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 relating 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.

Diana Morrison, Chair of Governors at Sandbach CP School, outlined a number of objections to the proposed expansion of Wheelock Primary School and advocated what she termed a more flexible approach.

To consider a report on the proposed expansion of Wheelock Primary School following further consideration of the information and comments received during the consultation period.

The Cabinet Member gave further consideration to the proposed expansion of Wheelock Primary School in the light of the comments received during the consultation period.

At the meeting of 3^rd December, the Cabinet Member had deferred a decision  on the publication of statutory notices until 17^th December to allow more time for consideration of the large number of responses that had been received at the end of the consultation period and to allow more time to consider the rationale for the proposal and the objections received from nearby schools.

The report detailed the responses received and the grounds given by respondents for supporting or objecting to the proposal. It also set out the rationale for the proposal.

At the meeting, the Cabinet Member invited comments and questions from members of the public. In addition, Councillors S Corcoran and G Merry were afforded the opportunity to speak as local ward members.

A matter of particular concern was whether any other schools in the Sandbach area were likely to be closed as a result of the Wheelock expansion. Officers commented that given the pressures for additional school places in the Sandbach area, there were no plans to close any schools and that if anything, the Council would be looking to expand local schools. At the same time, Officers confirmed that the Council would not be seeking to encourage developers to provide new schools in the Sandbach area. The Cabinet Member supported these comments.

The Cabinet Member emphasised that the expansion proposals were being driven by parent choice and that the Council had to put the capacity in place to meet that choice.

Having considered further the views expressed during the consultation period and at the meeting, the Cabinet Member was minded once again to defer a decision in order to allow a further period of consultation on possible alternative solutions. The consultation period would run for two weeks in early January. In addition, the Cabinet Member would make a further visit to local schools. The Cabinet Member hoped that local schools would use this opportunity to consult among themselves with a view to putting forward possible solutions. She sought schools’ support and guidance and asked that they worked with her.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services defers a decision on the request to publish a statutory notice detailing the proposed expansion of Wheelock Primary School in order to allow a further two weeks’ consultation on possible alternative solutions to the increasing demand for places in the Sandbach area.

To consider proposals for the Nantwich Conservation Area.

The Cabinet Member considered a report on proposals for the Nantwich Conservation Area.

The Nantwich Conservation Area Appraisal and Review had been adopted by Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council on 2^nd May 2006. That Council had resolved that five of the thirteen proposals in the approved document be identified as initial draft proposals until further consultation with three key groups had taken place. 

The consultation was now complete and the five proposals were submitted for approval.

Local Ward Councillors A Martin and A Moran attended the meeting and at the invitation of the Cabinet Member spoke in support of the proposal.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services approves

(1)  the amendment of the five initial draft proposals in the Nantwich Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Review as presented in Appendix 1 to the report and their incorporation within the final Nantwich Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Strategy;

(2)  that formal procedures and notices to amend the conservation area boundaries be undertaken, including notifying all property owners;

(3)  that key groups be sent a letter to thank them for their participation and to advise them of the changes being made; and

(4)  that the appraisal be updated to record initiatives and developments which have taken place since the appraisal was adopted on 2^nd May 2006 such as those noted in paragraphs 10.9 and 10.10 of the report.