Councillor Brian Silvester                (Leader of the Council in the Chair)

Councillor Rachel Bailey                 (Portfolio Holder for Planning)

Councillor David Brickhill                (Portfolio Holder for Economic Development)

Councillor John Dwyer                    (Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities)

Councillor Graham Fenton             (Portfolio Holder for Finance)

Councillor John Hammond              (Portfolio Holder for the Local Environment)

Councillor John Hatfield                  (Portfolio Holder for Human Resources)

Councillor Margaret Simon             (Portfolio Holder for Customers)

Councillor Ray Westwood               (Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods)

 

 

Councillors P K Butterill, M Grant, G Griffiths, S W Hogben, M R Jones, Z S Krizanac

and A Moran

 

 

Paul Ancell                (Chief Executive)

Paul Goodwin            (Assistant Director Treasury and Corporate Support)

Bill Howie                  (Democratic Services Manager)

Bernadette Hurst       (Assistant Chief Executive)

Carol Jones               (Democratic Services Officer)

David Marren             (Executive Director, Direct Services)

 

NOTE: The following Decisions should be read in conjunction with the corresponding reports which accompanied the Board Agenda issued on 2^nd January 2007.   The agenda and reports are available on the Council's Internet Website. www.crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

 

 

Councillors David Brickhill and Margaret Simon declared personal interests in agenda item No. 10 (Integrated Youth Support Service for Cheshire) and agenda item No. 18 (Concessionary Fares Scheme 18) on the basis of their County Council membership.  Councillor Margaret Simon declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 17 (Appointment to Outside Organisation County Health Scrutiny Select Committee) on the basis that she was a Member of that Committee, and also the Portfolio Holder responsible for making the decision. 

 

No other Member made any declaration of interest in any item of business on the agenda.

 

 

The Board received the Statement of Decisions made at a meeting held on 4^th January 2007.

 

 

No decisions had been referred back to the Board for reconsideration.

 

134.    CONSIDERATION OF ANY PERFORMANCE AND OVERVIEW COMMITTEE REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

The Performance and Overview Committees had been invited to comment on Board reports. Comments were received from each of the Performance and Overview Committees and these were considered under the appropriate headings.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Brian Silvester, Leader of the Council.

 

The report provided details of the annual review of the Council's Corporate Strategy and set out proposals for 2007-2012.

 

 

 

 

(a)               Not to adopt the draft Corporate Strategy 2007-2012; or

 

(b)               To amend the draft Corporate Strategy 2007-2012.

 

 

(a)       The Council reviews and rolls forward its Corporate Strategy each year. The purpose of the Strategy is to set out the Council's principal purpose and direction. This is influenced by the Community Strategy, national priorities for the public services and by local political priorities.

 

(b)       Approval of the Corporate Strategy will enable the Council to inform the budget-making process and the rolling forward of the service strategies which reflect the corporate priorities.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities.

 

The report provided details of the draft Youth Nuisance Policy which set out the procedures which the Crewe and Nantwich Safer Communities Partnership had adopted to ensure a co-ordinated response to reports of youth nuisance and managing individuals under the age of 18-years identified as causing disruption in their communities.

 

 

 

 

To decline to approve the Policy and Procedures.

 

 

(a)               The draft Policy and Procedures has been produced following extensive consultation.

 

(b)               The provision of an agreed policy across agencies and standard procedures with a Service Level Agreement between agencies of the Multi-Agency Action Group ensures the commitment to the process and therefore its sustainability.

 

(c)               The Policy and Procedures represent good practice and will enable the Council to fulfil its statutory duty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to work with partners to reduce anti-social behaviour in the borough.

 

137.    "GET INVOLVED!" CHESHIRE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S  ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT STRATEGY

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods.

 

The report provided details about the Cheshire Children and Young People's Active Involvement Strategy (Get Involved!) which had been prepared by Cheshire Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership. The Strategy addressed how children and young people were involved in shaping services which they used and which affected them and the Partnership was seeking partners' formal approval of the document.

 

 

(A)              That the Cheshire Children and Young People's Active Involvement Strategy be approved;

 

(B)             That the Borough Council commits to implementing the "Hear by Right" standards including displaying the Participation charter and acting upon it.

 

(C)             That Councillor Ray Westwood be nominated as the champion Lead Member for children and young people's active involvement; and

 

(D)             That the Local Strategic Partnership Manager be nominated as the Officer to attend Cheshire Children and Young People's Involvement Group.

 

(E)             That Members and Officers be encouraged to attend training.

 

 

(a)               Approve the Strategy and only some of the proposed actions; or

 

(b)               Decline to approve the Strategy.

 

 

(a)        The Strategy will support work to reduce crime and disorder.

 

(b)        It aims to improve outcomes by providing opportunities for all children and young people in Cheshire to become actively involved.

 

(c)        Failure to approve the Strategy could be detrimental to partnership working in Cheshire.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods.

 

The report gave details of the development of a Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity which had been drawn up in recognition of the need to develop such a strategy as a mechanism to engage with the community, build capacity, support health and well-being and provide opportunities for all age ranges. 

