A period of 20 minutes is allocated for questions to be put to Cabinet Members by members of the Council. Notice of questions need not be given in advance of the meeting. Questions must relate to the powers, duties or responsibilities of the Cabinet. Questions put to Cabinet Members must relate to their portfolio responsibilities.
The Leader will determine how Cabinet question time should be allocated where there are a number of Members wishing to ask questions. Where a question relates to a matter which appears on the agenda, the Leader may allow the question to be asked at the beginning of consideration of that item.
Minutes:
Councillor Groves asked the Leader if he was aware of a press release by the Labour Group which questioned why the Council was pressing ahead with changes to waste services given a delay in implementing the Council’s new management structure. The press release went on to say that the creation of a wholly-owned company for waste services was a way of achieving savings at the expense of the pay and conditions of the workforce. Councillor Groves circulated copies of the press release.
The Leader responded that he had heard a rumour about the matter and had invited waste management staff to attend the meeting to give their views. Union and workforce representatives present at the meeting commented that they had been consulted on the formation of a wholly-owned company and that discussions with Cabinet members and senior managers and been positive and constructive. The Leader thanked the staff and union representatives for their comments.
Councillor Topping, Portfolio Holder for Environment, added that there had been full and frank discussions with staff and union representatives to discuss the options for the future delivery of waste services and that there had been a favourable response to the idea of a wholly-owned company.
Councillor K Edwards sought the views of the Portfolio Holder for Children and Family Services on the proposal to extend the 15 hours a week offer of education to two year olds and asked what would be done to ensure that families could take up the offer.
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Children and Family Services and Rural Affairs, responded that funding had been agreed for about 320 children initially, to be increased to 400 by March 2014. Beyond that, the eligibility criteria would be widened. Suitable publicity for the scheme would be arranged.
Councillor K Edwards asked if the conditions of service of the workforce of the new wholly-owned waste management company would be published.
The Leader responded that staff would be transferred to the new company under their existing terms and conditions of employment in accordance with TUPE arrangements, and that no changes to the terms and conditions were planned.
Councillor K Edwards asked if the Leader of the Council had the legal right to deny the residents of Macclesfield a ballot on whether to have a town council.
The Leader responded that a ballot had not been ruled out but that there might be more effective means of obtaining the views of the people of Macclesfield, for instance by visiting schools, hospitals and elderly people’s homes to speak to people direct. He would await the report of the Community Governance Review Sub-Committee but emphasised the Council’s commitment to supporting local democracy.
Councillor B Murphy asked whether, if sufficient numbers of people signed a petition, the Council would be required to hold a ballot of the people of Macclesfield on whether to have a town council. The Leader repeated his earlier comments on the matter.
Councillor P Nurse referred to a recent external audit report in which the Council was criticised for not being specific about the effects of cuts in expenditure and for being poor at achieving value for money. He asked for an assurance that the criticisms would be addressed.
The Leader responded by saying that the Council would always aim to reduce waste as a priority and would seek to ensure that it delivered value for money. He indicated that he would be bringing something forward to the December Council.
Councillor P Raynes, Portfolio Holder for Finance, added that he welcomed the auditor’s comments as a way of helping the Council to improve its performance and he intended to take a report to the Audit and Governance Committee addressing the issues raised. He undertook to meet Councillor Nurse to discuss the matter further.
Councillor D Newton referred to the transfer of staff to the new wholly-owned waste management company and asked for how long the TUPE terms and conditions were guaranteed. The Leader repeated his earlier comment that there were no plans to change the workforce’s terms and conditions but he added that if anything changed in the future as a result of circumstances which were beyond the Council’s control, the unions and staff would be fully involved.