Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rachel Bailey.

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.

Mike Ratcliffe spoke in respect of agenda item 10 (Crewe Heritage Centre) with particular reference to the current lease, held by the Trustees of Crewe Heritage, which still had 30 years remaining.  He also informed the Cabinet that he intended to complain to the Ombudsman regarding this matter.

Charlotte Peters Rock asked the following questions to which it was agreed that a written response would be sent: -

1. What plans does Cheshire East Council have to sell off its surplus land and unused buildings to raise the variously stated £16m (Knutsford) or £10m (Crewe) shortfall in finances?
2. What was the overall cost to council tax payers of the recently held special meeting for Aldermen making which was held at Crewe Lyceum; this to include (a) building hire, (b) Councillors and other expenses including travel and car parking, (c) comestibles, (d) staff wages and (e) all other costs. 

In addition she handed in a copy of the recently produced (8 Nov 2011) Cheshire East LINk Enter and View report on Stanley House Community Support Centre, Knutsford, to draw Councillors attention to the conclusions about the suitability of that facility.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 31 October 2011.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 31 October be approved as a correct record.

To adopt the Housing Strategy which sets out the housing vision for the period 2011 to 2016.

Consideration was given to the Housing Strategy for 2011-2016 which set out the vision for the authority and the priority areas on which it would focus during that time; provided strategic direction for stakeholders, both internally and externally, and would assist in the creation of sustainable communities and economic growth.

RESOLVED

That the Cheshire East Housing Strategy 2011-2016 be adopted.

To note and comment on the mid year review of performance.

Consideration was given to the mid year review of financial and non-financial performance.  The report detailed the Council’s overall financial stability, the financial performance of each individual service, highlighting the key financial pressures being faced, and the key performance headlines at the end of the first half of 2011/12.

Each Portfolio Holder spoke on the performance of their respective service and provided a brief resume of the reasons leading to the various areas of pressure identified.

RESOLVED

1. That the following financial issues be noted:

·        the overall financial stability of the Council, including Grants, in-year collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates, Treasury Management, and centrally held budgets shown in Annex 1 of the report;

·        the impact on the Council’s general reserves position as detailed in Annex 1 of the report;

·        the forecast service revenue and capital outturn positions shown in Annex 2 of the report;

·        the Council’s invoiced debt position as shown in Annex 2 of the report; 

·        progress on delivering the 2011-12 capital programme, detailed in Annex 2 and Appendix 1 of the report;

·        delegated decisions approved by Directors for Supplementary Capital Estimates (SCE) and virement requests up to £100,000, as shown in Annex 2, Appendix 2a of the report;

·        reductions to approved capital budgets, as shown in Annex 2, Appendix 3 of the report.

2. That the performance issues contained in Annex 3, in particular the successes achieved during the first half of 2011/12, and the issues raised in relation to underperformance against targets and how they will be addressed, be noted.    

3. That approval be given to the Supplementary Capital Estimates and virement requests over £100,000 and up to and including £500,000 as shown in Annex 2, Appendix 2b of the report.

4. That Council be asked to approve:
   • a Supplementary Revenue Estimate of up to £860,000 to be met from general reserves to meet one-off costs of the Pay Harmonisation package in 2011-12, as detailed in Annex 1 of the report;
   • a Supplementary Capital Estimate/Virement of over £1,000,000 as detailed in Annex 2, Appendix 2c of the report. 

To approve in principle the further development of a feasibility study to establish a school with specialist provision.

Consideration was given to the need to develop local specialist provision for children and young people between 4 and 19 years of age with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC).  The proposal was one of the outcomes of a review commenced in 2010 into arrangements for children and young people with special educational needs and disability.

The aspiration of the reviews working group was to develop an outstanding/excellent ASC specific special school, and service, for children as close to their local community as possible, and to enable them to achieve the best possible outcomes.  A suitable location had been identified on the site of the former Church Lawton Primary School in Alsager.

