Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.

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 meeting on any matter relevant to the work of the meeting. 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.

During public speaking time, members of the public may ask questions of the appropriate Cabinet member who has responsibility for the matter in question. Where a member of the public wishes to ask a question of a Cabinet member at an executive meeting, 3 clear working days’ notice must be given to the Democratic Services Manager.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1 May 2009.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of 1 May 2009 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the continuation of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Access Forum (“the LAF”) and to appoint an elected Member to represent Cheshire East Council.

The Cabinet Member considered a report on the continuation of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Access Forum and the appointment of an elected Member to represent Cheshire East Council.

The Local Access Forum was a non-executive body whose role was to advise member authorities and Natural England on the improvement of public access to, and enjoyment of, land for open air recreation. 

A joint Forum had the capacity to build on relationships it had developed with Cheshire and Warrington and would enable it to have an influencing “voice” at regional and national level. It also had the benefit of minimising costs whilst maintaining a large enough population to attract good quality candidates for membership of the Forum. Failure to establish a joint Forum would require the Council to set up its own Forum with a consequent increase in costs.

RESOLVED

That

(1)   Cheshire East Council enter into a Joint Local Access Forum with Cheshire West and Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council (subject to the Executive decision of Warrington Borough Council on 20 July 2009); and

(2)   Councillor Rachel Bailey be appointed to the Cheshire and Warrington Local Access Forum as the elected Member representing Cheshire East Council.

To consider options for the future of the Silk Heritage Trust.

The Cabinet Member considered a report on proposals to build a business case to establish a National Silk Centre.

The Silk Heritage Trust operated a number of museum and heritage sites in Macclesfield. They received funding from the Council as well as from other income sources. The Trust’s existing business model was not financially viable.

The proposal to build a business case to establish the National Silk Centre provided an opportunity to develop a viable long term future for the Trust and its collections. It had the potential to become a nationally significant centre of excellence in relation to the silk industry and textile design, a successful visitor attraction contributing to the visitor economy, a locally significant attraction providing local people with a better understanding of Macclesfield, and a valuable educational and learning resource.

RESOLVED

That

(1)   the proposal to develop a business case to facilitate the aspiration to establish the National Silk Centre be supported; and

(2)   Officers from Health and Wellbeing and Regeneration work with the Trust to develop the business case.