Full Council
Manage the strategic delivery of all of the council’s activities.
Macclesfield Town Council Notice of Meeting
6th October 2023
To Chair Cllr Chris Wilcock and Councillors James Barber, Sarah Bennett-Wake, David Edwardes, Emma Gilman, Alift Harewood-Jones, Mike Hutchison, Sandy Livingstone, Neil Puttick, Ruth Thompson, Mick Warren and Fiona Wilson
You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of
Macclesfield Town Council’s Full Council meeting to be held at
Macclesfield Town Hall
on
16th October 2023
commencing at 7pm,
for the purpose of transacting the business shown on the attached agenda.
With thanks,
Laura Smith
Town Clerk
Agenda
The agenda of the meeting to be held on the 16th October 2023 at 7pm at Macclesfield Town Hall.
1 Apologies for Absence
To receive apologies and approval.
2 Declarations of Interest
To receive declarations of interests from members relevant to items under discussion at the meeting.
Public Questions
The meeting will be adjourned to invite comments and questions from the public.
The meeting will then be reconvened.
NOTE:
If you would like to speak during public session, please email
clerk@macclesfield-tc.gov.uk by 5pm Thursday 12th October 2023. Every practicable effort will be made to try and arrange your inclusion.
If you would like to submit a written statement, please submit your statement for inclusion and circulation to the committee to clerk@macclesfield-tc.gov.uk by 5pm Thursday 12th October 2023.
.
3 Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 24th July 2023
Action: To approve the minutes.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
Action: To consider any matters arising from the minutes.
5 Finance Committee Minutes
5.1 Finance Committee Minutes 11th September 2023
To note the minutes.
5.2 Matters arising from the Minutes
To consider any matters arising from the minutes.
5.3 Spend to Date
Action: To approve the spend to date (end of JULY 23) of £249,786 as approved for recommendation by the Finance Committee 11th September 2023
6 Planning Committee
6.1 Planning Committee Minutes 26th July 2023
To note the minutes.
6.2 Planning Committee Minutes 30th August 2023
To note the minutes
6.3 Matters arising from the Minutes
7 Services Committee
Action: To approve Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake joining the services committee.
8 Community Delivery
8.1 Local Police Unit
Chief Inspector to brief the Council.
8.2 CAB
To receive and note the report.
8.3 CCTV
Action: To consider the proposals in the report.
9 Governance Review
9.1 Volunteer Policy
Action: To approve the amendments in the above document.
9.2 Code of Conduct
Action: To approve the above document.
9.3 Mayors Handbook
Action: To approve the above policy.
9.4 Councillor, Volunteer and Expenses Policy
Action: To approve the attached policy.
10 Budget 2024/25
Action: To consider version one of the budget.
11 Outcome of Audit
To note the report for information.
12 Proposal for Parks and Play Area
Action: To consider the proposal in the report.
13 Car Parking Consultation
Action: To consider and reply to the CEC Car Parking Review.
14 South Park Pavilion
Action: To approve the sponsorship document.
15 Town Council Strategy 23-27
Action: To consider the Town Council Strategy 23-27 for approval.
16 Date/Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Full Council will be held on 11th December 2023 at the Town Hall.
Macclesfield Town Council Full Council Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on the 16th October 2023 at 7pm at Macclesfield Town Hall.
In Attendance:
- Cllr Wilcock
- Cllr Puttick
- Cllr Bennett-Wake
- Cllr Warren
- Cllr Edwardes
- Cllr Harewood- Jones
- Cllr Barber
- Cllr Hutchison
- Cllr Thompson
- Cllr Livingstone
- Cllr Gilman
1 Apologies for Absence
Cllr Fiona Wilson
2 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Trustee for CAB.
Public Questions
The meeting was adjourned to invite comments and questions from the public.
The meeting was then reconvened.
3 Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 24th July 2023
Resolved: The minutes were approved.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
Resolved: There were no matters arising from the minutes.
5 Finance Committee Minutes
5.1 Finance Committee Minutes 11th September 2023
The minutes were noted.
5.2 Matters arising from the Minutes.
There were no matters arising from the minutes.
5.3 Spend to Date
Resolved: The spend to date (end of JULY 23) of £249,786 was approved as recommended by the Finance Committee 11th September 2023.
6 Planning Committee
6.1 Planning Committee Minutes 26th July 2023
The minutes were noted.
6.2 Planning Committee Minutes 30th August 2023
The minutes were noted.
6.3 Matters arising from the Minutes
There were no matters arising from the minutes.
7 Services Committee
Resolved: Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake was approved to join the services committee.
8 Community Delivery
8.1 Local Police Unit
No representatives from the LPU could attend for the second meeting in a row, however Inspector Watkins will send a report to the Town Clerk next week.
