Questions
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, opportunity is provided for Members of the Council to ask the Chairman, 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. (Calculated from midnight to midnight).
Minutes:
The Mayor reported that five questions had been submitted by Members. However, one of the questions, which had been submitted by Councillor McGrory, had subsequently been withdrawn.
The questions, as submitted, together with a summary of the responses, are set out below:-
Question 1 - Submitted by Councillor Fletcher
At a recent Council meeting the then Cabinet Member stated that there was not any money in this years budget to act on the results of the speed limits review which had been taking place under the County Council and was concluded in the summer of 2009.
This speed limit review had been mentioned, on a number of occasions, at the Congleton Highways Committee and so both former District and County Councillors were fully aware of it.
Why was no money included in the 2009/10 budget to start implementing the recommendations of this review?
Will any money be included in the 2010/11 budget to implement the most urgent recommendations and thus make Cheshire East roads safer?
The Leader of the Council responded:-
The Speed Limit Review was carried out under a cross-Cheshire road safety initiative (commenced prior to the formation of the new Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester Councils). With regard to implementing the recommendations, an approach was adopted in this Council, that work would be concentrated on preparing a priority list of schemes that could be taken forward in 2010/11 to represent a contribution to a coherent programme of safety schemes with all proposals fully considered within a local context. Monies for this implementation work will be included in the 2010/11 highways budget but until the wider budget setting process is completed the specific allocation cannot be determined.
Question 2 - Submitted by Councillor Fletcher
It is understood that Cheshire East Cabinet retained 40% of the central Government road safety grant for 2009/10 for other uses, which is more than the former Cheshire County Council used to retain.
Since reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Cheshire East roads is a priority can the Cabinet Member advise what percentage of the grant for 2010/11 he will be retaining for other uses and thus will not be spent on making Cheshire East roads safer?
The Leader of the Council responded:-
Cheshire East has allocated all of the government road safety grant during 2009/10 towards road safety initiatives. 40% of the grant was allocated to the Cheshire Road Safety Partnership and the remainder of the grant was allocated to support road safety activities undertaken by the Council, for example
* Road Safety education and promotion
* Road Safety capital investment schemes
The allocation of the Road Safety grant for 2010/11 is currently an element under consideration within the wider budget setting process.
Cheshire East’s Road Safety grant allocation for 2010/11 is £1.17m - the proportion to be allocated to the Cheshire Road Safety partnership is under consideration and will be confirmed by the end of February.
Question 3 - Submitted by Councillor Flude
The recent decision not to ... view the full minutes text for item 167