegate authority to set the charging level to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning.

To consider a report on the provision of a replacement Human Resources and Finance system (also known as an Enterprise Resource Planning system).

Cabinet considered a report detailing the results of the evaluation of the final submission for the provision of a replacement Human Resources and Finance system (ERP system) for the Council, to be procured in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, and recommended the appointment of a Preferred Bidder.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1        appoint Agilisys Ltd as Preferred Bidder and conditionally awarded the Human Resources and Finance System framework contract

2        note the updated business case;

3        note the Human Resources and Finance System Replacement capital budget is included within the Council’s Capital Programme with an overall provision of £5.380m, of which the proposal requires £4.890m;

4        approve one off revenue expenditure of £1.01m, to be funded in 2017-18 and 2018-19 from underspends against the Council’s existing revenue budgets and a specific earmarked reserve;

5        note the Council’s share of the business case savings, being £0.5m corporate service savings, plus the  Council’s share of £0.4m Transactional Service Centre savings, plus the Council’s share of £1.1m ICT Delivery savings, which will be used to repay the cost of investment;

6        approve the principles underpinning the Inter Authority Agreement;

7        approve the principle of a contractual framework agreement, operated by Cheshire East Council, allowing Cheshire West and Chester and the other named Councils (Stockport MBC, Trafford Council, Warrington MBC, Wirral BC) the ability to call off from the framework during the first four years of the contract;

8        delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer to award the Human Resources and Finance System framework contract to Agilisys unconditionally, subject to the satisfactory resolution of all outstanding matters;

9        delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer to finalise outstanding contractual issues and the Inter Authority Agreement with Cheshire West and Chester Council; and

10      authorise the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer to enter into all necessary contractual documentation with the chosen supplier and with Cheshire West and Chester Council.