ENCLOSURES

4th April 2017 Including the "To Follow" Items added to the

end of the Enclosures Papers

Neighbourhood Plan, Heritage & Conservation Group March 2017

Bollington Cross Conservation Area Management Plan

The process of creating or extending a Conservation Area consists of 3 elements; Designation, which lays down the area of the proposed extension; Appraisal, which explains the characteristics suitable for creating a Conservation Area in that area; and the Management Plan.

Management Plan

Section 71 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)Act 1990 places on local planning authorities the duty to draw up and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas in their areas.

Components of a Management Plan

A management plan sets out the way in which development pressure and neglect will be managed to ensure conservation areas retain the qualities which led their designation. Components of the plan might include the following:

Local planning policies might explain where conservation objectives are key priorities and how they can be integrated with social, economic and other environmental objectives. Development management policies might extend to the protection of important views, criteria for demolition, and acceptable alterations and extensions to historic buildings.

Guidance might cover controls and limitations, specific issues such as replacement windows and doors, parameters for extensions, design of shop fronts or outdoor advertisements.

Regeneration Strategy or Enhancement schemes which can achieve improvements through the removal of negative factors, or through sympathetic landscaping and planting.

Street and Traffic Management can minimise physical and visual clutter.

Tree, Open Space and Green Strategies.

Enforcement and Remediation Strategy could arrest deterioration of heritage buildings.

Guidance taken from English Heritage 2010

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Report to Bollington Town Council meeting to be held on 4 April 2017 from Borough Councillors –

James Nicholas and Amanda Stott

Since the last Town Council meeting we have been involved in the following areas:

We are still working on the school transport issue – namely that the Middlewood Way is still being

classified as the safe walking route for Tytherington School. There is a consultation in place for the

Silk Road crossing. Should the proposed crossing be constructed only when it is fully operational and

the route through Bollington assessed as ‘safe’ will we be able to revisit the classification of the

Middlewood Way. An issue which we raised at the Cabinet meeting.

Until May, when committee places will be reorganised, James has taken a seat on Audit &

Governance and has undergone training. A meeting of this committee took place this month. The

agenda and minutes are published on CEC website.

We have attended briefings with Fay Price, Rob Welch and Simon Wallace; attended the Moss Brow

consultation session; and the relaunch of the Spinners Arms!

Working on residents’ issues for Higher Hurdsfield Parish Council.

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Minutes25 SC27-2-17

BOLLINGTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE

MINUTES 25

MEETING HELD ON 27th February 2017 at 2-00 pm

TOWN HALL

Circulation: Chairman Michael Burdekin, Amanda Stott, Steve Roxborough, Marion BoSmith, Robert BoSmith, Peter Brown, John Cutter, Ken Edwards, Sandra Edwards, Alan Morris, David Naylor, James Nicholas, Elaine Phillips, David West, Jon Weston, John Whitehurst Present: Chairman Michael Burdekin, Amanda Stott, Marion BoSmith, Robert BoSmith, John Cutter, Ken Edwards, Sandra Edwards, Alan Morris, James Nicholas, David West,

1. Apologies for absence: Steve Roxborough, Peter Brown, David Naylor, Elaine

Phillips, Jon Weston, John Whitehurst 2. Minutes of SC meeting of 9th Jan 2017 (Minutes 24-SC-9-1-17.R1) were

accepted as a true record of the meeting 3. Matters arising – Brief reports on:

(a) Jon Weston response concerning membership of SC – Jon Weston had replied to Mike Burdekin that he intends to stay involved with the Neighbourhood Plan (NP) Steering Committee (SC) (b) Bollington Town Council review of the draft NP (circulated on 6/2/17 with copies available from the Town Hall) – the Town Council had reviewed the NP policies and actions on them as the Council and provided Mike Burdekin with comments. Mike Burdekin confirmed that he had incorporated the comments into the latest version of the Objectives and Policies under review at the current SC meeting, 27th February 2017. (c) Review of NP by Cheshire Community Action (document from Lucy Hughes circulated 30/1/17 with copies available from the Town Hall) – Lucy Hughes had reviewed the NP, provided written comments to the SC and attended a SC meeting in person on 2nd February 2017 (d) Grant Application to Locality and projects on Study of Highway Improvements and on Conservation Area Appraisal – Mike Burdekin confirmed that both applications to Locality had been successful providing the work was completed by the end of the financial year (end of March 2017).

4. Review and decision of final policies to be included in NP document to go forward for article 14 consultation, in the light of comments from Bollington Town Council, Tom Evans, Lucy Hughes and Inspectors comments on other plans,

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Minutes25 SC27-2-17

based on FMB document FinalPolicyReview Feb 2017, circulated on 6/2/17 with copies available from the Town Hall. (a) Green Environment Issues (b) Housing Issues (c) Employment and Retail Issues (d) Conservation and Heritage Issues (e) Tourism, Moving Around and Infrastructure. (f) Community Services and Aspirations Objectives and policies were discussed and accepted. ACTION: IT & Comms Working Group to formalise and standardise names

of spaces/areas in the NP e.g. Adlington Road play area during the proof reading post 3rd March 2017

ACTION: Robert BoSmith to provide reference details of the ‘Manual for Streets’ for the NP to Mike Burdekin

ACTION: Ken Edwards to confirm that the Civic Society has agreed to work in partnership with the NP SC on the extension of the Bollington Cross Conservation Area and the monitoring of changes or developments in the historic environment

5. Next stages to progress the Plan

ACTION: Mike Burdekin agreed to insert the policies as agreed at the SC of 27th February 2017 into the NP framework and send it to the Town Hall with a request to print copies for the SC members

ACTION: SC members committed to perform a final review of the agreed text and provide comments to Mike Burdekin by the end of Friday 3rd March 2017

ACTION: Mike Burdekin to provide Tom Evans with a copy of the agreed text for review with regard to assessing the need for a Heritage Assessment.

6. Arrangements for Public Presentation at Town Meeting

It was agreed that Mike Burdekin would present a concise update at the meeting, ideally no longer than 20 minutes.

It was agreed that there would be paper copies of the agreed policies available for interested members of the public to take home.

7. Current Budget position and Update on Project Plan requirements.

£1300 of the Bollington Town Council budget had been spent on the Cheshire Community Action review of the NP performed by Lucy Hughes in January/February 2017. The original estimate for the work agreed by the Town Council was £1328.

8. Any other business - none 9. Dates of next Focus Group and Steering Committee meetings.

Minutes25 SC27-2-17

ACTION: IT & Comms Working Group meeting. This meeting to be arranged after the SC members have reviewed the policies and before Article 14. The purpose of the meeting would be for Amanda Stott and Steve Roxborough to organize proof reading/consistency check on the proposed NP policies.

Planning Executive Committee Minutes March 7th 2017 Page 1 of 6

Minutes of the Planning Executive Committee 7th March 2017 7.00pm held in Bollington Town Hall Present: The Mayor Cllr Allan Williams; The Deputy Mayor Cllr Andrew Langdon; Cllrs: Chris Bennett, Ken Edwards, Roland Edwards, Anthony Harrison, Graham Hibbert, James Nicholas, Amanda Stott, Jon Weston, John Whitehurst and Angela Williams; David Naylor Town Clerk

Two members of the public were present concerning an item on the following Council Meeting agenda.

