Agenda and minutes

To note any apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors C Browne, P Coan and C Hilliard.

Councillors S Adams and D Edwardes attended as substitutes.

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

No declarations of interest were made.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 January 2025.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.

In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting.

Petitions - To receive any petitions which have met the criteria - Petitions Scheme Criteria, and falls within the remit of the Committee. Petition organisers will be allowed up to three minutes to speak.

There were no public speakers.

To consider the report which sets out the allocation of approved budgets for 2025-26.

The Committee considered the report which set out the proposed allocation of approved budgets for the Highways and Transport Committee, following approval of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy at full Council on 26 February 2025.

The details of the budget allocations were set out in Annex A to the report. Financial reporting would occur regularly to ensure budget adherence and prevent overspending. The financial reporting timetable for 2025/26 was set out in Annex B to the report.

Councillor M Brooks attended as a visiting Councillor and asked the following questions:

1)    Did the £2.27m cover the cost of increased enforcement as a result of the increased operation of the car parks and did it include maintenance of the car parks?

2)    Requested more detail in respect of the £450k increase in parking charges.

3)    Requested more detail in respect of the £83k allocated to capital schemes, £56k to car park improvements and £27k to digital car parking solutions.

Officers agreed to provide a written response outside of the meeting.

In response to questions raised by Committee in respect of the following, officers agreed to provide a written response outside of the meeting.

1)    What would be the financial impact on the Highways and Transport budget going forward as result of the exploration to reduce the capacity of Churchill Way and Dukes Street car parks in Macclesfield?

2)    Was there an expected increase in revenue from penalty charge notices given the extended charging hours?

3)    Car parking expenditure – was the cost of assessing any surplus car parking provision across the borough included in the expenditure for this financial year?

Members of the committee were asked to write to the Director of Transport and Infrastructure with any further enquires related to car parking.

A request was made by Committee for prominent signs to be displayed in car parks to ensure the public were well informed about the new charging policies in car parks to avoid any confusion and ensure compliance.

In relation to a question raised about investment in new technology, officers agreed to provide a briefing for members to share the innovative solutions that officers were looking at as potential investments for the future.

In response to a question about allocation of budget and any underspend officers undertook to engage with the committee on how any additional funding was allocated.

RESOLVED: That the Committee

1 note the decision of the Finance Sub Committee to allocate the approved revenue and capital budgets, related budget changes items and earmarked reserves to the Highways and Transport Committee, as set out in Annex A to the report.

2 note the financial reporting timetable for 2025/26, as set out in Annex B to the report, as approved at the Finance Sub Committee on 10 March 2025.

To consider a report on the work undertaken to develop a walking, wheeling and cycling route within the north of the Borough known as the Greater Bollin Trail.

The Committee considered a report which highlighted the recent work undertaken to develop a walking, wheeling and cycling route within the north of the Borough known as the Greater Bollin Trail.

The work to date had been funded by a grant from the Shared Prosperity Fund and a feasibility study looked at how the route would look and how such a plan could be delivered.

The proposed route corridor would form part of the council’s statutory plans going forward.

The Committee welcomed the concept and the strategic long-term thinking behind it and thanked officers for their hard work.

RESOLVED (Unanimously)

That the Committee

1. Support the concept and objectives of the Greater Bollin Trail, noting the indicative phasing approach as set out in Appendix 1 and that the general route corridor is included in the Council’s Statutory Plans, including the newly emerging Local Transport Plan and Local Plan.

2. Delegate to officers to work with neighbouring authorities to ensure aspects of the route outside of Cheshire East are incorporated into their relevant statutory plans.

3. Delegate that the Head of Infrastructure works with key stakeholders to identify, develop and submit external funding bids to take forward to delivery elements of the route.

4. Delegate to the Head of Infrastructure and Head of Estates authority to enter into agreements, licences, easements for the acquisition of land or other rights required for the scheme, in consultation with the S151 Officer and the Executive Director of Place.

The Committee adjourned for a short break.

Councillor D Edwardes left the meeting and did not return.

To consider an application to delete public footpath 19 in the Parish of Audlem.

Prior to consideration of the item a request was received to ask that the Committee consider deferring the item out of respect for the family involved with the application, who were dealing with a bereavement.

