Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R Domleo and F Keegan.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

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.

Where a member of the public wishes to ask a question of a Cabinet Member 3 clear working days notice must be given to the Democratic Services Manager, and the question must be submitted in writing.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2009.

RESOLVED

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2009 were approved as a correct record.

To consider the appropriate processes for making decisions on school organisation matters; specifically, the publication and determination of public statutory notices.                                                  

Consideration was given to the appropriate processes for making decisions on school organisation matters, specifically the publication and determination of public statutory notices, as required by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and other legislation. It was reported that since the publication of the agenda revisions had been made to the covering report, and to Appendix B, and updated copies of these were circulated at the meeting. 

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

1. That Option 4, as set out in the amended report, be approved and that a Cabinet Sub-Committee be established. 

2. That the procedure for considering statutory school organisation proposals and other non statutory education organisation proposals, set out in the amended Appendix B of the report, be adopted.

To consider governance and management arrangements for the exercising of corporate parenting responsibilities by Members and Officers of the Council.

Consideration was given to the governance arrangements for the exercising of corporate parenting responsibilities by Members and Officers of the Council.  In considering the membership of the Corporate Parenting Board the Cabinet was asked to note that the Adult Services Portfolio Holder was to be added to the list of members. 

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

1. That approval be given to the Council’s corporate parenting responsibility and that the ownership of corporate parenting be allocated within the corporate body of the Council.

2. That the Director of Children’s Services be commissioned to lead the implementation of the Council’s Corporate Parenting Strategy.

3. That a Corporate Parenting Board, with membership and terms of reference set out in Appendix 2 of the report, be established, subject to the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services being added to its membership.

4. That approval be given for visits to the Council’s children’s homes in accordance with Regulation 33 of the Children’s Homes Regulations 2001 to be undertaken by Members and Officers of the Council appointed for this purpose, and that an officer of the authority should undertake any such visits if a Member is unable to do so.

5. That training be provided for all Members of the Council and for members of the Corporate Parenting Board to ensure that they are aware of their corporate parenting responsibilities.

To consider a proposed Car Parking Strategy for Cheshire East Council.

Consideration was given to the proposed car parking strategy for Cheshire East Council.  The Strategy would support the existing and proposed Civil Parking Enforcement regime, and also the Local Transport Plan, and enable consistent parking regulations to be implemented across the new Authority.  The Cabinet was asked to note that the strategy had been considered favourably by the Places Advisory Panel but that no vote had been taken. 

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That approval be given to the proposed Cheshire East Council Car Parking Strategy. 

To consider proposals for the establishment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee to consider the strategic outcomes required of the Council’s leisure facilities.

Cabinet was asked to approve the establishment and terms of reference of a Cabinet Sub-Committee to consider strategic outcomes required of the leisure facilities operated by the Health and Wellbeing Service, in advance of a review of the delivery options for those facilities.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That approval be given to the establishment of a Leisure Facilities Sub-Committee, with the membership and terms of reference set out in the report.

To consider proposals for providing substitutes for the Shared Services Joint Committee.

Consideration was given to the provision of substitute members to attend meetings of the Shared Services Joint Committee, to which three Cabinet Members from the Council had been appointed at the last meeting.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the Leader of the Council be empowered to nominate substitutes from time to time to the Shared Services Joint Committee, having regard to the subject matter under discussion and the availability of Portfolio Holders.

To note the referral of Notices of Motion by Council.

It was noted that three Notices of Motion had been submitted to the Council at its meeting on 2 April 2009 and that further detailed reports on these matters were to be prepared for consideration at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

RESOLVED

For the reasons set out in the report: -

That the referral of the Notices of Motion from the Council to the Cabinet be noted, and that further detailed reports be considered at the next meeting of the Cabinet.

The Leader will announce the names of those members who are to assume the role of cabinet assistant for the purposes of the Members Allowances Scheme.

For the purposes of the Members Allowances Scheme the Leader of the Council announced that the following Councillors had been appointed as Cabinet Support Members: -

• Councillor Rhoda Bailey                   Childrens Services
• Councillor Olivia Hunter                    Adult and Health Services
• Councillor Rod Menlove                   Environment and Prosperity
• Councillor Lesley Smetham             Sustainable Communities

RESOLVED

For the reasons given: -

That the appointment of the above Cabinet Support Members be noted.