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 C Browne referred to a request received by the Council to remove the compulsory purchase order listing on a plot of land adjacent to the A34 Alderley Edge Bypass, the objective being to increase the value of the land to a future developer. He asked if the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration would agree with him that where land must be released for development, it should be the residents themselves who guide this through the Neighbourhood Plan. He asked the Portfolio Holder to refuse the request and to allow the residents of Alderley Edge to determine where future development should occur within their village. The PH for Regeneration replied that he had received a number of representations in relation to the land and a decision on the matter had not yet been made. There would be a meeting on Thursday to consider the matter and he invited Councillor Browne to attend to make representations which would then be taken into consideration.
Councillor S Corcoran referred to a piece of land between the Westfields car park, the Chapel Street car park, Platt Avenue and Coppenhall Way, Sandbach, that was listed as being sold by Cheshire East Council. He asked why the Council didn’t develop the land itself for housing, possibly through a wholly-owned company, and rent out the houses. He added that Sandbach needed homes for the elderly and that the site was ideal, given its proximity to Ashfields Medical Centre and the town centre. In the meantime, he wondered whether the land could be used as a temporary car park. The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration replied that the Council had declared the land surplus to requirements in 2013 and had appointed an agent to market it. A developer was now proposing to develop housing on the site. If the Council were to withdraw from the sale, this would delay the release of the site for generating more housing for Sandbach. Given the advanced state of the transaction, to withdraw at this very late stage would also erode the Council’s credibility in the market place. The opportunity to use the site as a temporary car park was therefore somewhat limited.
Councillor B Walmsley made the following points in relation to the report on Middlewich Eastern Bypass:
1. the report did not acknowledge the significant contribution made by Fiona Bruce MP in lobbying for the Bypass; nor did it give recognition to the work of the three local ward councillors for Middlewich.
2. She asked why Cledford Lane had been given such a low weighting in the Options Assessment.
3. With regard to route option 5 in the report, she asked for details of the rail opportunities that she said had been given significant weight.
In replying, the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Highways and Infrastructure acknowledged the contribution of Fiona Bruce MP and also the work of local ward members and hoped that he would continue to receive their support with the scheme in the future. He added that he expected shortly to receive the outcome of the consultation on the bypass and transport options, including a rail link, and would arrange a meeting with local ward members in the next week or so at which the questions about the options for the scheme, the priority given to Cledford Lane and the rail opportunities could be discussed in greater detail. He was also willing to arrange a presentation for the Town Council if required.
Councillor B Walmsley also asked, on behalf of Councillor S McGrory who was not present, if the Leader of the Council would confirm when the details and results of the Middlewich Transportation Consultation would be made available to Ward Members for consideration and would subsequently be made public. The Leader replied that the details would be provided at the meeting referred to by the Deputy Leader.