22/033 PRESENT
Councillors Houghton, Nicholson, Coan, Dalzell, Forbes, Gardiner, Lowe, Malloy, McCulloch and Power.
In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)
22/034 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllrs Abel, Gray, Morris (personal business), Beswick (health) and Robertson (business)
22/035 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
No member declared an interest in any item under discussion.
22/036 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No members of the public wished to address the meeting.
22/037 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd May subject to the addition of “the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor” prior to reference to the ex-officio members in 22/026.
22/038 COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes of the committee meetings held since the previous ordinary meeting were noted.
22/039 CHESHIRE EAST COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
The report of Cllr Dean was noted and an update was provided on the Bark Run planning enforcement. Cllr Gardiner reported that Cheshire East Council meetings were increasingly dealing with council management rather than operational matters, and that the finances of the council were good with surpluses due to the COVID grants.
It was requested that the Town Clerk obtain a report from Cllr Abel in respect of the matters he undertook to raise on behalf of the council at the previous meeting.
22/040 MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Cllr Forbes reported on attendance with Cllr Dalzell at the pilot strategic plan engagement workshop and with Cllr McCulloch at the session held at the Welcome noting the events went well but were not well attended.
Cllr Malloy reported he had attended one of the strategic plan engagement workshops; that the Friends of College Wood had now set up its bank account and that the Youth Council had not met. Cllr Malloy further reported in respect of the Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership advising that he was now the Chairman, it was shortly recruiting for a new Community Rail Officer, that it was keen reinforce that it was not the drivers who had been striking during the recent strikes and that a new timetable should be in place along the route from December which should re-introduce the additional peak services.
Cllr McCulloch reported that PCSO Andy Vashistha was leaving Knutsford to become a constable; that there had been no meetings of the Knutsford Fund and that the Friends of St John’s Wood was continuing to move forward with developing a masterplan.
Cllr Power expressed thanks to all those involved in the Knutsford Music Festival, highlighting the positive feedback he had received for Music on the Moor in particular. Particular thanks were recorded for Mark Radcliffe and the Events Officer.
Cllr Dalzell reported that the Crosstown Community Orchard was holding a work day on the last Sunday of each month from 10am to 12pm, that it continued to have good support from the local community and that it was holding a community BBQ on the 20th August.
Cllr Houghton reported he had attended one of the strategic plan engagement workshops noting the quality of engagement from those present. Cllr Houghton further highlighted the publication of the Mayoral Fundraising Events calendar for the ensuing year.
22/041 COUNCIL CORPORATE RISK REGISTER
It was RESOLVED to amend the corporate risk register to add the risk of supplier (procurement) fraud as per report C-22-10.
22/042 SHARED PROSPERITY FUND
The report was noted and the Town Clerk further reported that he had put forward the renovation of the Market Hall, regeneration of 60 King Street, paths in St John’s Wood and implementation of the from Top to Bottom Street report as potential projects to be funded through the CEC allocation.
22/043 REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS
It was RESOLVED to:
- amend to the terms of reference of the Assets and Operations Committee to add parenthesis around ‘except for those matters expressly referred to any other committee’
- increase the quorum of the Planning and Licensing Committee to four members
22/044 PROMOTION OF ELECTION CANDICACY
It was RESOLVED to host two ‘be a councillor’ public engagement sessions to promote election candidacy.
22/045 BROADCASTING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS
A discussion was held on the broadcasting of meetings and it was noted that some members had concern about being broadcast.
The Town Mayor deferred the item to the end of the meeting.
22/046 MAYORAL DUTIES
The Town Mayor reported on duties as detailed in Annex A.
22/047 PAYMENTS
The payment schedules were noted.
22/048 OUTSTANDING MATTERS LOG
The outstanding matters log was noted.
22/049 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No member of the public wished to speak.
22/050 QUESTIONS TO THE TOWN CLERK
The Town Clerk responded to questions advising that the Speed Indicator Device data for Thorneyholme Drive would be downloaded from the device imminently, that he would shortly be drafting a letter from the Town Mayor to the NHS concerning the medical centre project and that he would shortly be contacting Cheshire East Highways to request a temporary speed reduction on Tabley Road and Cheshire Police regarding the enforcement of the weight restriction.
22/051 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
To note that the next scheduled meeting will be held on Monday 5th September at 7pm.
22/052 BROADCASTING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS
It was RESOLVED to exclude the public and press on the grounds of the sensitive nature of discussions.
It was RESOLVED to continue audio streaming of meetings.
It was RESOLVED to suspend video streaming until the Town Clerk reports to Council on options for recommencing video streaming and that any member that wishes to can raise their concerns with the Town Mayor and/or Town Clerk.