Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda.

No interests were declared

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 meeting. 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 present.

To consider the proposed acquisition of car parking land situated at Waterloo Road, Haslington. 

The Cabinet Member considered a report on the proposed acquisition of car parking land situated at Waterloo Road, Haslington.

Thomas Jones & Sons had constructed the car park in 2003 as a condition of a planning permission granted for the adjacent residential development.   Cheshire East Council owned the adjacent car park which provided the only access onto the land in question. 

The developer was currently considering closing the car park and there was a desire for Cheshire East Council to own and control the whole of this car park.  The land was already within the existing Off Street Parking Order and the acquisition of the car park was supported by the Cheshire East Car Park management team.

The decision to acquire the land had been approved by the former head of Economic Development and Estates at Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council under his delegated Authority.  The Cabinet Member for Prosperity was asked to ratify that decision and honour the agreement with the developer.

Local Ward Member Councillor J Hammond spoke in support of the recommendation to approve the acquisition of the land at Waterloo Road.

RESOLVED:

That the acquisition of land situated at Waterloo Road, Haslington from Thomas Jones & Sons be approved on the basis set out in the report subject to such other terms and conditions as may be determined by the Assets Manager and Borough Solicitor.

To consider the acquisition of three residential properties for the Children and Families Service.

The Cabinet Member considered a report on the acquisition of three residential properties for the Children and Families Service.

The Children and Families Service required three detached properties to provide residential accommodation for cared for young people from the ages of 11 to 17 in Congleton and Macclesfield.   There were currently no facilities available in the north of the Borough.  The properties were required to provide a traditional domestic environment for young people, moving away from an institutionalised setting.  As of April 2012 Wilkinson House in Sandbach would close and the children currently residing in the property would need to be accommodated elsewhere.

The Children and Family Service currently held a budget of £1,150,000 and was seeking an additional £350,000 via a supplementary capital estimate bid at mid-year for the acquisition of the properties.  The Service intended to tender the management and running of the three homes to an external provider on a three to five year contract, within the properties leased to the successful provider for the same term.

Councillor D Neilson, Chairman of the Scrutiny Review of Residential Provision in Cheshire East, had submitted comments to the Cabinet Member in support of the acquisition of the three properties.

RESOLVED:

That the acquisition of three properties be approved on terms and conditions to be determined by the Borough Solicitor, Assets Manager and the Head of Safeguarding & Specialist Services.