Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors G Barton,

D Bebbington, D Brickhill, D Cannon, E Gilliland, M Hardy, M Hollins, 

E Howell, S McGrory,  J Narraway, R Parker and C Tomlinson.

The Reverend Charles Razzall said prayers at the request of the Chairman.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda for 12 May 2010.

Councillor R West declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 (Appointment of Deputy Mayor 2010/11) by virtue of being the person nominated.

To elect a Mayor for 2010/11, who will also act as Chairman of the Council.

Council was requested to elect a Mayor for the Borough of Cheshire East for 2010/11, who would also act as Chairman of the Council for that period. 

It was proposed by Councillor R Domleo, seconded by Councillor D Hough, and

RESOLVED

That Councillor G Baxendale be elected Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the year 2010/11 and Chairman of the Council for that period.

The Chief Executive escorted the Mayor into the meeting.

The Mayor completed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office and was then invested with the Chain of Office.  The Mayor thanked the Council for electing him to this office and informed Members that his wife, Felicity Baxendale, was to be his consort; she was then invested with the Chain of Office. 

The Mayor announced that his Chaplain for the coming year would be Father William Kilkenny.

To appoint a Deputy Mayor for 2010/11, who will also act as Vice-Chairman of the Council.

Council was requested to appoint a Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East who would also act as Vice-Chairman of the Council for that period.

It was proposed by Councillor F Keegan, seconded by Councillor A Arnold, and

RESOLVED

That Councillor R West be appointed as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the year 2010/10 and Vice-Chairman of the Council for that period.

The Deputy Mayor thanked the Council for appointing him to this office and informed Members that his wife, Joanna West, would act as his Deputy Mayoress; she was then invested with the Chain of Office.

Councillor W Fitzgerald paid tribute to the retiring Mayor and consort, Councillor M Simon and Mr M Simon, for the dedicated work they had undertaken during their term of office, the large number of engagements they had attended and the money they had raised for charity. The Mayor presented badges to Councillor Simon and Mr Simon, together with a commemorative gift. Councillor Simon gave a speech of thanks.

There were no communications to be given.

To present the Council’s Grant of Arms to the meeting.

Members were informed that the Council had been awarded a Grant of Arms.  The Grant of Arms was presented to the Mayor by the Deputy Youth Mayor, Jack Victor.

For Council to agree that the meeting be adjourned until 2pm on Thursday 13 May, in the Main Hall, Congleton Town Hall, in order to deal with the remainder of the business on the agenda.

Council agreed that the meeting would stand adjourned until 13 May 2010 at 2.00 pm, at Congleton Town Hall.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, Father W Kilkenny said prayers, at the request of the Mayor.

Councillors G Barton, E Gilliland, M Hollins, D Hough, M Howell, G Mcgrory and C Tomlinson.

To provide an opportunity for Members to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda for 13 May 2010.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve Minutes of the meeting held on 22 April 2010, as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To receive such announcements as may be made by the Mayor.

The Mayor informed Members that, since this was his first formal business meeting, he was not be able to report to them upon previous civic activities. However, they could be assured that he would give a good account of his engagements in the future.

There were three other important matters that he wished to bring to the attention of Members as follows :-

1. Firstly the Cheshire East's new staff recognition scheme, aspire4excellence was launched on the 5th May. Using the authority's aspire values, the scheme asked staff and Members to nominate colleagues who have demonstrated exceptional standards of work, through the aspire values. Both individuals and teams could be nominated and nominations would be judged by a panel, made up of HR officers and employees. Nomination forms could be found in Council buildings, or were available on the Cheshire East Website.

2. The second Tatton Park Biennial of Contemporary Art had opened to the public on Saturday 8 May and over 20 artists had been commissioned, to develop new works for the park, formal gardens and mansion. One artist has gone more than the extra mile for his work. Neville Gabie had travelled thousands of miles to Greenland to ‘harvest’ an iceberg. This two ton block of ice would be housed in a glass structure and kept frozen, using solar power and pond water throughout the five month run of the contemporary art event. The Biennial was open until 26th September and the Mayor encouraged Members to support the exhibition.

3. Wrist bands, in support of the Mercian Regiment, could be purchased from the Council’s Tourist Information Centres, if Members would like to make a donation.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 35 and Appendix 7 to the rules, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to speak at Council meetings. 

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes, but the Chairman 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 must provide 3 clear working days notice, in writing, if they wish to ask a question at the meeting.  It is not a requirement to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

There were no members of the public present, wishing to use the public speaking facility.

To determine the political group representation on the Council’s Committees.

Consideration was given to a report relating to political representation on the Council's Committees.

It was proposed by Councillor Fitzgerald, seconded by Councillor Domleo and

RESOLVED

That the political group representation, as set out in Appendices One and Two to the report, as submitted and the methods, calculations and conventions used in arriving at them as outlined in the report be adopted.

To receive the political groups’ nominations of Members to the Council’s decision-making and other bodies, in accordance with the group representations at 16 above.

Consideration was given to the proposed memberships of the Council’s decision-making bodies and the appointment of those bodies.

The political groups’ nominations of Members to the Council’s decision-making and other bodies had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting and copies were also circulated at the meeting.

Council was notified of a change, by the Independent Group Leader, to the list as circulated, to replace Councillor S McGrory with Councillor P Edwards on the Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Committee.

It was proposed by Councillor Fitzgerald, seconded by Councillor Domleo and

RESOLVED

That the nominations made by the Group Leaders to the bodies listed in Appendix Two of the previous agenda item and as circulated prior to the meeting be appointed, subject to the replacement of Councillor S McGrory with Councillor P Edwards on the Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Committee. (Updated list attached to these minutes).

To determine the Chairmen and Vice-chairmen of the Council’s decision making and other bodies.

Consideration was given to the appointment of Chairmen and Vice-chairmen of the Council’s decision making and other bodies.

The Political Group Leaders’ nominations of Chairmen and Vice-chairmen to the Council’s decision-making and other bodies had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting and copies were also circulated at the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Fitzgerald, seconded by Councillor Domleo and

RESOLVED

That the Chairmen and Vice-chairmen to the Council’s decision-making and  other bodies, listed in the previous agenda item, as circulated in advance of the meeting and as attached be appointed.

In accordance with Cabinet Procedure Rule 1, for the Leader to present to Council information about executive functions in the forthcoming year, including the names, addresses and electoral divisions of those Members appointed to the Cabinet.

In accordance with Cabinet Procedure Rule 1, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Fitzgerald, presented to Council information about executive functions in the forthcoming year, including the names, addresses and electoral divisions of those Members appointed to the Cabinet, as attached.

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.

No questions had been submitted by Members of the Council.

To designate the statutory roles of the Director of Adult Social Services and Director of Children’s Services and to authorise consequential amendments to the Constitution.

Consideration was given to the designation of the statutory roles of the Director of Adult Social Services and Director of Children’s Services.

It was proposed by Councillor Fitzgerald, seconded by Councillor Domleo and

RESOLVED

1. That the transfer of the statutory roles and responsibilities of the Director of Children’s Services from the Strategic Director (People) to the Head of Children and Family Services, with effect from 1^st June 2010, until 1st September 2010, when it will transfer to the new post of Director of Children’s Services, be approved.

2. That the transfer of the statutory roles and responsibilities of the Director of Adult Social Services from the Strategic Director (People) to the Head of Adult Services, with effect from 1^st June 2010, until 1st September 2010, when it will transfer to the new post of Director of Adult Services, be approved

3. That the Borough Solicitor be authorised to incorporate these revised designations into the Council’s Constitution and to make such consequential amendments as he considers necessary.