Cllr Livingstone is disappointed but is aware that there is ASB in the town centre that they are trying to work on, however he requests a formal meeting with the MTC Central ward Councillors and the Cheshire East Council Central ward Councillors.
Cllr Bennett-Wake is also disappointed as after her surgery at the weekend parking and anti-social behaviour is an issue.
Cllr Harewood-Jones asked if we can ask if police and PCSO’s receive mental health training to carry out their job.
Cllr Thompson would like to ask them about the Right Care Right Person initiative.
Cllr Warren and Cllr Bennett-Wake attended a panel with the Police and Crime Commissioner and they are rolling out training on Mental Health over the next 6 months.
The Town Clerk is requested to contact the Chief Inspector with the above issues.
8.2 CAB
CEO, Will McKellar from the CAB, attended to update on their work.
There has been growth in most areas and growth in relationship and immigration enquiries and he confirms they are working with Cheshire Without Abuse.
The report shows the outlook is bleak with more and more enquiries on welfare benefits, debts, housing etc. Covid still impacts them with less volunteers but more people requesting help.
They do have specialist support for those with mental health issues, debt specialists, those with cancer and those with young families.
Cllr Bennett-Wake thanked Will for the report and said the case studies provided were informative yet upsetting. She asked about those on benefits and did they know what they were entitled to?
Will replied that benefits were harder to access now, compared to years ago, now they have to go online and create an account. Technology has passed them by.
CAB staff help people complete disability benefit forms as they very complex.
Cllr Livingstone, thanked Will and the CAB, and the need to support the CAB, as it is such a complex system, and the support makes such a difference.
Cllr Hutchison asked about numbers on the report, and that where there is clear growth, he asked if that meant if people had to wait for support. Will says that as the numbers increase so do the number of volunteers. So the waiting may come down but they are still waiting too long. They are aspiring to aim that everyone who rings gets answered by a real person.
Cllr Edwardes asked if CAB help people fill in the forms, as he has found those who do not have English as a first language sometimes struggle.
CAB help to enable those that can do it themselves, otherwise they help those who cannot fill in the forms. CAB use a commercial interpretation service.
Cllr Harewood- Jones asked if they refer to other agencies. Will replied that they sometimes help people to find a solicitor for legal matters, and they work with Age UK, Disability Information Bureau and Just Drop in.
8.3 CCTV
Resolved: CCTV purchased by MTC are to be used for community safety at the discretion of the Town Councillors and we will buy 3 cameras
Home locations to be:
- Tesco Underpass
- Becks Lane
- Underpass near Travelodge
- Approve a 3 year SLA for CCTV
9 Governance Review
9.1 Volunteer Policy
Resolved: The amendments in the above named policy were approved.
9.2 Code of Conduct
Resolved: The above named policy was approved
9.3 Mayors Handbook
Resolved: The above named policy was approved.
9.4 Councillor, Volunteer and Expenses Policy.
Resolved: The above named policy was approved with the following amendment:
To add:
Whatever gift or hospitality is provided to you, other than a gift or hospitality of nominal value only (such as drink, or small items of stationery), you should report the circumstances and the type of hospitality to the Town Clerk. Small insignificant gifts of a value of less than £50, such as pens, diaries, calendars, mouse mats or mugs, may be accepted.
In order to protect your position and the reputation of your Council, you should exercise caution in accepting any gifts or hospitality which are (or which you reasonably believe to be) offered to you because you are an officer. The presumption should always be not to accept significant gifts or hospitality. However, there may be times when such a refusal may be difficult if it is seen as rudeness in which case you could accept it but must ensure it is publicly registered.
10 Budget 2024/25
Resolved: The budget will be presented to next Services and Finance Committee and Full Council. The Town Clerk will endeavor to get an accurate cost for the rent from CEC.
11 Outcome of Audit
The report was noted.
12 Proposal for Parks and Play Area
Resolved: The proposal in the report was approved with an amendment,
That the remaining £60,000 from the budget go to the Ash Grove park and the Councillors will get their £4000 ward budget back.
A sub group will be put together to discuss ward budgets and what it may be spent on.
13 Car Parking Consultation
Resolved: Councillors encourage residents to respond to the consultation and agree that the car park charges should be equitable across Cheshire East.
14 South Park Pavilion
Resolved: The sponsorship document was approved.
15 Town Council Strategy 23-27
Resolved: The Town Council Strategy 23-27 was approved with the following amendment:
Eco and active travel summit to be added to pg 28.
16 Date/Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Full Council will be held on 11th December 2023 at the Town Hall.
Chair: Cllr Wilcock
Clerk: Laura Smith
Meeting closed 20.36 pm