847 Apologies for absence: 848 Declarations of Interest: None 849 To receive the Minutes from the Planning Meeting held 21st February 2017

(minute numbers 840-846) The minutes were agreed as a true record. 850 Matters Arising from the Minutes:

851 To receive the decisions on planning applications and notifications from

Cheshire East Council: It was RESOLVED that the following decisions be noted.

a) Planning permission GRANTED with Conditions: None

16/5043M Pool House, Clarke Lane, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5AH

Extensions to building Consultation Deadline 9th November The Council RESOLVED to object to the application and the grounds of overdevelopment in the green belt. 16/5997M Spinners Arms, 76, PALMERSTON STREET, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5PW

The proposed internal and external works to building and beer garden- Consultation Deadline 2nd February No objection from the Town Council 16/6063M Spinners Arms, 76, Palmerston Street, Bollington, SK10 5PW Installation of 1no. projection sign, 3no. poster cases, 1no. set of individual halo lit lettering and associated lighting Consultation Deadline 25th January 4

Planning Executive Committee Minutes March 7th 2017 Page 2 of 6

The Council RESOLVED not to object to this application subject to the poster casings being in keeping with the Conservation Area and approved by the Conservation Officer. The meeting felt that the ones shown in the plan would detract from the building and should be made of wood. 17/0224M 5, SOUTH WEST AVENUE, BOLLINGTON, CHESHIRE, SK10 5DX

Single storey rear extension, front porch and part garage conversion

Consultation Deadline 6th February No objection from the Town Council 17/0472T 77A, Water Street, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5PA

Tree works to reduce cherry tree by up to 30%

No objection from the Town Council

b) Planning applications WITHDRAWN:

16/5559M & 16/5564M COOP 2, WATERWHEEL WAY, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5DQ

Variation of Condition 28 on application 11/4501M - Outline application for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a residential led mixed use development for up to 99 dwellings and co-op foodstore with the entrance off Wellington road. Consultation Deadline 21st December. Variation of condition 3 (plans) on approved 13/2520M - Reserved matters being applied for are access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the proposed food store. Consultation Deadline 14th December No objection from the Town Council

c) Planning decisions REFUSED OR DEFERRED:

Refused: None

Appeals lodged: None

d) Still awaiting a decision It was RESOLVED that the following applications awaiting a decision be noted:

12/0515M Ingersley Vale Works, Ingersley Vale. SK10 5PB Variation of Condition 41 relating to approved Plans on Approval 08/0791P Ingersley Vale Works The Council raised no objection to the variations within this application but noted the concerns of residents regarding the access road and therefore requested that road ownership and future maintenance be resolved to the satisfaction of local residents as part of some other process. Deadline 14/03/12

12/3845M St John The Baptist Church, Church St, Bollington. SK10 5PY Variation of Condition 2 & 17 of App 10/2927M and condition 2 of App 10/2959M relation to Windows and Trees No objection from the Town Council

Planning Executive Committee Minutes March 7th 2017 Page 3 of 6

Note: At the Planning Meeting held 2 September 2014, The Clerk advised that he had spoken to a representative of the Simply Group and they were ready to start work this calendar year. Note: This matter was again debated at the Planning meeting held 24 March 2015 At the meeting (7 April 2015) The Clerk reported that he had spoken to a representative from The Simply Group who asked that the Council be reassured that the project would go ahead as planned and that the Simply Group would be willing to attend a future meeting if requested. Note: at the meeting (6 October 2015), the Clerk advised that a representative from the Simply Group had been invited to the 20 October Planning Executive Committee to discuss progress with the application

15/1683M LAND OPPOSITE, Lowerhouse Mill, ALBERT ROAD, BOLLINGTON

Development of 38 new houses including 11 affordable houses, landscaping, landscape buffer zone, flood mitigation and ground works, roads, associated highways and infrastructure. Deadline 22/06/15 The full comments to Cheshire East Council can be found in the Minutes of the Meeting from June 2nd 2015

16/1346M Footprints Nursery, Dean Valley School, Albert Road, Bollington. Erection of small detached single storey building. Deadline 21st April No objection from the Town Council

16/2096M ENDON QUARRY WINDMILL LANE KERRIDGE BOLLINGTON

Telecommunications installation and associated works (NTQ Replacement) Consultation Deadline 1st June The Town Council was very concerned regarding the lack of information showing the visual impact this 20 metre mast would have viewed from the West and its height compared with the Kerridge ridge. It looked potentially very intrusive. It was RESOLVED that Cheshire East be requested to obtain the necessary information

16/2632D Land at Hurst Lane, Bollington SK10 5LP Discharge of conditons 2, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15 on application 15/3461M Residential development comprising erection of seven dwellings with associated works Last Date for Comment 29 June The Town Council RESOLVED to note these applications but in terms of the Traffic Plan felt that it did not go far enough in directing heavy lorry drivers to use the best means of access to the site.

16/4616M Kingsfield Park, LIVESLEY ROAD, MACCLESFIELD, CHESHIRE

Substitution of house types and amended layout on plots 9-14A, 71, 110-113B and 175. Amended layout at Goodwin Close, plots 46-54 and Hetherington Square of approved scheme 13/2661M Consultation Deadline 10th November. No objection from the Town Council

Planning Executive Committee Minutes March 7th 2017 Page 4 of 6

16/6172M Bowling Green, Ingersley Vale, Bollington, Cheshire East Reserved matters application following outline approval 15/2354M - Details of Appearance of the proposed 11no. 2.5 storey townhouses and 1no. detached house. Details of Landscape layout and materials, plot and boundary treatments. Consultation Deadline 16th February Several member of the public attended the meeting to make their observations about this application. The Council RESOLVED to support these comment which can be found in the minutes of the meeting.

16/6217M 2, SHRIGLEY RISE, BOLLINGTON, MACCLESFIELD, CHESHIRE, SK10 5QR

Demolition of existing single storey rear conservatory / sun room and erection of single storey rear extension with tiled roof within existing footprint. Deadline 8th February No objection from the Town Council

17/0282M KERRIDGE CRICKET CLUB, CLARKE LANE, BOLLINGTON. SK10 5AH Application to Vary Condition 7 (hours of use and flood lighting) on Planning Approval 16/0214M - Crown bowling green, floodlights and associated works

Consultation Deadline 2nd March No objection from the Town Council

17/0360M ADSHEAD BARN FARM, 52-54, LORD STREET, CHESHIRE, SK10 5BN Partial demolition of existing store, internal and external alterations. Formation of new patio area, and associated work

Consultation Deadline 2nd March No objection from the Town Council 17/0398M Land Adjacent To 28, HIGHFIELD ROAD, BOLLINGTON

Demolition of two lock up garages and the erection of 1no. detached dwelling, with associated parking and landscaping. To extend the period for implementation of approved plan 14/0593M for an additional three years. This application is an exact re-submission of the 2014 proposal, and no changes whatsoever have been made to the proposed dwelling

Consultation Deadline 23rd February No objection from the Town Council 17/0426M 2, FOXGLOVE CLOSE, BOLLINGTON, MACCLESFIELD, CHESHIRE, SK10 5DH

Proposed two storey rear, and single storey side, extension Consultation Deadline 16th February No objection from the Town Council 17/0434T CRAIGEND, WINDMILL LANE, KERRIDGE, SK10 5AZ Remove low branches and basal spur Consultation Deadline 16th February No objection from the Town Council

17/0463M 85, SOUTH WEST AVENUE, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5DX

Two storey front extension Consultation Deadline 21st February No objection from the Town Council

Planning Executive Committee Minutes March 7th 2017 Page 5 of 6

17/0481M The Coach House, CLARENCE ROAD, BOLLINGTON, CHESHIRE, SK10 5JZ

Demolition of existing extension and conservatory and replacement with similar. Consultation Deadline 2nd March No objection from the Town Council 17/0517T Stake House End Farm, 64, CHANCERY LANE, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5BJ

Fell four Spruce trees (G1). No objection from the Town Council

17/0551T 9, BEESTON MOUNT, BOLLINGTON, CHESHIRE, SK10 5QY

Fell Spruce tree No objection from the Town Council

17/0643D LAND AT HURST LANE, BOLLINGTON, CHESHIRE, SK10 5LP

Discharge of Condition 14 on application 15/3461M (Bin Storage) No objection from the Town Council

17/0668T OAK BANK HOUSE, 1, OAKBANK DRIVE, BOLLINGTON. SK10 5RJ

Fell 1x Rowan and 4x Lime trees No objection from the Town Council 17/0738M Orchard Lodge, HENSHALL ROAD, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5DN

Proposed removal of one room and add a new storey above existing lounge & kitchen Consultation Deadline 3rd March. No objection from the Town Council

Planning Executive Committee Minutes March 7th 2017 Page 6 of 6

852 New street Name and Addresses off Hurst Lane, Bollington Following the consideration of many suggestions, it was RESOLVED that Cheshire East Council should be recommeded to adopt “Old Woodyard” as an appropriatee name which reflected the history of the site.

853 In terms of Application 12/3845M St John The Baptist Church, Church St, Bollington. SK10 5PY. It was RESOLVED that a representative from The Simply Group be invited to the next meeting to discuss the continuing delay with the commencement of the development.

