Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R Menlove.

The Chairman announced that following further discussions with partner organisations it had been agreed that the report on Knutsford Health and Social Care Development, currently in part 2 of the agenda, could now be considered in part 1.  The report would, therefore, be taken as the last item in that section prior to the exclusion of the press and public.

Farms Estate Policy Review

Councillor D Flude declared a personal interest in this item by virtue of having a grandson at Reaseheath College.  Councillor S Wilkinson declared a personal interest by virtue of being the tenant of a property with sporting rights.

Knutsford Health and Social Care Development

During discussion of this item Councillor J Macrae declared a personal interest by virtue of being a local Ward Member, a patient of one of the practices involved and also a user of health care services elsewhere.

Mabel Taylor asked questions regarding the police presence at a recent public consultation meeting in Knutsford on the future health and social needs proposals for the area, and on the consultation process itself; what approaches had been made to Central Government and to the local MP concerning funding and cutbacks; and whether similar changes were proposed for the Congleton area.

With regard to the second question the Chairman responded that a request had been made to George Osborne for the funding formula to be revised and that the Authority would be submitting its own suggestions to him in the coming week.

Charlotte Peters Rock welcomed the addition of Councillor J Clowes to the Cabinet as the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing and expressed her hopes for the future.  She asked for confirmation that the ‘Save our Social and Healthcare – Keep Our Services Local’ petition had been disseminated to the East Cheshire Hospital Trust, and other appropriate parties, and stated that no decisions should be made before it was fully debated at the Council meeting on 12 February.  In addition she requested that no decision be entered into in respect of the Durrow Report.  In accordance with the request made at the meeting these questions are appended in full to the minutes of the meeting.

Mike Card referred to public consultations concerning facilities in Queens Drive and on the proposed changes in general.  He enquired why Councillors with specific responsibility for the services and the areas concerned had not been at the recent public meetings.

The Chairman confirmed that answers to these questions would be sent to the questioners in the near future.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2011 be approved as a correct record.

Following consideration of a report in September on proposals to enhance day and short break services, potentially involving the transfer of some services, it had been intended to consider the matter further in December following a period of consultation.  A range of alternative suggestions had, however, been received during the consultation and in order to give them full consideration this interim report had been prepared in order to provide a progress report on the consultation and also to indicate the timescales needed for the preparation of the required business case(s).

RESOLVED

1.    That the importance of taking relevant inputs into account when preparing business case proposals be agreed, and that the full findings of the consultation be reported at a future date.

2.    That the continuing work to develop robust proposals for each locality; the work with Local Engagement Groups in Knutsford, Crewe & Nantwich and Macclesfield, which include carer and service user representatives; and negotiations with alternative service partners and stakeholders, be endorsed.

Councillors D Flude and S Wilkinson had both declared personal interests in this item.

Consideration was given to the findings of a review of the rationale for the provision of the service, and to the scale and nature of future provision.  As the existing management strategy was due to mature in 2013 a Cabinet Review Group had been commissioned to study the issues, including the nature of the service and how it relates to the Councils vision and corporate objectives, and to provide a cost benefit analysis to assist in reaching a conclusion upon the formulation of policy for the service.

RESOLVED

1.    That the report on the Farms Estate Policy Review be noted.

2.    That the continuing provision of opportunities to farm as a core objective for the service be endorsed.

3.    That the target structure be amended to accommodate targets to deliver two levels of opportunity identified as Entry Level 1 (EL1) and Entry Level 2 (EL2) farms.

4.    That the target structure be modelled to continue the drive to deliver a larger number of the Entry Level 2 units in the proportional split of three Entry Level 1 farms to eight Entry Level 2 farms.

5.    That the size of the estate be maintained at a similar area as existing, subject to reductions occurring by the disposal of property identified as surplus in the reorganisation, for corporate projects or for development purposes and strategic acquisitions, where appropriate.

6.    That the implementation of the reorganisation be amended to acknowledge deferred activity and a more proactive approach to deliver the mature plan within five years.

7.    That the capital programmes acknowledge and recognise the receipts achievable from the disposal of those properties identified as surplus in the reorganisation.

8.    That the capital programmes acknowledge and recognise the predicted costs of the reorganisation programme.

9.    That opportunities for the Farms Estate asset base to contribute to and achieve the wider vision of the Council be explored.

10.That a series of service targets be developed to recognise objectives regarding the target structure and the wider vision of the Council’s Sustainable Communities Strategy.

11.That the Cabinet Review Group further explore both the options for a revised structure of tenancies and the implications for the Farms Estate Management Shared Service arising from the conflicting ambitions of Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East for their respective estates.

Consideration was given to a response to the recommendations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee Task and Finish Group Review of Business Generation Centres.  At its meeting in September Cabinet had received the recommendations of the review and the current report now set out a detailed response. 

It was noted that the response was made in the context of the ongoing sub-regional joint review of Business Generation Centres being undertaken in partnership with Warrington and Cheshire West and Chester Councils.

At the meeting an amendment was made to the wording of resolution 1 (v) to remove ‘where possible’ from the sentence.

RESOLVED

1.    That the following response to the recommendations contained in the final report of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Task and Finish Group be agreed:

i.      That in line with the Council’s Economic Development Strategy, the principle of business generation, for start up incubation businesses in Cheshire East be fully supported.

ii.    That the existing facilities located at Sandbach and Crewe be retained as Business Generation Centres pending the outcome of the wider sub-regional review and the agreement of a future delivery model.

iii.   That the future delivery model will ensure the provision of an environment to encourage growth, accelerate progress and remove obstacles to include consistent standards in the provision of facilities and tenancy management services. 

iv.   That the Business Generation Centre at Thomas Street, Congleton be closed down and the building declared surplus to requirements.

v.    That, the Council assists in the identification of options to secure the continuity of businesses displaced by the closure of the Thomas Street facility.

vi.   That any expenditure on the remaining facilities identified as a consequence of the wider sub-regional review will be considered as part of the Council’s normal business planning processes.

vii.  The current shortage of available incubation facilities in the north of the Borough will be a consideration of the wider review.

viii.That the current practice of providing facilities rent free to tenants in lieu of providing reception services will be brought to an end as soon as alternative arrangements can be put in place.

2.    That Cabinet give an in-principle agreement to an arrangement of commissioning to an external provider either on a partnering basis with another authority or just as Cheshire East Council following further dialogue at a sub-regional level and with neighbouring authorities.

During discussion of this item Councillor J Macrae declared a personal interest. 

Consideration was given to a report seeking agreement to endorse the drafting of a non binding Memorandum of Understanding with the East Cheshire Trust, and with the Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust, to facilitate the continued development of the project exploring the integration of health and social care services in Knutsford; the preferred site being that of the existing Community Hospital, excluding the neighbouring Stanley Centre site.

It was noted that there were a number of overlapping decisions concerning the future of health and social services in Knutsford.  Any new facility would need to consider the re-provision of the temporarily closed bed based services of Tatton Ward and Bexton Court, the future needs of the services provided at Stanley House, and the co location of the three GP primary care services in a single site with the intention to increase the number of integrated and co-located services available in Knutsford.

RESOLVED

That a Memorandum of Understanding be entered into by the Chief Executive to enable initial options appraisal work for this project to be undertaken, and to report back to Cabinet at any key points of decision making.

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 Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

Consideration was given to the joint report of the Director of Finance and Business Services, and the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development.

RESOLVED

That approval be given to the outcome of the procurement process and that a contract be awarded to the company named for a period of two years with an option to extend for two further 12 month periods commencing 1 April 2012.