Issue - meetings

To consider the attached Notice of Motion, submitted by Councillor G Baxendale, in accordance with Procedure Rule 12.

Consideration was given to the following Notice of Motion, submitted by Councillor G Baxendale :-

That Council approve, in principle, a homecoming parade for the 1^st Battalion Mercian Regiment and that the Chief Executive be authorised to make the necessary arrangements, in conjunction with the officer commanding the Rear Operations Group, for the Freedom of the Borough to be awarded and the Homecoming Parade, in November 2010.

Background

The following background information was provided :-

The 1^st Battalion Mercian Regiment (Cheshire), had recently deployed to the Helmand Province in Afghanistan, for a six month active service tour. The Battalion recruited from Congleton, Sandbach, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich, Macclesfield and Crewe. Therefore, local men were involved.The Mayor, Councillor Baxendale, had been in contact with Major Barney Barnbrook, the officer commanding the Rear Operations Group, to discuss this matter. The Regimental Secretary from the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment has also contacted him.

The demised Councils of Crewe and Nantwich, Macclesfield and Congleton had all admitted the Regiment to the Freedom of their Boroughs. He proposed that, to coincide with the Homecoming Parade, that Cheshire East should, in its own right, admit the Regiment and make arrangements for an appropriate ceremony. The reason for this motion was to ensure that appropriate arrangements could be made for the Parade and to agree a process, to ensure that matters affecting the Mayoralty could be agreed in a timely manner, with appropriate Member input.

Following a request from the Mayor, the Borough Solicitor advised Council that the motion should stand referred to the Constitution Committee, subject to Council approval being given to the item relating to Proposed Changes to the Council’s Committee Structure.

RESOLVED

That, subject to approval of the item relating to Proposed Changes to the Council’s Committee Structure, at minute 28, the motion stand referred to the new Constitution Committee.