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 J Tomlinson spoke in relation to the item on Alderley Edge allotments. He referred to Appendix B to the report which he said appeared to be a representation from Alderley Edge Parish Council. He went on to say that as the matter had not been discussed or voted upon by the Parish Council, or any of its committees, the representation should be seen only as the view of its author and not as the view of the Parish Council. Mr Tomlinson also referred to the tenancies of current allotment-holders who lived within the boundary of Cheshire East but not within Alderley Edge Civil Parish. He referred to indications from Parish councillors that they would restrict tenancies to residents of the parish, and requested that if Cheshire East Council were minded to transfer management of the allotments to the Parish Council, in line with the recommended Option 1, the draft agreement with the Parish Council should be amended to protect the existing tenancies of those who lived outside the parish.

To consider a report on the options for the transfer of Alderley Edge Allotments

On 5^th September 2011 a decision was taken by Cabinet to transfer a number of assets and services to the relevant town and parish councils. This included the transfer of three allotment sites in Alderley Edge at Heyes Lane, Chorley Hall Lane and Beech Close. As part of this decision, Cabinet had given delegated authority to the Strategic Director (Places and Organisational Capacity), Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to finalise agreed legal and financial terms for a package of transfers (or leases) of the assets and functions to Town and Parish Councils.

In accordance with Section 123 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972 the Council had published notice of its intention to dispose of the Alderley Edge allotment sites. This resulted in 129 objections being received. The three decision-making officers had decided to refer the decision as to whether to dispose of the sites to the relevant Portfolio Holders together with the decision as to the method and terms of disposal.

The objections and representations received were summarised in Appendix A to the report. Representations from Alderley Edge Parish Council were set out in Appendix B and a specific request from the Allotment and Garden Society in terms of considering the transfer was set out in Appendix C. The report also provided background information on the Council’s understanding of the Parish Council’s aspirations for Heyes Lane.

Councillors F Keegan and D Marren attended the meeting and spoke on this matter.

RESOLVED

That having considered the objections and representations received, and the options set out in the report, the Cabinet Members for Communities & Regulatory Services and Prosperity & Economic Regeneration approve the disposal of the allotment sites at Heyes Lane, Chorley Hall Lane and Beech Close, Alderley Edge to Alderley Edge Parish Council in accordance with the agreed Cabinet decision on 5^th September 2011 and on the basis of Option 1, namely that the allotments be transferred by long leases of 125 years containing restrictive covenants to preserve their use as allotments for nil value.