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 Hogben declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in an item on the agenda relating to Municipal Waste Management Strategy Review as a director of ANSA Environmental Services.

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 two minutes.  The Chairman or person presiding will have discretion to vary this requirement where he/she considers it appropriate. 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 referred to the similarity of the Council Tax bands between Alsager and Sandbach in 2020/21 and asked how much money in Section 106 contributions had been paid out to each of the two areas.

The Deputy Leader responded that there was no link between Council Tax bands and S106 contributions. He undertook to provide a fuller response in writing, including details of S106 monies expended over the last five years within the Alsager and Sandbach wards.

Andrew Needham had given notice of two questions in relation to a report on the agenda on the Crewe Hub Station. Unfortunately, Mr Needham arrived late at the meeting and was unable to ask his questions.

The Deputy Leader undertook to respond in writing.

A period of 20 minutes is allocated for questions to be put to Cabinet Members by members of the Council. A maximum period of two minutes will be allowed for each member wishing to ask a question.  The Leader will have discretion to vary this requirement where he considers it appropriate.  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.

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 J Clowes sought further details about proposals to plant 6,000 trees across the Borough during the planting season ending in March 2020, including the source of funding and whether any further tree planting was planned beyond the current planting season. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration gave details of the locations concerned and indicated that he would be bringing forward proposals for further planting in the autumn, including hedgerows. The proposals were fully funded from the Council’s resources although residents and businesses were being encouraged to take similar action.

Councillor L Wardlaw referred to damage done to member relationships by the Administration not supporting the Conservative nominee for Mayor. The Leader referred to previous Deputy Mayors who had stood down from their political positions. The Deputy Leader referred to a statement he had made at Council which he said had been factual, balanced and measured.

Councillor J Saunders expressed concern that the Brighter Future Programme meeting had been cancelled at short notice without explanation. The Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services apologised for the urgent cancellation.

Councillor T Dean referred to a report on the agenda concerning safer roads and asked how the roads submitted for funding bids had been selected. The Deputy Leader replied that the roads had been selected by the Department for Transport in conjunction with the Road Safety Foundation with the aim of prioritising accident hot spots.

Councillor S Hogben referred to the fact that there were no Council representatives on the boards of the Guinness Partnership or Plus Dane and asked how housing associations could be held to account. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration replied that local authority representation on the boards of social housing providers had been reduced in recent years. He added that it would be for the relevant overview and scrutiny committee to decide whether to consider the issue of accountability.

Councillor J Parry sought clarification of the Council’s advice to events organisers on the holding of large scale events in the light of coronavirus. The Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services replied that there were currently no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Cheshire East and that the Council was working closely with its partners and stakeholders. The UK currently remained in the containment phase and the Council would update its emergency plan and guidance as necessary.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th February 2020.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th February 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To consider a report in response to a Notice of Motion on the adoption of the Council Tax Protocol.

Cabinet considered a report in response to the following Notice of Motion which had been moved by Councillor K Flavell and seconded by Councillor B Puddicombe at the Council meeting on 19^th December 2019 and referred to Cabinet for consideration:

The Citizens’ Advice Bureau, in partnership with the LGA, has developed a ‘Council Tax Protocol’ which sets out 27 recommendations for dealing with Council Tax collection and debt recovery. Its aim is to offer a fairer system that ensures that residents struggling with payments are not pushed further into debt by poor collection practices. Over 60 Local Authorities have so far signed up to the scheme, including Wolverhampton, whose Cabinet member Cllr Andrew Johnson states:

“There are all sorts of reasons why people might struggle to pay their council tax bills and this protocol is all about how we can work with people to support them so that they can pay their bills without getting into greater financial difficulties.

We have a duty to collect the money owed, but we want to do so in a fair way and only go down the enforcement route when other avenues are exhausted.”

I would like Cheshire East to follow this example and commit to being a more caring Council.

Motion:

That Cheshire East Council adopt the Council Tax Protocol, as recommended by the LGA and Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Councillor Flavell spoke on the motion.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet approves the proposal that Cheshire East Council sign the Council Tax Protocol.

To consider a report on the Crewe Hub Station.

