Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

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 relevant 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.

Alsager Town Councillor Sue Helliwell asked whether Alsager could be considered for a Shop Front Grant Scheme as shops were closing; in addition the local branch of the Nat West Bank was due to leave the town in May as they said the town was not sufficiently vibrant.

The Portfolio Holder responded that unfortunately many of the Borough’s town centres had suffered as a result of the rise of internet retailing and changing consumer spending habits.  Whilst the desire to see investment in regeneration projects in smaller centres along Macclesfield and Crewe was understood there was only a limited capital budget available for regeneration and limited staff capacity and resources had to be focussed on areas of priority. 

The last survey of vacancy levels across the Borough’s town centres, carried out in September 2015, showed that those in Alsager were actually lower than in some other town centres.  These figures were given to Councillor Heliwell.

It would not be possible therefore to justify diverting limited regeneration resources away from other centres.

To consider a Creation Order for a public footpath on council owned land in Sandbach.

That approval be given to make a Creation Order under Section 26 of the Highways Act 1980, to create a Public Right of Way on Cheshire East Council owned land in the Town of Sandbach, as illustrated on Plan No. HA/113 attached to the report, to be put before the Public Rights of Way Committee for decision.

Consideration was given to a proposal to create a Public Right of Way on a 22m long stretch of Cheshire East Council owned land in the town of Sandbach.  Cheshire East Council was involved in a project to improve public access on a path between Clifton Road and Station Road, in accordance with the health and wellbeing objectives and priorities of the Council as stated in the Corporate Plan 2016-2020, and the Council’s commitment to ‘Residents First’.

It was reported that whilst appearing to be set out for, and used by, the public, the path did not have Public Right of Way status along its full length.  In order to rectify this anomaly, to provide clarity for the public and to enable investment to improve the path, it was proposed to add the route as a Public Footpath on the Definitive Map, the legal record of Public Rights of Way.

In addition it was reported that Network Rail owned part of the land and the footbridge over which the route runs; it has confirmed its agreement to the Creation Order process and was working in partnership with the Council to improve the aesthetic environment of the path and the adjoining land.

RESOLVED

That approval be given to make a Creation Order under Section 26 of the Highways Act 1980, to create a Public Right of Way on Cheshire East Council owned land in the Town of Sandbach, as illustrated on Plan No. HA/113 attached to the report, to be put before the Public Rights of Way Committee for decision.

To consider the launch and delivery of this scheme.

1.    That approval be given to the documented grant scheme.

2.    That approval be given to implement the Macclesfield Town Centre Shop Front Grant to a total cost of up to £50,000 of the Regeneration and Development Programme Budget.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Project Director Macclesfield Regeneration for the approval of individual grants in a manner and in accordance with the process set out in the documented grant scheme procedure up to a maximum of £2,000 per individual grant.

Approval was sought to launch and deliver the Macclesfield Town Centre Shop Front Grants Scheme up to a total cost of £50,000 utilising funding from the existing Regeneration and Development Programme budget.  Delegated authority was also sought for the Project Director Macclesfield Regeneration to approve individual grants as part of that scheme up to a maximum of £2,000 per individual grant.

The Shop Front Grant Scheme would lead to enhancements in the town centre environment supporting a number of Residents First Outcomes, in particular that of the resilience of the economy and sustainability of place.  The scheme would also significantly contribute to the Council’s Quality of Place Agenda.

The Council was committed to the regeneration of Macclesfield Town Centre.  In 2015 a series of shop front improvements had been funded by the Council in the vicinity of Market Place and Chestergate and it was reported that not only had the investment enhanced the appearance of that area of town but, as a result, a number of previously vacant properties nearby were reoccupied; there had also been a noticeable increase of private sector investment there.  The scheme now planned was for the southern part of the town around the lower Mill Street area. 

RESOLVED

1.    That approval be given to the documented grant scheme.

2.    That approval be given to implement the Macclesfield Town Centre Shop Front Grant to a total cost of up to £50,000 of the Regeneration and Development Programme Budget.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Project Director Macclesfield Regeneration for the approval of individual grants in a manner and in accordance with the process set out in the documented grant scheme procedure up to a maximum of £2,000 per individual grant.