Your Council!Your Council

 

 

NOTICE OF MEETING

BOARD

DAY/DATE:             THURSDAY, 19TH JUNE 2008

TIME:                     6.00 PM

VENUE:                  COUNCIL CHAMBER

                              MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS

                              EARLE STREET

                              CREWE


Despatch date:        10th June 2008
Enquiries to:            Carol Jones  
Tel:                         01270 537598                             
Fax:                        01270 537605

                                   

Board Leader:          Councillor J Hammond 
Tel :                        01270 753205
Fax:                        01270 753205 
E-mail:                    cllr.john.hammond@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

 

 

To:       Board Members (for attendance)

            All other Members of the Borough Council

            Management Team

            Local Press and Radio

 


Notes for Members of the Public

 

The Board consists of 10 elected Members and Councillor Brian Silvester, the Council Leader, is the Chairman.

 

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Board, Committee and Council meetings.

If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks.  There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way.  Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible.  Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms, nor in the Public Gallery.  A “No Smoking” policy operates in the Municipal Buildings.

 

Fire Evacuation

 

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building.  Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Joanne Smith (details on front page).


Agenda Information

 

Items on the agenda have been grouped together in 3 categories:

 

Category “A”

Key issues; constitutional matters; matters having a strategic or significant community impact; new policy or changes to existing policy

 

Category “B”

Performance Management issues

 

Category “C”

Organisational and other matters

 

The reports in “Category “A” reflect the priorities identified in the current Corporate Strategy which the Borough Council has set itself to achieve continuous improvement in the environmental, economic and social well being of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich. The Council’s four corporate priority areas are underpinned by the following statements:-

 

Growing Prosperity

Sufficient jobs available locally to meet the demands of population growth and which are of particular quality and resilient to economic downturn

 

Safer & Stronger Communities

·           To ensure that no-one is disadvantaged by where they live.

·           To lead public agencies in providing an integrated service at neighbourhood levels.

·           To achieve a significant improvement in the inequality index for the Borough and reduce levels of anti-social behaviour and crime.

 

Community Leadership

·           A Council which organises itself and conducts its business so as to maximise benefit and value to the people it serves and represents

·           To achieve a significant improvement in overall satisfaction levels

 

Making our Borough Cleaner and Greener

·           A noticeable uplift in the appearance of the Borough complemented by the enhancement of some key locations and with a particular focus on tackling climate change issues.

 


AGENDA

1.                      Declarations of Interest

 

1.1                  Any Members present (including non-Committee Members) to declare any personal or prejudicial interest, and the nature of those interests, which they have in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

 

1.2                  Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors, or are Members of Cheshire East (Shadow) Council, are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

 

1.3                  Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.


2.                      Board Decisions  

 

2.1                  To receive the Statement of Decisions made by the Board at its meeting held on 17th April 2008 (Distributed in the Record of Meetings issued on 17th June 2008).


3.                      Reconsideration of Decisions

 

3.1                  In accordance with Rule 14 of the Performance and Overview Procedure Rules and Rule 2 of the Executive Procedure Rules contained within the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to reconsider any decisions referred back to the Board.


4.                      Consideration of any Scrutiny Committee Reports and Recommendations

 

4.1                  To consider comments and observations from the Scrutiny Committees on reports which fall within their remit.

  


 

CATEGORY A

Key Issues

 

5.                      CheshireLocal Area Agreement – 2008-2011

 

5.1         Report of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods.  

 

5.2         The report up-dates the Board on the Cheshire Local Area Agreement (LAA) 2008-2011. A single LAA has been negotiated with the County Council covering the existing geographical area for one-year. With effect from April 2009, each of the new unitaries (Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester) will have a separate two-year LAA. 

 

5.3         The document is severable and the Board is asked to approve it on the understanding that it be separated for Cheshire East from 1st April 2009.

 

5.4         Scrutiny Committee – Community


6.                      Youth Provision – Capital Funding

             

6.1         Report of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods.

 

6.2         The report provides an outline of two proposed projects to be funded from the re-allocation of £200,000 of capital funding which was originally intended for a facility at Nova Court, Crewe. 