 

The Board was asked to adopt the Strategy.

             

 

 

 

(a)     Amend the Strategy and make other recommendations; or

 

(b)     Decline to adopt the Strategy.

 

 

(a)     The Strategy will provide a support framework on which to base future sport and physical activity in the borough.  The action plans which have been developed will target increasing participation for sport and physical activity and will have a consequent effect on attendance and revenue figures at the Borough Council's leisure facilities.

 

(b)     The Strategy is a mechanism to engage with the community, will support health and well-being and provide opportunities for all age ranges.

 

(c)       Sport and physical activity is an "engagement tool" which has a positive effect on the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour.

 

(d)     Failure to adopt the Strategy will result in a lost opportunity to bid for £199,000 from Sport England. There will also be the loss of other funding opportunities.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Rachel Bailey, Portfolio Holder for Planning.  

 

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, along with four other district councils in Cheshire and Cheshire County Council had commissioned a consultant, early in 2006, to develop an Older Persons Housing Strategy.  As a result, six reports had been produced (five for each of the five districts and one county-wide report).

 

The report submitted contained details of the Strategy and invited the Board to note the issues raised and approve the draft Strategy for consultation purposes.

 

 

 

 

 

Decline to accept the findings and recommendations within the Strategy and suggest alternative courses of action to meet the future housing needs of older people in this borough.

 

 

(a)          The proportion of older people in the population is increasing and Crewe and Nantwich has a higher proportion of a population aged 60+ years than the England average; there is a requirement to address the needs of older people in the longer term.

 

(b)          The development of a Strategy will fulfil the requirement, identified in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment, which expects authorities to provide a "comprehensive range of services for older people to support independence".

 

(c)          The Strategy is intended to represent a commitment by all partners to priorities for older persons' housing in Crewe and Nantwich over the next 10 years.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods.

 

The Green Paper "Youth Matters" set out the Government's plans for reforming services for young people.   Nationally, local authorities were being asked to consider establishing Integrated Youth Support Services (IYSS). Youth services in Cheshire were currently delivered by various organisations, including the County Youth Service and Connexions.

 

Cheshire County Council had considered a number of issues and options and had concluded that two principal options should be put forward for "stakeholders" to comment upon.  The Board was recommended to support Option 2 (out-sourcing) and to express a preference for the "outcomes for young people" as identified in the report.

 

It was noted that the Performance and Overview (Community) Committee had supported the recommendation.

 

 

 

(A)          That the Borough Council supports Option 2 in the report (out-sourcing); and

 

(B)          That the Borough Council expresses its preference for the "outcomes for young people" as identified in the report.

 

 

(a)          Adopt an "in-source" model.

 

(b)          Express a preference for (1) "value-for-money for the Council Tax payer" or (2) "outcomes for staff affected by the changes" as an alternative to the "outcomes for young people".

             

 

(a)          The service most affected by the reforms is Connexions, which has pioneered innovative approaches to supporting young people who value and trust the Connexions "brand".

 

(b)          An "arms length" organisation will be better placed to retain the independence and impartiality valued by the community and may attract additional funding.

 

(c)           The Council is mindful of the need to secure value-for-money and wishes to act responsibly towards all staff affected by the changes;  however, its primary concern is to secure better outcomes for young people.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor John Hammond, Portfolio Holder for the Local Environment.

             

The report proposed an amendment to the Car Park Order in respect of Thomas Street Car Park, Crewe.  Thomas Street Car Park was a partially-surfaced car park and was not currently subject to "pay and display" charging.

 

It was noted that paragraph 1.4 of the report had been deleted following objections raised by Unison.

 

The Board was asked to approve the introduction of charging, principally to assist with traffic management and off-street parking by regulating occupancy.

         

 

 

 

 

To decline to approve the introduction of a "pay and display" charging system for this car park.

 

 

(a)              The proposed amendment will assist with traffic management by regulating occupancy and will help to moderate congestion and emissions in the town centre.

 

(b)              The consequent increased warden patrols will have a beneficial effect on crime prevention.

 

142.       AMENDMENT TO OFF-STREET PARKING ORDER  (WOOD STREET (EAST), CREWE)

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor John Hammond, Portfolio Holder for the Local Environment.

 

The report proposed an amendment to the Car Park Order in respect of Wood Street (East) Car Park, Crewe which was a 45-bay car park located off Nantwich Road. It was situated near to shops and businesses on Nantwich Road and was not currently subject to "pay and display" charging. 

 

The Board was asked to approve the introduction of charging, principally to assist with traffic management and off-street parking by regulating occupancy.

         

 

 

 

 

To decline to approve the introduction of a "pay and display" charging system for this car park.

 

 

(a)          The proposed amendment will assist with traffic management by regulating occupancy and will help to moderate congestion and emissions in the town centre.

 

(b)          The consequent increased warden patrols will have a beneficial effect on crime prevention.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor John Hammond, Portfolio Holder for the Local Environment.

 

The report proposed an amendment to the Car Park Order in respect of Edleston Road, Crewe.  The 36-bay car park was close to the town centre and not currently subject to "pay and display" charging. 