Cabinet considered a report on Crewe Hub Station which outlined the project development work completed to date which had identified a number of key interventions required to unlock the potential benefits to Crewe, Cheshire East and the wider region.

Prior to consideration of the report, Cabinet had received a presentation on the key features of the scheme.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    approves the Masterplan Report for the Crewe Hub Station as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report;

2.    notes the feasibility and options stage reports of the Crewe hub station and project development presented in Appendices 2 and 3;

3.    approves the funding and financing principles set out in Appendix 4 of this report as the basis negotiating a Crewe Hub Regeneration and Investment Agreement with Government, and as the mechanism to underpin any local contribution; and

4.    authorises the Executive Director of Place to take all necessary actions to negotiate and conclude terms with the Government and the West Coast Franchise operator to secure an appropriate funding and financing package to inform an investment decision by full Council.  

To consider a report on the draft Crewe Hub Area Action Plan.

Cabinet considered a report on the draft Crewe Hub Area Action Plan which set out a detailed planning framework in response to the opportunity presented by HS2.

The Strategic Planning Board had considered the draft Crewe Hub Area Action Plan at its meeting on 26^th February 2020 and the Board’s comments and recommendations were set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    having considered the recommendations of the Strategic Planning Board set out at Appendix 1 to the report, approves the Publication Draft version of the Crewe Hub Area Action Plan (Appendix 2), its Sustainability Appraisal (Appendix 3) and Habitats Regulation Assessment (Appendix 4) for public consultation, under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, for a period of six weeks, and approves the draft Plan’s supporting evidence base for publication;

2.    authorises the Head of Planning to make any additional non-material changes to the consultation documents or supporting information ahead of the consultation and prepare any additional explanatory information to support the consultation;

3.    notes that a full Council approval will be sought to implement the submission of the Area Action Plan to the Secretary of State; and

4.    notes the previous engagement and consultation undertaken to date on this matter.

To consider a report on the delivery of three Safer Road Fund Schemes in Cheshire East.

Cabinet considered a report on the delivery of three Safer Road Fund Schemes in Cheshire East, namely:

A532 West Street, Crewe

A536 Congleton to Macclesfield

A537 Macclesfield to Congleton Boundary

The Department for Transport had worked with the Road Safety Foundation to identify the roads and had invited the submission of a funding bid to upgrade and improve the roads to improve road safety.   

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    approves the delivery of the A532 West Street, Crewe and the A536 Congleton to Macclesfield Schemes through the Highway Service Contract, subject to the Ringway Jacobs target costs for the schemes satisfying the Council’s best value requirements;

2.    subject to full funding being received from the Department for Transport, approves the delivery of the A537 Macclesfield to Congleton Boundary Scheme through the Highway Service Contract, subject to the Ringway Jacobs target costs for the schemes satisfying the Council’s best value requirements; and

3.    authorises the Director of Highways and Infrastructure in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste to take all necessary actions to implement the three Schemes using the funding provided by the Department for Transport.

To consider a report on a revised draft Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

Cabinet considered a report on the revised draft Municipal Waste Management Strategy which reflected changes to the legislative and policy framework affecting waste and street scene services and was to be used as a basis of consultation.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    approves the draft Waste Management Strategy as outlined at Appendix 1 to the report;

2.    delegates authority to the Head of Environmental Services, to carry out a consultation exercise on the draft strategy; and

3.    delegates authority to the Head of Environmental Services to review the results of the consultation and to approve the final version of the document in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste.

To consider a report on the establishment of a Framework Agreement to commission low value construction services.

Cabinet considered a report on the establishment of a framework agreement to commission low value construction services following the expiry of the current framework on 22^nd January 2021. The report considered the available options for undertaking low value construction projects beyond that date.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    agrees to the establishment of a framework agreement to commission low value construction services for a total value of works of £16.5million over four years; and

2.    delegates authority to the Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration to award contracts to providers meeting the requirements of the Framework.

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 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.

To consider a report on Alliance Environmental Services Ltd – Final Phase.

Cabinet considered a report on Alliance Environmental Services Ltd - Final Phase.

Non-Cabinet members had been given an opportunity to attend a briefing with officers prior to the Cabinet meeting to consider and comment on the report.

RESOLVED

That the recommendations in the report be approved.