Agenda and minutes

The Leader announced the sad news that Councillor Peter Nurse had passed away last week. Councillor Nurse had been elected to Cheshire East Council in May 2011 and had represented the Crewe West ward. He had previously served on Cheshire County Council for a number of years.

All present stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

The Leader asked that the Council’s condolences be conveyed to Councillor Nurse’s family.

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

Councillor S Wilkinson declared a non-prejudicial interest in an item on High Speed Rail 2 as he lived near to the proposed route.

Mr Andrew Shaw spoke regarding HS2. Mr Shaw expressed his disappointment at the Council’s support for the project but urged the Council to adopt a balanced approach meeting the needs and concerns of residents across the Borough. In addition, he suggested that the Council’s proposed response to the consultation should be strengthened to the effect that the Council expects the highest standards of mitigation and compensation to apply and that the Council’s support would be conditional upon support for those whose properties could be blighted.

The Leader responded that the Council had taken on board many of Mr Shaw’s concerns.

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 Hogben referred to the decision taken on 3^rd January 2014 to allow the cinema at Dunwoody Way, Crewe to be enlarged, which would involve the closure of Lakeside Superbowl. He asked what the Council would do to promote tenpin bowling in the area in future and whether this could be considered for the proposed Lifestyle Centre. The Leader and the Health and Adult Care Portfolio Holder acknowledged that the closure of the bowling club was disappointing and removed a facility used by adults unable to engage in more vigorous activities. The Council would consider other sites for such a facility in the future if any proposals came forward, and would consider the suggestion regarding the Lifestyle Centre.

Councillor K Edwards referred to the redacted report on Lyme Green which the Council had published and sought assurances that the Monitoring Officer would be fully consulted on future delegated decisions and that adequate training in procurement had been carried out. The Leader responded that officers had now received and would continue to receive training in procurement and that the Cabinet itself had also received such training. He also confirmed that the Monitoring Officer would be fully consulted on delegated decisions and would be able to reject any decisions with which they were not satisfied.

Councillor B Murphy asked how the Council had found itself in the position whereby publishing what had actually been said during the Lyme Green investigation could adversely affect Council taxpayers. The Leader referred to the legal advice that the Council had received which had been published previously.

Councillor Murphy also referred to an error with the waste collection service at Tytherington over the Christmas period and wondered if similar incidents had occurred elsewhere. The Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Environment responded that the Council had not received an unusual number of complaints over the Christmas period and that overall the service had run well.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th December 2013.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 10th December 2013 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report seeking approval of the Council’s HS2 Phase Two consultation response on the proposed route from Birmingham to Manchester, which passes through Cheshire East Borough.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval of the Council’s HS2 Phase Two consultation response on the proposed route from Birmingham to Manchester. The consultation was due to close on 31^st January 2014.

The Council had taken a supportive stance on HS2 subject to the inclusion of a new Hub Station at Crewe and to the highest standards of mitigation and compensation being applied. It also recognised the need for HS2 for the following key reasons:

§  To meet the future demand for strategic connectivity in the UK for business, freight and personal travel.

§  To relieve the West Coast Mail Line, which was the busiest rail corridor in Europe for both passengers and freight.

§  To support sustainable development and travel patterns.

The Council supported the findings of the HS2 Growth Task Force that had identified the unique opportunity HS2 offered the UK as a driver of economic growth. The Council also agreed with the need to connect Manchester to London and serve Manchester Airport.

The Council believed the Government could improve HS2 in four ways:

§  A new station and track layout for Crewe to be delivered by Network Rail by 2020 to accommodate an HS2 stop.

§  Deliver the full HS2 Hub Interchange Station at Crewe by connecting into the new station.

§  The section from Lichfield to Crewe be implemented to coincide with the delivery of Phase One delivering £2bn of additional transport benefits for the case for Phase One.

§  The highest standard of compensation is offered to blighted homes through the Exceptional Hardship Scheme now and the eventual statutory provisions, including the consideration of a Property Bond Scheme. This should be supported by engineering solutions that maximise the mitigation against the impacts of HS2 on residents, businesses, farms and the local environment.