RESOLVED

1.      That approval in principle be given to the further development of the feasibility study to establish a specialist provision for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Condition between the ages of 4 to 19 on the Church Lawton Primary School site.

2.      That the Portfolio Holder for Children and Families be given delegated authority to make the decision, subject to the outcome of the feasibility study, to undertake the statutory consultation process.

To consider the options for the development of this land to maximise employment opportunities and financial returns.

Consideration was given to options for the development of this site which had been held as a strategic employment site for a number of years, and also used for some of the time by Airparks UK Ltd under a temporary planning permission.  Unfortunately no single end user had come forward during that time although recent enquiries indicated there was potential for the site to be serviced and plots marketed for a range of employment uses.

The local ward Councillors for the area had forwarded a request to the Cabinet, which the Chairman read out at the meeting, that consideration be given to the land being re-designated as housing land.  The Cabinet was, however, of the view that issues of land supply would be resolved through the Local Development Framework process and also that any change of designation might adversely affect a recent informal planning appeal hearing for an area of land in the vicinity.

RESOLVED

1. That the Council investigates further the options for development of the site, including those options outlined in 10.3 - 10.5 of the report, to maximise employment opportunities and financial returns. 

2. That a feasibility exercise be undertaken and expressions of interest sought from the market in order to better understand the current demand and occupier requirements.  

3. That the conclusions of the above investigations be considered by the Cabinet in Spring 2012.

To consider the terms of reference of the Shadow Board, which are to be approved by Council.

N.B: Only Appendix 3 (Terms of Reference) is included with the printed agenda.  The remaining appendices can be accessed through the report on the website, or can be obtained on request from Democratic Services.

Consideration was given to the progress to date in establishing the Cheshire East Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board, and to the Terms of Reference for the Board which would then be submitted to Council for approval.

The Terms of Reference had been created for the Shadow Board, which would operate between April 2012 and March 2013; it was anticipated that they might require amendment upon review of the final detail of the enacted Health and Social Care Bill and in advance of the Board moving from Shadow form to that of a statutory committee.

RESOLVED

1. That progress to date in establishing the Cheshire East Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board be noted.

2. That Council be recommended to approve the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board Terms of Reference.  

3. That it be noted that the Terms of Reference of the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board will be reviewed in 2012-13 as outlined in para 1.4 of the report.

To consider the decisions previously made regarding Crewe Heritage Centre.

A notice of motion had been submitted to Council on 13 October 2011 concerning decisions taken by the Portfolio Holder for Prosperity on Crewe Heritage Centre, and this stood referred to Cabinet.  Consideration was now given to a report detailing the background to those decisions, the reasons they were made, and to the advice received at the time including that from the Environment and Prosperity Scrutiny Committee.

The response given by the Portfolio Holder at the Portfolio Holder (Prosperity) meeting on 22 August 2011 was included in the report and he confirmed that he remained satisfied that the decisions taken were in the long term interests of the site.

RESOLVED

That the report be received and it be confirmed that the decisions previously taken by the Cabinet Member for Prosperity regarding the Crewe Heritage Centre were done so in an informed manner with reference to all reasonable relevant information and advice necessary to make the said decisions.

To consider the location of the market and its charges.

A notice of motion had been submitted to Council on 13 October 2011 concerning the relocation of Crewe Market to the Town Square, and requesting that the charges be reviewed to encourage its regeneration.  The motion stood referred to Cabinet  and the report detailed the alternative options available following consultation with the Crewe Market Traders Committee.

RESOLVED

1.      Subject to any consents or orders which may be determined by Legal Officers, a trial ‘Street Market’ be hosted in Crewe, linking the existing Indoor Market to the busier retail streets and ultimately to Market Square, the trial to be reviewed in March 2012 to determine its success.

2.      That short term incentives be trialled for new market traders in Crewe to help them become established and that the trial approach be reviewed in March 2012 to determine its success.

3. That if successful this approach be considered for other suitable Markets.

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 matter 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 as 1 to 4 of Appendix A under the arrangements agreed in relation to voluntary severance provisions for employees in the Council.