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 the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning to comment on what she felt were inconsistencies in the application of principles to planning decisions. She cited two applications considered by the Southern Planning Committee on 23^rd November: applications 16/2993N and 16/2010N. She commented that both applications were similar although one was approved and the other refused. The Chairman replied that the matter would be considered and a written response would be sent.

Sylvia Dyke commented that Alsager Civic Hall had been transferred to Alsager Town Council by Cheshire East Council a number of years ago and was in considerable need of repair. She sought financial assistance towards the cost of the repair works. The Chairman welcomed Mrs Dyke’s concern for her community. She indicated that the Hall had been transferred to the Town Council in 2011 for £1, and that grant funding had been made available at the time to assist with the refurbishment of the building. However, she undertook that the Council would engage through its Communities Team with Alsager Town Council to see if there was anything that the Borough Council could do to help to sustain the Town Council’s financial position.

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 D Flude commented that at a recent meeting of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee she had raised the issue of the Academies admission criteria. Councillor Flude was concerned that some academies were not admitting the Borough’s more challenging children, which was placing an unacceptable pressure on schools that had not converted to academies. She understood that academies that did not accept more difficult children would be referred to the Secretary of State for Education. She asked how many such schools had been referred to the Secretary of State within Cheshire East. The Chairman indicated that Councillor Flude would receive a written reply.

Councillor Flude also asked what provision the Council had in place to protect vulnerable residents when residential care and nursing homes had to close because of financial and other pressures. In this respect she referred to a care home in Alsager. The Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Integration replied that the Council had a robust protocol in place where a care home was about to close and that this had been activated in relation to the Alsager home; she undertook to send a copy to Councillor Flude. She also commented that with regard to the care home in Alsager, the Council was aiming to have the residents of the home relocated as quickly and as smoothly as possible. She undertook to follow up with a written reply to Councillor Flude.

Councillor S Corcoran referred to the large numbers of people, including children, reportedly killed in Aleppo in recent weeks and asked for an update on the Council’s plans to welcome Syrian refugees and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to Cheshire East. The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Health replied that the first group of refugees was expected in January and that referrals of unaccompanied children were made on the basis of application and that any such applications would be dealt with as and when they came in. He undertook to report further progress when more information was available.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th November 2016.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th November 2016 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report on the council tax base calculation for recommendation to Council.

Cabinet considered a report on the council tax base for 2017/18. The report set out the tax base calculation for recommendation to Council.

RESOLVED

That

1.    That in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992, Cabinet recommends to Council the amount to be calculated by Cheshire East Council as its Council Tax Base for the year 2017/18 as 144,201.51 for the whole area; and

2.    no changes be made to the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2017/18, other than the annual increase in the allowances used.

To consider a report on the Non-Domestic Rate Tax base.

Cabinet considered a report on the Non-Domestic Rate Tax base for 2017/18.

This was the first time the Council had provided a Non-Domestic Rate Tax base report, the purpose being to raise awareness of the increasing importance of Business Rates in local government and to improve understanding of how changes in business rates affected the Council’s finances and improved medium term forecasting.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet notes that

1.    the non-domestic rates estimates and calculations for 2017/18 will be calculated in accordance with the regulations as follows:

2.    the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Assets will finalise these estimates based on the latest data for submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in January 2017.

To consider a report which seeks endorsement of the Development Framework and Masterplan developed by Bentley Motors for the purposes of public consultation.

Cabinet considered a report on a Development Framework and Masterplan developed by Bentley Motors.

The Framework and Masterplan set out the company’s long term aspirations and how these could be achieved in spatial terms. The report sought Cabinet’s endorsement of the Framework and Masterplan as a consultation document. Following a period of public consultation, it was intended that the document would be reviewed and returned to Cabinet for final approval.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    approves the Development Framework and Masterplan (attached at Appendix 1 to the report) for the purposes of consultation with the public in accordance with the draft Statement of Public Consultation set out at Appendix 2;

2.    notes that a report on the outcomes will be reported once completed;

3.    notes the proposed consultation activities contained within the draft Statement of Consultation contained in Appendix 2; and

4.    delegates the approval of the consultation questionnaire to the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration.