Officers confirmed that there was no technical reason why the report could not be deferred, and following a thorough discussion about the deferral of the application by Committee it was proposed and seconded that the application be deferred to the next Committee. This was carried by majority.

RESOLVED: (By majority)

That the report be deferred.

To consider an application to amend the Definitive Map and Statement to upgrade existing public footpath no:26 to a Restricted Byway along Smithy Lane in the parish of Mottram St Andrew.

The Committee considered a report which outlined the investigation into an application made to amend the Definitive Map and Statement to upgrade existing public footpath no:26 to a Restricted Byway along Smithy Lane in the parish of Mottram St Andrew under Section 53 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The investigation included a discussion carried out in respect of the claim, the historical evidence and legal test for a Definitive Map Modification Order to be made.

The Committee considered the application and evidence as set out within the report and agreed that the evidence that had been submitted with the application and that considered during the subsequent consultation and investigation was considered insufficient in showing that the details contained in the Definitive Map and Statement should be modified.

RESOLVED: (unanimously)

That the Committee:-

1. Agree that a Definitive Map Modification Order not be made under Section 53(3)(c)(i) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to modify the Definitive Map and Statement to upgrade Public Footpath no 26 between points A and B on Plan no: WCA/50.

2. That the application for the upgrade of Public Footpath No 26 to a Restricted Byway is refused on the grounds that it cannot be demonstrated that the Definitive Map and Statement needs modifying.

To consider an application to modify the Definitive Map and Statement of Public Rights of Way to add a Bridleway between Buxton Old Road and Footpath 39, Parish of Disley, and upgrade (in part) to Bridleway Public Footpath 39.

The Committee considered a report which outlined the investigation into an application made to modify the Definitive Map and Statement of Public Rights of Way to add a Bridleway between Buxton Old Road and Footpath 39, Parish of Disley, and upgrade (in part) to Bridleway Public Footpath 39.

The investigation included a discussion of the consultations carried out in respect of the claim, the documentary and witness evidence investigated and the legal tests for the making of a Definitive Map Modification Order (“DMMO”).

The Committee considered the evidence submitted and application to amend the Definitive Map and Statement in adding a Bridleway between Buxton Old Road and Footpath 39, Parish of Disley, Page 269 Agenda Item 9 and upgrade (in part) to Bridleway Public Footpath 39.

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

1. Agree that a Definitive Map Modification Order be made under Sections 53(3)(c)(i) and 53(3)(c)(ii) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to upgrade (in part) Disley Footpath 39 to Bridleway from points A – B of Plan No WCA/049 of Appendix 1 and to add a Bridleway between Buxton Old Road and Disley Footpath 39 Disley, from points B – C of Plan No WCA/049 of Appendix 1, in the Parish of Disley.

2. Agree that public notice of the making of the Order be given and in the event of there being no objections within the period specified, the Order be confirmed in the exercise of the powers conferred on the Council by the said Act.

3. Note that in the event of objections being received, Cheshire East Borough Council be responsible for the conduct of any hearing or Public Inquiry.

To consider the Work Programme and determine any required amendments.

The Committee considered the Work Programme.

In response to a request for a committee agenda item in respect of the displacement of cars from car parks and the receipts from car parks in the form of free towns it was suggested that officers provide a member briefing rather than a report come to committee as there would be no decision for committee to make.

The Chair acknowledged a request for a detailed financial report on parking, including capital and revenue expenditure, and income, by car park from December to March, with a review after six months. However, it was noted that this level of detail had not been provided before and that when the Committee reviewed their budget this would not cover such granular detail.

It was suggested that a task and finish group be set up to review the ward member budget scheme to decide whether it was delivering value for money.

It was requested that the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BCIP) report which was coming to June Committee include further detail on bus service levels that had been asked at a previous meeting.

Following several questions in respect of the financial information in respect of car parking revenue it was explained that any revenue received formed part of the council’s general fund. The Council had accessed exceptional financial support and as there were technicalities related to that it was suggested that if members had further questions, they may want to send them to the S151 officer who had that statutory duty in relation to the council’s accounts.

The Committee thanked Highways officers for all their hard work.

It was agreed that the June Committee would be held as a twilight meeting, starting at 6.00pm.

RESOLVED:

That the work programme be noted.