Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors R Bailey, J Bird, D Brown, A Burton, C Chapman, T Dean, E Gilman, K Hague, R Morris, J Priest, L Smith and L Wardlaw.

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.

It was noted the Councillors J Snowball and R Moreton had a personal interest in the appointment of Mayor and of Deputy Mayor, respectively.

To elect a Mayor for 2026/27 municipal year, who will also act as Chair of the Council.

Council was requested to elect a Mayor for the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2026/27 Municipal Year, who would also act as Chair of the Council for that period.

It was proposed by Councillor K Edwards and seconded by Councillor J Place that Councillor Judy Snowball be elected as Mayor for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

The motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Judy Snowball be elected Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2026/27 Municipal Year and be appointed as Chair of the Council for that period.

The Mayor was invested with the chain of office and then completed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Mayor thanked the Council for electing her to this office and informed Members that her consort would be Mr Phil Cornwall.  The Mayor reported that her chosen charities would be CRY, Her-Place and KeyRing.

Councillor J Snowball, as Mayor, took the Chair.

To appoint a Deputy Mayor for the 2026/27 municipal year, who will also act as Vice Chair of the Council.

Council was requested to appoint a Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2026/27, who would also act as Vice-Chair of the Council for that period.

It was proposed by Cllr C Browne and seconded by Councillor H Seddon that Councillor Rob Moreton be appointed as Deputy Mayor for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

The motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Rob Moreton be appointed as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Cheshire East for the 2026/27 Municipal Year and as Vice Chair of the Council for that period.

The Deputy Mayor was invested with the chain of office and then completed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Deputy Mayor thanked the Council for electing him to this office and informed Members that his consort would be Mrs Helen Moreton.

Councillor M Gorman paid tribute to the retiring Mayor, Councillor David Edwardes, for their dedicated work undertaken during their term of office.

The Mayor presented Councillor Edwardes with a Past Mayor’s Medal.

Councillor Edwardes then addressed the Council, as outgoing Mayor.

The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the Mayor Making Ceremony and stated that the meeting would be adjourned and would be reconvened, following lunch.

(The meeting was adjourned at 12.20 pm and reconvened at 1.45 pm)

Apologies were received from Councillors R Bailey, J Bird, D Brown, C Chapman, T Dean, K Hague and L Smith.

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.

Councillor M Gorman declared that he was a member of the Cheshire Pension Fund Committee.

Councillor S Corcoran declared he was the Chair of the Cheshire Pension Fund Committee.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 25 February 2026.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2026 be approved as a correct record.

To elect the Leader of the Council.

Nominations were invited for the election of the Leader of the Council.

Two nominations were received for Leader were proposed and seconded as follows:

Cllr Nick Mannion – proposed by Cllr M Gorman and seconded by Cllr L Crane

Cllr Stewart Gardiner – proposed by Cllr L Wardlaw and seconded by Cllr H Moss.

The motion was put to the vote with following results:

Cllr Nick Mannion – 38 votes

Cllr Stewart Gardiner – 34 votes

Not Voting - 3

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Nick Mannion be elected as Leader of the Council for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

In accordance with the Cabinet Procedure Rules, for the Leadership to present to Council information about executive functions in the forthcoming year.

The Leader, in summary

1               reported on the financial position of the Council following the Fourth Quarter Financial Review.  The revenue position had improved to a position to allow general reserves to be built back up and also able to use less of the Exceptional Financial Support than planned by just under £3m.   The capital forecast had reduced slightly to about £125m but the Dedicated School Grant position had worsened by a further £7m due to additional EHCPs for young people being forecasted for.

2        reported that in March the Corporate Policy Committee had received a comprehensive update on progress with the delivery of the Council’s Improvement and Transformation Delivery Plan and had noted the progress made against the actions within the Plan, especially the positive direction of travel for improvement in Children’s Services, the move to the Leader and Cabinet model, clearer financial reporting and a successful transformation pilot within Adult Social Care delivering both savings and better outcomes for residents.

