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 S Gardiner declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in relation to Item 10 on the agenda: ‘ASDV Review Update’ as the Chairman of Civicance.

In accordance with paragraph 3.33 of the Cabinet Procedure Rules, 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 Cabinet. 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.

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.

Councillor P Groves referred to heavy flooding in Nantwich over 25^th-28^th October and asked what pressure the Council could bring to bear on those landowners and farmers who had not maintained their ditches and gullies properly.

The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste responded that he had asked officers to liaise with local landowners about the need to clear out ditches and gullies. He had also asked for the Council’s policy on gullies to be reviewed.

Councillor Groves asked if a timeline could be produced for ensuring that landowners and farmers took action to clear out their gullies and ditches, to avoid further flooding over the winter.

The Leader asked that this be addressed in a written response.

Councillor J Saunders referred to the proposed budget that was now out to consultation and expressed disappointment at a proposal to defer the New Homes Bonus from which many communities had benefited. She asked that this proposal be reconsidered.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Communication responded that she would consider carefully the feedback from the consultation.

Councillor T Dean noted that the proposed budget included an additional £19M government funding. He asked how much money would be spent on climate change measures and in particular the provision of a better bus service across the Borough.

The Director of Financial and Customer Services outlined a number of initiatives in the budget consultation aimed at supporting the Council’s Environmental Strategy. The Deputy Leader added that the Council was looking to invest in more sustainable public transport and would be bringing forward proposals in due course. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration added that the Council had recently joined the Northern Forest and had submitted funding applications to the Cheshire and Warrington LEP for the development of energy saving initiatives and green technology.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th October 2019.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th October 2019 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report which provides details of the work of the Corporate Parenting Committee in 2018-19. 

Cabinet considered the Corporate Parenting Committee annual report, detailing the work of the Committee in 2018-19. The report highlighted progress and achievements around the five pledges the Council had made to cared for children and care leavers in the Corporate Parenting Strategy 2018-20 and set out the priorities and terms of reference for 2019-20.

Councillor J Saunders spoke on this matter as the former Chairman of the Corporate Parenting Committee.

The Leader took the opportunity to remind all Council members of the importance of their corporate parenting responsibilities.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    endorses the Corporate Parenting Committee Annual Report, 2018-19 as set out at Appendix 1 to the report; and

2.    endorses the Committee’s revised Terms of Reference at Appendix 1 within the Annual Report.

To consider a report on a revised Statement of Gambling Principles.

Cabinet considered a report on a revised Statement of Gambling Principles which had been the subject of consultation with stakeholders identified within the Gambling Act 2005.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the changes to the draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles as set out in Appendix 1 to the report; and

2.    recommends the draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles to Council for adoption.

To consider a report on the route choices for the Crewe Southern Link Road Bridge, the outcomes of recent public consultation and the adoption of a preferred route for incorporation in the final draft of the Crewe Area Action Plan.

Cabinet considered a report on the route choices for the Crewe Southern Link Road Bridge, the outcomes of recent public consultation and the adoption of a preferred route for incorporation in the final draft of the Crewe Area Action Plan.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the findings of the Public Consultation Report;

2.    notes the findings of the Preferred Route Assessment Report;

3.    notes the legal implications of approving and announcing the preferred route in relation to triggering statutory blight and approves that any statutory blight notices be processed and considered accordingly by the Council, noting that this is limited to statutory blight only and not discretionary purchase/generalised blight/Part 1 claims;

4.    approves the route shown at Appendix A to the report as the preferred route for the Southern Link Road Bridge;

5.    approves that the necessary steps are taken to protect the preferred route shown in Appendix A from future development, including introducing the route into the submission version of the Area Action Plan;

6.    approves the development of the supporting package of local highway junction improvements, as set out in the Preferred Route Report (Appendix C) to complement the provision of the Bridge;

7.    approves the proposed cross section of the new highway as a 13.3m wide corridor as detailed in Appendix B and the form of bridge construction as either a Ladder Bridge or Multi-Girder construction;

8.    approves that the alignment of the preferred route is further developed to enable the submission of a planning application alongside the package of local highway improvements, reflecting where possible feedback received through consultation; and

9.    authorises the Executive Director Place to:

(a)  work up and develop a Major Scheme Business Case for the Bridge and supporting measures in order to position the Scheme to compete for future Government funding opportunities;

(b)  commence detailed discussions with affected landowners, local residents, businesses and recognised community groups to refine the design details (including access arrangements and traffic management measures on local roads) and that supplementary formal consultation be undertaken to inform planning submission material;

(c)  in consultation with the Director of Governance and Compliance, enter into the required legal agreements with Network Rail to contribute to the design and development of the Scheme; and

(d)  enter into discussions with land owners about acquiring the necessary land and rights to deliver the scheme, including the advance relocation of affected businesses and to delegate the entering into any necessary supporting legal agreements to the Head of Estates.

The report or a part thereof relating to the remaining item on the agenda has been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matter may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Cabinet may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the 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 the 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 3 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

To consider a report on an ASDV review in relation to Civicance.

Cabinet considered a report on an ASDV review in relation to Civicance.

Councillor S Gardiner spoke on this matter as Chairman of Civicance and expressed his support for the recommendations in the report.

Councillor J Clowes spoke on this matter as Chairman of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee which had considered the report at its meeting on 31^st October and had supported the report’s recommendations.

RESOLVED

That the recommendations in the report be approved.