Agenda and minutes

The Mayor’s Chaplain said prayers at the request of the Mayor.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda of the Mayor Making Ceremony

It was noted that Councillor Lesley Smetham and Councillor Liz Durham had a personal interest in the election of Mayor and appointment of Deputy Mayor respectively.

There were no further declarations of interest.

To elect a Mayor for 2018/19, who will also act as Chairman of the Council.

Council was requested to elect a Mayor for the Borough of Cheshire East for 2018/19, who would also act as Chairman of the Council for that period. 

It was proposed by Councillor D Marren, seconded by Councillor J Jackson and: -

RESOLVED

That Councillor Lesley Smetham be elected Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the year 2018/19 and be appointed as Chairman of the Council for that period.

The Mayor was invested with her chain of office and then completed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and took the oath of loyalty.

The Mayor thanked the Council for electing her to this office and informed Members that Mr David Smetham was to be her Consort.  She was then invested with the badge of office. 

(Councillor L Smetham, as Mayor, took the chair).

To appoint a Deputy Mayor for 2018/19, who will also act as Vice-Chairman of the Council.

Council was requested to appoint a Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the year 2018/19, who would also act as Vice-Chairman of the Council for that period.

It was proposed by Councillor P Findlow, seconded by Councillor P Bates and:-

RESOLVED

That Councillor Liz Durham be appointed as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the year 2018/19 and as Vice-Chairman of the Council for that period.

The Deputy Mayor thanked the Council for appointing her to this office and announced that her Consort would be her husband, Mr Richard Durham.

The Mayor announced that her Chaplain for the forthcoming Municipal Year would be Reverend Sheila Bishop, who stood forward and shook hands with the Mayor.

Councillor Rachel Bailey paid tribute to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Arthur Moran and his Mayoress, Mrs Carole Thomas, for the dedicated work that they had undertaken during their term of office.  Councillor Bailey presented Councillor Moran with a framed picture.

The Mayor presented Councillor Moran with a Past Mayor’s Medal and Mrs Carole Thomas with a Past Mayoress’s medal.

Councillor Moran then addressed Council, as outgoing Mayor.

The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the Mayor Making Ceremony and stated that the meeting would now be adjourned and would be reconvened, following lunch. 

(The meeting was adjourned to allow a Special Meeting of Council to take place, to confer Freedom of the Borough on Menna Fitzpatrick.  The meeting was reconvened at 2pm, when the remaining items on the agenda were considered).

Apologies for absence were updated.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda for the afternoon session of the meeting.

There were no further declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2018.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 22 February 2018 be approved as a correct record.

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

The Leader highlighted a number of issues of key importance to her as Leader of the Council which were as follows:-

PLACE

Waste & Environmental Services

•           The Council had moved from landfill to an “energy from waste” solution, with new waste contracts and the opening of Cheshire East Environmental Hub. 

Customer Services

•           The Council had been a Finalist in “Go Procurement” awards for its compost facility procurement.

•           Redesign and refurbishment of Crewe and Macclesfield Customer Service Centres had taken place.

•           The Council had been shortlisted as a finalist for Contact Centre of the Year.

•           The Council had retained its top 4* ranking for the Cheshire East website.

•           There had been a 3% increase in participation in the annual Summer Reading Challenge.

•           Refurbishment of Macclesfield and Wilmslow libraries had taken place.

•           Improvements to leisure facilities, including a new Fitness Gym at Sandbach Leisure Centre had taken place.

Rural and Culture

•           Tatton Park had successfully launched its Farm ‘Field to Fork’ project, The Gardener’s Cottage at Tatton park had been voted ‘Cheshire’s Tea room of the year’, Green Flags, Green Heritage flags and heritage flags had been awarded across the Council’s parks.

Housing

•           The Council had recommissioned the ‘No Second Night Out’ Service and increased the number of beds from 4 to 6 with new temporary accommodation provided in Crewe for the homeless.

•           Policies and procedures had been updated and a restructure of Strategic Housing Services had been undertaken in order to ensure that there were sufficient resources to deal with the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017. 

Highways and Infrastructure

The following highways schemes were moving forward:-

•           Congleton Link Road, Poynton Relief Road, Middlewich Eastern Bypass and dualling of the A500.

•           During the winter, the Highways Service had received 18,914 enquiries of which 17,481 had been resolved.  In addition the council exceeded its target for the year to upgrade 9,000 street lighting columns with LEDs.

•           The Council continued to work collaboratively with Government and Network Rail to develop a preferred concept for an enhanced Crewe HS2 Hub station.

