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.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

Sue Helliwell asked if the Council was committed to helping the Syrian refugees. The Leader replied that it was but that this was an important issue and the Council needed to get it right.

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.

Councillor A Moran asked whether, in the interests of transparency, it was morally correct for Cheshire East Councillors on the Strategic Planning Board, including the Cabinet Member, to determine a planning application from this Council to construct a waste transfer station at Cledford Lane, Middlewich, which was approved against much local opposition, and he asked if such applications should be determined by another method. The Leader replied that, whilst he did not intervene in planning applications, he was willing to meet any member to discuss any issue they had with a planning application to make it better and stronger and to see what the Council could do to make it more amenable.

Councillor S Corcoran asked if all young people leaving the Council’s care had a Cheshire Neighbours Credit Union account opened for them. The Leader replied that this was a good idea and the Council would ensure that they did from now on if this was not already the case. He asked the officers to write to Councillor Corcoran to confirm the position.

Councillor S Hogben asked if the Council’s representative on Rail North would make representations about passenger safety in view of proposals to take guards off certain passenger trains in the North West. The Leader replied that passenger safety was always a priority for the Council. The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Highways, as the Council’s representative on Rail North, indicated that the matter was under discussion as part of the new rail franchise and that the issue of passenger safety and assistance for elderly and disabled passengers would be taken into consideration.

Councillor T Dean asked whether, if there was local public support for a relief road at Knutsford, the Council would support such a project. The Leader replied that whilst the Council would give serious consideration to any proposal which was strongly supported by local residents and the town council, Cheshire East Council would have to consider the implications in terms of cost and the impact on the environment, including the green belt around Knutsford and local heritage.

Councillor G Williams asked if a partnership agreement between the Congleton Beartown bus service and Transport Service Solutions to provide free bus transport during the forthcoming school half term demonstrated the Council’s commitment to reducing congestion, improving air quality and boosting trade, which the Congleton Link Road would also achieve. In this context, he asked about progress with the Link Road. The Leader replied that the scheme was now being considered through the planning process.

Councillor G Baxendale referred to a complaint by a local resident who was unimpressed by the lack of progress in Congleton town centre on Bossons Mill, Bridestones and the high street, given the monies already announced.  The Leader gave a brief update and stressed that Congleton was an important town and needed to have the best, and there was a need to work together to help deliver that.

Councillor M Warren referred to a recent announcement by the Chief Executive of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29^th September 2015.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29^th September 2015 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a proposal to replace the existing Sydney Road Bridge in Crewe with a wider structure capable of taking two way traffic without traffic signal restriction in order to support development in the north of Crewe and enhance access to key strategic destinations.

Cabinet considered a proposal to replace the existing Sydney Road Bridge in Crewe with a wider bridge capable of taking two-way traffic without traffic signal restriction. The increased capacity would support development in the north of Crewe and enhance access to key strategic destinations.

The Council had been working closely with Network Rail Infrastructure Projects to inform options for development and to help develop a delivery strategy for the scheme. 

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    authorises entering into a Development Services Agreement (“DSA”) with Network Rail Infrastructure Projects (NR IP) to enable the design and delivery plan of the scheme to commence;

2.    authorises a planning application to Cheshire East Council as planning authority to enable lawful construction of the new bridge structure;

3.    authorises officers to enter into discussions with land owners about acquiring the necessary land and rights to deliver the scheme and to delegate the entering into any necessary supporting legal agreements to the Head of Legal Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder;

4.    authorises the use of the Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order powers (“CPO”) to acquire land in order to construct the scheme (it being noted that CPO powers will only be used if land is unable to be acquired by negotiation):

5.    authorises the appointment of external legal to implement the CPOs if required;

6.    authorises the Council adopting, if constructed, the newly-constructed bridge as a Cheshire East Council highway asset; and

7.    authorises the forward funding of up to £382,050 from the associated S106 agreements to fund the DSA.

To consider an update with regard to the Cheshire East EU LEADER Programme 2015 – 2020.

Cabinet considered an update with regard to the Cheshire East EU LEADER Programme 2015 – 2020, and the developments that had taken place to ensure that Cheshire East was in a position to deliver against the programme requirements. The report sought Cabinet approval for decisions that would enable the Programme to commence once Defra had formally announced the LEADER Programme launch. 

RESOLVED

That Cabinet approves that

1.    Cheshire West and Chester Council be the Accountable Body for the Cheshire East LEADER funding bid, and that within this Accountable Body role Cheshire West and Chester Council receive and distribute grant funding on behalf of the Cheshire East LEADER Local Action Group;

2.    Cheshire East Borough Council set up and be a member of the Cheshire East LEADER Local Action Group (CE LAG) and agree appropriate Portfolio Holder representation on the CE LAG;

3.    Cheshire East Borough Council  enter into a Partnership Agreement, as one of the members of the CE-LAG, with Cheshire West and Chester Council (as the Accountable Body for the CE-LAG);

4.    Cheshire East Borough Council enter into a separate partnership agreement with Cheshire West and Chester Council to set out the obligations of both Councils in relation to the operation of the Cheshire East LEADER Programme; and

5.    the content of the draft Partnership Agreements be noted and final amendments be agreed by  the Head of Communities in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children and Families (whose portfolio includes responsibility for Rural Affairs), the s151 Officer and the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer.

To consider a report on the outcome of the Ofsted Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers in Cheshire East and the review of the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board undertaken between 6^th and 30^th July 2015.

Cabinet considered a report on the outcome of the Ofsted Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers in Cheshire East and the review of the effectiveness of the Local Safeguarding Children Board undertaken between 6^th and 30^th July 2015.

The overall judgement from the inspection was that Cheshire East required improvement to ensure that it was providing good services in the areas in question. However, the significant improvements and progress made since the previous inspection had been recognised and noted by the inspectorate.

A formal note of thanks was expressed to Nigel Moorhouse and his team for the improvements.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the contents of the paper and Ofsted’s report at Appendix 1;

2.    confirms the Council’s ambition and commitment to achieve a service that is good/outstanding for Cheshire East’s children and young people; and

3.    notes the role of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee in providing oversight of delivery against a revised improvement plan.

The Chairman was of the opinion that for the reasons given below, this matter was urgent and could not await another meeting. The chairman of the relevant overview and scrutiny committee had agreed that the matter was urgent and that the call-in provisions should not apply. Group Leaders had also been consulted.

Cabinet considered a proposal to delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holders for Finance and Regeneration and Assets, authority to agree Heads of Terms for strategic acquisitions for the Crewe Transformation Phase 3 project.

The Council’s growth agenda for Crewe was creating an increase in land transactions, with several strategic sites becoming available for acquisition on the open market. In order to capture potential value out of the current growth agenda, it was important that the Council was able to react quickly to any opportunities to purchase strategic sites. 

Council, at its meeting in February 2015, had created a £16.5m Capital budget  allocation for Crewe Transformation Phase 3 projects. This budget would allow key infrastructure improvements to be delivered.

RESOLVED

That the Chief Executive be authorised, in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holders for Finance and Regeneration and Assets, to agree Heads of Terms for Strategic acquisitions for the Crewe Transformation Phase 3 project within the totality of the approved budget.