854 To make observations on Planning Applications currently on deposit:

17/0706D

BOWLING GREEN, INGERSLEY VALE, BOLLINGTON, CHESHIRE EAST

Discharge of conditions 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17 on approval 15/2354M - Outline application for proposed 11 no. 2.5 storey and 2 no. 2 storey residential housing - resubmission of 15/0669M

Consultation Deadline 10th March This item was deferred to the meeting of 21st March

17/0990M 13, ALBERT ROAD, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5HS

Certificate of lawful proposed development of dormer extension which falls within the applicants permitted development rights. The Town Council could not add anything to aid this decision 17/0868M Bollington Arts Centre, WELLINGTON ROAD, BOLLINGTON, SK10 5JR

Proposed external landscape works to provide level access between entrances, create new entrance through an existing window opening and replacement of existing doors Consultation Deadline 30th March The Council RESOLVED not to object to this application 17/0904M

Land At, BALL LANE ROUNDABOUT, BOLLINGTON

Advertisement Consent - Erection of 4 sponsorship signs on the roundabout. One facing each entry point onto the roundabout Consultation Deadline 14th March The Council RESOLVED to object to this application because the signs could be distracting to motorist on this very busy national speed limit road.

855 To note that the next Planning Meeting of the Town Council will be held: Tuesday March 21st 2017 at 7.00pm at Bollington Town Hall.

Personnel Advisory Committee Minutes 8 March 2017

Minutes of the Personnel Advisory Committee Meeting 8 March 2017 10.00am held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bollington Present: Town Mayor Cllr Allan Williams, Deputy Mayor Cllr Andrew Langdon (part); Cllrs: Amanda Stott and Angela Williams; David Naylor Town Clerk; Jennifer Brockbank RFO.

1. Apologies for absence: There were apologies from The Mayor Cllr James Nicholas and Cllr Jon Weston

2. The minutes of the meeting held 26 July 2016 were accepted and approved as an accurate record.

3. Matters arising from the minutes: There were none

4. Town Warden A lengthy discussion took place regarding the current work of the Town Wardens. It was noted that a decision had not yet been taken regarding the type and size of van to provide. The aim was to obtain a vehicle of sufficient size to do the job and to park preferably in the Town Hall garage.

The main issue preventing the decision to buy or lease a small van was whether the vehicle would need to transport the barriers to the road closures. Also, whether the wardens should be trained in traffic management to avoid the Town Council having to employ an external “man with a van” with his helper to transport the barriers, distribute and collect in the signage and “man” the two main diversion points. The current cost per closure was £250 x 4 per year.

It should be remembered that Cheshire East’s ANSA was charging £560 per closure until the Town Council took on the responsibility and funded the training of the external two men at operator level and Cllr Langdon at supervisor level. Cllr Langdon receives no payment and volunteers his time.

It may be possible to source a trailer to accommodate the barriers.

It was RESOLVED to assess the potential for a trailer and to ensure that the driving licenses of the Town Wardens included trailers of that size/weight.

Also discussed was whether the wardens should take over locking and unlocking the toilets at Adlington Road (all year) and the Recreation Ground (April – October). Currently the Town Council uses the services of a local resident £30 per week April – October and £20 per week November to March. The issue was the 8.am and dusk commitments at weekends and bank holidays, and the dusk commitments on weekdays (Recreation Ground staff open both Adlington Road and the Recreation Ground toilets during the working week but do not close them).

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Personnel Advisory Committee Minutes 8 March 2017

It was RESOLVED to discuss this matter with the wardens. One of them lived local (the other lived in Hazel Grove).

Another issue was window cleaning. A portable machine had been identified (cost circa £800 including long lance). However, it would still have difficulty reaching some of the windows at the Civic Hall and Town Hall because of ground level projections. Currently, the windows were cleaned privately by a company using ladders. The purchase of this machine would recoup its costs within one year offset by the in-house cost of staff time.

It was RESOLVED to try and hire a machine for a trial

The Clerk advised that the original objective was to get the Town Wardens out and if necessary to be cleaning up rubbish from the Town or initiating and monitoring it where it had been referred to Cheshire East. That was not happening.

5. IT The Clerk advised that delivering SharePoint was taking up significant time and this was falling on the shoulders of the Town Hall Assistant. She was currently working on rolling out the service to members and developing the Planner functionality within SharePoint which provided the real-time logging and tracking of service requests. Any authorised user could access the Planner either staff or Cllrs.

It was RESOLVED that the Town Council consider funding separate hours for the Town Hall Assistant to devote to delivering SharePoint when she would not be distracted by other work. It was RESOLVED to report to the next meeting proposed hours and costs.

It was further RESOLVED to supply a list of the computers that need replacement and a costings.

6. Training The Town Wardens needed training in terms of correct lifting and carrying, safe ladder use and the used of the Council’s scaffolding tower. This was being arranged by Peter Clare.

Also, the staff and members need training in the use of Social Media to avoid any chance of bringing the Council into disrepute

7. Date of next meeting – 18 April 2017 10am

FRIENDS OF BOLLINGTON RECREATION GROUND

Minutes of the meeting held on 20/03/17

PRESENT Chris Bennett (Chair) Cllr, BTC Jimmy Yea Head Groundsman Andrea Paterson Cricket Club Rob Murdoch Cricket Club Hazel Illingworth Resident Roland Edwards Bollington Festival Betsie Dixon Bollington Festival Andrew CE Youth Service Fiona Ellis CE Youth Service Yvonne Droy Resident Michael Droy Resident Roger Johnson Bowling Club APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Ken Edwards Cllr, BTC Jon Weston Cllr, BTC Bill Livesley Case worker for Cllr. Weston David Naylor Town Clerk Ruth Morgan CE Charlie Griffiths ANSA ELECTION OF SECRETARY & TREASURER CB suggested that members take it in turns to write the minutes; RJ volunteered first. The post of Treasurer was left in abeyance. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 09/09/16 Accepted. MATTERS ARISING None. TREASURER’S REPORT In the absence of the Treasurer no report was forthcoming; CB felt that there should still be £1987.57 in the account as reported in the previous minutes. FESTIVAL 2019 RE & BD revealed that the next Bollington Festival would run from 10th - 27th May 2019, and appealed for help from FoBR, either as an involved group or in raising funds. CB mentioned the Civic Pride Day (17th June) as being a good time to run a publicity stall, both for FoBR & Bollington Festival. REPLACEMENT CRICKET NETS CB stated that there would be no 106 agreement monies coming from the Hurst Lane development but there was a possibility of some from the Lowerhouse development.

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PAVILION UPGRADING Both the Cricket Club and the Youth Service expressed a wish, as users, to be involved in any plans to upgrade the pavilion; CB to contact Ruth Morgan/CE Assets to discuss ways of progressing the matter. There was currently a problem with one of the pavilion boilers – CB to contact RM to seek a solution. The FoBR agreed to fund the purchase of a new notice board for the Youth Service. HEAD GROUNDSMAN’S REPORT JY reported that he had now had one mower returned from servicing, but the lack of equipment in recent fine spells had been most frustrating. Winter had been spent on general tidying, lots of wood-chipping and painting. The Cricket Club were planning to purchase a new roller, but storage and terms of usage have still to be agreed. Green Flag: JY was expecting a formal inspection of the Recreation Ground after Easter; date TBA. RJ raised the question of maintenance of the corrugated iron shed by the side of the bowling green; the shed was attracting an unwarranted degree of anti-social behaviour, including dug-users, and after discussion it was agreed that that CB contact RM with a view to finding a solution – which could include demolition. PROPOSED HIMALAYAN BALSAM BASH It was agreed that this should be done before the Green Flag inspection; AP to liaise with Emma Houghton (Ranger Service) regarding a suitable date. DATE OF NEXT MEETING Monday 24th April, 6.00pm at the Cricket Pavilion

Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee 21 March 2017 Page 1

Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee Meeting 21 March 2017 7.30pm held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bollington Present: The Mayor Cllr Allan Williams; The Deputy Mayor Cllr Andrew Langdon; Cllrs: Chris Bennett, Graham Hibbert, James Nicholas, Amanda Stott, Jon Weston, Ken Edwards, Roland Edwards, Anthony Harrison, Angela Williams and John Whitehurst; David Haddleton, Bollington Initiative Trust (BIT), Graham Barrow BIT, Shirley Sugden BIT and Kate Gooding BIT; David Naylor Town Clerk

Four members of the public were present: two concerning the Water Street Centre, and two concerning Moss Brow. 1. Apologies for absence: None 2. Declarations of Interest: There were no declarations of interest

3. The Minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 February 2017

It was RESOLVED to approve the Minutes as a correct record. There were no matters arising from the minutes.

