F25/030 PRESENT

Councillors Robertson, Coan, Hartley, Johnson, Mears and Wood

A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk).

 

F25/031 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllr McCulloch (health).

 

F25/032 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

Cllr Wood declared a personal interest in the grant application from Toft Cricket Club as a volunteer coach with the club. Cllr Johnson declared a personal interest in the Play Areas Reserve as the council’s appointed representative on Friends of the Moor.

 

F25/033 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

No members of the public wished to address the committee.

 

F25/034 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 15th September.

 

F25/035 LARGE GRANT SCHEME APPLICATIONS

A representative of Toft Cricket Club addressed the committee and took questions.

It was RESOLVED to award a £15,000 grant for the 2026/27 financial year and that in looking to provide a grant in 2027/28 use of CIL be considered. It was further RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council that it agree to multi-year funding agreement committing to fund £15,000 in 2026 and 2027.

A representative of Stable Minds addressed the committee and took questions.

It was RESOLVED to refer the application to Full Council to be considered as a multi-year funding agreement.

A representative of Gauntlet Birds of Prey CIC addressed the committee and took questions.

It was RESOLVED to refer the application to Full Council to be considered for funding over two years.

The application for a four-year funding agreement from the Knutsford Royal May Day Committee was noted.

 

F25/036 COUNCIL BUDGET ENGAGEMENT

The feedback received from the engagement period was noted. It was RESOLVED to continue holding an engagement period as part of the budget setting process, and that a copy of the presentation from the 2025 consultations be published online.

 

F25/037 RESERVES POLICY

It was RESOLVED to approve changes to the elections reserve, noting the updated estimates from Cheshire East Council as to the value of fully contested ordinary elections.

The meeting was adjourned to allow a member of the public to address the committee; the resident provided additional information on previous play investment on the Moor. The meeting was reconvened. In the interests of openness, the Town Clerk declared he was Chair of Friends of the Moor.

It was RESOLVED to amend the annual commitment to the play areas reserve to £10,000.

It was RESOLVED not to create a pay inflation reserve.

It was RESOLVED to approve the revised policy.

 

F25/038 COUNCIL BUDGET 2026/27

The draft reserves were amended in line with the revised policy. The committee reviewed the budget and increased the Town Ranger Equipment Purchase budget to £1,500. The large grants budget was set at £69,500.

It was RESOLVED to recommend the amended budget and reserves to Full Council with a precept for 2026/27 of £957,130.

 

F25/039 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

It was noted that the next scheduled meeting will be held on 8th December 2025.