Issue - meetings

To consider the recommendations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee following the call in of the decision made by the Cabinet on 11 August 2009.  The following documents are attached: -

1. Cabinet report, 11 August 2009.  The appendix to this report can be found in part 2 of the agenda.
2. Corporate Scrutiny Committee report, 14 September 2009.

The minutes of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee will be circulated at the meeting.

Councillors D Brickhill, P Mason, D Brown and F Keegan had all declared personal interests in this item.

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the Corporate Scrutiny Committee meeting on 14 September 2009.  A copy of these were circulated at the meeting.  At that meeting the Committee had resolved:

(a)               That in view of uncertainty identified by this Committee concerning the future release for sale of land at Hulley Road Macclesfield by the owners, inaccuracies in the plan submitted, and concerns about the impact on the economic viability of the existing Hurdsfield Industrial Estate, it be recommended to Cabinet that Minute 79 dated 11 August 2009 be deferred and consequently, the purchase of a site at Hulley Road Macclesfield for use as a Waste Transfer Station in connection with the Waste Treatment PFI contract be not proceeded with, until such time as a full consultation exercise has been undertaken with local businesses, local residents and Hurdsfield Primary School.

(b)               That in tandem with the consultation exercise recommended in (a) above:

(i)                 A thorough investigation be carried out into alternative sites to locate a Waste Transfer facility and the results be presented to Corporate Scrutiny Committee for comment before any further action is taken to acquire land for the Waste Treatment PFI project.

(ii)               A Full Economic and Environmental Impact Study of the proposed scheme be carried out.

(c)               That clarification be sought with the with Waste PFI Project Director and Joint Team Manager in relation to the ownership, status and joint access of land between Sunrise House and the proposed site which was included within the plan appended to the report submitted to the Committee, but is not part of the proposed scheme.

In addition, the Chairman of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee attended the meeting and raised some additional issues e.g. costs associated with alternative methods of operation and the proposed approach to the purchase of the site. 

The Cabinet gave consideration to the recommendations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and to the points raised by speakers at the meeting.  The Portfolio Holder for Procurement, Assets and Shared Services, and the Portfolio Holder for Environment, responded to the particular concerns set out by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and to those raised by speakers at the meeting. 

It was reported that the alleged uncertainties about the extent of the land appeared to be unfounded (the plan had only been intended to show the location of the site and was not a definitive boundary plan).  It was noted that a full consultation exercise would be carried out at the planning application stage.  It was pointed out that the building would be of modern specifications to include integral noise, dust and odour mitigation measures.  It was not considered that the vehicle movements and the size of vehicles to be used would be significant in relation to those already using the adjoining roads.  

An update was given on the current position regarding the negotiations for the Waste Treatment PFI Project and the implications  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103