22/014 PRESENT
Councillors Houghton, Nicholson, Abel, Beswick, Coan, Dalzell, Gray, Lowe, Malloy, McCulloch and Robertson
In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)
22/015 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllrs Beswick (business), Forbes, Gardiner, Morris and Power (personal business).
22/016 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
Cllr Nicholson declared a personal interest in 22/020 on the grounds of being known to trustees of the charity. Cllr Dalzell declared a personal interest in 22/020 on the grounds of being known a prospective trustee of the charity.
22/017 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A resident spoke to suggest the council prioritise work on seeking to influence the delivery of a new health and wellbeing centre, the relief of congestion and the implementation of improvements to the town centre.
A member of the public spoke in relation to the Knutsford and District War Memorial Cottage Hospital stating they understood the application for listing the building was rejected due to the building being used by the British Red Cross for its national work, that they had approached the parishes which comprised the district which funded the building urging their support against the sale to McCarthy and Stone and suggesting the council writes to the British Red Cross to alert their trustees to the sale.
22/018 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 7th March.
It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 9th May subject to correction of the attendance list.
22/019 COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes of the committee meetings held since the previous ordinary meeting were noted.
22/020 APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES TO THE MARJORIE HURST CHARITY
Charman of the charity, Mr Rick Dallimore, responded to a question advising that the charity had no major projects at present but that it was always looking for the opportunity to build new accommodation in the town centre.
It was RESOLVED to appoint Messrs Rick Dallimore and Andrew Lloyd as trustees for the 2022-2026 term.
22/021 CHESHIRE EAST COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
The report of Cllr Dean was noted and Cllr Abel provided a verbal update. The council expressed its disappointment at the pedestrian diversion around the Toft Road pavement sinkhole; Cllr Abel noted that he had sought to encourage Cheshire East Highways expedite works and implement an alternative diversion and that he would continue to raise the matter of the diversion.
The refusal of Cheshire East Highways to allow tree planting and replanting in verges was noted and Cllr Abel was encouraged to seek a change in policy to enable it.
Cllr Abel further undertook to raise the poor condition of the patch repairs to Ladies Mile and Cranford Avenue with Cheshire East Highways, noting that there was now an officer charged with inspecting the quality of works.
22/022 MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Cllr Malloy reported that the Friends of College Wood had been working with the Shrewsbury Diocese as owner of the woodland to tidy the area up and that they were looking at creating a seating area; that Knutsford and District Schools Council was working on artwork for a jubilee exhibition in Egerton Place; that he had been appointed as chairman of the Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership and that the ‘music trains’ were returning this summer.
Cllr Dalzell reported that the Crosstown Community Orchard was holding a Jubilee Big Lunch on Sunday 5th June.
Cllr McCulloch reported there had been no meeting of the Knutsford Fund and that the Friends of St John’s Wood had held a litter pick and was continuing to develop an action plan for the woodland.
The Town Clerk read an update on behalf of Cllr Forbes advising that he had attended meetings on the Parkletics project which had now secured funding.
22/023 APPOINTMENT OF WORKING GROUPS
It was RESOLVED to appoint working groups as follows:
- Council Strategic Plan – Cllrs Dalzell, Forbes, Lowe, McCulloch and Morris.
- Honours – Cllrs Forbes, Houghton, Nicholson and McCulloch
- Town Centre Masterplan – Cllrs Beswick, Gray, Houghton, Lowe and Robertson.
22/024 REVIEW OF COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
It was noted that there had been no attendance at surgeries to date.
It was RESOLVED that following the June surgery the programme of surgeries be abolished but that ad hoc surgeries on specific topics be organised as necessary.
It was noted that councillors would continue to be available to the public via a variety of communication methods and that the abolition of the surgeries would not diminish this access.
22/025 ANNUAL GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY REVIEW
It was RESOLVED to approve the annual governance statements 2021/22.
It was RESOLVED to approve the annual accounting statements 2021/22.
22/026 REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS
It was RESOLVED to amend the membership of the Finance Committee to five members plus the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor ex-officio; the Personnel Committee to five members plus the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor ex-officio and the Assets and Operations Committee to six members plus the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor ex-officio.
In pursuance of the amended membership it was RESOLVED to remove Cllrs Power and Robertson from the Assets and Operations Committee.
The tabled amendment to the terms of reference of the Assets and Operations Committee, to add parenthesis for clarity stood adjourned without debate.
A proposal to amend the quorum of the Planning and Licensing Committee to four members was proposed and seconded and stood adjourned without debate.
22/027 MAYORAL DUTIES
The Town Mayor reported on duties as detailed in Annex A.
22/028 PAYMENTS
The payment schedules were noted.
22/029 OUTSTANDING MATTERS LOG
The outstanding matters log was noted.
22/030 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No member of the public wished to speak.
22/031 QUESTIONS TO THE TOWN CLERK
The Town Clerk responded to questions advising that he had sought an update with respect the sale of the Knutsford and District War Memorial Cottage Hospital, that the consultants for the review of the conservation areas had been appointed, that a meeting was awaited with the CEC Conservation Officer and that there would be a gap between the removal of the Macclesfield Local Plan saved policies and the approval of new conservation area appraisal documents.
The Town Clerk provided a background to the work of the council in opposing the sale and demolition of the Knutsford and District War Memorial Cottage Hospital noting it had objected to the planning application, sought national and local listing, sought to register the building as an asset of community value and investigated the ownership of the building.
The meeting was adjourned to allow a member of the public to address the meeting. The member of the public urged the council to write to the chairman of trustees at the British Red Cross to urge them not to sell the building. The meeting was reconvened.
22/032 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
To note that the next scheduled meeting will be held on Monday 4th July at 7pm.