Decisions

Disley Parish Council owns and manages Arnold Rhodes Open Space and Newtown Playing Fields. Cheshire East Council currently holds developer contributions secured through Section 106 agreements specifically for improvements to these facilities. The available balances exceed £140,000 and are restricted to open space, play, recreation and sports facility improvements at these locations.

To ensure timely delivery of projects, Cheshire East Council is proposing to enter into a grant agreement with Disley Parish Council. This arrangement will allow the Parish Council to directly procure and manage improvement works whilst Cheshire East Council retains appropriate oversight to ensure compliance with the S106 agreements.

That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Legal and Enforcement, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Regeneration

1.         Approve of a supplementary capital estimate of £142,286.52, fully funded by external contributions (Section 106 funding available for eligible improvements at Arnold Rhodes Open Space and Newtown Playing Fields in Disley.)

2.         Approve to enter into a Grant Agreement with Disley Parish Council, enabling the Parish Council to deliver eligible open space, play, recreation and sports facility improvements using the Section 106 funds held by Cheshire East Council, subject to appropriate monitoring and compliance requirements.

3.         Approve to make a same-day payment of the initial £45,352.00 funding allocation to Disley Parish Council upon completion of the Grant Agreement, to allow the Parish Council to immediately commission the first phase of works comprising the Arnold Rhodes Play Area Improvement Scheme (£45,352 excluding VAT). This will secure current contractor pricing, avoid unnecessary delays and support expenditure of the S106 contributions within the required timescales.

Cheshire East Council has a legal duty to provide advice and assistance on neighbourhood plans, to hold an independent examination on neighbourhood plans submitted to the Council, and to arrange for a referendum following a favourable examiner’s report.

Subject to the modifications set out in the examiner’s report, the Weston and Crewe Green Neighbourhood Plan is considered to meet the statutory tests held in the ‘Basic Conditions’, and procedural requirements set out in paragraph 8 of Schedule 10 to the Localism Act 2011. As such the plan can now proceed to referendum.

Holding a referendum on the Weston and Crewe Green Neighbourhood Plan will enable the local community to vote on whether the plan should be used to determine planning applications in the neighbourhood area and bring the plan into statutory effect. The Weston and Crewe Green Neighbourhood Plan, as amended, will contribute to the strategic aims set out in the CELPS and upon the outcome of a successful referendum result will form part of the Development Plan for Cheshire East. Following the referendum, the Council is required to ‘make’ the neighbourhood plan, confirming its status as part of the Development Plan for the specified area.

Accept the examiner’s recommendations to make modifications to the Weston and Crewe Green Neighbourhood Plan (Appendix 3) as set out in Weston and Crewe Green Neighbourhood Plan examiner’s report (Appendix 1); and confirm that it is the Council’s intent to hold a referendum on the Weston and Crewe Green Neighbourhood Plan (as amended), within the Weston and Crewe Green neighbourhood area (Appendix 2), at the earliest possible opportunity.

The proposed modification reflects changes to parish boundaries arising from a Community Governance Review. It is therefore appropriate and consistent with the statutory framework and national guidance to revoke the previous designation and designate the modified neighbourhood area covering the updated parish boundary.

To revoke the original Shavington neighbourhood area (Appendix 2) designation that was made on 17 August 2016 and make the Shavington neighbourhood area modification (Appendix 1), for the purpose of preparing the Shavington Neighbourhood Plan modification.

Cheshire East Council has a legal duty to provide advice and assistance on neighbourhood plans, to hold an independent examination on neighbourhood plans submitted to the Council, and to arrange for a referendum following a favourable examiner’s report.

Subject to the modifications set out in the examiner’s report, the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan is considered to meet the statutory tests held in the ‘Basic Conditions’, and procedural requirements set out in paragraph 8 of Schedule 10 to the Localism Act 2011. As such the plan can now proceed to referendum.

Holding a referendum on the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan will enable the local community to vote on whether the plan should be used to determine planning applications in the neighbourhood area and bring the plan into statutory effect. The Congleton Neighbourhood Plan, as amended, will contribute to the strategic aims set out in the CELPS and upon the outcome of a successful referendum result will form part of the Development Plan for Cheshire East. Following the referendum, the Council is required to ‘make’ the neighbourhood plan, confirming its status as part of the Development Plan for the specified area.

Accept the Examiner’s recommendations to make modifications to the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan (Appendix 1) as set out in Congleton Neighbourhood Plan examiner’s report (Appendix 2); and confirm that it is the Council’s intent to hold a referendum on the Congleton Neighbourhood Plan (as amended), within the Congleton neighbourhood area (Appendix 3), at the earliest possible opportunity.

To implement the nationally agreed 2026/27 pay awards for employees covered by the Chief Officers’ Joint Negotiating Committee and NHS Agenda for Change terms and conditions, applying a confirmed 3.3% increase with effect from 1 April 2026.

This report seeks agreement for Cheshire East Council to continue its participation in the Foster4 Fostering Hub collaboration and to support the extension of the current hub model to an end to end fostering model, in line with Department for Education expectations for future fostering reform.

That the Portfolio Holders:

a)  Agrees that Cheshire East Council will continue to participate in the Foster4 Fostering Hub, led by Warrington Borough Council, as part of the Cheshire and Merseyside regional fostering collaboration.

b) Agrees the ‘in principle’ decision that Cheshire East Council, as part of the Foster4 Hub, will adopt an end-to-end fostering model as set out in DfE guidance, subject to finalisation of legal, financial and governance arrangements.

c)  Approves the principle of contributing staff and/or budget to the Foster4 Hub as Cheshire East Council’s contribution to the end-to-end model, subject to compliance with employment law and approval of detailed staffing and financial arrangements through the Council’s normal governance processes.

d)  Note the legal, financial and operational risks associated with participation in the Foster4 Hub and the mitigation measures set out in this report.

e)  Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children and Families, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer, to:

• enter into and vary as necessary the Foster4 collaboration agreement, data-sharing arrangements, staffing agreements and memoranda of understanding with the Department for Education and participating local authorities; and

• take all necessary steps to implement the end-to-end Foster4 model within the agreed governance framework.

At the Environment and Communities Committee on 18^th July 2024, members approved the proposed approach as set out in the paper in order that the Council can comply with legislation mandating the introduction of weekly food waste collections. The committee delegated authority to the Head of Environmental Services to take all necessary steps to implement these proposals. After undertaking a feasibility study to examine the most effective way to collect food waste weekly from all CEC households, it was established that a multi vehicle type approach is required utilising existing fleet vehicles and where appropriate supplemented by a new fleet of dedicated electrically powered food waste collection vehicles. The Council would therefore need essential changes to the depot at the Environmental Hub in Middlewich including design and planning for expansion for the increase in fleet vehicles, installation of charging points for fleet vehicles and staff parking.

At the Environment and Communities Committee on 18^th July 2024, members approved the proposed approach as set out in the paper in order that the Council can comply with legislation mandating the introduction of weekly food waste collections. The committee delegated authority to the Head of Environmental Services to take all necessary steps to implement these proposals. After undertaking a feasibility study to examine the most effective way to collect food waste weekly from all CEC households, it was established that a multi vehicle type approach is required utilising existing fleet vehicles and where appropriate supplemented by a new fleet of dedicated electrically powered food waste collection vehicles. The Council would therefore need essential changes to the depot at the Environmental Hub in Middlewich including design and planning for expansion for the increase in fleet vehicles, installation of charging points for fleet vehicles and staff parking.