4. Moss Brow One-Way Proposal – This item was brought forward on the Agenda

Ms. Rose-Marie Benavides, a resident of Moss Brow, expressed concern that the survey, currently underway and organised by Cheshire East Highways was flawed in the following respects:

The survey’s catchment area was too wide and included residents not directly affected by any future one-way system.

Equal weighting would be given to the wishes of not directly affected residents such as those living on Irwell Rise and Hall Hill.

The pros and cons explanation sheet had not been sent to the 300 residents involved in the survey but instead all were invited to a drop-in session on the 18th March at the Scout Hut on Albert Road

Not everyone could be expected to be able to attend this session because of the very short notice of only a few days

The list of questions on the survey form began by asking about the future direction of the one-way system with the last question being “do you want a one-way system”. It was, therefore, leading recipients to a conclusion

The survey letter led recipients to believe that a previous survey had shown no clear majority against a one-way system when in effect 28 respondents had said no and 23 had said yes and 6 did not know

Accident data was very sparse with no injuries being reported

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Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee 21 March 2017 Page 2

A one- way system would speed up traffic and no measures were proposed for slowing it down or protecting pedestrians due to the limited width of the narrow section of the Brow

Ms. Benavides asked why the Town Council had initiated the one-way action. The Clerk replied that the issue repeatedly cropped up on the agenda of the Town Council’s Highways Committee. The Moss Brow Residents Association had been pursuing action to calm the Brow since 2008 and measures had been added since then such as the weight limit and the 20mph limit both of which had witnessed limited success. It was not possible to block the Brow in the middle because of the lack of turning areas, therefore, a one-way system was the only option left.

The Town Council had requested Cheshire East to evaluate this last remaining option and for a public meeting to be held at the local school. However, Cheshire East had decided to progress their own formal survey which would also satisfy the process requirements of any subsequent Traffic Order. The Clerk added that there was no intention on the part of the Town Council to progress a one-way system against the wishes of those most affected by it, the intention was to conclude the issue once and for all and to remove the recurring issue from the Council’s agendas. The Town Council was also interested in coupling any one-way system with measures to slow traffic and protect pedestrians.

Cllr Weston defended the Town Council’s decision to progress a community consultation but was very concerned that Cheshire East had taken over the process and could end up declaring a result which may not be trusted. He had asked for a door to door survey conducted by the Town Councillors followed by a public meeting but Cheshire East had taken over the process with very little communication before letters had been sent. Ms. Benavides was assured that the Town Council would scrutinise the results of the survey very closely and ensure that the statistical data was made public, including the area where the different respondents lived and their preferences. There was no merit in the Town Council having a one-way system imposed where it was clear that residents most affected by it did not want it.

5. The Water Street Centre The Town Council considered this application for financial support from the Bollington Initiative Trust (BIT).

The background for this was that BIT had engaged with a builder to build houses at the rear of the Centre which would have used a diagonal access route passing through the Centre’s car park and losing in the process 6-7 car parking spaces. The Town Council had objected to the planning application, which had then been refused by Cheshire East Council. One of the items cited for refusal was the loss of these car parking spaces which would be needed if the first floor was developed into a Family Hub. The loss of these spaces would push parking onto streets already jammed with parked cars. The developer would have paid BIT circa £100k for the right of access through the car park. This funding would have been used to repair the roof of the Centre and help to deliver their business plan.

BIT were thanked for the detailed information provided in relation to their plans for the Centre, including the updated, but still draft, business plan. The Council noted that BIT was in the process of preparing a public consultation regarding the draft business plan. This was part of the application process for support funding from the Bright Ideas Fund. The Council also noted that the services of a consultant had been secured, funded from

Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee 21 March 2017 Page 3

a Government body called Locality, to help with this funding application which hoped to secure up to £300,000 to deliver the final business plan.

The Town Council made it clear that it appreciated the work of the Trust and would like to help in any way possible. However, support in the form of a grant would have to be funded by precept payers and should be based on their capacity and willingness to fund it. Their willingness, would be related to the benefit to the Town and the benefit to themselves and their families. It should also be remembered that any financial support, in the form of either a grant or a loan would require the Town Council to borrow, and even though a loan would not increase the precept, the Council would still be required to consult residents via a mini referendum. This could be achieved quickly with a survey questionnaire delivered to each household.

The business plan had not yet had a public airing so it was not easy to judge the public perception of it. Some members of the Council felt that it was very ambitious in terms of the projected income and the costs were also considered to be high. Also, the range of services offered in terms of the family hub may not be used by certain sections of the Bollington community, for example pensioners on fixed incomes. In addition to this, the catchment area of the family hub was well beyond the boundaries of Bollington with 4,000 children being mentioned. Again, residents of Bollington could be against providing funding for a Hub which served a large proportion of people external to Bollington.

The Council felt that it could not consider a grant of £60k plus an interest free loan of £120k and should instead be focusing on helping to ensure that the roof was repaired, protecting the Centre’s existing uses and providing a breathing space to move forward following community consultation on the business plan.

BIT were asked to recognise the financial situation of the Town Council in that it did not have large unallocated resources that could be targeted at community projects. If it was to provide significant help, it would have to apply to the Public Works Loans Board for a loan to pass on to their organisation. Any such application would require the Council to pay interest and capital on the loan that would have be covered by a rise in our precept. The Council was concerned that this would come at a time of considerable rises in Council Tax demands from Cheshire East and the Police authority and other spending pressures being faced by the Town Council.

BIT representatives were questioned about the Business Plan and the projected income and costings. The relationships between BIT and their principal tenant was also questioned in terms of who would be managing the Family Hub.

It also became apparent that BIT were about to re-mark the Water Street Car Park which would then provide 13 spaces - currently, 17-18 cars can park. This was apparently because of safeguarding issues and the car park needed to have walkways for mothers and children attending the pre-school. It was noted that the net loss of car parking if the car park was also used to provide access to a development on land at the rear would then be only two instead of 6 or 7. Some members felt that providing access through the car park for a development was not in itself helpful in promoting safeguarding and that re-marking this car park in this way was perhaps preparing the ground for a resubmission of the planning application.

After a lengthy debate, including comments from Water Street residents, a proposal was tabled to offer a grant of £60k to BIT to help repair the roof subject to certain conditions such as securing the loan against the asset of the Centre and seeking approval from residents. This proposal although seconded was lost on the vote.

Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee 21 March 2017 Page 4

A proposal was then submitted to provide a loan, which was carried, with the following RESOLUTION:

Given all the above considerations Bollington Town Council recommends to the Council meeting on 4th April that it is prepared to lend the Bollington Initiative Trust a sum of £60,000 to be devoted solely to the repair of the roof of the Water Street Centre. The loan would be repaid to the Town Council over an agreed number of years to match or exceed the remaining overage clause period. The loan’s servicing costs, paid by BIT throughout this period, would match those paid by the Town Council to the Public Works Loans Board.

The interest rate charged by the Public Works Loans Board was expected to be low, circa 3%. It could be arranged on either a reducing balance or equal payments over the loan period whichever is preferred.

If the loan was accepted the following conditions would need to fulfilled.

1. There could be no recourse to finance from a developer through selling off or annexing any portion of the current Water Street Estate which the Council would regard as including all land and buildings at the Centre currently under the control of BIT.

2. A full recent building survey would be required to be presented to the Council to allow us to understand the overall costs of bringing the Water Street Centre to a good standard of repair. We would need to be assured that funding the roof repair would not leave any other defects unfunded which would threaten the Centre’s future. It is understood that the current survey is 3 to 4 years old and the Town Council would like a new or updated survey to be carried out.

3. The roofing quotes would also need to be updated and firmed up to ensure that the costs were both current and accurate to guard against unforeseen increases. The Town Council would also like to be involved in the process of selecting the contractor. It is understood that Cllr Weston was trying to identify local companies who may be interested and provide a more economically advantageous offering whilst delivering good quality.

4. The loan of £60,000 would be secured on the Water Street Centre. Specifically, if at any time of the duration of the loan the Centre or any part of it was sold into private hands or ceased to be a community building, then any outstanding balance of the loan would then be repaid without unreasonable delay.

