Agenda and minutes

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

Councillor D Brickhill declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 7, Notice of Motion – Late Night Levy, because his son was a serving police officer with Cheshire Constabulary.

Councillor D Brown declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 8, Devolution of Streetscape Services to Congleton Town Council, as a member of Congleton Town Council.

There were no members of the public wishing to speak.

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.

There were no questions of Cabinet Members from members of the Council.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th August 2013.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 19^th August 2013 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report on the Motion submitted at the Council meeting on 18^th July 2013 and referred to Cabinet.

Cabinet considered a response to the motion submitted to Council on 18^th July 2013.

Councillor G Merry had proposed, and Councillor J Weatherill had seconded, the following motion:

“The Council recognises the consequences of fire and the benefits of fitting fire sprinklers in properties.

The Council welcomes the decision of Cheshire Fire Authority to assist social landlords by part-funding the retro-fitting of sprinklers in some high-rise buildings.

The Council urges social landlords to complete a programme of sprinkler retro-fitting to all of their high-rise buildings and to act as advocates for the fitting of sprinklers.

The Council instructs its officers to use whatever powers are available to it to secure the fitting of sprinklers by others, where necessary changing Council’s own policies and its approach to implementation.

The Council instructs its officers to investigate the fitting of sprinklers in Council-owned properties.

The Council calls on the Secretary of State to legislate for sprinklers as a requirement in all new residential buildings.”

Councillor G Merry spoke in relation to the motion.

RESOLVED

That

1.  the Council lobby local Members of Parliament to promote any change to the Building Regulations to consider further the inclusion of sprinklers within new or adapted buildings;

2.  consideration be given to the implementation of sprinklers for all new Council-owned development subject to risk and cost; and

3.  consideration be given to suitable fire protection measures in areas of higher risk, for example residential care homes.

To consider a report dealing with the Motion on the introduction of a ‘Late Night Levy’ referred to Cabinet at the 18^th July 2013 Council meeting.

Cabinet considered a response to the motion submitted to Council on 18^th July 2013.

Councillor D Brickhill had proposed, and Councillor M Jones had seconded, the following motion:

“That the Cabinet investigate the cost and likely income of imposing a levy on those establishments which sell alcohol after midnight in order to help fund the cost of control of the late night economy.”

Councillor D Brickhill spoke in relation to the motion.

The introduction of a late night levy was a matter for the Licensing Committee as the Licensing Authority and was a discretionary power for that Committee to exercise.

RESOLVED

That the Licensing Committee be asked to consider the introduction of a Late Night Levy.

To consider a report setting out the proposed arrangements for the devolution of streetscape services to Congleton Town Council in accordance with Cheshire East Council’s policy on the transfer and devolution of services.

Cabinet considered a report setting out the proposed arrangements for the devolution of streetscape services to Congleton Town Council in accordance with Cheshire East Council’s policy on the transfer and devolution of services.

RESOLVED

That

1.    delegated authority be given to the Head of Environmental Protection and Improvement (SRO for the project), the Monitoring Officer and the Section 151 Officer (or the officers that are devolved those powers) to conclude negotiations for the devolution of streetscape services to Congleton Town Council and award the contract in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and Leader of the Council by the proposed date for transfer of staff on 2^nd January 2014; and

2.    the negotiations are to be concluded on a cost-neutral basis.

To consider a report which seeks Cabinet endorsement for an updated high growth strategy for Crewe, building on the 2010 strategy document and the work of the ‘All Change for Crewe’ programme. 

Cabinet considered a report which sought endorsement for an updated high growth strategy for Crewe, building on the 2010 strategy document and the work of the ‘All Change for Crewe’ programme. 

The report detailed how the Council and itspartners were committed to releasing the massive potential and delivering the vision for ‘Crewe: High Growth City’. It set out five key commitments to the future of Crewe which would form the focus of the Council’s (and LEPs’) priorities for interventions and development within Crewe:

1.    A world class automotive and rail hub

2.    A UK centre of excellence for employer-led skills

3.    A market leader in renewable energy

4.    Connecting Crewe: delivering a £500 million investment programme to improve road and rail infrastructure 

5.    Achievable and sustainable growth

RESOLVED

That the report and the accompanying document  “All Change for Crewe: High Growth City” be received and endorsed.