The draft consultation response was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

The consultation response would be supplemented by a detailed report on the proposition for Crewe and an assessment into significant mitigation measures to address the impacts of the line of route. This work was ongoing and would be submitted and made more widely available in January.

The Leader indicated that comments and suggestions made at the meeting by Members whose wards were likely to be affected by HS2 would receive consideration. He added that a Member Briefing on HS2 was being arranged.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the proposed consultation response on HS2 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

2.    the Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity be authorised, in consultation with the Strategic Communities Portfolio Holder, to sign off the consultation material, supplementary reports and final submission.

To consider a report which outlines the purpose and content of the Alderley Park Development Prospectus, and which seeks endorsement of the Prospectus by Cheshire East Council.

Cabinet considered a report outlining the purpose and content of the Alderley Park Development Prospectus.

The Prospectus had been produced to outline the intended ‘direction of travel’ in terms of future policy for the Alderley Park Site. That future policy was within the emerging Core Strategy which had recently been out to consultation. It was intended to provide guidance for potential investors, given that the site was being marketed before the Council’s emerging policy for the site could be confirmed via the adoption of the Core Strategy.

The contents of the Development Prospectus were entirely aligned with emerging planning policy for the site. 

RESOLVED

That the Alderley Park Development Prospectus as attached at Appendix 1 to the report be endorsed.

To consider the recommendations of the Finance Policy Development Group in relation to Council support for the Cheshire Neighbours Credit Union.

This item had been withdrawn because the Chairman of the Finance Policy Development Group, Councillor F Keegan, had been unable to attend the meeting.

To consider a report on a residual waste interim procurement solution for the period 2014-16.

Cabinet considered a report on a residual waste interim procurement solution for the period 2014-16.

Cabinet had taken a decision in principle in June 2013 to progress with the long term procurement of waste disposal arrangements whilst at the same time procuring interim disposal arrangements to ensure service continuity prior to the long-term arrangements being implemented.

The interim residual arrangements would involve:

(a)          the provision of a transfer station facility in the north of the borough to allow transport of waste to the Hanford Energy from Waste facility in Stoke-on-Trent;

(b)          the provision of a haulage contract to enable the transport of waste as described above; and

(c)          the provision of a deposition/disposal point in the south of the Borough for kerbside black bin waste.

The interim arrangements would be managed in the future by the Council's wholly-owned Environmental Services company (Ansa Environmental Services Ltd) and would run from the expiry date of the current arrangements in March 2014 until the long-term solution commenced in April 2016.

The arrangements would deliver a "step-change" in the Council's disposal methods, resulting in around 43% of the Council's residual waste being diverted away from landfill sites. The arrangements would deliver savings of £2.5M.

RESOLVED

That delegated authority be granted to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and the Executive Director of Strategic Commissioning  to award the contract to the successful tenderer following submission of tenders on the 13th Jan 2014.

To consider a report setting out how Cheshire East Council will secure value for money in the procurement of domestic repairs and adaptations on behalf of vulnerable residents.

Cabinet considered a report on securing value for money in the procurement of domestic repairs and adaptations on behalf of vulnerable residents.

The Council was committed to helping people to stay in their own homes and remain as active and independent as possible. Support for older, vulnerable and disabled people to repair or adapt their home was part of a suite of developments across housing, social care, health and public health to increase good outcomes

In order to comply with public sector procurement regulations and with the Council’s Finance and Contract Procedure Rules, these services had to be procured in a fair and transparent manner whilst ensuring best value. To replace the current procurement arrangements, a full procurement exercise would be undertaken to establish a Framework Agreement. The Framework would be the final part of a suite of contracts and Frameworks for home repairs and adaptations. The Framework value would be between £1.6million and £2million over the period of the Framework, which was two years with an option to extend for a further two years.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the officers be authorised to conduct a procurement exercise to tender for a Framework for Domestic Repairs and Adaptations, with the aim of securing a Framework for works for two years, with the option to extend for a further two years subject to satisfactory performance; and

2.    authority be delegated to the Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning, Economic Development and Regeneration to award contracts to contractors meeting the requirements of the Framework following a legally compliant procurement exercise, and subsequently enter into Framework Agreements with the successful bidders.