Issue - meetings

To consider the draft Calendar of Meetings for Cheshire East Council for 2011-2012 and make recommendations to Council.

The Committee considered the draft Calendar of Meetings for Cheshire East Council for 2011-12.

A summary timetable was attached as Appendix 1 to the report. Explanatory notes had been provided at Appendix 2.

The frequency of meetings had followed the practice adopted in 2010-2011.

Meetings which did not form part of the formal decision-making process would be omitted from the public calendar but would be added to the Members’ Diary for convenience.

As for 2010-2011, the Committee Suite at Westfields, Sandbach had been reserved on Monday mornings for Portfolio Holder meetings. However, meetings would as now be arranged at alternative venues where a decision was likely to have a significant impact on a particular locality so that interested parties could attend.

The following had been consulted on the draft calendar and any comments received had been taken into account in producing the draft Calendar.

Corporate Management Team

Cabinet

Committee Chairmen

Group Leaders

Group Whips

With regard to Council meetings, Members noted that the Calendar had, as last year, been prepared on the basis that such meetings would be held at 6.00 pm in the summer and at 2.00 pm in the winter. It was suggested that the new Council elected in May 2011 should be asked to consider a consistent starting time for all Council meetings and that this should be during the working day so that Members and others had sufficient time to take part fully in the proceedings.

RESOLVED

That

(1)   the draft Calendar of Meetings for Cheshire East Council for 2011-2012 be referred to Council for approval;

(2)   Council be recommended to agree that the starting time of Council meetings should be included on the agenda for the first meeting of the new Council in May 2011; and

(3)   Mrs Carol Jones of the Democratic Services Team be commended for her work in preparing the draft Calendar of Meetings.