To consider a progress report on the development and delivery of the Cheshire, Halton & Warrington Local Broadband Plan.

Cabinet considered a progress report on the development and delivery of the Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Local Broadband Plan.

The Connecting Cheshire Partnership was ahead of schedule to deliver fibre broadband with speeds in excess of 24Mbs to a further 80,000 homes and businesses by the summer of 2015, increasing high speed broadband coverage to 96% of premises.

The survey work would be completed in December, with an announcement of which localities would be included in the first phase of the roll-out. The telecommunications partner, BT, anticipated that the first of five deployment phases would commence in late 2013.

Peninsula Enterprise (working with Groundwork Cheshire) had been selected as a partner to deliver a tailored programme of business support for eligible Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to help them exploit the benefits of faster broadband and digital technology.

RESOLVED

That the project update be noted and the appointment of Peninsula Enterprise to deliver the Connecting Cheshire Superfast Business Support Programme be endorsed.

To consider a report which seeks to update Cabinet on work underway to address the opportunities presented by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which has given Local Authorities and reformed NHS organisations leverage to improve outcomes for those individuals who use health and social care services through a better deployment of resources. 

Cabinet considered a progress report on work underway to address the opportunities presented by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which had given Local Authorities and reformed NHS organisations leverage to improve the outcomes for those individuals who used health and social care services through a better deployment of resources. 

The legislation enabled local organisations to improve their collaborative work across the health and social care arena through a more focussed approach to commissioning critically with local practitioners, specifically General Practitioners, who now had a strengthened role at a local level in determining the deployment of health resources.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the work underway locally working collaboratively with partners including, CWAC, 4 Clinical Commissioning Groups, the Acute Trusts and NHS England and specifically the effort to become a Pioneer Site for integration across Cheshire;

2.    supports the ongoing work  of the Caring Together Programme to redesign models of care and gives delegated authority to the Executive Director for Strategic Commissioning to jointly commission health and social care services that secure improved outcomes for residents, returning to Cabinet as appropriate when Key Decisions are required;

3.    endorses the ongoing work with the South and Vale Royal Partnership Board and again gives delegated authority to the Executive Director Strategic Commissioning to jointly commission health and social care services that secure improved outcomes for residents, returning to Cabinet as appropriate when Key Decisions are required;

4.    supports the development of Member Development sessions to more fully understand the reshaping of the health and social care landscape within the sub-region;

5.    notes the financial strain associated with the current arrangements for providing health and social care services, the efforts being taken to reshape services to be safe and sustainable into the longer term, and the shifts in resourcing announced in the recent Spending Round to support integration in 2014/15; and

6.    gives delegated authority to the Executive Director, Strategic Commissioning, in consultation with the Lead Member for Adults and Health, to consider additional investments in temporary capacity to secure key work streams, funded from the Cost of Investment Budget as appropriate.

To consider a report on the establishment of a Framework Agreement through which to purchase future specialist care placements for adults with complex needs.

Cabinet considered a report on the establishment of a Framework Agreement through which to purchase future specialist care placements for adults with complex needs.

To support the management of costs the Council had piloted the use of the Care Funding Calculator developed by the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships. By piloting the Calculator, significant savings had been negotiated in 2013/14. To embed this approach into the Council’s future procurement and contracts it was proposed that the Council establish a Framework Agreement through which it would purchase future specialist care placements for adults with complex needs.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    note the savings already achieved by Cheshire East Council through the piloting of the Care Funding Calculator;

2.    support the mandatory use of the tool to review all existing placements and any new complex needs care placements on an invest to save basis;

3.    approve the establishment of a Framework Agreement through which it will purchase future specialist care placements for adults with complex needs;

4.    delegate authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Independent Living (Brenda Smith) to award contracts to providers meeting the requirements of the framework; and

5.    delegate authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Independent Living to award individual call offs under the framework contracts to provide support for individual service users.

To consider a report seeking authorisation to award and implement a framework contract for level access shower facilities and associated works for disabled persons.

