A period of 20 minutes is allocated for questions to be put to Cabinet Members by members of the Council. A maximum period of two minutes will be allowed for each member wishing to ask a question. The Leader will have discretion to vary this requirement where he considers it appropriate. Members wishing to ask a question at the meeting should register to do so in writing by not later than 4.00 pm on the Friday in the week preceding the meeting. Members should include the general topic their question will relate to and indicate if it relates to an item on the agenda. Questions must relate to the powers, duties or responsibilities of the Cabinet. Questions put to Cabinet Members must relate to their portfolio responsibilities.
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 M Beanland referred to town and parish council income loss and asked if the Council could provide financial support. The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Communication responded that the Council was not receiving sufficient funding to cover its own costs and was unable to claim funding from central government on behalf of town and parish councils. Such councils were able to draw on their reserves and set precepts to recover lost income and support local services. It was suggested that they seek advice from ChALC and consider lobbying for direct support.
Councillor J Clowes asked about the funding for school meals vouchers during the school half term. The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Communication responded that the vouchers were not funded from previous funding from central government but from the Council’s own resources. She could provide a written answer if further information was needed. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration reported that the Council had now received guidance on the business support grants available during the second lockdown. Further details, including how to apply for grants, would be published on the Council’s website.
Councillor A Critchley asked what plans were in place to tackle fly tipping in Crewe. The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste referred to a new waste management and fly tipping policy which would enable the Council to deal with fly tipping more effectively.
Councillor H Faddes asked if the Council would be seeking funding to help rough sleepers over the winter months, particularly in view of the health risk from Covid. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration responded that the Government had not as yet instigated the same arrangements as were in place during the previous lockdown. The Government had made available a Cold Weather Fund to assist homelessness but the Council had already committed resources well in excess of the amount provided to it under this scheme. The Council continued to work with its partners and the private and voluntary sectors to assist rough sleepers.
Councillor R Fletcher asked about the criteria used to determine the location of temporary speed restrictions in Cheshire East. The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste explained the basis for the decisions made to date and hoped that more funding would become available to enable temporary speed restrictions to be introduced in more locations around the Borough.
Councillor S Gardiner referred to an increase in the level of missed bin collections in the last civic year. The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste responded that there had been a significant change of routes at the end of last year which may have had an impact on the level of missed bin collections in the short term.
Councillor L Gilbert referred to problems experienced by town and parish councils in obtaining responses from the Council’s Highways Service. The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste responded that the Highways Service dealt with a high volume of enquiries compared with other departments of the Council. She invited Councillor Gilbert to provide specific details so that the matter could be investigated further. She also encouraged Borough Councillors to make use of the Member Enquiries Service.
Councillor J Parry sought an assurance that, given the current focus on the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change had not been forgotten. The Leader responded that he was passionate about tackling climate change and wanted a green thread to run through all of the Council’s actions. He outlined some of the initiatives the Council was pursuing. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration added that a progress report on the Carbon Action Plan would be submitted to Cabinet and the relevant scrutiny committee in the new year.
Councillor P Redstone thanked the Council for its support of Disability History Month this year but he was still waiting to hear about what the Council was doing to promote disabled people’s rights and their struggle for equality, having raised the matter at the October Council meeting. The Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services apologised that Councillor Redstone did not appear to have received a written reply to his previous question and she undertook to ensure that a written reply would be provided.
Councillor L Smetham referred to bus service provision, particularly in rural areas, and asked if further Active Travel funding had been received. The Deputy Leader outlined the funding arrangements that were in place to support local bus services during the pandemic, including the Covid bus service support grant, funding for bus services on key routes for students, and the Flexilink service. The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste added that the Council had applied for a second tranche of funding for the Active Travel scheme.
Councillor L Wardlaw referred to the numbers of senior officers leaving the Council and asked what the impact would be on service delivery and the morale of staff, and what was being done to retain the talents of senior officers. The Leader responded that the Council now had a permanent Chief Executive and a permanent Deputy Chief Executive. Whilst he was pleased for those senior officers who were leaving in order to further their careers elsewhere, he agreed that staff morale was important and that the Council’s staff should be valued.