Full Council
Manage the strategic delivery of all of the council’s activities.
Macclesfield Town Council
Full Council Agenda 28th September 2020
Due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 restrictions and in line with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 this meeting will be held remotely, broadcast on youtube.com and can be viewed on the Macclesfield Town Council youtube.com channel.
Agenda of the meeting of Macclesfield Town Council held 28th September 2020 at 7pm
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest
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 12 noon on Friday 25/09/20 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 12 noon on Friday 25/09/20.
3. Minutes of the Meeting of Full Council 29th June 2020
To approve the minutes as a true record of the meeting
4. Matters Arising from the Minutes of 29th June 2020
5. Minutes of the Planning Committee
5.1 Minutes of the Planning Committee 12/06/20
5.2 Minutes of the Planning Committee 03/07/20
5.3 Minutes of the Planning Committee 24/07/20
5.4 Minutes of the Planning Committee 14/08/20
5.5 Draft Minutes of the Planning Committee 04/09/20
To note the minutes
Matters Arising
6. Minutes of the Finance Committee
6.1 Draft Minutes of Finance Committee 14/09/20
To note the minutes
Matters Arising
6.2 Spend to Date
Action: To approve the 2020/21 spend to date of £229,777
7. Minutes of the Services Committee
7.1 Minutes of the Services Committee 20/07/20
7.2 Draft minutes of the Services Committee 07/09/20
To note the minutes
Matters Arising
8. Community Delivery
8.1 Local Policing Unit (LPU) – Jez Taylor
8.2 Art Space
To consider funding request
8.3 Citizens’ Advice Bureau
To note the 2020/21 Quarter 1 report
9. Governance Review
9.1 Standing Orders (updated)
9.2 Personnel Committee ToR (updated)
9.3 Planning Protocol (new)
9.4 Press & Media Policy (new)
9.5 Vexatious Complaint Policy (new)
9.6 Equality Policy (updated)
10. Committee Membership
10.1 Committee Membership
To be approved by council (vote)
11. Silk Rd Westend Proposal
11.1 Report Statement
11.2 Macclesfield Rebranding Proposal
Action: To consider the proposal
12. South Park Pavilion
12.1 Report Statement
12.2 Quotation for Survey
Action: To consider approval for the survey
13. Macclesfield Town Football Club
14. Member Items
15. Correspondence
16. Date, Time And Place Of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting Council will be 14th December 2020.
Format/venue to be confirmed subject to C-19 restrictions and related regulations
Macclesfield Town Council
Full Council Minutes 28th September 2020
Due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 restrictions and in line with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 this meeting will be held remotely, broadcast on youtube.com and can be viewed on the Macclesfield Town Council youtube.com channel.
Minutes of the meeting of Macclesfield Town Council held on 28th September 2020 at 7pm
In attendance:
- Cllr Sarah Bennett-Wake
- Cllr Janet Jackson MBE
- Cllr David Edwardes
- Cllr Chris Wilcock
- Cllr Mick Warren
- Cllr Alift Harewood MBE
- Cllr Fin Shenton
- Cllr Fiona Wilson
- Cllr Neil Puttick
- Cllr Mike Hutchison
1. Apologies for Absence
Cllr Lloyd Roberts
2. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Puttick – declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 8.2 as he has active involvement with Artspace.
Cllr Jackson – declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 8.3 as a trustee of the Citizens Advice Bureau.
The meeting was adjourned allowing for public comments and questions.
Shirong Chen spoke on a proposal submitted to the Council by Silk Road Westend Ltd and the benefits of the proposal to Macclesfield Town.
The Councillors thanked Shirong and informed him the item would be discussed under agenda item 11.
Patrick Birch spoke representing the football club and the supporters organisation the Silkmen Supporters Trust. Patrick spoke of the need to look forward and create a club that is at the heart of our community.
He had the following asks of the Town Council:
- Help them get the messages out about becoming a community club again, the club is not going to die it will rebuild. The football club has relationships to rebuild,
- Help them to secure the Moss Rose as the home for the new football club. The ground is a connection with our history, our memories. Without the ground we do not have a football club
- Work with them on a viable business plan for the future of the Moss Rose. There is a need address some much needed renovation of the stadium
- To be ambitious for our future relationship together. Come up with ideas where ‘the club can help the town’ and the ‘town helps the club’ and to work with us on this.
Mike Rance spoke in his capacity as Chair of The Community Trust which has operated from Moss Rose since 1997. They are solvent and have equal rights with the Football Club to operate from Moss Rose and will survive in the short term, however, will struggle longer term without a parent club. The trust supports the health and wellbeing agenda and supports a wide age range, nurseries, schools and care homes.
They fully support the concept of a community club and stadium.
Councillors thanked the speakers on behalf of the football club and trust and the passion they have shown. The club was discussed under Agenda item 13 in the meeting.
The meeting was then reconvened.
3. Minutes of the meeting of Full Council 29th June 2020
RESOLVED: That the minutes are approved as a true record of the meeting.
4. Matters Arising from the minutes of 29th June 2020
None.
5. Minutes of the Planning Committee
5.1 Minutes of the Planning Committee 12/06/20
5.2 Minutes of the Planning Committee 03/07/20
5.3 Minutes of the Planning Committee 24/07/20
5.4 Minutes of the Planning Committee 14/08/20
5.5 Draft Minutes of the Planning Committee 04/09/20
Noted
Matters Arising
None
6. Minutes of the Finance Committee
6.1 Draft Minutes of Finance Committee 14/09/20
Noted
Matters Arising
Cllr Wilcock fedback to the committee that the grant given to Macclesfield Rugby Club had already had a positive effect where they had been able to successfully deal with some Anti Social Behaviour.
