24/058 PRESENT
Councillors Banks, Dalzell, Gardiner, Gray, Hartley, Johnson, Lowe, McCulloch, Mears, Watson and Wood
In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)
24/059 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllrs Coan, Forrest and Russel (health) and Robertson (personal business)
24/060 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
Cllr Gardiner declared a personal interest in 24/066 as an elected member of Cheshire East Council and Cllrs Dalzell and Mears noted proposals would also affect their parish ward.
24/061 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A resident spoke as a representative of of KROW in relation to the forthcoming planning appeal for the Longridge development, noting it commenced on 12th November and that KROW, Cheshire Wildlife Trust and Save Longridge Greenbelt were all rule 6 parties; they further spoke in relation to the transfer of public open space cautioning against proceeding but suggesting that references to space follow the same naming/references as used in the neighbourhood plan references.
A resident stated had recently joined the Labour party and having expressed an interest in how the council worked were in attendance to hear discussions on the local government boundary review.
24/062 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1st October.
24/063 COMMITTEE MINUTES
The minutes of committee meetings were noted.
24/064 CHESHIRE EAST COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS
The written reports of Cllrs Coan, Dean and Gardiner were noted. Cllr Gardiner further reported that the new senior management structure had been agreed and advertising for vacant roles would commence. Cllr Gardiner further reported that there would be a post-works highway safety audit of the Canute Place roundabout in six months and that he understood the issue of flooding on Sudlow Lane was due to a blocked culvert not the Northwich Road development.
Cllr Gardiner responded to a question in respect of changes to national planning policy stating he had prepared the response to the consultation on behalf of the Conservative group at Cheshire East and that the council had also responded noting the increased risk of speculative applications due to proposed changes resulting in a reduced housing land supply. It was noted that work on a new Local Plan was now not expected to commence until 2026.
24/065 MEMBERS’ REPORTS
The written reports of Cllrs Bank, Hartley and Johnson were noted.
Cllr Banks further reported on attendance at a meeting of the Knutsford Heritage Centre Trustee Board noting the Knutsford our Streets Through Time book was almost sold out and a second edition would be printed; that he and the Town Clerk had attended the ChALC AGM where the meeting had supported the two motions put forward by the Town Council and that there had been 245 responses to the airport noise action plan consultation and that the airport projects an increase in passenger numbers from 30m to 44-60m by 2050.
24/066 LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION REVIEW OF CHESHIRE EAST
It was RESOLVED to object to the proposed division of the three-member Knutsford ward into a two member and single member ward.
Cllr Gardiner abstained from voting.
It was further RESOLVED to object to the consequent splitting of the town council’s Cross Town ward.
24/067 CORPORATE PEER CHALLENGE
The Town Clerk provided a verbal update reporting that the peer challenge visit would take place in the first week of November, that the working group had issued a position statement and background papers and that a full two days of stakeholder meetings had been programmed.
24/068 MAYORAL DUTIES
The Town Mayor reported on attendance at the events detailed in appendix A.
24/069 PAYMENTS
The payments were noted.
24/070 OUTSTANDING MATTERS LOG
The log was noted.
24/071 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
A resident thanked the council for its deliberations and reflected on how unpolitical the council is and asked for more information on the peer challenge resident panel.
24/072 QUESTIONS TO THE TOWN CLERK
The Town Clerk responded to questions stating that the Town Centre Manager would speak with the owners of the Old Sessions House ahead of renovations to remind them to deter parking on the mosaic, that a date was to be arranged for the winer barrier planting, that he would look into including churches on the Discover Knutsford website, that the council could seek permission for planters to be installed on the new railings at Canute Place, that he would chase the Crown Estate regarding the desired active travel path from Tabley Road and that tendering was being undertaken on a revised specification for the market hall works.
24/073 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
It was noted that the next scheduled meeting will be held on Monday 13th January 2025 at 7pm