5. During any the sale of the asset, which could take some time, the servicing costs of the loan would continue to be met by BIT from income from the Water Street Centre or any other part of BIT’s income.

6. A Town Council led consultation would have to take place with precept payers regarding the need to borrow £60,000. However, there would be no precept rise and, therefore a positive response would be expected.

7. All costs, legal and financial involved in the arrangement of the loan and drawing up the agreement of the above loan conditions would be met by BIT

6. The Silk Road Toucan Pedestrian Crossing In terms of the withdrawal of the school buses from Bollington to Tytherington High School, Cheshire East Council had decided that although they considered the Middlewood Way to be a safe route to school, a crossing was required across the Silk Road at the Bollington Road Junction with the Silk Road. It would be set slightly South

Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee 21 March 2017 Page 5

East of the roundabout and be equipped with cycle lanes leading to it. A 30mph zone on the approaches and speed-operated warning signage would also be provided.

The Council debated this matter and although it continued to vigorously fight for the retention of the school buses and against the view of Cheshire East’s conclusion that the Middlewood Way offered a safe route to school, a Toucan crossing at this location should not be resisted and would provide increased safety for anyone crossing the Silk Road at this point.

The Council RESOLVED that: The Town Council welcomes the Silk Road Crossing and looks forward to further consultations on safety which we believe are going to happen and asks Cheshire East to keep the Town Council informed.

7. Co-op/Wellington Road Pedestrian Crossing Cheshire East Highways had carries out a survey on 1st February concerning the need for a pedestrian crossing on Wellington Road outside the Co-op. It concluded that the number of people crossing the road at this point did not warrant a crossing within the nationally recognised assessment criteria which considers the pedestrian/vehicle conflict known as PV2. As such, Cheshire East Council Highways would not sanction spending £60k on providing one. Consideration was given to the Town Council and the Co-op contributing towards the cost. However, it was pointed out that the survey commented that a crossing at this point would reduce safety rather than improve it because the crossing would only occasionally be used and local drivers would not expect to find anyone on it. It was RESOLVED to accept the findings of the survey.

8. Zig Zag Road Markings outside School in Bollington Cheshire East Highways was currently consulting on whether parking restrictions outside schools on zig zag lines should be relaxed before 7.30am and after 6pm on weekdays and all day at weekends. This was part of a national initiative for Highway authorities such as Cheshire East to adopt using the hours quoted, there could be no variation in these hours.

The Mayor felt that the proposed measure was not in accordance with the highway code and would result in all such road markings being disrespected and would cause danger to school children. He highlighted the periods outside the proposed restricted hours when school children would be at school both in the evening and at weekends. He believed the measure was ill thought through, lacked proper consultation and was inherently dangerous.

It was RESOLVED: that, in view of this being a national initiative, David Rutley MP would be informed of Bollington Town Council’s concern and that Cheshire East Highways would be informed of the Town Council’s strong objection to the proposal being adopted locally.

9. Pavement Fronting 2-30 Wellington Road Cheshire East Highways had consulted the Town Council concerning their intention to replace the broken concrete flags fronting these properties. The flags had been re-laid 18 months ago but were again sunken and broken due to parking. The intention was to replace them with tarmac. The area was not within a conservation area.

After some debate it was RESOLVED to agree to this only on the proviso that stone sets were inlaid in two courses set slightly back from the kerb-line to improve the appearance of the pavement in front of these stone properties.

Minutes of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee 21 March 2017 Page 6

10. Date of the Next Meeting

16 May 2017 7.30pm

(following the Planning Executive Committee)

Audit & Accounts Working Group Minutes 22 March 2017

Minutes of the Audit & Accounts Working Group 22 March 2017 – 10.00am held in the Police Meeting Room, Town Hall, Bollington Present: Cllrs: Amanda Stott (Chair), Andrew Langdon. Town Clerk David Naylor and RFO Jennifer Brockbank

1. Apologies for absence

Cllr Ken Edwards and Cllr Jon Weston

2. Declarations of interest None

3. To approve the minutes of the last meeting 04/01/17 The minutes were approved.

4. To review the interim internal audit report from JDH Business Services Interim Report - the Working Group considered the Interim Internal Audit Report from JDH 2016-2017 and it was noted that JDH Business Services is an independent organisation and undertakes the internal audit in accordance with the External Audit regulations. There were four issues raised in the internal audit that required action and are detailed in the attached report together with the Working Groups actions. The Working Group RESOLVED to recommend the Council accept the Interim Internal audit report and recommended action. Earmark Reserves - the Working Group decided to meet in April to review the earmark reserves. The RFO was asked to arrange the meeting.

5. Local Government Transparency Code The Group reviewed the Transparency Code and it was deemed that most of the identified areas are already publicised on the council website but that they were not necessarily easy to locate. The Clerk and Website Administrator will liaise with Blumin to redesign the website to include a ‘monthly calendar’ showing what is coming up and including the agendas and minutes of meetings. As the council’s budget is under £200,000 the transparency code is being adhered to on a voluntary basis. The Working Group RESOLVED to recommend the Council accept the Transparency Code and to have part of the website redesigned for ease of use. The publication of accounts was agreed as per the example.

6. Date of Next Meeting 13 April 2017 at 10am to review Earmark Reserves June/July to review the internal audit report 8

February 2015 Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Government Transparency Code 2015

© Crown copyright, 2015

Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown.

You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence,http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

This document/publication is also available on our website at www.gov.uk/dclg

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February 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4098-4484-6

3

Contents

1 Part 1: Introduction 4 2 Part 2: Information which must be published 11 3 Part 3: Information recommended for publication 23 4 Annex A: Table summarising all information to be published 28 5 Annex B: Detecting and preventing fraud 38 6 Annex C: Social housing asset data to be published 40

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Part 1: Introduction

Policy context 1. This Code is issued to meet the Government’s desire to place more power into citizens’

hands to increase democratic accountability and make it easier for local people to contribute to the local decision making process and help shape public services. Transparency is the foundation of local accountability and the key that gives people the tools and information they need to enable them to play a bigger role in society. The availability of data can also open new markets for local business, the voluntary and community sectors and social enterprises to run services or manage public assets.

2. ‘Data’ means the objective, factual data, on which policy decisions are based and on

which public services are assessed, or which is collected or generated in the course of public service delivery. This should be the basis for publication of information on the discharge of local authority functions.

3. Analysis by Deloitte1 for the Shakespeare Review of Public Sector Information

estimates the economic benefits of public sector information in the United Kingdom as £1.8 billion, with social benefits amounting to £5 billion. The study highlights the significant potential benefits from the publication of public data. And, local authorities and local people want to see published open data:

80 per cent of those responding to a transparency survey2 by the Local Government Association in September 2012 cited external accountability as a benefit, with 56 per cent citing better local decision making and democracy as a benefit

a survey of 800 members of Bedford’s Citizens Panel3 showed that 64 per cent of respondents thought it was very important that the council makes data available to the public and the public were most interested in seeing data made available about council spending and budgets (66 per cent)

research by Ipsos MORI4 found that the more citizens feel informed, the more they tend to be satisfied with public services and their local authorities.

1 “Market Assessment of Public Sector Information”, Deloitte, May 2013,

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/198905/bis-13-743-market-assessment-of-public-sector-information.pdf 2 “Local Government Transparency Survey 2012”, LGA, December 2012,

http://www.local.gov.uk/documents/10180/11541/Local_Government_Transparency_Survey_2012.pdf/dd4c24ed-20ba-4feb-b6eb-fea21e4af049 3 ”Citizens Panel Summer 2011 Survey Results Data Transparency” Bedford Borough Council, August 2011

(unpublished) 4 “What do people want, need and expect from public services?”, Ipsos MORI, 2010, http://www.ipsos-

mori.com/DownloadPublication/1345_sri_what_do_people_want_need_and_expect_from_public_services_110310.pdf

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4. Therefore, the Government believes that in principle all data held and managed by local authorities should be made available to local people unless there are specific sensitivities (eg. protecting vulnerable people or commercial and operational considerations) to doing so. It encourages local authorities to see data as a valuable resource not only to themselves, but also their partners and local people.

