Agenda item

To consider any Notices of Motion that have been received in accordance with the Council Procedure Rules.

The Mayor invited Mr Nick Cheetham and Ms Sarah Bradley to speak in relation to the Notice of Motion on Housing Targets.

Mr Cheetham spoke in support of the Notice of Motion on Housing Targets and stated that since December 2024 national housing targets had increased by 2.5 times at the same time the National Planning Framework being revised to increase the housing supply. He noted that the Council had a valid Local Plan and was working on a refresh, but the present Plan no longer met the five-year housing supply, and this was leading to speculative applications from developers often on unprotected or green belt land. He felt this was leading to developer-led rather than a plan-led process. 

Ms Bradley referred to the significant number of new builds in Sandbach which had put a strain on local services and caused traffic congestion.  She noted that no transport study had been undertaken since 2016. She stated that the current housing targets left the council vulnerable to speculative developments.  It was not about stopping development but ensuring a fair distribution of new builds in appropriate places with supporting infrastructure.  She urged Members to support the Notice of Motion to request the Government to lower the housing target and to allow time to develop neighbourhood and local plans.

Consideration was given to two Notice of Motion which had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s Procedural Rules.

The Mayor stated that he had decided that both Notices of Motion would be dealt with at the meeting.

1               Housing Targets

Proposed by Councillor S Gardiner and Seconded by Councillor S Edgar

“This Council resolves to:

3.1      Ask the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council to write jointly to the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government to firstly seek a reduction in the Housing Target and also to request the creation of a reasonable period of grace within which any shortfall in the Council’s land supply may be set aside allowing the full weight of existing Local or Neighbourhood Plans to be applied.”

During the debate two amendments were proposed and seconded and accepted by the proposer and seconder of the Notice of Motion

Amendment 1

Addition of:

3.2      Agree that the housing target shall take into account Cheshire East’s current planning policies around environmental protection, biodiversity and sustainability, along with a requirement for an increased proportion of social housing, and a requirement that key infrastructure and services such as drainage, flood prevention, and sustainable transport along with provision of primary health care, school places and other key local services are delivered ahead of development.

Amendment 2

Addition of:

3.3      Ask that all Cheshire East Council Group Leaders commit to lobbying the LGA (through the respective LGA political group leaders) to take this matter on as an official campaign.

RESOLVED:

That the Motion be approved as follows:

This Council

3.1      Asks the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council to write jointly to the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government to firstly seek a reduction in the Housing Target and also to request the creation of a reasonable period of grace within which any shortfall in the Council’s land supply may be set aside allowing the full weight of existing Local or Neighbourhood Plans to be applied.

3.2      Agrees that the housing target shall take into account Cheshire East’s current planning policies around environmental protection, biodiversity and sustainability, along with a requirement for an increased proportion of social housing, and a requirement that key infrastructure and services such as drainage, flood prevention, and sustainable transport along with provision of primary health care, school places and other key local services are delivered ahead of development.

3.3      Asks that all Cheshire East Council Group Leaders commit to lobbying the LGA (through the respective LGA political group leaders) to take this matter on as an official campaign.

2        National Cadet Forces Day

Proposed by Cllr A Harrison and Seconded by Cllr N Cook

“That this Council supports the national campaign to introduce a national ‘Cadet Forces Day’ on the Tuesday of Armed Forces week and proposes that Cheshire East Councils Leader, Deputy Leader and Leader of the Conservative Group sign a joint letter of support for the campaign to the Armed Forces Minister, Luke Pollard MP.”

RESOLVED:

That the Motion be approved.