Agenda and minutes

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

Minute 3 (Direction under Section 24 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007)

Councillor P Findlow declared a personal interest by virtue of being a member of Cheshire County Council; Councillors D Brown, R Domleo and D Mason declared personal interests by virtue of being members of Congleton Borough Council; Councillors D Brickhill and B Silvester declared personal interests by virtue of being members of Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council and  Councillors W Fitzgerald, F Keegan, A Knowles and J Macrae by virtue of being members of Macclesfield Borough Council.  In accordance with the Constitution they remained in the meeting.

Report of the Governance Lead.

Consideration was given to a report from the Governance lead on a request for the Cabinet to agree, on behalf of the Shadow Council, to a General Consent document to enable the business of existing District and County Councils to continue to proceed in the run up to vesting day.  An appendix to the report set out the details of the General Consent and the suggested form.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report:-

That pursuant to its powers to give General Consent under the provisions of

the Direction made on 9 April 2008 under the Local Government and

Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the Cabinet, on behalf of the Shadow

Council, agrees the General Consent in the form set out in Appendix 2 to this

Report.

Report of the Places Block Lead Officer

Cabinet was requested to consider a proposed consultation response to the Secretary of State’s Proposed Changes to the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy, submitted by the North West Regional Assembly, on which it was considered appropriate for the Shadow Authority to make its own response on issues likely to be of significance to the new Local Authority.

In considering its response Cabinet asked for the response set out in the report to be expanded to emphasise the future position and role of Cheshire East Council particularly in relation to the existing City Regions, and in respect of spatial priorities and district housing figures.  As the response needed to be submitted by 23 May 2008 it was agreed that the final wording be delegated to the Block Lead for Places in consultation with the Leader of the Council. 

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report and as now given: -

That approval be given to the response set out in the report to be expanded to take into account the views of the Cabinet, and that the final wording of the response be delegated to the Block Lead for People and Places, in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

Report of the Governance Lead

Consideration was given to delegated authority being given to officers in the Joint Implementation Team so as to enable them to take all necessary action to achieve the implementation of the changes set out in the Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order and all associated matters relating to their lead areas.

In considering the proposed delegation of decisions Cabinet requested that at such time as the portfolios had been decided for each of the Cabinet members any such decisions should be made in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report:-

That approval be given for operational decisions to be made by officers of the Joint Implementation Team as set out in the report and that delegations be considered further at such time as the Cabinet portfolios have been decided upon.

Report of the Policy Support Team

Consideration was given to this report highlighting the critical milestones from the High Level Implementation Plan, and proposing that from now on progress be reported to Cabinet on both a monthly and quarterly basis. 

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the report be noted and that progress be reported to Cabinet on a monthly and quarterly basis.

The Chairman will be invited to allow consideration of this item as a matter of urgency.

In accordance with Section 100B of the Local Government Act 1972, and paragraph 43.6 of the Procedure Rules Relating to Executive Arrangements, the Chairman of the Cabinet was satisfied that by reason of special circumstances, namely the need to make a decision on this matter in good time before 31 May 2008, the matter should be considered as a matter of urgency.  The Chairman of the Council had also agreed that the matter would be exempted from call-in, in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Scrutiny Rules of Procedure.

Consideration was given to this report advising members of the situation regarding Trade Unions facilities time for Teacher’s Unions, and seeking agreement to the extension of the current County Council arrangements until 31 August 2009.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That approval be given to the extension of the current Trade Union facilities arrangement for Teachers’ Unions until 31 March 2009.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public and press from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information in accordance with the paragraph specified below, pursuant to part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the Act