Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chairman for the ensuing year.

AGREED

Councillor George Walton be appointed as Chairman for the ensuing year

To appoint a Vice Chairman for the ensuing year.

AGREED

Councillor Liz Gilliland be appointed as Vice Chairman for the ensuing year.

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

A number of Councillors who were existing County Councillors, Borough Councillors and Town and Parish Councillors, declared a personal interest in the business of the meeting en bloc. 

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.

Note: In order for officers to undertake any background research it would be helpful if questions were submitted at least one working day before the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To note the suggested terms of reference for the Panel, and the guidance note on the organisation and running of the Panel Meetings.

Members were invited to consider the following terms of reference proposed for the Panel and note the guidance provided on the organisation and running of Panel Meetings –

      “To make recommendations for the development of policies and strategies for services within the remit of the Advisory Panel and any related issues and contribute to the development of the Corporate Plan insofar as the services within the Advisory Panel’s remit are concerned.”

Although not stipulated in the terms of reference, it was confirmed that recommendations emanating from the Panel would be submitted to the Cheshire East Cabinet.  Members sought assurances, which were provided, that the involvement of Cabinet members during its deliberations would not result in any conflict of interest.

RESOLVED

That the Terms of Reference and Guidance Note be noted.

To consider a Work Programme and establishment of task groups.   The topics falling within the remit of the Panel include:

·        Local Development Framework (LDF)

·        Waste collection

·        Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP)

·        Parking policy

·        Sub Regional Economic Development

·        Climate change

·        Manchester Airport

·        Housing policy (including Affordable Housing)

A list of topics falling under the remit of the Places Advisory Panel had been included on the agenda and the Panel was invited to establish a number of Task Groups to consider each subject.

To assist the work of the Groups it was suggested that the Panel might find it beneficial to undertake a tour of east Cheshire to address any knowledge gap and to allow Councillors to gain a better understanding of the area; a proposal which was supported by the Members.

In considering its Work Programme, Members of the Panel raised the following issues:

Meetings of the three Advisory Panels (People, Places and Performance and Capacity) had been scheduled for July, with each Panel being invited to conduct its work by means of the appointment of Task Groups. Given the cross-cutting nature of the topics under review by the Panels.  Councillor Brown requested that a composite schedule of Task Group appointments be created and circulated to all three Panels; setting out the remit of each Task Group, its membership and the officer appointed as its lead.

As the list of topics highlighted on the agenda was not comprehensive, the Panel was invited to nominate additional areas for inclusion into the work programme.

The additional topics put forward by the Panel were –

The structure of the Task Groups was briefly debated.  Councillor Gilliland stated that, to ensure the optimum use of the Panel’s time, appropriate subjects could be brought together under a general heading with a minimum of four individuals appointed to each Group.

Of the topics proposed, the Panel concluded that climate change was an issue which should be ingrained within the culture of the authority from its inception and therefore did not require consideration by a Task Group.   The assimilation of climate change objectives into the ethos of the Council could be demonstrated by Cheshire East becoming a signatory to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change and by the achievement of relevant environmental standards.

Having identified the subjects for review, Members deliberated on the way forward with regards to amalgamating the topics into a manageable work programme.

RESOLVED

That the following Task Groups be formed, with the following remit and membership and the Chairman attend those Task Group meetings where he is not a member wherever possible:

The notes of guidance considered earlier on the agenda, suggest that Democratic Services draws up a schedule of meetings based on a six weekly cycle from September 2008.  The Panel is asked to agree to this and the dates for future meetings will then be circulated as soon as possible following agreement with the Chairman.

The Panel was invited to agree a schedule of meetings, which it was suggested, should be based on a six weekly cycle commencing from September 2008. 

RESOLVED

That the next meeting of the Advisory Panel - Places be arranged for Monday 22 September 2008, commencing at 2pm (venue to be confirmed) and that the dates for future meetings be circulated as soon as possible, following agreement with the Chairman.