Issue - meetings

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relating to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

Cllr K Edwards spoke in respect of the recommendations of the Macclesfield Local Service Delivery Committee (LSDC); the Chairman confirmed that these had been circulated prior to the meeting and that their recommendations would be taken into account.

Cllr C Andrew also spoke in respect of the above; she considered only the allotments should be transferred at this stage and that the new Parish Council should be able to decide itself on the assets transferred to it.  In response to questions concerning the Grosvenor Centre, and the Senior Citizens Hall, Councillor J Jackson responded with further information.

Ray Perry indicated that he was aware of a group which had moved its meetings from the Senior Citizens Hall due to uncertainty about future provision; he asked if the facility would exist in the future.

Peter Nash (Macclesfield Civic Society) referred to their letter, circulated to the Sub-Committee, and to their preference for the initial precept to be set at a level that would give the new Parish council the flexibility to work and operate in the way it wished. 

Liz Braithwaite had submitted a question concerning whether or not there was any Section 106 (or similar) money that should be allocated to the new Parish Council.  The Legal Team Leader advised that money received from any such Agreements would go to Cheshire East Council as the Authority with which the Agreement had been made.  Also such monies applied to specific infrastructure schemes and was not part of general funding.

Mick Warren had submitted a question concerning how it had been decided that the new Parish Council should comprise 12 Councillors.

The Chairman confirmed that a written answer would be provided to these last two questions.