Your Council!Your Council
BOARD
 
DAY/DATE:               THURSDAY, 19TH OCTOBER 2006
                                                                     
TIME:                        6.00 PM
 
VENUE:                    COUNCIL CHAMBER
                                 MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS
                                EARLE STREET
                                 CREWE
 
Despatch date:          10th October 2006
 
Enquiries to:              Joanne Smith                        Tel:      01270 537032
                                                                             Fax:     01270 537605 
 
Board Leader:            Councillor B G Silvester          Tel :  01270 567757 
                                                                              Fax:  01270 567757
 
                                 e-mail: cllr.brian.silvester@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk
 
To:       Board Members (for attendance)
All other Members of the Borough Council
Management Team
Local Press and Radio
 
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING
 
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. These are:
 
Improve the Area's Appearance to improve the physical environment of the Borough to be achieved by noticeable uplift in the appearance of the Borough complemented by the enhancement of some key locations.
 
Neighbourhood Action recognising that the Borough is made up of a large number of communities and neighbourhoods the Borough Council wants to lead public agencies in providing integrated services at neighbourhood level, particularly in areas of high economic and social stress.
 
Push for Prosperity aimed at ensuring the Borough has a strong local economy and that sufficient jobs are available locally to meet the demands of population growth and which are of a particular quality and resilient to economic downturns.
 
Customer Focus to be a Council which organises itself and conducts its business so as to maximise the benefit and value to the people it serves.
 
REVISED 19 January 2004
 

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, 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 6th   September 2006 (Distributed in the  Record of Meetings issued on 12th September 2006).

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 Performance and Overview Committee Reports and Recommendations
 
4.1       To consider comments/observations from the Performance and Overview Committees on reports that fall within their remit.

  
CATEGORY A
Key Decisions
 
5.          Designated Public Place Orders (Alcohol Exclusion Zones)
 
5.1       Report of Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities.
 
5.2        The Government introduced legislation in 2001 to enable local authorities to restrict the drinking of alcohol in designated public places. The Crewe and Nantwich Safer Communities Partnership has received a request from the Police to consider the designation of various public places for the purposes of confiscating alcohol and discouraging drinking in public open spaces.
 
5.3         The report explains the legal position in respect of Designation Orders and proposes a process to assess how areas that are considered suitable for Designation Orders will be identified and assessed. The Board is asked to approve the proposals contained in the report and make a recommendation to Council that the power to make the Orders be delegated to the Licensing & Regulatory Committee.
 
5.4       Performance and Overview Committee Community.

CATEGORY C
Organisational Matters
 
6.          Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Local Development Scheme First Review
 
6.1       Report of Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.
 
6.2       One of the first requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 was for Local Planning Authorities to submit a Local Development Scheme to the Secretary of State by 28th March 2005. Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council's Local Development Scheme was submitted and approved on 31st December 2004.
 
6.3      The Board is invited to approve the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Local Development Scheme First Review for formal submission to the Secretary of State. The Local Development Scheme First Review has been provided for Board Members/Shadow Board Members, P & O Committee Chairs and Group Leaders only. 
 
The Local Development Scheme First Review is available in the Members' Room and has been published on the Council's website.
 
6.4       Performance and Overview Committee Local Economy and Environment.

  
7.         Mayoral Nomination 2007/08
 
7.1       Report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers. 
 
7.2      The report provides details of the current Mayoral Conventions and the Seniority List. The Board is invited to recommend to Council consideration of a nomination to the office of Mayor of the Borough for 2007-08, in accordance with Conventions and the Order of Seniority.
 
7.3       Performance and Overview Committee Organisation.

  
8.         Winding Up of a Charity The Mrs Fred Coops of Gresty Trust Fund
 
8.1       Report of Councillor Graham Fenton, Portfolio Holder for Finance.  
 
8.2       The report details proposals for the winding up of The Mrs Fred Coops of Gresty Trust Fund under Section 75 of the Charities Act 1993 by donating the original permanent endowment in accordance with the charity's objectives.
 
8.3       The Board is invited to approve:
 
(A)        That the balance of The Mrs Fred Coops of Gresty Trust Fund be donated to the Women's Royal Voluntary Service; and
(B)        That the charitable account be closed and that the charity be removed from the Charities Register.
 
8.4       Performance and Overview Committee Organisation.

9.         Winding Up of a Charity The Bernard Humblot Trust
 
9.1      Report of Councillor Graham Fenton, Portfolio Holder for Finance.
 
9.2       The report details proposals for the winding up of The Bernard Humblot Trust under Section 75 of the Charities Act 1993 by donating the remaining funds in accordance with the charity's objectives.
 
9.3       The Board is invited to approve:
 
(A)        That the balance of The Bernard Humblot Trust be donated to Crewe and Nantwich Twinning Association on the condition that the funds are used to assist in the children's exchange scheme with Macon; and
(B)         That the charitable account be closed and that the charity be removed from the Charities Register.
 
9.4       Performance and Overview Committee Organisation

10.       Benchmarking Services Membership of APSE
 
10.1    Report of Councillor John Hatfield, Portfolio Holder for Human Resources.  
 
10.2    The report seeks Board support to re-join APSE (Association of Public Service Excellence). The Council withdrew its membership in March 2005 to achieve a revenue saving.  The cost of membership will be found from existing budgets and does not represent a growth item.
 
10.3    The Board is asked to approve that the Borough Council re-joins APSE at a minimum membership level.  This is to be funded by reduced training costs and savings achieved as a result of the performance information.
 
10.4    Performance and Overview Committee Organisation.

11.       Report of the Executive Director, Direct Services (For  Information)
 
11.1    In accordance with Contract Regulations, the Executive Director,  Direct Services, reports on tenders which have recently been invited and received.
 
11.2    The report of the Executive Director, Direct Services is attached.

12.      Cheshire County Council Locality Board
 
 
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.
 
This agenda can be made available in larger text on request