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.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd March 2023.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd March 2023 be approved as a correct record.

In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the Committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes to speak; the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

There were no public speakers.

To consider a report which sets out the allocation of the approved budgets for 2023/24 to the Corporate Policy Committee.

The Committee considered a report which set out the allocation of the approved budgets for 2023/24 to the Corporate Policy Committee. The financial alignment of budgets to each Committee was set out in Table 1 of the report, with further detail set out in Appendix A.

It was stressed that members were not being asked to set the budget, which had already been approved by Council, but to note the budget allocations made to the Committee by the Finance Sub-Committee.

Members asked that the budget timetable for 2023/24 include member workshops at an early stage of the process.

RESOLVED (by majority)

That the Corporate Policy Committee

1.   notes the decision of the Finance Sub-Committee to allocate the approved revenue and capital budgets, related budget policy changes and earmarked reserves to the Corporate Policy Committee, as set out in Appendix A to the report; and

2.   notes the financial reporting timetable for 2023/24 set out in Appendix B as approved by the Finance Sub-Committee on 7 June.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 2.34, the following members asked that the minutes of the meeting record that they voted against the motion:

Councillor J Clowes

Councillor A Harrison

Councillor C O’Leary

Councillor J Pearson

Councillor J Saunders

To consider a report on appointments to sub-committees, working groups, panels, boards and joint committees for the 2023-24 municipal year.

The Committee considered a report on appointments to sub-committees, working groups, panels, boards and joint committees for the 2023-24 municipal year.

A list of nominations submitted by the political groups was circulated at the meeting.

The Chair informed the Committee that the Children and Families Committee, at its meeting on 5^th June 2023, had agreed to nominate one Member to the Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board, and the Committee’s Chair, Councillor C Bulman, had been nominated.

Councillor J Clowes advised that the Conservative Group had withdrawn a nomination in respect of the Joint Extra Care Housing Management Board. She also advised of a change of nominee for the Joint Scrutiny Member Task Group.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the Corporate Policy Committee

1.   agrees the appointments to sub-committees, working groups, panels, boards and joint committees for 2023-24 as follows:

Constitution Working Group (6 members) (2:2:2:0)

Councillor J Clowes

Councillor L Crane

Councillor K Edwards

Councillor D Jefferay

Councillor C O'Leary

Councillor M Warren

Staffing Appeals Sub-Committee (pool of 10) (4:4:2:0)

Councillor L Anderson

Councillor R Bailey

Councillor D Clark

Councillor N Cook

Councillor E Hall

Councillor C Naismith

Councillor J Pratt

Councillor G Smith

Councillor L Wardlaw

Councillor F Wilson

General Appeals Sub-Committee (pool of 10) (4:4:2:0)

Councillor R Bailey

Councillor S Bennett-Wake

Councillor T Dean

Councillor S Edgar

Councillor H Faddes

Councillor E Gilman

Councillor R Moreton

Councillor C Naismith

Councillor B Puddicombe

Councillor L Smetham

Shared Services Joint Committee (3 members) (1:1:1:0)

Councillor J Bird

Councillor P Redstone

Councillor J Rhodes

Joint Member Scrutiny Task Group (3 members) (1:1:1:0)

Councillor B Drake

Councillor A Moran

Councillor J Pearson

Cheshire East Health and Wellbeing Board (1 member)

Councillor S Corcoran

Joint Extra Care Housing Management Board (1 member)

Councillor N Mannion

Cheshire East Health and Care Partnership Board (3 members)

Councillor J Clowes

Councillor A Moran

Councillor J Rhodes

2.   notes the terms of reference of the bodies referred to in the report.

To consider a report on a revised procedure in respect of Cheshire East Council’s appointments to outside organisations. 

The Committee considered a report setting out the recommendations of the Outside Organisations Panel on a revised procedure for making appointments to outside organisations.

The Chair of the Outside Organisations Panel, Councillor M Warren, placed on record his thanks to those Democratic Services officers who had supported the work of the Panel.

Members felt that the Manchester Airport Consultative Committee and the University of Manchester, which the Panel had designated as local bodies to be withdrawn from the formal appointments process, were strategically important bodies and should therefore be retained on the list of bodies for formal appointment. Members also felt that all liaison bodies associated with active quarries in the Borough, and the North West Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, should be included on the list for formal appointment.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the Committee agrees the recommendations of the Outside Organisations Panel, as amended, as follows:

1.   The organisations set out in the local list appended to the Outside Organisations Panel report, be removed from the formal appointments to outside organisations procedure, and that a communications plan be developed to assist with this transition. 

2.    The organisations set out in the statutory list appended to the Outside Organisations Panel report be retained as requiring a formal appointment.    

