In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question. Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding 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 are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.
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.
Minutes:
Sue Helliwell asked if the Council would consider a trial using an effective waste management programme for dealing with dog fouling, matching un-scooped waste to the canine offender through DNA.
In response, the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Health outlined the technical difficulties with DNA profiling. The Council was aware of the public concern over dog fouling and had run three successful Dog Watch campaigns in Cheshire East this year, involving the issuing of fixed penalty notices and information reminding dog owners of their responsibilities. The campaigns had been well received and there were plans to extend them to areas such as Alsager. The Council’s Senior Community Enforcement Officer would welcome the chance to speak further with the questioner to consider ways of working together utilising both the Community Enforcement Officers and Kingdom patrols to address the issues in Alsager.
Ben Wye asked how local cyclists would be effectively engaged in supporting the planning and engineering of the high quality infrastructure needed to realise, and exceed the CEC cycling strategy ambition, and whether cyclists would be part of the evaluation process before final plans were made.
The Chairman, as Portfolio Holder for Highways and Infrastructure, replied that the Council had engaged widely with local cyclists regarding the development of the cycling strategy and would continue to do so. In particular, the Council would organise a workshop following adoption of the strategy to provide advice and resources to local cycle groups, so that communities could develop local cycling delivery plans. A cycle audit process would also be established to review facilities for cyclists. Interested parties (including the cycling community), were encouraged to make comments as part of the consultation on future schemes.
Peter Hall of the South East Cheshire Cycling Action Group commented that with regard to the development of the cycle network and securing developer funding for the development of cycle infrastructure, the only Council Departments put forward as responsible partners were Cheshire East Highways/Strategic Infrastructure and Highways Development Control. He asked how, if only highways departments were to be involved and not planning or the local cycling communities, new developments could achieve meaningful cycling infrastructure.
The Chairman responded that the Highways Development Management Team was responsible for providing specialist recommendations to the Planning Case Officer regarding highways impacts and mitigation measures for new development. This advice encompassed all highways users, including cyclists. Responses from the Highways Development Management Team would be enhanced with the utilisation of the Cycling-Proofing Toolkit promoted through the Cycling Strategy and subsequent best practice workshops / training to ensure officer awareness and implementation. Interested parties (including the cycling community) could make comments regarding planning applications on a ‘self-service’ basis via the planning portal. Finally, the emerging Cheshire East ‘Urban Design Guide’ promoted the inclusion of cycling through good design thus encouraging active travel.
Councillor David Latham, Middlewich Town Council, asked why the Council, after receiving the past three year mean air quality test results for the A553 Lewin Street, Middlewich had not made this area an air quality management area. Councillor Jonathan Parry, Middlewich Town Council referred to a similar question which he had raised at the last Council meeting specifically relating to the test results outside the White Horse Public House in Lewin Street and the response given at the time that
the average NO2 level over the last 12 months was below 40. Referring to figures he had since obtained for the last three months and extrapolating them across a twelve month period, he commented that the average figure was closer to 47. He commented that this was a dangerous level and he asked that Lewin Street be designated an air quality management area.
The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Health replied that air quality figures were reported on a mean annual basis and that the last set of complete figures was for 2015. A complete set of figures for 2016 was not yet available. The 2016 data was about to be assessed and if it proved to be the case that the average figure was above 40, Lewin Street would be declared an air quality management area. The Chairman asked the Portfolio Holder to confirm the matter in writing.
Councillor Latham also asked the Council to explain how its new joint venture partnership with Staffordshire Moorlands to deliver waste collection and other environmental services would benefit the people of Middlewich and Sandbach when past released statements had indicated that ANSA intended to use its services, which were based in Middlewich, to support and benefit the new formed joint company. He felt that Middlewich and Sandbach would suffer through extra traffic and air pollution.
The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration replied that as a wholly-owned company of Cheshire East Council, Ansa had a public duty to deliver best value through collaboration. An opportunity had arisen for Ansa to collaborate and share the benefit of its expertise with neighbouring councils. Ansa proposed to develop a partnership arrangement with High Peak and Staffordshire Moorland Councils. Ansa would work collaboratively with High Peak and Staffordshire Moorlands delivering services within each authority from their facilities located in High Peak and Staffordshire Moorlands. The arrangement would be a stand-alone arrangement from Ansa’s current activities within Cheshire East and would have no impact on Ansa’s new facility in Middlewich and the surrounding community. The income generated from the new partnership would benefit the residents of Cheshire East.
Carol Bulman referred to the new funding formula for schools and asked the Portfolio Holder to give the exact amounts for Middlewich schools affected by the changes. She added that Cheshire East Council was set to receive the least nationally with regard to school funding. In these circumstances, she asked the Council to send a strong message to the Secretary of State for Education opposing the New Funding Formula and requesting fair funding for Cheshire East schools as such cuts could only lead to a lowering of the standard of educational provision for its children.
The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families replied that for 2017/18 additional funding had been provided to Cheshire East Schools where pupil numbers had increased. Figures quoted by the questioner in relation to local schools related to the impact of the schools national funding formula which was currently subject to a national consultation process closing on the 22nd March 2017. They reflected the illustrative school level figures that had been issued by the DFE based on 2016/17 base data for pupils and the proposed national funding formula as per the consultation. There would be transitional protection for schools to reduce the impact to -1.5% per annum per pupil starting from 2018/19. Therefore, they were not the final figures but an estimate at this time if the proposed formula were to be adopted by the DfE. As such the figures had not been approved by the Council or Cabinet. The Council and many other local authorities, schools and interest groups were raising concerns over the impact of the proposals, and the Council had been active in meeting the Minister for Schools, MPs and the DfE to express its concerns. The most recent meeting had taken place on 7th March. All interest parties were encouraged to respond to the DfE consultation process.
Bob Norton, Chairman of Congleton Cycling Club, welcomed the Council’s long term commitment to cycling as embodied in its cycling strategy and recognised that in some circumstances the segregation of cycles and vehicles was helpful. However, he felt that if cycling was to become a serious alternative transport mode and sustainable leisure activity, cycling on the road needed to be given more emphasis and in this respect he called on the Council to support schemes to improve road user behaviour and gave a number of examples. The Chairman thanked Mr Norton for his comments and asked him to leave a copy of his statement with the clerk.