Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors W Fitzgerald and J Macrae.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

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.

In order for an informed answer to be given, where a member of the public wishes to ask a question of a Cabinet Member three clear working days notice must be given and the question must be submitted in writing at the time of notification.  It is not required to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision but, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

Charlotte Peters Rock spoke in respect of the changes in the provision of Adult Social Care Services currently taking place in Cheshire East and questioned why (1) the public had not been able to attend a recent meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee at which she had intended to ask a number of questions and (2) why, when it had been agreed that meetings of that Committee would be held bi-monthly had none been held since 28 July 2011.

Although the question had not been received in advance of the meeting the Chairman informed her that whilst meetings of that Committee were open to the public there were occasions when all Committees needed to meet informally for planning purposes.  The meeting that had originally been set for July had been used for such a purpose, it was an error that it had been shown as being open to the public and he apologised for the confusion this had caused. 

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2011.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2011 be approved as a correct record.

           To consider the Strategy and Implementation plan and in doing so support and endorse the strategy for Cheshire East Council and its resident Carers and their families. (Appendix 1:  Carers Strategy, Appendix 2: Implementation Plan).

Consideration was given to the development and implementation of the Carers Strategy which had been created following a series of consultation events held across Cheshire East and incorporated national drivers for Carers and legislation. 

The endorsement of the Strategy would demonstrate the commitment of the Council across all directorates for the support of Carers and their families, formally record the appreciation of the work they did, and recognize this contribution as a vital part of the overall approach of delivering better outcomes to the citizens of Cheshire East.

RESOLVED

That the Strategy and Implementation Plan be endorsed.

To endorse and approve the corporate ICT Strategy 2011-2012 to enable it to progress to publication and enable implementation.

Consideration was given to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy for 2011-12.  The Strategy was reviewed and updated annually to ensure it remained in line with corporate objectives and improving technologies and summarised how this would be achieved by the ICT Strategy Team in conjunction with ICT Shared Services, partners and external providers.

RESOLVED

That the ICT Strategy for 2011-12 be endorsed.

To agree that this matter be referred to the Safeguarding Adults Board, with a view to them examining the matter and reporting back on the issues as set out in the decision requested.

At the meeting of the Council on 21 July 2011 Councillors R Fletcher and S Jones had submitted a Notice of Motion on the capacity of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to carry out its functions effectively. 

The report addressed how the Council might respond to the issues raised.  In discussing the most appropriate body to investigate the position in Cheshire East, and in order to avoid any duplication of work by the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, an amendment was proposed to the decision requested whereby the matter be referred to the Safeguarding Adults Board in conjunction with the Adult Scrutiny Committee.  The amendment was agreed.

RESOLVED

That the matter be referred to the Safeguarding Adults Board, in conjunction with the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, with a view to them examining the matter and reporting back on  

• The effectiveness of arrangements in Cheshire East between the Councils own a adult safeguarding function and that of the Care Quality Commission
• How well safeguarding provision has responded to personalisation
• The trends in safeguarding activity and the factors affecting it.
• Whether there are deficits in the arrangements such as to make the representations suggested in the motion necessary.

To consider the comments of Strategic Planning Board on the Draft National Planning Policy Framework and to recommend that Council approves the consultation response, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

Consideration was given to a report on the draft National Planning Policy Framework which would replace all current Planning Policy Statements; the report outlined some of the issues it raised for planning in Cheshire East and suggested a response to be made by the Council to the current consultation. 

The proposed response, detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, had been considered by the Strategic Planning Board at its meeting on 28 September 2011; it was reported that Board had supported the draft response but made the following additional comments:

• That the response should say more about the importance of agriculture – as a producer of food and as an important business – and that the role of agricultural land should be given greater prominence in the debate over the development of land.

• That wherever possible officers will suggest new wording to accompany our comments of concern. It is considered that comments will carry more weight if positive wording is put forward in some cases.

Cabinet agreed that these comments should be incorporated into the response and, in addition, that the section in the covering response entitled ‘The Favourable Presumption and Plans under preparation’ should be expanded to include:

• That local plans remain protected until such time as the new National Planning Policy Framwork is in place, and

• That information be included on the number of plans currently approved and in the pipeline awaiting implemention.

RESOLVED

That Council be recommended to approve the consultation response detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, subject to the inclusion of the following comments made by the Strategic Planning Board at its meeting on 28 September, and by the Cabinet. 

• That the response should say more about the importance of agriculture – as a producer of food and as an important business – and that the role of agricultural land should be given greater prominence in the debate over the development of land.

• That wherever possible officers will suggest new wording to accompany our comments of concern. It is considered that comments will carry more weight if positive wording is put forward in some cases.

• That local plans remain protected until such time as the new National Planning Policy Framwork is in place.

• That information be included on the number of plans currently approved and in the pipeline awaiting implemention.

The report relating to the remaining item on the agenda has been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Committee may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

PART 2 – MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT THE PUBLIC AND PRESS PRESENT

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

To consider the report of the head of Human Resources and Organisational Development.

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet supports the decision of the Chief Executive to release the employees whose roles are listed at 1 to 4 of Appendix A of the report under the arrangements agreed in relation to voluntary severance provisions for employees in the Council. 

That Cabinet notes the employee listed at 5 of Appendix A of the report, whose voluntary severance was approved by the Procurement, Assets and Shared Services Portfolio Holder under the terms of his delegated powers, in response to an urgent request from management.