 

6.3         The Nova Court development did not come to fruition, and the Board is recommended to approve, in principle, the re-allocation of the capital funding for the projects within the St John’s and Grosvenor Wards, as described in the report.

 

6.4         Scrutiny Committee – Community


7.           Crewe and Nantwich Homelessness Strategy 2008-2009

 

7.1         Report of Councillor Margaret Hollins, Portfolio Holder for Planning.

 

7.2         The report outlines the second Homelessness Strategy which has been developed in response to the findings of a review completed in February 2008. 

 

7.3         The current Homelessness Strategy expires on 31st July 2008 and the Board is asked to approve and adopt the revised Homelessness Strategy 2008-2009, to take effect from 1st August 2008.

           

7.4               Scrutiny Committee – Community.


 

CATEGORY B

Performance Matters

 

8.           Survey Results:  Quality-of-Life and General User Satisfaction

 

8.1         Report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.

 

8.2         The report outlines the key findings and priorities for the Quality-of-Life Survey 2007/2008 and General User Satisfaction Survey 2006/2007.

 

8.3               The Board is asked to note the findings of both surveys and to make them available to the public through the Council’s website, and any other appropriate means of communication; and also to notify the Citizens’ Panel through the use of the consultation newsletter.

 

8.4               Scrutiny Committee - Organisation


9.           BVPIs and LPIs – Out-Turn 2007/2008

 

9.1               Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for Human Resources.

 

9.2               The report summarises the performance activity on the key basket of performance indicators during the financial year 2007/2008.

 

9.3               The Board is asked to receive the report.

 

9.4               Scrutiny Committees – All


           

CATEGORY C

Organisational Matters

 

 

10.           Cheshire County Council – Registrar’s Office

 

10.1         Report of Councillor David Brickhill, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development.

 

10.2         The Council made a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in respect of the area required by the Modus scheme for the Crewe Town Centre development.  In the event of the CPO being confirmed, Delamere House will be demolished as part of the scheme and as a consequence new offices will be required for the Registrar. 

 

10.3         The Chief Executive of the Borough Council has entered into an exchange of correspondence with the Chief Executive at Cheshire County Council to reach a mutually satisfactory solution which will achieve continuity of the registrar’s service.

 

10.4         The Board is asked to endorse the approach adopted by the Chief Executive.

 

10.5         Scrutiny Committee – Local Economy and Environment


11.           Corporate Equality Plan

 

11.1             Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for Human  Resources.

 

11.2             The Comprehensive Equality and Diversity Policy was adopted by Council on 10th October 2007.  The report outlines the draft Corporate Equality Plan which is the mechanism by which the aims of the Policy can be delivered.

 

11.3             Scrutiny Committee – Organisation


12.           Report of the Executive Directors, Direct Services and Treasury and Corporate Support (For Information)

 

                 In accordance with contract regulations, the Executive Director, Direct Services and the Executive Director, Treasury and Corporate Support, wish to report on tenders which have recently been invited and received.

 


13.           Exclusion of Press and Public

 

13.1         The report relating to the remaining items on the agenda has been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matter may be determined with the press and public excluded.

 

13.2         The Board may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following matter pursuant to Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Act.

                

                 (Paragraph 1 Information relating to any individual.

                 Paragraph 2 Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual)


14.           Senior Managers Salary – Market Testing

                 (Paragraphs 1 and 2)

 

14.1                  Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for Human Resources.

 

14.2                  As part of the single-status job evaluation exercise, the Council agreed to review the salary levels of the Senior Managers (Hay) evaluated group on an annual basis. This market-testing exercise is to identify and respond appropriately to shifts in sector pay levels and market trends.

 

14.3                  A review was carried out in April 2008, and the Board is asked to approve the proposed salary changes as detailed in the report.

 

14.4                  Scrutiny Committee – Organisation.

 


NOTE:

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Council is required to notify those attending meetings of the fire evacuation procedures.  A copy has previously been distributed to Members and instructions are located in all rooms within the Civic Suite.

 

If you require this document or a summary version in large print, Braille, audiotape, CD or in another language, please contact:

Equality & Diversity

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, Municipal Buildings

Earle Street, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 2JZ

Tel. 01270 537777