To consider a report which proposes that Quality of Place be adopted as a strategy for the Council that will assist it in achieving its aims and objectives as articulated in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

Cabinet considered a report which proposed that ‘Quality of Place’ be adopted as a strategy to assist the Council in achieving its aims and objectives as articulated in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    adopts the principles relating to Quality of Place outlined in the report as the overarching strategy for the Council;

2.    agrees that ‘Quality of Place’  be used to inform a revised corporate plan for the Council;

3.    notes that ‘Quality of Place’ will also be used as the key driver behind the refresh of Local Enterprise Partnership’s Strategic Economic Plan; and

4.    notes that a draft revised corporate plan will be prepared for Cabinet consideration in due course.

To consider a Connected Communities Strategy which sets out the broad outline of how the Council proposes to engage with its communities. 

Cabinet considered a Connected Communities Strategy which set out the broad outline of how the Council proposed to engage with its communities, including the voluntary and faith sectors and the many active volunteer-based partnerships.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    approves the Connected Communities Strategy;

2.    approves the allocation of £307,000 from the existing Partnerships and Communities Budget, which can be met through department reserves, to the delivery of the strategy; and

3.    delegates to the Head of Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Health, the commissioning of a VCFS Infrastructure Service, including the award of the contract to the successful bidder.

To consider a report which seeks the approval of a policy for the allocation of business travel planning grants.

Cabinet considered a report which sought the approval of an updated policy for the allocation of business travel planning grants. The proposed changes to the existing policy were minor and intended to enable the programme to continue during 2016/17. 

RESOLVED

That

1.    the Policy for the Allocation of Business Travel Planning Grants be approved, noting that this extends the effective period for this policy to make provision for future funding bids;

2.    in accordance with the Constitution and paragraph 1.20 of the Scheme of Delegation, the decision for awarding the grants be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Infrastructure; and

3.    the information relating to the Sustainable Travel Transition Year fund be noted.

To consider a report on an expression of interest that the Council has submitted to the DfE Innovation Programme in partnership with Munro, Turnell and Murphy Consultancy for funding to transform Children’s Social Care services.

Cabinet considered a report on an expression of interest that the Council had submitted to the DfE Innovation Programme in partnership with Munro, Turnell and Murphy Consultancy for funding to transform Children’s Social Care services. The report also sought permission to proceed to the final stages of the bidding process and to draw down funds in the event that the bid was successful.

RESOLVED

That in order to support effective and efficient implementation, should funding be granted for this project, Cabinet

1.    authorises the Executive Director People to submit the business case and proceed to the final stages of the bidding process to the DfE Innovative Programme;

2.    authorises the Executive Director People to undertake all necessary negotiations and enter into any Funding and associated agreements to secure the funding from the DfE Innovative Programme;

3.    delegates the authority to make decisions on the use of funds for this project to the Executive Director People including the procurement of services, provision of grants and entering into partnership agreements;

4.    authorises match funding to a maximum of £165,000;

5.    authorises the acceptance and use of funds for this project, should it be granted, for the duration of the project over the three year implementation period;

6.    authorises that funding may be received direct from the DfE Innovation Fund or from a named partner in the project;

7.    endorses that any funds not spent in the allocated year are transferred into the following year’s budget;

8.    notes that when the funding is received the funds will be allocated to the  Executive Director People within the Council’s Budget; and

9.    notes that Cheshire East Council is not the lead organisation for this project.

To consider a report recommending that the Cabinet endorse a proposed merger between Wulvern Housing and the Guinness Partnership.

Cabinet considered a report recommending that the Cabinet endorse a proposed merger between Wulvern Housing and the Guinness Partnership. The reasons for the proposed merger and potential benefits were set out in the report.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the proposed merger between Wulvern Housing and Guinness Partnership be endorsed following reassurances that:

§  Guinness are taking over all assets and liabilities by way of a Transfer of Engagement from Wulvern;

§  a clear client management relationship can be achieved; and

§  there continues to be representation on the Board to represent the interests of the Cheshire area.

2.    authority be delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning and the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer for any resulting action and to agree a set of service standards with Guinness in order to establish an effective monitoring arrangement.

To consider a report on the procurement of care and support at Heath View Extra Care Housing Scheme, Congleton.

Cabinet considered a report on the procurement of care and support at Heath View Extra Care Housing Scheme, Congleton.

The current contract for the on-site care and support was due to expire on 16 January 2017 and Adults Commissioning was re-tendering the contract for a period of 3 years.The report sought authority for the Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and Health to award the contract to the successful provider at a value of over £1 million if required.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes that a procurement exercise compliant with the Regulations and the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules is underway;

2.    notes that the contract value may exceed £1 million; and

3.    authorises the Strategic Director of Adult Social Care and Health to award the contract to the successful provider at a value of over £1 million if required.