3        reported on Ofsted monitoring visit on care leavers which had concluded on 29 April and that the initial findings reflected Children’s Services own self-assessment.  The inspectors recognised that a lot of progress has been made since the inspection in 2024.  The final letter of findings would be published on Monday 1 June.

4        reported that following the move to the Leader and Cabinet system of governance, the following would be appointed as Cabinet members:

Cllr Michael Gorman – Deputy Leader

Cllr Jill Rhodes– Portfolio Holder for Adult

Deputy Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake

Cllr Laura Crane – Portfolio Holder for Children

Cllr Emma Gilman – Portfolio Holder for Education and SEND

          Cllr Dawn Clark - Portfolio Holder for Finance and Legal

Deputy Cllr Garnet Marshall

Cllr Mick Warren - Portfolio Holder for Planning Housing and Regeneration

Cllr David Jefferay - Portfolio Holder for Environment, Sustainability and Waste Management

          Cllr Mark Goldsmith - Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport

Cllr Rob Vernon - Portfolio Holder for Communities and Engagement

5        reported that a Local Service Delivery task and finish group was being established to look at implementing a programme of scheduled service and asset transfers to town and parish councils and would be chaired by Cllr Rob Vernon, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Engagement.

6        reported that the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority was now established as a legal entity and had held its inaugural meeting on 22 April 2026.

6        reported that a structured training programme was being introduced to support councillors under the new governance model, which Members were expected to make every effort to attend when invited to specific training events.

7        reported that the Council was supporting a major ongoing police investigation in relation to Webb House in Crewe but was unable to provide details of the work that was being undertaking due to sensitivity of the matter.  He thanked staff for the work they were undertaking to support individuals. He acknowledged the concerns of local residents and further information would be provided when possible.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To determine the political representation on the Council’s committees and to appoint the Council’s committees.

Consideration was given to a report relating to the political representation on the Council’s committees.

The recommendations were moved and seconded and put to the vote.

RESOLVED:

1               That the Committees, as set out in the Appendix to the report, be appointed with the same function, roles and responsibilities as are set out in the Constitution and, in the case of new Committees, with the responsibilities already agreed by Council.

2               That the political group and other representation, as set out in the Appendix to the report, and the methods, calculations and conventions used in determining this, as outlined in the report, be adopted and the allocation of places to Committee be approved.

To appoint the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Council’s committees.

Consideration was given to the appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Council’s Committees.

The Appendix to the report set out the nominated persons for Chair and Vice Chair for each committee.

The appointments for Chairs and Vice Chairs were moved and seconded and put to the vote.

RESOLVED:

That the offices of Chair and Vice Chair be allocated as detailed in the Appendix to the report.

To approve the appointments to the outside organisations listed in the report.

Consideration was given to a report inviting Council to make appointments to the Cheshire Fire Authority, the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel, the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Health Scrutiny Committee, the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority’s Audit and Governance Committee and their Scrutiny Committee and the Peak Park National Park Authority.

The nominations were moved and seconded and put to the vote.

RESOLVED: 

1               Councillor David Brown, David Jefferay and Judy Snowball be appointed to the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel, with Councillor Russell Chadwick as nominated substitute.

2               Councillors Rachel Bailey, Peter Coan, Nicola Cook, Laura Crane, Patrick Redstone, Margaret Simon, Geoff Smith, Rob Vernon and Mick Warren be appointed to the Cheshire Fire Authority.

3               Councillors Janet Clowes and Marilyn Houston be appointed to the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System Joint Health Scrutiny Committee

4               Councillors Sam Corcoran, Garnet Marshall and Patrick Redstone be appointed to the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Audit and Governance Committee, with Brian Drake, David Edwardes and Councillors Sally Holland as the nominated substitutes.

5               Councillors Stewart Gardiner, Martin Edwards, Liz Wardlaw and Mick Warren be appointed to the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee, with Councillors John Bird, James Pearson, Jos Saunders and Geoff Smith as the nominated substitutes.

6               Councillor Fiona Wilson be appointed to the Peak Park National Park Authority.