5. Three principles have guided the development of this Code:

demand led – there are growing expectations that new technologies and publication of data should support transparency and accountability. It is vital that public bodies recognise the value to the public of the data they hold, understand what they hold, what their communities want and then release it in a way that allows the public, developers and the media to use it

open – provision of public data should become integral to local authority engagement with local people so that it drives accountability to them. Its availability should be promoted and publicised so that residents know how to access it and how it can be used. Presentation should be helpful and accessible to local people and other interested persons, and

timely – the timeliness of making public data available is often of vital importance. It should be made public as soon as possible following production even if it is not accompanied with detailed analysis.

6. This Code ensures local people can now see and access data covering (annex A

summarises the publication requirements specified in this Code):

how money is spent – for example, all spending transactions over £500, all Government Procurement Card spending and contracts valued over £5,000

use of assets – ensuring that local people are able to scrutinise how well their local authority manages its assets5. For example, self-financing for council housing – introduced in April 2012 – gave each local authority a level of debt it could support based on the valuation of its housing stock. This Code gives local people the information they need to ask questions about how their authority is managing its housing stock to ensure it is put to best use, including considering whether higher value, vacant properties could be used to fund the building of new affordable homes and so reduce waiting lists. The requirement in paragraphs 38 to 41 builds on existing Housing Revenue Account practices6

decision making – how decisions are taken and who is taking them, including how much senior staff are paid, and

issues important to local people – for example, parking and the amount spent by an authority subsidising trade union activity.

5 Nationally, local authorities’ estate (all forms of land and buildings) is estimated to be worth about £220

billion. 6 The Housing Revenue Account (Accounting Practices) Directions 2011 require that local authorities’ annual

statement of accounts include disclosure of the total balance sheet value of the land, houses and other property and the vacant possession value of dwellings within the authority’s Housing Revenue Account, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-housing-revenue-account-directions-2011.

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7. Local authorities are encouraged to consider the responses the Government received7 to its consultation and look to go further than this Code by publishing some of the data proposed by respondents, in line with the principle that all data held and managed by local authorities should be made open and available to local people unless there are specific sensitivities to doing so.

8. Fraud can thrive where decisions are not open to scrutiny and details of spending,

contracts and service provision are hidden from view. Greater transparency, and the provisions in this Code, can help combat fraud. Local authorities should also use a risk management approach with strong internal control arrangements to reduce the risk of any payment fraud as a result of publishing public data. Local authorities should refer to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Code of Practice on Managing the Risk of Fraud and Corruption8. Annex B provides further information on combating fraud.

Application 9. This Code is issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

in exercise of his powers under section 2 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (“the Act”) to issue a Code of Recommended Practice (the Code) as to the publication of information by local authorities about the discharge of their functions and other matters which he considers to be related. It is issued following consultation in accordance with section 3(11) of the Act.

10. The Code does not replace or supersede the existing legal framework for access to

and re-use of public sector information provided by the:

Freedom of Information Act 2000 (as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012)

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005

Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) Regulations 2009, and

sections 25 and 26 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 20149 which provide rights for persons to inspect a local authority’s accounting records and supporting documentation, and to make copies of them.

11. This Code does not apply to Police and Crime Commissioners, for whom a separate

transparency framework applies.

7https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266815/Transparency_Code_

Government_Response.pdf (see paragraph 37) 8http://www.cipfa.org/services/counter-fraud-centre/code-of-practice

9 See the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2014/234) for details of when and how those rights may

be exercised.

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12. This Code only applies to local authorities in relation to descriptions of information or data where that type of local authority undertakes the particular function to which the information or data relates.

13. The Code applies in England only.

Definitions

14. In this Code:

“local authority” means:

a county council in England

a district council

a parish council which has gross annual income or expenditure (whichever is the higher) exceeding £200,000

a London borough council

the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority

the Council of the Isles of Scilly

a National Park authority for a National Park in England

the Broads Authority

the Greater London Authority so far as it exercises its functions through the Mayor

the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority

Transport for London

a fire and rescue authority (constituted by a scheme under section 2 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 or a scheme to which section 4 of that Act applies, and a metropolitan county fire and rescue authority)

a joint authority established by Part IV of the Local Government Act 1985 (fire and rescue services and transport)

a joint waste authority, i.e. an authority established for an area in England by an order under section 207 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

an economic prosperity board established under section 88 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009

a combined authority established under section 103 of that Act

a waste disposal authority, i.e. an authority established under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1985, and

an integrated transport authority for an integrated transport area in England.

8

“a social enterprise”10 means a business that trades for a social and/or environmental purpose and is a business which:

o aims to generate its income by selling goods and services, rather than through grants and donations

o is set up to specifically make a difference, and

o reinvests the profits it makes for the purpose of its social mission.

“a small or medium sized enterprise” means an undertaking which has fewer than 250 employees. “voluntary and community sector organisations” means a non-governmental organisation that is value-driven and which principally reinvests its surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives.

Data protection 15. The Government believes that local transparency can be implemented in a way that

complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. Where local authorities are disclosing information which potentially engages the Data Protection Act 1998, they must ensure that the publication of that information is compliant with the provisions of that Act. The Data Protection Act 1998 does not restrict or inhibit information being published about councillors or senior local authority officers because of the legitimate public interest in the scrutiny of such senior individuals and decision makers. The Data Protection Act 1998 also does not automatically prohibit information being published naming the suppliers with whom the authority has contracts, including sole traders, because of the public interest in accountability and transparency in the spending of public money.

16. For other situations where information held by local authorities contains public data

which cannot be disclosed in a Data Protection Act compliant manner, the Information Commissioner’s Office has published guidance on anonymisation of datasets, enabling publication of data which can yield insights to support public service improvement, whilst safeguarding individuals’ privacy11.

17. To ensure that published valuation information for social housing assets (see

paragraphs 38 to 41) is not disclosive of individual properties, authorities are required to publish their valuation data at postal sector level, i.e. full ‘outbound’ code (first part of the postcode) and first digit of the ‘inbound’ code (second part of the postcode). This provides an average cell size of 2,500 households, which should be large enough to prevent identification of individual dwellings. However, in particular areas where the postcode sector gives a number of households below 2,500 the postcode level should be set higher, that is at postcode district level (e.g.PO1 ***).

10

https://www.gov.uk/set-up-a-social-enterprise 11

http://ico.org.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/topic_guides/anonymisation

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18. Local authorities should also make the following adjustment prior to publishing social housing valuation data in order to mitigate the possibility of identifying individual properties:

Step 1 – for any given postcode sector where the number of occupied social housing properties in any valuation bands is less than a threshold of ’10’, authorities should merge that particular cell with the next lowest valuation band, and so on until the resultant merged cells contain at least ‘10’ occupied social housing properties. However, if continued repetition of step 1 leads to the number of valuation bands applied to that postcode sector falling below the proposed minimum threshold of valuation bands as set out in paragraph 17, authorities should then apply step 2.

Step 2 – authorities should merge the original (non-merged) valuation data for the relevant postcode sector with the valuation data with any adjoining postcode sectors which show the lowest number of socially rented properties. Then apply Step 1.

Licences

19. When using postcode data (for example, in connection with paragraphs 35 to 41), local authorities will need to assess their current licence arrangement with the Royal Mail with regards to the terms of use of the Postcode Address File (PAF).

Commercial confidentiality

20. The Government has not seen any evidence that publishing details about contracts entered into by local authorities would prejudice procurement exercises or the interests of commercial organisations, or breach commercial confidentiality unless specific confidentiality clauses are included in contracts. Local authorities should expect to publish details of contracts newly entered into – commercial confidentiality should not, in itself, be a reason for local authorities to not follow the provisions of this Code. Therefore, local authorities should consider inserting clauses in new contracts allowing for the disclosure of data in compliance with this Code.

Exclusions and exemptions

21. Authorities should ensure that they do not contravene the provisions of sections 100A, 100B or 100F of the Local Government Act 1972.

22. Where information would otherwise fall within one of the exemptions from disclosure,

for instance, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) Regulations 2009 or fall within Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 then it is at the discretion of the local authority whether or not to rely on that exemption or publish the data. Local authorities should start from the presumption of openness and disclosure of information, and not rely on exemptions to withhold information unless absolutely necessary.

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Timeliness and errors

23. Data should be as accurate as possible at first publication. While errors may occur, the publication of information should not be unduly delayed to rectify mistakes. This concerns errors in data accuracy. The best way to achieve this is by having robust information management processes in place.

