Agenda and minutes

Vivienne Quayle – Head of Policy and Performance

Lisa Quinn – Borough Treasurer

Arthur Pritchard – Head of Assets

David Job- CountyLand Agent

Mark Nedderman – Senior Scrutiny Officer

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2010 approved as an accurate record.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests and for members to declare the existence of a party whip in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

A total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to make a statement(s) on any matter that falls within the remit 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 members of the public contacted the Scrutiny officer listed at the foot of the agenda, at least one working day before the meeting to provide brief details of the matter to be covered. 

There were no members of the public present who wished to make a statement.

To consider a report of the Borough Solicitor.

The Committee considered a report of the Borough Solicitor setting out the 2010/2011 work programme.

            The Business Generation (BGC) Task and Finish Group had undertaken site visits on 18 January 2011 to the 4 Council owned BGC’s at Brierley Business Centre Crewe, Scope House Crewe, Congleton Business Centre and Sandbach Enterprise centre, Wesley Avenue Sandbach. At its next meeting the group would be engaging with various stakeholders including Chambers of Commerce, Town Councils and the private sector. The group intended to conclude its investigations in March 2011.

            The Budget Consultation Group had reviewed its original objectives for the 2011/12 budget largely due to the tight deadlines imposed on the Council as a result of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review.The group had acknowledged that it would not now be possible to achieve any of the four objectives. The objectives had been to:

The pre-budget report had been released for consultation purposes on the 19 January 2011 and the Budget Consultation Group had taken an opportunity to question Cabinet and Heads of Service about the emerging budget prior to its public release on 13 January 2011. The Chairman informed the Committee that on 13 January 2011,  there had only been sufficient time to consider the revenue budget the Group had been reconvened on 11 February 2011 to consider the capital budget proposals.

The Committee was also reminded that at an informal mid-point meeting held on 11 January, Members had supported a proposal to dedicate a future meeting of this committee to consider the future of Council owned farms.

The Committee then reviewed the schedule of work programme items.

RESOLVED –

(a)   That the Head of Policy and Performance be requested to submit a progress report on Risk Management to the Committee in the new civic year;

(b)   That the Head of Regeneration be requested to submit a report to the next meeting on proposals to deal with Highways and Transportation matters through LAP’s;

(c)    That the Head of Assets be requested to submit a report to the next meeting on the future of Council owned farms;

(d)   That the Head of Policy and Performance be requested to provide a presentation to the next meeting on the operation of Customer Points in Cheshire East Libraries.

(e)   That the Head of Wellbeing be requested to ensure that the report expected to be submitted to Cabinet in June 2011 in relation to the future of the Lyceum Theatre Crewe and Knutsford Cinema, is presented to this Committee before  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

Lisa Quinn to provide an oral report.

Arthur Pritchard, Head of Assets, attended the meeting and briefed Members on a draft report due to be considered by Cabinet on 14 February 2011 on the disaggregation of shared assets between Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils. Following local government re-organisation and the creation of the two new unitary Cheshire Authorities, the former County Council’s assets and liabilities as at 31^st March 2009 were required to be allocated between the two new Councils on a fair, equitable and transparent basis.

In accordance with guidelines issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) this had to be achieved by 31^st December 2008.

Arrangements were also put in place at that time to provide for, amongst other things, a formal arbitration procedure to determine the liability for and ownership of assets in the event that agreement could not be reached.

Negotiations and discussions had been ongoing between the two authorities for some time in an attempt to reach agreement regarding a number of disputed assets.  The draft report set out the provisional agreement which had been reached at officer level and would be seeking formal Cabinet approval to that agreement.

The proposed settlement was due to be considered by Cheshire West and Chester (CWAC) Executive on 9^th February 2011, with a recommendation to Council on 24^th February 2011.

RESOLVED – (a)     That consideration of this matter be deferred to a special meeting of this Committee to be held on Thursday 10 February 2011 at 10.00am.

                          (b) That the Head of Assets be requested to submit to the special meeting on 10 February 2011, the report due to be considered by Cabinet on 14 February 2011, together with details of the valuation of the individual assets involved in the disaggregation process.

To consider the pre-budget report. (please bring the copy given to you for the Members briefing held on 18 January 2011)

The Committee considered the pre budget report which had recently been the subject of consultation with stakeholders and Members of the Council. The Committee questioned the Borough Treasurer in relation to the process for seeking approval of fees and charges . The Borough Treasurer informed the Committee that the setting of fees and charges was the responsibility of each Portfolio Holder and that the details of individual charges would not appear in the draft budget documents.

RESOLVED – That the Borough Treasurer be requested to present to the Committee at its next meeting a schedule containing all proposed variations in fees and charges for 2011/2012.

To note the current forward plan, identify any new items, and to determine whether any further examination of new issues is appropriate.

The committee considered items listed in the current Forward Plan.

RESOLVED – That the Forward Plan be received and noted.

To note any consultations referred to the Committee from Cabinet and to determine whether any further action is appropriate.

There were no consultations from Cabinet.