Agenda item

In accordance the Council Procedure Rules, opportunity is provided for Members of the Council to ask the Mayor or the Chair of a Committee any question about a matter which the Council, or the Committee has powers, duties or responsibilities.

At Council meeting, there will be a maximum question time period of 30 minutes. A period of two minutes will be allowed for each Councillor wishing to ask a question.  The Mayor will have the discretion to vary this requirement where they consider it appropriate.

Cllr C O’Leary referred to the new pedestrian crossing, installed nine months ago, on the 40mph section of London Road, Lyme Green and stated that the lights and crossing were still not operational and asked if a date could be given when the crossing would be operational.

In response Cllr M Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, stated that the new traffic signals had been installed by the Developer and were ready to be switched on but there was currently a privately owned tree obscuring visibility to one of the signal heads which presented a safety issue.  The Council had contacted the developer, who was leading on these discussions with the landowner, for a response.  If a response were not forthcoming soon, the Council would utilise its own powers under the Highways Act to cut back the overhanging vegetation and claim the cost back from the landowner. 

Cllr G Marshall referred to the Government announcement of support for the Middlewich Eastern Bypass and asked if reassurance could be given that there would be no last minute technical or financial issues which would get in the way of its completion and what was the Chair and the Highways and Transport Committee doing to ensure that any shortfalls could be mitigated.

Cllr M Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, stated that the Council remained committed to completing the Middlewich Eastern Bypass, and envisaged work starting in Spring 2026. The Council was looking into options to bridge any funding gaps, and a report was being prepared and would go to Highways and Transport Committee in September 2025.

Cllr S Bennett-Wake asked for information on funding for the Families Hubs and how it would be spent.

Cllr L Crane, Chair of Children and Families Committee, that a meeting had been set up with officers and more information would be provided following that.

Cllr R Kain asked why the planning department were insisting that an additional feasibility study needed to be carried out on Linley Lane in Alsager regarding flooding under the railway bridge, when funding had already been allocated.

Cllr M Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr A Moran asked if the Council could increase the size of the grey recycling bin to encourage residents to recycle more and to increase the Council’s recycling statistics.

Cllr Fiona Seddon, Vice Chair of Environment and Communities Committee undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr H Whittaker asked if the Council could urgently review its communications strategy during multiagency responses to critical incidents, following recent event at Poynton Train Station.

In response Cllr Nick Mannion, Chair of Corporate Policy Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr S Gardiner referred to the high turnover of senior staff at the Council and asked what efforts were being taken to attract and retain the best people to the roles and if a cross-party Staffing Committee could be set up.

Cllr Nick Mannion, Chair of Corporate Policy Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr A Gage asked if the Council could explain why traders at Crewe Makers Market had been targeted regarding parking issues.

In response Cllr Mark Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, stated that the Council had a legal responsibility to ensure that roads were kept safe. The ticketed vehicles in questions were abandoned for around 10 minutes and the Council had a duty to ensure that the spaces are kept free and only used for dropping off equipment and moving on and parked appropriately elsewhere. This was part of the Enforcement Team’s regular monitoring.

Cllr L Buchanan asked if the prioritisations scores for Crewe Road and Nantwich Road in Nantwich could be appraised with a view to reducing them from 40mph to 30mph and ensure that they were compliant with Active Travel Routes.

In response Cllr Mark Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, stated that the Council’s 2022 Speed Management Strategy set out the Council’s ambitions to promote safer road and compliance across the borough and that new reviews of roads of concern could be carried out.

Cllr N Cook asked if the green space maintenance of the Grange Way Estate, Elworth, could be reviewed in line with the Environment and Communities Committee decision in 2024.

Cllr H Seddon, Vice Chair of Environment and Communities Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr L Wardlaw asked if the Leader of the Council would agree that a staff survey should be carried out regarding staff culture.

Cllr Nick Mannion, Chair of Corporate Policy Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr M Brooks asked what steps were Cheshire East Council’s Trading Standards taking to enforce the ban on disposable vapes.

In response Cllr H Seddon, Vice Chair of Environment and Communities Committee, stated that the Council had a zero-tolerance approach to the supply of single-use vapes and were working with partners to carry out enforcement visits, and so far, had seized over 2000 noncompliant vapes.

Cllr H Moss asked if the Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee could explain why not all 20mph School Safe Zones were indicated by flashing lights, and why didn’t the primary school in Mobberley have these.

Cllr Mark Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr J Place asked if the planning department could ensure that councillors understand what large scale developer’s planning constraints were.

Cllr H Seddon, Vice Chair of Environment and Communities Committee, undertook to provide a written response.

Cllr T Dean asked what plans did the Council have to pay off over £100million DCG grant before the 1 April 2028 deadline.

Cllr Nick Mannion, Chair of Corporate Policy Committee, responded that the Government had extended the repayment timeline by two years, and the Council was working to improve in-house provision, to reduce travel costs and work with the Government to ensure future policies work for residents.

Cllr C Browne asked when would the Council be installing Acoustic Cameras in Alderley Edge.

In response Cllr Michael Gorman, Chair of Economy and Growth, stated that the Council was still pursuing this, and meetings had been held with partners and that a report was currently being written which will go to the Economy and Growth Committee. He stated that the Police and Crime Commissioner would like to extend this scheme across other parts of the borough if this is successful. Cllr Gorman undertook to provide a written response with more details.

Cllr R Fletcher asked if the criteria used by Cheshire East Council for highways maintenance differentiated in any way between residential roads and roads and footways in the centres of towns? He stated that Lawton Road in the centre of Alsgaer must be one of the worst maintained roads and footways in England and asked if there was a flaw in the criteria that had made Alsager wait so long for improvements.

In response Cllr Mark Goldsmith, Chair of Highways and Transport Committee, stated that all reviews into highways and footways improvements were done on an equitable basis with the worst and busiest roads getting the funding based on legal requirements and stated that there was a lack of funding from central government.