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

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 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.

Mr Trevor Lightfoot of the Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association sought clarification of the process for allocating grant funding for twinning. The Cabinet Member responded.

To consider requests from the Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association and the Twinning Association of Poynton for grant funding, and to consider the introduction of a framework for dealing with any future applications

The Cabinet Member considered a number of applications for grant funding in connection with twinning and associated events.

The Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association (CANTA) received £5,000 from Cheshire East Borough Council in 2009/10 and 2010/11 respectively. This was aimed at supporting activities/projects that would benefit local communities within Cheshire East. CANTA were advised at the time that they should be seeking alternative forms of funding as the Council could not guarantee the same level of funding in future years, having regard to the financial constraints facing public services.

The Twinning Association of Poynton (TAP) were applying for a grant to support their work, including a celebration of the 10^th anniversary of the Twinning Association by inviting young people from Hungary next year. In addition, TAP were seeking support for the Poynton Air Training Corps for their visit to Erd in Hungary this year. TAP had received some support from the former Macclesfield Borough Council, but not on a regular basis.

The Macclesfield Charter Trustees, together with representatives from local community groups, had indicated that they were interested in maintaining links with Eckernförde and had enquired about funding that might be available for community-based activities. Further details of the grant application by the Trustees were circulated at the meeting. The Trustees had requested a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of a visit to Macclesfield by the Eckernförde Male Voice Choir in October 2012. The Trustees were also requesting additional grant to support reciprocal school trips, as well as events being planned for 2013 to celebrate the shared history within the silk industry of Macclesfield and Xi’an, China.

In considering the requests the Portfolio Holder had regard to:

§         the financial constraints facing the Council;

§         the Council’s policy to support community-based activities; and

§         the Council’s policy to withdraw from civic and ceremonial twinning

Provision of £17,000 had been made for twinning in the Council’s Revenue Budget for 2011/12. For 2012/13 the Council was proposing to reduce the twinning budget by £10,000, leaving a budget of £7,000. It was prudent to consider the introduction of a framework for dealing with any future applications for 2012/13. Such a framework would provide that all future applications would be made to the Council’s Community Grant Scheme. The Portfolio Holder would reserve the right consider particular applications because of their significance to either the Council or the Borough.

The Council’s review of twinning arrangements had identified potential benefits from developing an international strategy focusing on commercial and economic development links. The remaining twinning budget would be used to underpin this activity.

RESOLVED

That

(1)   a grant of £2,500 be awarded to the Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association (CANTA);

(2)   a grant of £2,500 be awarded to the Twinning Association of Poynton (TAP);

(3)   a grant of £2,500 be awarded to the Macclesfield Charter Trustees;

(4)   a grant of £500 be awarded to Poynton ATC;

(5)   in the light of reductions to the Twinning Budget for 2012/13, all future applications for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.