Issue - meetings

A period of 20 minutes is allocated for questions to be put to Cabinet Members by members of the Council. Notice of questions need not be given in advance of the meeting. Questions must relate to the powers, duties or responsibilities of the Cabinet. Questions put to Cabinet Members must relate to their portfolio responsibilities.

The Leader will determine how Cabinet question time should be allocated where there are a number of Members wishing to ask questions. 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.

Councillor B Roberts referred to a seriously disabled person in his ward who was being transported out of the Borough to receive respite care, the journey sometimes taking two hours. The parents of the individual felt that the journey time was having a detrimental effect on the individual’s progress and wellbeing. The Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Integration asked Councillor Roberts to provide the details to the Acting Executive Director of People so that the matter could be investigated as a safeguarding issue.

Councillor D Flude referred to a briefing note that members had received that day which provided an update on HS2. There were a number of specific matters which were not addressed in the briefing note and she briefly outlined what these were. She asked for a further briefing on the matters or a written response. The Leader’s understanding was that the details in question were on the HS2 website. However, she asked Councillor Flude to provide the questions to the Executive Director of Place so that a response could be made.

Councillor S Hogben referred to the Boundary Commission for England’s review of parliamentary constituencies, the report on which had just been published. He questioned whether the electorate figures quoted for certain Crewe wards were correct and asked if the Council could draw this to the attention of the Boundary Commission. The Leader responded that the Director of Legal Services would consider what action the Council could take in the matter and that Councillor Hogben would be informed of the outcome.

Councillor S Corcoran referred to the harm caused to the health of children by poor air quality and to the proposed extension of the air quality management area on Middlewich Road Sandbach. He asked if the Council would be installing a real time kerbside monitor in Middlewich Road in order to monitor the effect of slow moving traffic on school children. The Portfolio Holder for Housing, Planning and Regeneration undertook to provide a written response.

Councillor M Grant referred to a conversation with the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Integration last week and asked if enquiries could be made regarding the company Direct Health Care as it did not appear to be registered with the Care Quality Commission. The Portfolio Holder responded that as a result of their conversation, she had already asked officers to investigate. [Note: at the end of the Cabinet meeting, the Portfolio Holder was able to provide an update, confirming that Direct Health Care were in fact registered with the Care Quality Commission but had recently been taken over by another care provider and had not yet had an inspection under the new owner. The new owner was called Accord. She undertook to inform Councillor Grant who had already left the meeting.]