In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 35 and Appendix 7 to the rules, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to speak at Council meetings.
Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman 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 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. It is not a requirement to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.
Minutes:
1. Mr John Mc Cann, representing the Diocese of Shrewsbury, used public speaking time to address Council regarding Home to School Transport. There were a number of issues, which the Diocese had drawn to the attention of the Cabinet, at its meeting on the 30th April. The Director had posed a number of questions to which answers were sought on the understanding that such answers may not be have been available at that meeting. He repeated the questions and indicated that the Diocese still sought answers.
He also stated that the Resolution passed at the Cabinet meeting represented a significant change in policy, which he considered should have been the subject of consultation and phased in.
Mr Mc Cann indicated that failure to have due regard to statutory guidance could leave the Council open to challenge. He urged the Council urged to reconsider the timing and impact that the introduction of this policy would have on students, their families and the schools.
2. Mrs Judie Collins used public speaking time to speak on behalf of KAFKA, the group which had been formed to fight for local services in Knutsford.
She referred to the democratic processes which had been gone through - a large petition, overview and Scrutiny, call ins. She felt that the problem was that the old administration did not take any action and she hoped that perhaps the new one would.
Over a month ago she had met with Senior Officers to
discuss a number issues and was still awaiting a response. She had
attended a talk on Participatory Budgets and Localism in the
preceding week, when it was pointed out that some Councillors
believed that after voting them in, the public had no further right
to opine. She stated that the Cheshire East Councillors
representing Knutsford all had Cabinet support
responsibilities,
which she felt meant that they followed the party line, rather than
listening to their constituents.
She stated that the new administration began without local
elections and who knew what might have happened if the public had
been able to vote. Much had been promised and she felt that there
now needed to be a complete rethink on officers/public
relationships.
3. Mrs Mabel Taylor, also speaking on behalf of KAFKA, stated that, as the Council would be well aware, she had previously spoken about the loss of social care services in Knutsford, and specifically about the way the closure of Bexton Court had been handled. It has been asserted by officers that full consultations had taken place with the public regarding the closure and mention has been made of the meeting at the Civic Centre, called to discuss the future of the Stanley Centre.
Officers maintained that Bexton Court was discussed at the meeting, but she claimed to have a list of people who would attest to the fact that it was not discussed. She, therefore, requested that all interested parties be advised as to where and when proper consultations would take place regarding the closure of Bexton Court.
4.Mrs Charlotte Peters Rock, also speaking on behalf of KAFKA, used public speaking time to congratulate the New Mayor, Cllr George Walton on his ascent to office.
She had made numerous statements in defence of the care of the disabled and elderly dementia sufferers and their family carers, refuting the claims made by Senior Council Officers, Portfolio Holders and by the retired Council Leader. She considered that they had rung on deaf ears, so having consulted Cheshire East Constitution for styles of speaking, she had chosen to present her views in song to the Council.
5. Honorary Alderman Terry Beard used public speaking time to ask a question regarding the cessation of the Dial-a-ride service in Crewe. He stated that the elderly and disabled relied on the service and asked what the Council was planning to put in its place.