Agenda item

To consider the attached Notices of Motions, submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 12.

1.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor D Brickhill:

 

“That meetings set out in the Council diary shall not be changed either by timing or location unless:-

All Members have been consulted and there is no relevant business in which case the meeting is cancelled.

All Members are consulted and more than 60 agree to the change.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor P Edwards.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Motion stand referred to the Constitution Committee.

 

2.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor D Brickhill:

 

1.         “At least 80% of all money raised by community levy payments by Developers must be spent in the same town or parish council area as the actual development.

 

2.         The remaining 20%, if any, must be spent in the same district as the actual development, where ‘district’ means the appropriate area of one of the three previous district councils that made up Cheshire East.

 

3.         The planning department shall consult the parish or town council on how the money should be spent and, if necessary, fully explain at a planning Committee meeting why the parish’s recommendations cannot be implemented.

 

4.         The planning department shall provide to the parish or town council full accounts on how the money was spent.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor A Moran.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Motion stand referred to the Strategic Planning Board.

 

3.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor S Corcoran:

 

“This Council thanks the Leader for sharing his thoughts at the last council meeting on whether Councillor allowances should be increased to replace mileage rates. However, this council does not support the idea because:

 

1.      It would disadvantage councillors in outlying areas.

 

2.      It would disadvantage active Councillors who travel frequently to attend meetings and reward councillors who do not attend many meetings.

 

3.       At a time when public opinion of payments to MPs and councillors is highly sceptical, the public perception might be that this is a ruse to bring in an increase in allowances through the back door.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor K Edwards.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Motion stand referred to the Independent Remuneration Panel.

 

4.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor S Hogben:

 

“Coppenhall East Crewe

 

No large scale housing plans in Coppenhall East should be approved or signed off until essential improvements to the road bridge over the Crewe to Manchester railway line on Sydney Road, as well as the northern relief road from Crewe Green roundabout to the A530 Middlewich Road, have been approved.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor R Cartlidge.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Motion stand referred to the Strategic Planning Board.

 

5.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor D Flude:

 

“Centenary of the First World War and War Memorials Cheshire East

 

In 2014 the nation will commemorate the centenary of the First World War can this council be assured that any war memorials that the borough has responsibility for are being conserved to the high standard that the public expect?

 

Is there a comprehensive list of all memorials in the borough’s keeping?

 

Are all memorials in good repair?

 

Is the budget sufficient for the conservation of the memorials for generations to come?

 

A report to the relevant Scrutiny committee is prepared to inform members in relation to the points above.

 

Can this council consider how it will plan for the centenary events in 2014 to include the Cheshire Archives, the museum of Cheshire Regiment, other military, Cheshire’s many history societies our libraries, schools and residents?”

 

The Motion was seconded by R Cartlidge.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Motion stand referred to the Cabinet.

 

6.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor H Gaddum:

 

“With regard to funding for education:

 

Cheshire East Council resolves that:

 

·        MPs are thanked for bringing these issues to the Government's attention. 

·        The Department have undertaken several consultations with Local Authorities during the last 12 months. Cheshire East welcomes the Government’s commitment to reviewing schools funding methodology.

·        Cheshire East are supportive of an approach which provides a more equitable level of funding for all Local Authorities and all children nationally.

·        The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for Cheshire East is well below the national average and below the grant provided to many similar Local Authorities. In April 2009, Cheshire County Council was split into two separate Authorities, Cheshire East and West. If funded at the same rate as Cheshire West, Cheshire East would receive an additional £10m of funding. The reasons for this disparity are not clear.

 

Cheshire East also calls on the Government to:-

 

·        Develop a properly designed funding methodology to address conversions to academies. It is essential that the share of retained budgets given to academies is realistic and calculated under a sound basis. The reduction in formula grant to reflect academy conversions is not appropriate, particularly as there is no clear basis on which such deductions have been made.  The calculation of Local Authority Central Spend Equivalent Grant should be done in such a way as to not financially disadvantage those schools that choose to remain as part of the Local Authority.

 

·        Recognise concerns in respect of FSM as a measure for deprivation. Areas of deprivation can be quite dramatic, whereas pockets of deprivation can be quite local and severe. Free School Meals is considered too blunt a measure.

 

·        Use recent consultation responses to address national inconsistencies in funding. This is the main issue for Local Authorities and schools, rather than how funding is passed out.

 

Cheshire East Council resolves to support the appended draft letter to the Secretary of State for Education.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor Rhoda Bailey.

 

The Motion was a matter for the Council.

 

RESOLVED

 

That it is agreed unanimously that the Motion be approved in full.

 

7.      Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor L Jeuda:

 

“Health and Social Care Bill

 

This Council urges Cheshire East MPs to vote against the Health and Social Care Bill when it returns to the House of Commons.

 

There is no democratic mandate for this reorganization. It was ruled out in the Coalition Agreement and in every reference to the NHS by the leader of the Conservative Party, at the time of the General Election. He referred to no top down reorganization, we did not vote for this!

 

The NHS was set up in 1948 with a vision of what could be possible in relation to future health care, as well as what was achievable at the time.

The Coalition Government’s Health and Social Care Bill strikes at the heart of that vision.

 

Everyone acknowledges that the NHS must constantly evolve, which is what is has been doing for the past 63 years.

 

It is scandalous that the Government is setting aside £3.5bn on an unnecessary reorganization when the NHS is facing the biggest challenge in its history. It has to save £20bn over the next four years, Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT has set aside £27,898,799.

 

The Bill has so far has over 100 amendments the Bill proposes major structural re-organisation, with 49% of NHS beds moving to the private sector. We acknowledge that there is an important role for the private sector.

 

Professional bodies that are not politically aligned and represent the full spectrum of health service workers have voted to advocate dropping the Health and Social Care Bill - notably the British Medical Association, Royal Colleges of Nursing, Midwifery, General Practitioner’s, Radiographers and Radiologists, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, the Patients’ Association and the NHS Consultants’ Association. Other professional bodies such as the Royal Colleges of Psychiatrists, Pathologists and Ophthalmologists and the Faculty for Public Health have pointed out serious flaws in the Bill. Furthermore, citizens have concern’s and in some cases fear about the damage that the proposed changes may do to the NHS, with direct impact on services in the future for them and their families. 

 

It is time to be looking at a ‘Plan B’ for the NHS.”

 

The Motion was seconded by Councillor J Jackson.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Motion stand referred to the Cabinet.