24. Where errors in data are discovered, or files are changed for other reasons (such as

omissions), local authorities should publish revised information making it clear where and how there has been an amendment. Metadata on data.gov.uk should be amended accordingly.

Further guidance and support

25. The Local Government Association has published guidance12 on transparency (eg. technical guidance notes, best practice examples and case studies) to help local authorities comply with this Code.

12

http://www.local.gov.uk/practitioners-guides-to-publishing-data

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Part 2: Information which must be published

Part 2.1: Information to be published quarterly 26. Data covered by this section includes:

expenditure exceeding £500 (see paragraphs 28 and 29)

Government Procurement Card transactions (paragraph 30), and

procurement information (see paragraphs 31 and 32). 27. The data and information referred to in this Part (2.1) must be:

first published within a period of three months from the date on which the local authority last published that data under the Local Government Transparency Code 201413 and not later than one month after the quarter to which the data and information is applicable

published quarterly thereafter and on each occasion not later than one month after the quarter to which the data and information is applicable.

Expenditure exceeding £500

28. Local authorities must publish details of each individual item of expenditure that exceeds £50014. This includes items of expenditure15, consistent with Local Government Association guidance16, such as:

individual invoices

grant payments

expense payments

payments for goods and services

grants

grant in aid

rent

credit notes over £500, and

transactions with other public bodies.

13

Under the Local Government Transparency Code 2014, local authorities were required to publish this data on the first occasion, not later than 31 December 2014 and quarterly thereafter. 14

The threshold should be, where possible, the net amount excluding recoverable Value Added Tax. 15

Salary payments to staff normally employed by the local authority should not be included. However, local authorities should publish details of payments to individual contractors (e.g. individuals from consultancy firms, employment agencies, direct personal contracts, personal service companies etc) either here or under contract information. 16

http://www.local.gov.uk/practitioners-guides-to-publishing-data

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29. For each individual item of expenditure the following information must be published:

date the expenditure was incurred

local authority department which incurred the expenditure

beneficiary

summary of the purpose of the expenditure17

amount18

Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered, and

merchant category (eg. computers, software etc).

Government Procurement Card transactions

30. Local authorities must publish details of every transaction on a Government Procurement Card. For each transaction, the following details must be published:

date of the transaction

local authority department which incurred the expenditure

beneficiary

amount19

Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered

summary of the purpose of the expenditure, and

merchant category (eg. computers, software etc).

17

This could be the descriptor that local authorities use in their accounting system providing it gives a clear sense of why the expenditure was incurred or what it purchased or secured for the local authority. 18

Where possible, this should be the net amount excluding recoverable Value Added Tax. Where Value Added Tax cannot be recovered – or the source of the data being used cannot separate out recoverable Value Added Tax – then the gross amount should be used instead with a note stating that the gross amount has been used. 19

Where possible, this should be the net amount excluding recoverable Value Added Tax. Where Value Added Tax cannot be recovered – or the source of the data being used cannot separate out recoverable Value Added Tax – then the gross amount should be used instead with a note stating that the gross amount has been used.

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Procurement information

31. Local authorities must publish details of every invitation to tender for contracts to provide goods and/or services20 with a value that exceeds £5,00021, 22. For each invitation, the following details must be published:

reference number

title

description of the goods and/or services sought

start, end and review dates, and

local authority department responsible. 32. Local authorities must also publish details of any contract23, commissioned activity,

purchase order, framework agreement and any other legally enforceable agreement with a value that exceeds £5,00024. For each contract, the following details must be published:

reference number

title of agreement

local authority department responsible

description of the goods and/or services being provided

supplier name and details

sum to be paid over the length of the contract or the estimated annual spending or budget for the contract25

Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered

start, end and review dates

whether or not the contract was the result of an invitation to quote or a published invitation to tender, and

whether or not the supplier is a small or medium sized enterprise and/or a voluntary or community sector organisation and where it is, provide the relevant registration number26.

20

This includes contracts for staff who are employed via consultancy firms or similar agencies. 21

The threshold should be, where possible, the net amount excluding recoverable Value Added Tax. 22

Tenders for framework agreements should be included, even though there may be no initial value. 23

This includes contracts for staff who are employed via consultancy firms or similar agencies. 24

The threshold should be, where possible, the net amount excluding recoverable Value Added Tax. 25

Where possible, this should be the net amount excluding recoverable Value Added Tax. Where Value Added Tax cannot be recovered – or the source of the data being used cannot separate out recoverable Value Added Tax – then the gross amount should be used instead with a note stating that the gross amount has been used. 26

For example, this might be the company or charity registration number.

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Part 2.2: Information to be published annually 33. Data covered by this section includes:

local authority land (see paragraphs 35 to 37)

social housing assets (see paragraphs 38 to 41)

grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (see paragraphs 42 and 43)

organisation chart (see paragraph 44)

trade union facility time (see paragraph 45)

parking account (see paragraph 46)

parking spaces (see paragraph 47)

senior salaries (see paragraphs 48 and 49)

constitution (see paragraph 50)

pay multiple (see paragraphs 51 and 52), and

fraud (see paragraph 53).

34. With the exception of data relating to social housing assets (paragraphs 38 to 41), the

data and information in this Part (2.2) must be:

first published within a period of one year from the date on which the local authority last published that data under the Local Government Transparency Code 201427 and not later than one month after the year to which the data and information is applicable

published annually thereafter and on each occasion not later than one month28 after the year to which the data and information is applicable.

The data on social housing assets (see paragraphs 38 to 41) must be published:

on the first occasion, not later than 1 September 2015 (based on the most up to date valuation data available at the time of publishing the information), then

in April 2016, and

every April thereafter.

27

Under the Local Government Transparency Code 2014, local authorities were required to publish this data on the first occasion, not later than 2 February 2015 and annual thereafter. 28

In relation to parking account data, where the local authority’s annual accounts have not been finalised, the authority should publish estimates within one month after the year to which the data is applicable and subsequently publish final figures as soon as the authority’s accounts are finalised.

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Local authority land

35. Local authorities must publish details of all land and building assets including:

all service and office properties occupied or controlled by user bodies, both freehold and leasehold

any properties occupied or run under Private Finance Initiative contracts

all other properties they own or use, for example, hostels, laboratories, investment properties and depots

garages unless rented as part of a housing tenancy agreement

surplus, sublet or vacant properties

undeveloped land

serviced or temporary offices where contractual or actual occupation exceeds three months, and

all future commitments, for example under an agreement for lease, from when the contractual commitment is made.

Information about the following land and building assets are to be excluded from publication:

rent free properties provided by traders (such as information booths in public places or ports)

operational railways and canals

operational public highways (but any adjoining land not subject to public rights should be included)

assets of national security, and

information deemed inappropriate for public access as a result of data protection and/or disclosure controls (eg. such as refuge houses).

36. For the purposes of this dataset about local authority land (paragraphs 35 to 37),

details about social housing should not be published. However, information about the value of social housing stock contained in a local authority’s Housing Revenue Account does need to be published for the social housing asset value dataset (paragraphs 38 to 41).

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37. For each land or building asset, the following information must be published together in one place:

Unique Property Reference Number29

Unique asset identity - the local reference identifier used by the local body, sometimes known as local name or building block. There should be one entry per asset or user/owner (eg. on one site there could be several buildings or in one building there could be several users floors/rooms etc – where this is the case, each of these will have a separate asset identity). This must include the original reference number from the data source plus authority code

name of the building/land or both

street number or numbers - any sets of 2 or more numbers should be separated with the ‘-‘ symbol (eg. 10-15 London Road)

street name – this is the postal road address30

post town

United Kingdom postcode

map reference – local authorities may use either Ordnance Survey or ISO 6709 systems to identify the location of an asset, but must make clear which is being used. Where an Ordnance Survey mapping system is used (the grid system) then assets will be identified using Eastings before Northings. Where geocoding in accordance with ISO 6709 is being used to identify the centre point of the asset location then that reference must indicate its ISO coordinates

whether the local authority owns the freehold or a lease for the asset and for whichever category applies, the local authority must list all the characteristics that apply from the options given below: for freehold assets:

o occupied by the local authority

o ground leasehold

o leasehold

o licence

o vacant (for vacant properties, local authorities should not publish the map reference or full address details, they should only publish the first part of the postcode31).