3.    Subject to the amendment in resolution 4 below, the organisations set out in the retained list (of corporate importance), appended to the Outside Organisations Panel report, be retained as requiring a formal appointment, subject also to the addition of the following body to the retained list:

§  North West Reserve Forces and Cadets Association

4.    The organisations set out in the ‘organisations to be removed’ list and the ‘alternative representation list’ in the Outside Organisations Panel report, be removed from the procedure for the reasons stated, except that the following organisations be moved to the retained list of bodies of corporate importance requiring formal appointment:

§  Manchester Airport Consultative Committee

§  University of Manchester

§  all liaison bodies associated with active quarries in the Borough

5.    The organisation set out in the ‘organisations to be added’ list in the Outside Organisations Panel report, be included in the statutory list.  

6.    Subject to each organisation’s confidentiality arrangements, a communications plan be developed to enable Member nominees to feedback information to the Council, to enable issues of importance or interest to be discussed.  Democratic Services officers to identify key service department officer contacts for each nominated member; officers to then determine whether this would give rise to a report on a formal decision to a service committee, action by the officer under delegated powers, or issues of wider Council importance to be brought to the attention of Members via the Members’ Bulletin.

7.    Remuneration received by Members appointed to the Peak District National Park Authority, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Cheshire Police and Crime Panel and the Council’s wholly-owned companies (ASDVs) be recorded as part of the published annual Record of Members’ Allowances. 

8.    The Councillor’s Guide to Outside Organisations be reviewed and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider a report on the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in respect of a targeted review of Members’ Allowances in 2022, and which proposes that the Panel be invited to undertake a full review of allowances in 2023/2024.    

The Committee considered a report on the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in respect of a targeted review of Members’ Allowances in 2022. The report also proposed that the Panel be invited to undertake a full review of allowances in 2023/2024.    

In response to a question by members regarding the impact of the Panel’s recommendations on the Council’s budget, the Director of Finance and Customer Services advised that funding had been brought forward to cover the cost.

RESOLVED (by majority)

That, having considered the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel, the Committee recommends to Council that:

1.   civic payments should remain at their current levels (Mayor £14,000 and Deputy Mayor £5,600);

2.   from 2023, civic payments should be subjected to the same uprating which may be applied to members’ allowances;

3.    special responsibility allowance (SRA) for the Chair of scrutiny committee should remain at £7,650;

4.    in respect of the draft Parental Leave Policy for Councillors, basic allowance should continue to be paid to an elected Member during any period of parental leave;

5.    in respect of the draft Parental Leave Policy for Councillors; special responsibility allowance payable to the elected Member during any period of parental leave should be discontinued and transferred to the Councillor who is undertaking the special responsibility in question;

6.    basic allowance should be increased by a flat rate of £500 and applied retrospectively for 2022-2023;

7.    special responsibility allowances (to include Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Scrutiny Chair) should be increased by 4.04% and applied retrospectively for 2022-2023; and

8.    a full review of the Members’ Scheme of Allowances should be undertaken by the new Independent Remuneration Panel, following its appointed by Council on 16 October 2023.  

In accordance with Procedure Rule 2.34, Councillor A Harrison asked that the minutes of the meeting record that he voted against the motion.

To consider a report which makes recommendations for changes to the Constitution and recommendations for Council to consider as improvements to the future functionality of the committee system.

The Committee considered a report which made recommendations for changes to the Constitution in relation to the rules of debate and notices of motion, and recommendations for Council to consider as improvements to the future functionality of the committee system.The report had been considered by the previous Constitution Working Group.

Councillor B Puddicombe, Chair of the Strategic Planning Board, and Councillor F Wilson, Vice-Chair of the Northern Planning Committee, spoke as visiting members in relation to the proposed changes to the planning committees, stating that in their view the case for the proposed changes had not been made.

Jane Gowing, Interim Director of Planning and Peter Hooley, Planning and Enforcement Manager attended the meeting for this item and responded to members’ questions regarding the proposed changes to the planning committees. They advised that the proposed changes would achieve savings in officer time and administration.

RESOLVED (by majority)

That Council be recommended to

1.   approve the amendments to the Constitution as attached at Appendix 1 to the report;

2.    agree that the Public Rights of Way Sub-Committee functions be incorporated into the functions of the Highways and Transport Committee as shown in Appendix 2;

3.    agree to realign the Planning Committees from 3 to 2, with responsibilities as set out in Appendix 2;

4.    delegate to the Monitoring Officer, the power to make such consequential changes to the Council’s Constitution as he deems necessary to give effect to the wishes of Council; and

5.    note the savings in relation to venues for meetings and printing and postage of agendas.

To consider the Committee’s work programme for 2023-24.

The Committee considered its work programme for 2023-24.

The Chair informed the Committee that it had been necessary to move the next scheduled meeting from 6^th to 11^th July at 10.00 am to enable the Chair and Vice-Chair to attend the LGA Conference being held on 4^th-6^th July. It was understood that the Economy and Growth Committee meeting had been moved from 11^th July to 10^th July at 10.00 am to accommodate the change.

RESOLVED

That

1.    the work programme for 2023-24 be approved; and

2.    the change of date of the July meeting be noted.