Agenda and minutes

The Sub-Committee is invited to elect a Chairman to serve until the next annual meeting of Council.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Shirley Jones be elected Chairman to serve for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

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

Councillor D Marren declared a personal interest in agenda item 7 (2) – on the basis that he was a member of the National Executive of the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities. He also declared a personal interest in the minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2011 on the basis that he was a member of the Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association (CANTA).

Councillor B Moran declared a personal interest in agenda item 7 (1) on the basis that he was a member of the Sandbach Town Plan Steering Group.

No other declarations of interest were made.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Sub-Committee on any matter relevant to its work. 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 in attendance and the Sub-Committee proceeded to its next item of business.

To approve as a correct record, the Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 April 2011.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2011 be approved as a correct record.

For the benefit of newer Members to the Constitution Committee, and in particular to the Sub-Committee, the attached report outlines the role of the Sub-Committee.

The Sub-Committee considered the information report of the Democratic Services and Registration Manager which outlined the role of the Outside Organisations Sub-Committee.  The terms of reference had been devised by the Sub-Committee which had, in turn, been adopted by the Constitution Committee.

Members commented that the terms of reference required revision; in particular items (c) and (d) made reference to “overseeing” appointments and some Members were unclear about the definition of the word in this context.

RESOLVED: That the Terms of Reference for the Sub-Committee be re-drafted and submitted to the next meeting.

The Sub-Committee is invited to consider the following new requests for representation.

(1)               Sandbach Town Plan Steering Group

(2)               National Executive of the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities

The Sub-Committee considered a report giving details of two new requests for representation.  The report also provided a list of appointments made by the Constitution Committee and Cabineet in June 2011.

21.1    Sandbach Town Plan Steering Group

At the previous meeting, a request for representation on Sandbach Town Plan Steering Group was considered but deferred for further enquiries.  No further information was currently available.

Councillor Barry Moran, who was a founder Member of the Steering Group reported on its activities.

The Sub-Committee agreed that it was appropriate for this organisation to be added to the Category 2 list of approved outside bodies. 

21.2    National Executive of the Federation of Burial and Cremation    Authorities

Councillor David Marren, who was a Member of the National Executive of the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities had suggested that the Sub-Committee may wish to consider adding this organisation to the list of approved outside bodies.  A copy of its constitution was also submitted. 

As this was an organisation which was able to influence policy at a national level, it was considered by Members to be a nomination which should be made by Cabinet. It was noted that any nomination from this Authority would be submitted to the National Executive which would, in turn, vote on the nomination.

21.3    Appointments – 2011-2015

During consideration of the schedule of appointments made in June 2011, discussion focused on the number of outside bodies to which the Council appointed and the effectiveness of representation.

A thorough review of representation on outside bodies was required.  It was acknowledged that as there were 72 organisations on the Category 2 list, it would be less unwieldy to tackle these in six phases, dealing with 12 organisations at a time.

The programme for the review was suggested as follows :

·      Survey letter to Councillors to be drafted for approval by the Sub-Committee at a meeting to be held in July 2011.  Members did not consider it appropriate to send out a form.  The letter would seek to establish –

o        How often the outside body met.

o        How often did Members attend meetings?

o        Did the member consider representation to be worthwhile?

o        Was the contribution of a Cheshire East Member of benefit to the outside body?

·      Following approval of the proposed letter, it would be sent to those Members who had been appointed to the first 12 outside bodies (listed alphabetically below) requesting responses by a specified date to enable information to be prepared for a meeting of the Sub-Committee which would be held in October 2011.

• Alexandra Soccer & Community Association   (3-99)
• Almshouse Charity of Sir Edmund Wright, Crewe and Others (2-89)
• Alsager Education foundation (2-43)
• Alsager Leisure Centre Advisory User Panel  (3-100)
• Alsager Partnership (2-44)
• Association for Public Service Excellence (2-139)
• Astbury Mere Trust (4-101)
• Audlem Education Foundation (2-46)
• BAE Systems Woodford Local Consultative Committee (3-102)
• Bent Farm Sand Quarry Liaison Committee (2-47)
• Bollin Valley Steering Committee (2-48)
• Crewe and Nantwich Gymnastics and Community Activities Association (3-103)

·      A survey  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.