Agenda, decisions and minutes

Thee were no apologies for absence.

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 relevant 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.

No members of the public were present.

To consider a review of the controls on the activities of face to face fundraisers in Cheshire East.

1.    That the operation of the Site Management Agreement across the borough continue to be used to enhance the working relationship with the retail and local businesses communities.

2.    That a closer working relationship between the Council and Town and Parish Councils, and the Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority, continue to be enhanced.

It was reported that Cheshire East Council had received a number of complaints regarding the large number of face to face public funraisers, otherwise known as chuggers, operating in towns within Cheshire East Council resulting in a detrimental effect on both shoppers and retailers.  A working group had been established to consider how best to respond to these issues and all Town Councils and Town Centre Managers in Cheshire East had been invited to join the group and Crewe; Congleton, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Nantwich and Wilmslow had subsequently joined.

Following full consultation the Council signed a Site Management Agreement (SMA) with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority (PFRA) on 24 April 2015 and this placed the responsibility on Chuggers to adhere to agreed visiting schedules and working practices.

Following an implementation period of six months the SMA had been reviewed and it had positively addressed the activities of the chuggers.  Significant improvements included improved communication with local businesses and retailers, who are now given advance notice of the scheduled visits, the PFRA has provided swift and satisfactory response to issues reported to it, and the visits have been restricted to those days of the week acceptable to the individual town.  There has been a marked reduction in the number of complaints received which has provided reassurance to both visitors to the towns and to the local business communities.

RESOLVED

1.    That the operation of the Site Management Agreement across the borough continue to be used to enhance the working relationship with the retail and local businesses communities.

2.    That a closer working relationship between the Council and Town and Parish Councils, and the Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority, continue to be enhanced.