•           The Council had also completed its Supported Bus Service Review with a series of changes made to bus services from 1st April 2018. 

Planning

•           Over 6,000 applications, with 92% of major applications had been determined within target timescales and 90% of non-major planning applications determined within target timescales.

•           Earlier in 2017/18 the Council’s Local Plan Strategy and Design Guide was adopted.

PEOPLE

Local Government Chronicle Awards 2018:-

•           Emotionally Healthy Schools had been shortlisted in the ‘Children’s Services’ category.

•           LSCB Neglect Campaign had been shortlisted in the ‘Campaign of the year’ category and the LSCB Neglect Strategy/Campaign had been launched in April 2017.

Early Years

•           Entitlement to free early education for working parents of three and four year olds changed from September 2017 from 15 to 30 hours per week.  Take up of the 30 hours in Cheshire East was one of the highest  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To consider the recommendations of the Constitution Committee regarding certain changes to the constitution.

Consideration was given to a report on the recommendations from the Constitution Committee in respect of Changes to the Council’s Constitution.

RESOLVED

1.1.        That the Constitution Committee recommendations, as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the report, be approved, together with the additional proposal relating to the rounding up of quorums, where appropriate.

1.2.      That powers be delegated to the Acting Director of Legal Services to make such changes to the Council’s Constitution as he considers are necessary to give effect to the resolution of Council.

To consider the recommendations of the Constitution Committee regarding changes to the Contract Procedure Rules.

Consideration was given to a report on the recommendations from the Constitution Committee in respect of Changes to the Contract Procedure Rule.

RESOLVED

That, with the exception of those changes within the delegated authority of the Monitoring Officer, the proposed changes to the Contract Procedure Rules as appended to the report be approved.

To determine the political representation on the Council's Committees and to appoint those Committees.

Consideration was given to a report and its appendix, to determine the political representation on the Council’s Committees and to appoint those Committees.  In moving the recommendation, the Leader of the Council stated that the Conservative group was willing to offer the role of Vice Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee to a Member from the Independent group.

RESOLVED

1.That the political group representation, as set out in the appendix to the report and the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining this, as outlined in the report, be adopted, the allocation of places to Committee be approved, and the listed Committee be appointed.

2. That the Committee Chairmen and Vice Chairmen allocations be noted as set out in the Appendix; “(C)” denoting the allocation of the office of Chairman to political groups and “(VC)” denoting the allocation of the office of Vice Chairman to political groups, subject to the inclusion of “(C)” and “(VC)” under the Conservative column for the Public Rights of Way Committee and Licensing Committee and the Vice Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee being allocated to a Member from the Independent Group.

To allocate Chairmanships and Vice Chairmanships of the Council’s decision making and other bodies.

Consideration was given to the allocation of Chairmanships and Vice-Chairmanships of the Council’s decision-making and other bodies.

RESOLVED

That the office of Chairman and Vice Chairman be allocated to the political groups for each of the Council’s decision-making and other bodies, as indicated in the report and as listed in the appendix to the previous agenda item, subject to:-

The inclusion of (C) and (VC) under the Conservative column for the Public Rights of Way and Licensing Committees and the Vice Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee being allocated to a Member from the Independent group.

To approve the appointments to Statutory panels which do not fall within the definition of "a Committee”.

Consideration was given to a report inviting Council to approve a number of appointments to Statutory Panels which do not fall within the definition of “Committee” for the purpose of legislation.

RESOLVED

1.That Councillor Laura Jeuda be appointed to the Adoption Panel.

2.That Councillor Gillian Merry be appointed to  the Fostering Panel.

To make appointments to the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel and the Cheshire Fire Authority.

Consideration was given to a report inviting Council to make appointments to the Cheshire Fire Authority and the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel. Council was asked to appoint eight Councillors to the Cheshire Fire Authority and to appoint three Councillors and a nominated substitute to the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel.

RESOLVED

1.     That Councillors Stephen Edgar, Paul Findlow and Mick Warren be appointed to the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel, with a named substitute Member to be notified to officers in the forthcoming days.

2.      That Councillors Damian Bailey, Beverley Dooley, Paul Findlow, Dorothy Flude, George Hayes, Dennis Mahon, Gillian Merry, Margaret Simon and Jacquie Weatherill, be appointed to the Cheshire Fire Authority.

To seek the approval of Council in respect of a Councillor’s absence from Council meetings for a period over six months, due to reasons of ill-health.

This item with withdrawn at the meeting.