Questions
In accordance with Procedure Rule 11, opportunity is provided for Members of the Council to ask the Mayor, the appropriate Cabinet Member or the Chairman of a Committee any question about a matter which the Council, the Cabinet or the Committee has powers, duties or responsibilities. Questions must be sent in writing to the Monitoring Officer at least 3 clear working days before the meeting.
At Council meetings, there will be a maximum question time period of 30 minutes. Questions will be selected by the Mayor, using the criteria agreed by Council. Any questions which are accepted, but which cannot be dealt with during the allotted period will be answered in writing. Questions must be brief, clear and focussed.
Minutes:
The following question had been submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 11:
Question from Councillor K Edwards to the Leader of the Council
Lyme Green Waste Transfer Station
While welcoming the very full and frank apology made to residents and taxpayers in Cheshire East from the leader of the Council, Councillor Wesley Fitzgerald, with regard to the waste of up to £560,000 in relation to a possible waste disposal site at Lyme Green on the outskirts of Macclesfield, will the Leader please ensure that the appropriate Cabinet Member requests the Environment and Prosperity Scrutiny Committee to examine the reasons why the withdrawal of the planning application had to take place meaning that up to £560,000 worth of investment in site preparation at Lyme Green has been wasted?
Will he make as part of that request an insistence that the Scrutiny Committee should make recommendations as to how such a situation can be avoided in the future and will he ensure that the report comes back for consideration at a future Council Meeting of Cheshire East so Members can be assured there will be no repeat of such an appalling waste of public and taxpayers money in the future?
Response
The Audit and Governance Committee is already supporting an internal investigation which has been instigated by the Chief Executive into the series of events that have led to the concerns expressed by Councillor Edwards.
The investigation is being carried out by the Council’s internal audit section over a period of weeks. It will look at the process which led to the regrettable situation and will include a detailed investigation of the finances.
The results of the investigation will be thoroughly looked at to ensure that lessons can be learnt and that changes to mitigate such an occurrence in the future are put in place.
A summary of the investigation will be published at a date to be confirmed.