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 N Mannion referred to a recent incident in which a pack of hunting dogs ran through a suburb of Macclesfield, causing distress to local residents and a potentially dangerous traffic situation. In light of this incident, he asked if the Council would assure local residents that it would not allow hunting with dogs to take place on its land. The Chairman responded that the Council had a policy on hunting which would be reviewed and a report would be submitted to the next Cabinet meeting.
Councillor S Corcoran referred to a report to Cabinet last year which had indicated that the Council could accept up to 52 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children at a cost of £200,000. He asked if the offer had been communicated to the Government and if so, why it had not been taken up. The Chairman asked the Executive Director People to give a written response. The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families added that the Council had accepted 20 unaccompanied asylum seeking children to date.
Councillor R Fletcher referred to the fact that pedestrian crossings had not been provided for Sandbach Road North and Sandbach Road South, Alsager, despite the need for such crossings having been identified by the former County Council in 2007. He also asked for an update on the provision of a crossing on Crewe Road and the provision of a footway from Goss Place towards the centre of Alsager. The Chairman replied that the matters would be investigated and a formal written response would be made following that investigation.
Councillor L Jeuda referred to a recent decision by the Government to restrict the number of Syrian refugee children coming to the UK on the basis that local authorities could not accommodate greater numbers. A number of authorities had indicated that they had not been consulted prior to the Government’s decision and would have been willing to accept more refugees. Councillor Jeuda asked if Cheshire East had indicated that it was prepared to accept more refugees. The Chairman referred to the response to the earlier question on the matter by Councillor Corcoran and undertook to give a written reply.
Councillor J Nicholas, referring to Item 6 on the agenda relating to Available Walking Routes to Schools, asked for the study which showed that the installation of a crossing in Silk Road would make it a safe walking route to school when the only study available assessed the suitability of the location of the crossing but not the suitability of the walking route. He asked why the walking route assessment was being undertaken after £200,000 had been spent on the provision of a crossing over Silk Road. The Chairman replied that the designated available walking route was Middlewood Way and not Silk Road.
Councillor A Stott referred to the designation of Silk Road as a safe walking route to school and asked the Council to provide an assurance that the Middlewood Way would be undesignated as an available walking route. The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families reiterated that Middlewood Way remained the designated available walking route and that the crossing in Silk Road was being provided as a mitigation measure.