5 Crewe TC Mins 7-1-2020

Minutes of the meeting held on 7th January 2020

Present Cllr Buckley, Cllr Dunlop, Cllr Faddes, Cllr Hogben, Cllr Houston, Cllr Howes, Cllr Messent, Cllr B Minshall, Cllr Palin, Cllr Jill Rhodes, Cllr John Rhodes, Cllr Toth and Cllr Walton.

The Council observing a minute’s silence in memory of Councillor Dorothy Flude

19/5/01 To receive and consider apologies for absence

Apologies were received and accepted from Councillors Coiley (work commitments), Cosby (work commitments), Morrisey (ill health) and Roberts (ill-health).

19/5/02 To note declarations of Members’ interests

Cllr Minshall declared a pecuniary interest in relation to the payments schedule (Element Hosting) and Mayor’s allowance.

19/5/03 To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 19th November 2019

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed and signed as an accurate record.

19/5/04 Public Participation A period not exceeding 15 minutes for members of the public to ask questions or submit comments

Mr. Ryan Moore asked if there was a start date for Crewe Town Centre regeneration, and is the Town Council pressing Cheshire East on this matter? Councillor John Rhodes confirmed that members regularly raise this issue with Cheshire East Councillors, and would do so again at a meeting on Thursday.

19/5/05 To receive a report from the Town Mayor and Deputy Mayor in relation to civic engagements attended Cllr Minshall updated members on civic engagements undertaken since the previous meeting. Cllr Dunlop provided a resume of the engagements he attended while deputising for the Mayor.

19/5/06 To receive updates from Committee Chairs in relation to meetings held since the previous Town Council meeting: · Finance and Governance (Cllr Jill Rhodes) – Minutes of meetings held on 2nd December 2019 (final) and 17th December 2019 (draft). Members noted the minutes presented It was resolved to nominate Councillors Straine-Francis and Minshall to the Audit–Sub Committee in addition to those members already nominated. · Operations and Improvement (Cllr Messent) – Minutes of the meeting held on 9th December (Draft). Items for Council consideration, none. Members noted the minutes presented. · Marketing and Events (Cllr Cosby) – No meetings had been held since the previous Council meeting. · Planning Committee (Cllr John Rhodes) – No meetings had been held since the previous Council meeting. · Community Plan Committee (Cllr Dunlop) – No meetings had been held since the previous Council meeting. .

19/5/07 To consider the establishment of an Appeals Committee, approve the terms of reference, and to nominate 5 members who are not members of the Personnel Committee It was resolved to establish an Appeals Committee with the terms of reference appended to these minutes and that Councillors Cosby, Dunlop, Faddes, Howes, and John Rhodes be nominated to sit on the Committee.

19/5/08 To note any updates from members having attended external meetings. Members provided the following updates: · Councillor Palin had met with Glynis Caulfield a Cheshire East Officer conducting Cleaner Crewe efficiency review. · Cllr Messent had a meeting with Arriva NW to explore progress on matters previously agreed.

19/5/09 To note, consider and approve payments since the previous meeting as set out in the schedule below. No schedule was available for the meeting. The Deputy Town Clerk will circulate a schedule as soon as it is available, and it will be reported to the next meeting of Council.

19/5/10 To note and consider the year to date financial summary

No summary was available for the meeting. The Deputy Town Clerk will circulate a summary as soon as it is available, and it will be reported to the next meeting of Council.

19/5/11 To receive and consider a recommendation in relation to the setting the budget for the financial year 2020 / 2021 including the confirmation of the level of precept.

Members resolved to adopt the budget as presented and set the precept for 2020/21 at £ 1,093,6741.

19/5/12 To note that Councillor Keefe has resigned from the Council and that the two casual vacancies arising from this resignation and the death of Councillor Flude will be advertised as soon as reasonably possible

Members noted that the casual vacancies would be advertised on 8th January 2020.

19/5/13 To consider nominating a member to the vacancy on Personnel Committee

Councillor Houston was nominated to fill the vacancy on Personnel Committee.

19/5/14 To consider nominating a member to represent the Town Council on the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Council

Members resolved to nominate Councillor Messent to represent the Town Council at meetings of the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Council.

19/5/15 To consider a report from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils on a proposed Constitution for the Town Council, incorporating revised Standing Orders and Financial Regulations together with new Procurement and Contracts Policies.

Members resolved (i) To agree the format for a Town Council Constitution and both the Introduction and the Summary and Explanation sections as set out in Appendix 1 to the report. (ii) To adopt revised Standing Orders as set out in Appendix 2 to the report. (iii) To adopt revised Financial Regulations as set out in Appendix 3 to the report. (iv) To adopt Standing Orders for Contracts as set out in Appendix 4 to the report. (v) To adopt a Procurement Policy as set out in Appendix 5 to the report. (vi) For the interim period until a new Town Clerk is in post: a. To appoint the Deputy Town Clerk to the post of Proper Officer with the title of Acting Town Clerk b. To appoint the Community Engagement Officer to the post of Responsible Financial Officer c. To ask the Town Centre Project Officer to take on responsibility for the

line management of the Streetscene Improvement Officers and to supervise the Rangers on the Town Council’s behalf to reduce the additional workload on the Deputy Town Clerk/Acting Town Clerk. (vii) That Personnel Committee be asked to consider granting appropriate honoraria for the additional duties and responsibilities arising from (vi) above.

19/5/16 To consider a report from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils on a proposed Ethical Framework for the Town Council comprising revised Members’ Code of Conduct and Member-Officer Protocol, and a new Planning Protocol.

Members resolved: 1. to adopt a revised Member Code of Conduct still based on the Cheshire East Council Code as set out in Appendix 1 to the report subject to amendment of para 4.16 to reduce the value of registerable gifts to £25 2. To adopt the revised Protocol for Member-Officer Relations as set out in Appendix 2 to the report 3. To adopt a Planning Protocol to supplement the Code of Conduct as set out in Appendix 3 to the report subject to the removal of the words “Strategic Planning Board” from para 1.6. 4. To include training on ethical conduct as a priority in the next Member Training Plan.

19/5/17 To note the date of the next meeting

Members noted the date of the next meeting as Tuesday 3rd March 2020.

Meeting closed: 20.50