Cabinet considered a report seeking authorisation to award and implement a framework contract for level access shower facilities and associated works for disabled persons.

Level access showers were provided in the discharge of the Council’s statutory duty to meet the needs of disabled persons. Adaptations were designed to enable disabled persons to live independently in the home of their choice, reducing or delaying the need for formal care.

The Framework Agreement was for a total value of between £900,000 and £1,100,000 over the period of the contract, which was two years, with the option to extend for up to a further two years.

RESOLVED

That the Director of Economic Growth and Prosperity be given delegated authority to award the contract for level access shower facilities and associated works for disabled persons.

To consider a report on the implementation of a highways permit scheme in Cheshire East.

Cabinet considered a report on the implementation of a highways permit scheme in Cheshire East.

The Traffic Management Act 2004 made provision for Highways Authorities to introduce a permit scheme in order to manage disruption on the network more effectively for all road users. Permit schemes provided an alternative to the current notification system, requiring a permit to be issued in advance of any works. There would be a charge to the external works promoter aimed at allowing the Authority to resource the administration of the scheme.

It was proposed that Cheshire East Council would join the West and Shires Permit Scheme (WaSP) which was a common scheme, thereby expediting the programme for implementation with an anticipated start date of October 2014.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the Council implement a Permit Scheme, as described in the report, under Part 3 of the Traffic Management Act (TMA) 2004; and

2.    the Council work in partnership with Shropshire Council and join the common scheme being developed named the West and Shire Permit (WaSP) Scheme.

To consider a report seeking approval to submit a Local Impact Report and Statement of Common Ground for the A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement Scheme to the Planning Inspectorate.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to submit a Local Impact Report and Statement of Common Ground for the A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement Scheme to the Planning Inspectorate.

The officers had prepared a Local Impact Report (LIR) and a Statement of Common Ground (SOCG), summaries of which were included at Appendix A of the report and contained in full at Appendix B.

Commuted sums for initial maintenance costs, potential mitigation measures for unforeseen issues on the wider CEC network and for addressing wider environmental impacts on the A556 south of the M6 had been agreed in principle by the Highways Agency and negotiations on the exact values were continuing.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the Council in principle supports the Highways Agency’s proposals for the A556 Knutsford to Bowdon improvement scheme;

2.    the LIR and SOCG as presented be submitted to the planning inspectorate as an accurate representation of CEC’s position, including the principle of the revised junction designs at the following junctions, as listed in Appendix B:

a.    A50 / de-trunked A556 (Mere Crossroads)

b.    A5034 / de-trunked A556 (Bucklow Hill)

c.    A50 / new A556

3.    the acceptance of the road safety departures report as attached at Appendix C be approved;

4.    any variations to the LIR or SOCG required during or before the inspection process be delegated to the Head of Environmental Protection and Enhancement in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and local ward members;

5.    any minor amendments to the scheme details from those shown in the LIR/SOCG, such as junction designs, be delegated to Head of Environmental Protection and Enhancement, with local ward members and the Portfolio Holder being informed;

6.    if necessary, officers formally represent and evidence the views contained within both the report and the SOCG and LIR at the Examination in Public;

7.    in principle, the Cheshire East Council is content to take over the management of the de-trunked sections of the former A556 and be responsible for their maintenance as part of its highway network subject to the agreement of a commuted sum to cover additional costs;

8.    the agreement of the commuted sum from the Highways Agency for maintenance of the de-trunked A556 be delegated to the Head of Environmental Protection and Enhancement in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

9.    the agreement of the commuted sum from the Highways Agency for off-site mitigation work for “unforeseen” issues be delegated to the Head of Environmental Protection and Enhancement in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

10.the agreement of the commuted sum from the Highways Agency for off-site mitigation work for wider environmental impacts be delegated to the Head of Environmental Protection and Enhancement in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

11.the Corporate Manager for Resources be authorised to collect and administer the commuted sums as necessary; and

12.the Head of Environmental Protection and Enhancement in consultation with the Portfolio Holder be authorised to respond to queries and questions that may arise as part of the Examination process in relation to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.