Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D Brown and R Menlove.

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, Knutsford Area for Knutsford Action (KAFKA), asked for a full review to be carried out of the proposals for adult social care in the Knutsford area, particularly in respect of dementia services, the financial burden that was placed on families, the difficulties caused by poor transport links and the limited availability of public transport, and the lack of joint working between Cheshire East and neighbouring authorities.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2012.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2012 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the vision for the regeneration of the South Macclesfield Development Area, including development of intentions for the area and of a procurement strategy to select a development partner.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Director Places and Organisational Capacity on the regeneration of the South Macclesfield Development Area, a strategic site in the north of the Borough.  The report set out the current intentions for the site, a proposed delivery strategy and the leadership role of the Council would provide to develop the site and to help existing businesses and community facilities to relocate over the coming years. 

At the meeting an amendment was made to the wording of the second decision requested to add the words ‘the masterplanning process for’ before the South Macclesfield Development Area.

The report detailed four delivery options, of which Option 3 was recommended, with the Council taking an initial lead in developing an outline masterplan for the site.  Timing was considered to be a key issue so as to ensure that the opportunities for development could be included in the consultation process for the new Cheshire East Local Plan.

RESOLVED

1. That Cabinet endorses the overall decision and delivery strategy for the site.

2. That agreement be given to the commencement of work to define a set of intentions for the masterplanning process for the South Macclesfield Development Area, and to develop the procurement strategy to select a development partner through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

The Chairman announced that there was an additional item of urgent business concerning appointments to outside organisations.

In accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972, it was considered to be urgent on the grounds that the changes needed to be made to ensure that the Council was correctly represented on the bodies concerned and that to delay the appointments would be detrimental to the interests of the Council.

In addition, and in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Chairman of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee agreed to waive the call-in provisions in relation to the decision on the grounds that the changes needed to be made to ensure the Council was correctly represented on the bodies concerned and that to delay the appointments would be detrimental to the interests of the Council.  In addition any delay caused by the call-in process would be likely to seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interest in this matter.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor on changes in representative on a number of Category 1 organisations, these being top level strategic organisations at national, regional and local level, for which the Cabinet was responsible for making the appointments.

At the meeting an updated schedule was circulated of the appointments to be made.

RESOLVED

1. That approval be given to the changes of representative shown on the updated schedule circulated at the meeting, and that they run until such time as representation is reviewed following the elections of the new Council in 2015.

2. That approval be given for the appointments to take immediate effect.

3.      That, notwithstanding (1) above, the Cabinet retains the right to review the representation on any outside organisation, at any time. 

The reports relating to the remaining items on the agenda have 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 items pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve 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. 

A minor change in the wording of recommendations 3 and 4 and an additional recommendation was added with the agreement of the Cabinet.

RESOLVED

1. That with reference to options 1 to 5, outlined in paragraphs 12.1 to 12.18 of the report, Cabinet revises the Council’s workforce change and severance/ termination arrangements so that a multiplier of 1.80 times will be applied up to a maximum of 50 weeks pay with effect from 20 August 2012, and that these arrangements be reviewed after a period of twelve months.

2.      That Cabinet extends the application of the discretionary powers relating to termination on the grounds of efficiency, as detailed within the report in paragraphs 12.22 to 12.24.

3.      That, as a result of the changes to the current practice in relation (1) and (2) above, the Council’s Pay Policy Statement be amended to take into account those changes and that it be referred to Council with a recommendation that it be adopted.

4.      That in coming to a decision, Cabinet considers and notes the recommendations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee as outlined in paragraphs 12.19 and 12.20 of the report.

5.      That support be given to the decision of the Corporate Management Team to release the employees whose roles are listed as 1 to 3 in Appendix A of the report under the arrangements agreed in relation to the current voluntary severance provisions which are currently in place for employees in the Council.

6.      That the re-employment of any former employees who have  left the employment of the Council or legacy Councils on the grounds of voluntary redundancy/severance be subject to the agreement of the Head of Human Resources/Organisational Development in conjunction with the Leader and the relevant Portfolio Holder, and only on the grounds of truly exceptional circumstances.