6.2 Spend to date
RESOLVED: The spend to date of £229,777 was approved.
7. Minutes of the Services Committee
7.1 Minutes of the Services Committee 20/07/20
7.2 Draft minutes of the Services Committee 07/09/20
Noted
Matters Arising
Cllr Wilson gave feedback on the successful progress the Macclesfield Town Centre Recovery Working Group had made. The group comprising MTC, CEC, Silk Museum, Peaks and Plainsand Make it Macclesfield is working to create a recovery plan for the town centre. A Business Confidence survey has been devised and distributed and a resident’s survey to gather baseline evidence and collect ideas to move forward.
8. Community Delivery
Chief Inspector Jez Taylor attended to update the Council on the activities of the police and to get feedback from Council members, he expressed the importance to keep links during these unusual circumstances.
The LPU now have a Beat Officer and a PCSO for each area, they have had challenges but are looking at ways to innovate to work with residents. Many of the Community buildings where they meet residents have re-opened and they can now use them
Going back to the initial lock down, the LPU saw unusual Anti social behaviour they had to deal with, such as groups of young adults and youths gathering in the forest, which led to littering, a fire and subsequent environment issues.
With the recent rule of pubs closing at 10pm they have not had the extreme spikes of demand they anticipated.
It has been challenging, keeping the officers safe with the public health restrictions and adhering to the rules.
The LPU has, however has been able to secure a closure order for an off license in Macclesfield that was linked to supplying minors with alcohol. Chief Inspector Taylor asked that the Council give any information from residents about the supply of alcohol to minors as they can deal with it.
Chief Inspector Taylor finished by asking Councillors
- Are you getting the support you need?
- What can he do to improve it?
Cllr Warren enquired if there were ‘reserve’ PCSO’s should a PCSO go on annual leave, Chief Inspector confirmed this was the case.
Councillor Wilson fedback on the positive experience that she had experienced with the PSCO and PC on South Ward.
Councillors requested contact details of the PCs and PSCOs for each ward which Chief Inspector Taylor agreed to provide.
Cllr Sarah Bennet- Wake thanked the Chief Inspector and the LPU for the brilliant work they do, particularly in these difficult circumstances.
8.2 Artspace
RESOLVED: The funding request is approved.
8.3 Citizens’ Advice Bureau
The 2020/21 Quarter 1 report was noted and Councillors expressed their thanks and recognition for the work of the CAB.
9. Governance Review
9.1 Standing Orders (Updated)
RESOLVED: The standing orders are approved
9.2 Personnel Committee TOR (Updated)
RESOLVED: The Personnel Committee ToR are approved
9.3 Planning Protocol Policy (new)
RESOLVED: The Planning Protocol Policy is approved
9.4 Press & Media Policy (new)
RESOLVED: The Press and Media Policy is approved
9.5 Vexatious Complaint policy (new)
RESOLVED: The Vexatious Complaint Policy is approved with the following amendment. Point 5.3 to include the Chair of Personal
9.6 Equality Policy
RESOLVED: The Equality Policy is approved
10. Committee Membership
10.1 Committee Membership
RESOLVED: Approved the list of Committee Members with one amendment, Cllr Hutchison will no longer be on the Services committee.
11. Silk Road Westend Proposal
RESOLVED: The following statement was given by the Council
Macclesfield Town Council graciously welcome the generous gift of the Silk Monument, designed by the artist JJ Xi. We hope that planning permission is granted for the project at Cheshire East Council.
We are pleased that our shared silk cultural heritage will be celebrated by this significant landmark and will be delighted to welcome visitors from China and the rest of the world to our quirky little town.
However, we are unable to support the proposal from The Silk Road Western Co. Ltd for the following reasons;
1. ‘Members expressed that the costs associated with this project need to be controlled and confirmed; that the provision of the monument will support inward investment and tourism as well as community and cultural engagement.’ Services Committee meeting 9 September 2019
2. The Full Council rejected the proposal from The Silk Road Western Co. Ltd on 16th March 2020
3. The two amendments made to the latest version of the proposal; updated August 2020, do not significantly change the sentiment of the document.
4. Macclesfield Town Council are not able to endorse any individual company as the sole consultancy firm or agent with regard to investment or the tourist industry in the town.
Once again, we thank you for your generous gift celebrating our shared cultural heritage of the Silk Trade and look forward to welcoming visitors from China, the UK and the rest of the world when we can meet again in person.
12. South Park Pavilion
RESOLVED: The quote for the survey is approved for payment.
13. Macclesfield Town Football Club
The members discussed at length the loss of the football club and the passion shown by the public speakers and the need to support where possible going forward.
They agreed to the following as suggested by the public speakers:
- To help get the messages out about us becoming a community club again.
- To support securing the Moss Rose as the home for the new football club.
- To support work on a viable business plan for the future of the Moss Rose.
- To nominate a Council Member (or Members) to take this work forward
14. Member Items
Cllr Harewood spoke of her concerns on the current registration regulations for Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) and that residents in such properties often suffer from more ill health. Cllr Harewood added that a clearer view is needed of the number of HMOs in Macclesfield. Currently, if an HMO is occupied by 5 or more people an HMO licence is needed. She seeks more transparent HMO regulations such that more than two unrelated tenants, and up to a maximum of five, living together with shared facilities are registered as living in an HMO.
In view of the forthcoming Cheshire East Council Consultations on HMO’s and the SADPD, it was agreed to make appropriate comments during these consultations.
15. Correspondence
None
16. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting of Macclesfield Town Council is at 7pm on 14th December 2020.
The format/venue to be confirmed subject to C-19 restrictions and related regulations.
Meeting Closed at 8.41pm
Chair Cllr Sarah Bennet-Wake
Clerk Laura Smith