 

Subsequent to issue of the agenda, the IRIS Vision Resource Centre had been consulted on the proposals and its comments were tabled for consideration at the meeting.

 

The Board was asked to approve the introduction of charging, principally to assist with traffic management and off-street parking by regulating occupancy.

         

 

 

 

 

 

To decline to approve the introduction of a "pay and display" charging system for this car park.

 

 

(a)             The proposed amendment will assist with traffic management by regulating occupancy and will help to moderate congestion and emissions in the town centre.

 

(b)             The consequent increased warden patrols will have a beneficial effect on crime prevention.

 

144.       JOB EVALUATION/SINGLE STATUS PAY AND GRADING  STRUCTURE

 

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.

 

The report contained details of the draft Timetable of Public Meetings for 2007/2008 together with an appendix of explanatory notes.

 

The Board noted that the Performance and Overview Committees, Organisation and Local Economy had both commented that the timetable be reviewed by the P & O Co-ordinating Group, at an early meeting, with a view to increasing the frequency of the P & O Committee meetings only.

 

 

 

 

(a)     To amend the Timetable of Public Meetings 2007/2008; or

 

(b)     To reject the Timetable of Public Meetings 2007/2008.

 

 

The Council is required to give public notice of its meetings in order to fulfil its legal obligations. The timetable will assist the Council in meeting this requirement.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.

 

The Boundary Committee for England was currently engaged in conducting a review of the future electoral arrangements for Crewe and Nantwich with the aim of providing improved levels of electoral equality across the Borough. The review was now at Stage 3, publication of draft recommendations and consultation on them. The consultation period would conclude on 12^th February 2007.

 

The report summarised the recommendations and invited the Board to consider what response, if any, it would recommend Council to make in response to the Boundary Committee's recommendations.

 

The Board noted that the Performance and Overview Committee (Organisation) had supported the proposals submitted to the Boundary Committee, as agreed at Council in November 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

None considered.

 

 

(a)               A response to the proposals is required by 12^th February 2007.

 

(b)               The proposals represented electoral equality across all boundaries and were in line with the recommendations made by Council at its meeting on 30^th November 2005.

 

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers.

 

The report provided details of the recently revised health scrutiny arrangements in Cheshire adopted by Cheshire County Council.  The four Local Health Scrutiny Committees had been superseded by a single, county-wide health scrutiny committee (County Health Scrutiny Select Committee).  Cheshire County Council had invited each of the districts to nominate a representative who would be a co-opted, voting Member of the new Committee.

 

Responsibility for making the appointment was delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Customers.  However, Councillor Simon had a personal interest in the item on the basis that she was a Member of the County Health Scrutiny Select Committee and on this occasion she had decided to refer the matter to Board for a decision.

 

The Board noted that the Performance and Overview Committee (Community) had asked the Board to consider, in the longer term, the appointment of a representative drawn from the membership of its Committee, in view of its responsibility for health issues.

 

 

 

 

To appoint Councillor Maureen Grant, the Labour Group nomination.

 

 

It is important that the Council actively participates as a partner in the network of local organisations, and representation on the County Health Scrutiny Select Committee will help to achieve this aim.

 

(Note:  Having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this report, Councillor Margaret Simon withdrew from the meeting during consideration of the item.)

 

148.       CHESHIRE DISTRICTS CONCESSIONARY FARES SCHEME   2007/2008

 

The Board considered the report of Councillor Ray Westwood, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods.

 

With effect from 1^st December 2005, all district and unitary authorities were required to publish the scheme by which they would operate free concessionary fares for the following financial year.  The report detailed the proposed basic scheme, together with eligibility criteria.

 

The Board was asked to approve the scheme to apply to qualifying residents with effect from 1^st April 2007, and to grant delegated authority to the Executive Director, Treasury and Corporate Support, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, to approve amendments to the adopted basic scheme within the consultation budget provision, by 3^rd February 2007.

 

The Board noted that the Performance and Overview Committee (Organisation) supported the scheme, but had commented on the reduction in bus services, particularly in rural areas, and the consequent effect that many people who were eligible for a free bus pass were not able to take advantage of the concession.

 

 

(A)                     That the scheme attached to the report (Appendix B) be approved for application to qualifying residents (Appendix A) with effect from 1^st April 2007; and

 

(B)                    That delegated authority be granted to the Executive Director (Treasury and Corporate Support) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, to approve amendments to the adopted basic scheme within the consultation budget provision, by 3^rd February 2007.

 

 

(a)          Use the existing statutory scheme only; or

 

(b)          Participate in negotiations to retain the enhanced scheme adopted during the financial year 2006/2007.

 

 

(a)          All District and Unitary Authorities are under a duty to publish particulars of the Concessionary Travel scheme and of the reimbursement arrangements which they operate under Section 95 of the Transport Act 1985, amended by the Transport Act 2000. 

(b)          An enhanced scheme was required to be published in its final form by 3^rd February 2007 and negotiations between local authorities, Cheshire County Council and bus operators are on-going.

 

 

..................................................Signed