Agenda and minutes

Community Governance Review Sub-Committee - Thursday, 15th August, 2013 10.30 am

Venue: The Capesthorne Room - Town Hall, Macclesfield SK10 1EA. View directions

Contact: Paul Mountford  Democratic Services Officer

Items
No. Item

10.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

11.

Declarations of Interest

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

12.

Public Speaking Time/Open Session

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the meeting on any matter relating to the work of the body in question.  Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

 

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

 

 

Minutes:

No members of the public were present.

13.

Minutes of Previous meeting pdf icon PDF 50 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2013.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2013 be approved as a correct record.

14.

To review the process for the Stage 1 Consultation pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Summary report attached.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the findings of the first stage of consultation with stakeholders and the public which had run from 24 June to 30 July 2013.  A resume was given of the 8 public meetings that had been held in each of the Borough Wards, with an additional meeting in the Central Ward, of the publicity that had been given throughout the period, and of the comments and feedback received. 

 

It was agreed that the feedback be considered in detail as part of the following agenda item.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the report be noted.

15.

To consider the following feedback from the Stage 1 Consultation pdf icon PDF 55 KB

a)     Notes from eight public meetings held between 3 July and 22 July;

b)     Analysis of returned Questionnaires;

c)      Correspondence received by e-mail/letter.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Registration Service and Business Manager circulated a summary of the key points raised by the public and by Local Councillors at the public meetings held between 24 June and 30 July 2013; these were considered in conjunction with the meeting notes and the representations that had been received on-line and in hard copy. 

 

In total 114 members of the public had attended the eight public meetings and 90 responses had been received although an additional 165 people had viewed the information on line but had then chosen not to complete the form.  Unfortunately the responses from stakeholders had been lower than expected with only 15 out of a possible 137 being received.  Following analysis of the views expressed a summary report had been produced and this had been circulated with the agenda papers.

 

Both Members and Officers were disappointed at the low level of returns and it was speculated that this could be partly due to uncertainty over which assets and services could be transferred to a town or parish council, and to the resultant inability to predict the resulting cost to local residents.  In addition the fact that certain assets and services had potentially been excluded from transfer had led some people to believe that the introduction of a new council was perhaps not worthwhile due to the limited nature of what was possible.  With regard to this last point it was agreed that the range and scope of the assets and services that could be devolved be discussed further with the Leader and the Cabinet.

 

Due to the low level of responses the Sub-Committee did not feel it was possible to ascertain with confidence what the public wanted. Comparisons were drawn between the current arrangements and services provided by Congleton and Nantwich Town Councils, and by Poynton Parish Council, all of which were well established, and the newly established and evolving Councils in Wilmslow, Styal, Handforth and Crewe. 

 

It was felt by some that the information given as part of the consultation process should have included more detail in respect of arrangements remaining unchanged and also on the possibility of an enhanced Local Service Delivery Committee.  Cllr Brendan Murphy referred to a paper he had prepared on this latter option and it was agreed that he would forward it to the Registration Service and Business Manager for information.

 

Before proceeding to the next stage it was agreed that more work needed to be done to inform and engage the local community, including young people, by the innovative use of more varied and wider means of communication such as local radio and twitter.  It was agreed that the Communications Team should give further consideration to this matter. Also future information should include specific examples of what other town and parish councils do along with examples of the associated costs to local residents.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    That the consultation information be reformatted to include two options in respect of no change with the retention of an enhanced Local Service Delivery  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Project Plan pdf icon PDF 69 KB

To review the progress to date against the Project Plan (attached) and to consider the timescale and arrangements for the Stage 2 consultation.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That, in view of the recommendations shown in minute no 15 above, consideration of this matter be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee.

17.

To consider the Stage 2 Consultation

a)     Arrangements for the ballot of electors, including wording for the ballot paper and material to be sent to electors (specification for printing requirements/suggested timescales attached);

 

b)     Publicity required in advance of the ballot;

 

c)      Arrangements for the continued engagement with stakeholders, the public and 6th Form colleges, throughout the period of the Stage 2 Consultation.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That, in view of the recommendations shown in minute no 15 above, consideration of this matter be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee.

 

18.

Date of Next Meeting pdf icon PDF 41 KB

To achieve the timescales specified for the printing requirements, to enable ballot packs to hit doorsteps from 23 September, artwork for the ballot paper and supporting literature would need to be signed off by the Sub-committee and submitted to the printers by 27 August. A further meeting of the Sub-committee has, therefore, been scheduled for Tuesday 20th August, at 10.30am, should Members feel this is required to meet the print deadlines.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the next meeting date be agreed in due course.