Minutes of Meeting held on Monday 24th May 2021

21/1/01 Attendance

Present:-
Councillors Lee Allen, Howard Blake, Yvonne Bushill, Martin Deakin, Sam Green, Janet Griffith, Alison Heler, Melissa Mews and Tony Peake

In attendance:-
Hannah Marr (Parish Clerk) and Councillor Steven Edgar (Cheshire East Councillor)

21/1/02 To elect a Chair of the Parish Council

It was resolved to appoint Councillor Tony Peake as the Chair of the Parish Council

21/1/03 To receive apologies of absence

No apologies for absence were received

21/1/04 To receive declarations of Members’ interests

Councillor Sam Green declared an interest related to payment make to JD Services and George Farrall

21/1/05 Public Participation

Connie Davies made a request to the Parish Council to continue to stream Parish Council meetings online

Councillor Peake advised that the Council would look into the matter which will be brought back to a future meeting for further discussion

21/1/06 To receive Acceptance of Office and Declarations of Interest for three Councillors for the Haslington Ward

Following the recent Uncontested Election for three vacancies in the Haslington Ward, the following signed their Acceptance of Office and Declarations of Interest forms to join the Parish Council as Councillors:-
• Louise Jewkes
• Richard McCarthy
• Graham Sawyer

21/1/07 To consider the co-option for two Councillors to the Haslington Ward

Candidates were asked to speak for three minutes to advise why they wished to be elected to the Parish Council

21/1/08 To consider matters related to co-opting Councillors

Following the recent two Casual Vacancies which went to co-option, it was resolved to appoint the following to the Parish Council as Councillors:-
• Richard Hovey
• Steven Edgar

21/1/09 To receive Acceptance of Office and Declarations of Interest for any co-opted Councillors to the Haslington Ward

Councillors Richard Hovey and Steven Edgar completed Acceptance of Office and Declarations of Interest Forms to become Councillors for the Haslington Ward

21/1/10 To consider matters related to the approval of Committee structures and nominations to Committees

It was resolved to adopt a Committee structure for the Parish Council

The following Councillors were appointed to the following Committees:-

Finance, Governance and Assets Committee
• Chair of Council
• Councillor Lee Allen
• Councillor Martin Deakin
• Councillor Steven Edgar
• Councillor Alison Heler
• Councillor Richard Hovey

Neighbourhood Plan and Planning Committee
• Councillor Howard Blake
• Councillor Steven Edgar
• Councillor Alison Heler
• Councillor Richard Hovey
• Councillor Louise Jewkes
• Councillor Richard McCarthy
• Councillor Graham Sawyer

Community and Environment Committee
• Councillor Yvonne Bushill
• Councillor Sam Green
• Councillor Janet Griffith
• Councillor Louise Jewkes
• Councillor Richard McCarthy
• Councillor Melissa Mews
• Councillor Tony Peake
• Councillor Graham Sawyer

Personnel / Staffing Committee
• Chair of Council
• Councillor Lee Allen
• Councillor Martin Deakin
• Councillor Richard Hovey
• Councillor Janet Griffith
• Councillor Melissa Mews

21/1/11 To confirm the Councils adoption of the Councillor Code of Conduct

It was resolved to adopt the new Councillor Code of Conduct

21/1/12 To consider the approval of payments

It was resolved to approve payments totalling £103,839.93 (Net) / £103,952.33 (Gross)

21/1/13 To note the date of the next meeting as Monday 7th June 2021

The date of the next meeting was noted

21/1/14 It is recommended that Council considers a resolution under Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to exclude the public and representatives of the press from the meeting during the discussion of the next meeting on the grounds that matters contain sensitive information and by reason of the confidential nature of the business being transacted

It was resolved to exclude the public and representatives of the press due to the confidential business being transacted

21/1/15 Confidential Items:-
• To consider matters related to the Internal Audit Report
• Gutterscroft Centre
• Employment matters

Matters related to the Internal Audit Report we discussed and it was resolved to accept the recommendations presented in the report and that further information would be sort on its findings

It was resolved to appoint external services to support the work recommended in the Internal Audit Report and that the standard tendering procedures would not apply in accordance with Financial Regulations 11.1a in view of specialist knowledge needed

Matters related to the Gutterscroft Centre we discussed and it was resolved further investigation was required which can then be discussed at a future meeting

It was resolved that matters related to employment and staffing be referred to the new Personnel Committee for consideration

The meeting closed at 8.54pm