29

The Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) is a unique twelve digit number assigned to every unit of land and property recorded by local government, this is a statutory obligation. The UPRN uniquely and definitively identifies every addressable location in the country. The numbers originate from Geo-Place (an OS and LGA joint venture). 30

Local authorities should use the official postal address. Exceptionally, where this is not available, local authorities should use the address they hold for the asset. 31

The first part of the postcode, or Outward Code, refers to the area and the district only, http://www.postcodeaddressfile.co.uk/products/postcodes/postcodes_explained.htm

17

for leasehold assets:

o occupied by the local authority

o ground leasehold

o sub leasehold

o licence. for other assets:

o free text description eg. rights of way, access etc32.

whether or not the asset is land only (i.e. without permanent buildings) or it is land with a permanent building.

Social housing asset value 38. Local authorities must publish details of the value of social housing stock that is held in

their Housing Revenue Account33. 39. The following social housing stock data must be published:

valuation data to be listed at postal sector level34 (e.g. PO1 1**), without indicating individual dwelling values, and ensuring that data is not capable of being made disclosive of individual properties, in line with disclosure protocols set out in paragraphs 15 to 18

valuation data for the dwellings using both Existing Use Value for Social Housing and market value (valued in accordance with guidance35) as at 1 April. This should be based on the authority’s most up to date valuation data at the time of the publication of the information

an explanation of the difference between the tenanted sale value of dwellings within the Housing Revenue Account and their market sale value, and assurance that the publication of this information is not intended to suggest that tenancies should end to realise the market value of properties.

32

Where a local authority feels unable to verify rights of way information, for example, it should add a short narrative explaining why it is unable to identify and verify the information. 33

All local housing authorities who hold housing stock are required to account for all income and expenditure in relation to that stock in a separate account which is called the Housing Revenue Account. 34

The first part of the postcode, or Outward Code (which refers only to the area and the district only), and first digit of the second part of the postcode, or Inward Code (the number identifies the sector in the postal district). http://www.postcodeaddressfile.co.uk/products/postcodes/postcodes_explained.htm 35

Guidance for Valuers on Stock Valuation for Resource Accounting 2010 published by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in January 2011, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/5939/1825886.pdf

18

40. The valuation data and information referred to in paragraph 39 must be published in the following format:

for each postal sector level, the valuation data should be classified within set bands of value. Authorities must set their valuation bands within the general parameters set out in the table below, in light of the local characteristics of the housing market in their area, in order to ensure that valuation data published by all authorities is consistent and clear to understand:

Valuation Band Range Intervening bands value

< £50,000 -£99,999 6 Bands of £10,000

£100,000 - £299,999 10 Bands of £20,000

£300,000 - £499,999 4 Bands of £50,000

£500,000 - £999,999 5 Bands of £100,000

£1,000,000 – £2,999,999> 5 Bands of £500,000

authorities should ensure that any band should only include values that fall within the band parameters (i.e. not give a top value band). If that is the case, the lowest and highest band should be further disaggregated

authorities should bear in mind that it is likely that the numbers of properties in the lowest and highest bands will be low, leading to potential disclosure problems. The protocol to address this issue is set out in paragraphs 15 to 18

for each postal sector level, within the set band of value, the data should indicate:

o the total number of dwellings

o the aggregate value of the dwellings and their mean value, using both Existing Use Value for Social Housing and market value, and

o the percentage of the dwellings that are occupied and the percentage that are vacant

authorities must publish the valuation data for both tenanted and vacant dwellings.

41. An example of how the data specified in paragraphs 39 and 40 could be presented is

included at annex C.

Grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations

42. Local authorities must publish details of all grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. This can be achieved by either:

tagging and hence specifically identifying transactions which relate to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations within published data on expenditure over £500 or published procurement information, or

by publishing a separate list or register.

19

43. For each identified grant, the following information must be published as a minimum:

date the grant was awarded

time period for which the grant has been given

local authority department which awarded the grant

beneficiary

beneficiary’s registration number36

summary of the purpose of the grant, and

amount.

Organisation chart

44. Local authorities must publish an organisation chart covering staff in the top three levels of the organisation37. The following information must be included for each member of staff included in the chart:

grade

job title

local authority department and team

whether permanent or temporary staff

contact details

salary in £5,000 brackets, consistent with the details published under paragraph 48, and

salary ceiling (the maximum salary for the grade).

Trade union facility time

45. Local authorities must publish the following information on trade union facility time:

total number (absolute number and full time equivalent) of staff who are union representatives (e.g. general, learning and health and safety representatives)

total number (absolute number and full time equivalent) of union representatives who devote at least 50 per cent of their time to union duties

names of all trade unions represented in the local authority

a basic estimate of spending on unions (calculated as the number of full time equivalent days spent on union duties by authority staff that spent the majority of their time on union duties multiplied by the average salary), and

a basic estimate of spending on unions as a percentage of the total pay bill (calculated as the number of full time equivalent days spent on union duties by authority staff that spent the majority of their time on union duties multiplied by the average salary divided by the total pay bill).

36

For example, this might be the company or charity registration number. 37

This should exclude staff whose salary does not exceed £50,000.

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Parking account

46. Local authorities must publish on their website, or place a link on their website to this data if published elsewhere:

a breakdown of income and expenditure on the authority’s parking account38, 39. The breakdown of income must include details of revenue collected from on-street parking, off-street parking and Penalty Charge Notices, and

a breakdown of how the authority has spent a surplus on its parking account38,40.

Parking spaces

47. Local authorities must publish the number of marked out controlled on and off-street parking spaces within their area, or an estimate of the number of spaces where controlled parking space is not marked out in individual parking bays or spaces.

Senior salaries

48. Local authorities are already required to publish, under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (Statutory Instrument 2015/234)41:

the number of employees whose remuneration in that year was at least £50,000 in brackets of £5,000

details of remuneration and job title of certain senior employees whose salary is at least £50,000, and

employees whose salaries are £150,000 or more must also be identified by name.

49. In addition to this requirement, local authorities must place a link on their website to

these published data or place the data itself on their website, together with a list of responsibilities (for example, the services and functions they are responsible for, budget held and number of staff) and details of bonuses and ‘benefits-in-kind’, for all employees whose salary exceeds £50,000. The key differences between the requirements under this Code and the Regulations referred to above is the addition of a list of responsibilities, the inclusion of bonus details for all senior employees whose salary exceeds £50,000 and publication of the data on the authority’s website.

38

A parking account kept under section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as modified by Regulation 25 of the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) General Regulations 2007. 39

Local authorities should also have regard to both statutory guidance, The Secretary of State’s Statutory Guidance to Local Authorities on the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions, http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/tma-part-6-cpe-statutory-guidance/betterprkstatutoryguid.pdf, and non-statutory operational guidance, Operational Guidance to Local Authorities: Parking Policy and Enforcement, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/212559/parkingenforcepolicy.pdf 40

Section 55 (as amended) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 sets out how local authorities should use a surplus on their parking account. Local authorities should breakdown how they have spent a surplus on their parking account within the categories set out in section 55. 41

For the accounting year 2014-15, the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2011 (Statutory Instrument 2011/817) remain applicable.

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Constitution

50. Local authorities are already required to make their Constitution available for inspection at their offices under section 9P of the Local Government Act 2000. Local authorities must also, under this Code, publish their Constitution on their website.

Pay multiple

51. Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 requires local authorities to produce Pay Policy Statements, which should include the authority’s policy on pay dispersion – the relationship between remuneration of chief officers and the remuneration of other staff. Guidance produced under section 40 of that Act42, recommends that the pay multiple is included in these statements as a way of illustrating the authority’s approach to pay dispersion.

52. Local authorities must, under this Code, publish the pay multiple on their website,

defined as the ratio between the highest paid taxable earnings for the given year (including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind) and the median earnings figure of the whole of the authority’s workforce. The measure must:

cover all elements of remuneration that can be valued (eg. all taxable earnings for the given year, including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind)

use the median earnings figure as the denominator, which should be that of all employees of the local authority on a fixed date each year, coinciding with reporting at the end of the financial year, and

exclude changes in pension benefits, which due to their variety and complexity cannot be accurately included in a pay multiple disclosure.

42

Openness and accountability in local pay: Guidance under Section 40 of the Localism Act (February 2012), https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/5956/2091042.pdf

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Fraud

53. Local authorities must publish the following information about their counter fraud work43:

number of occasions they use powers under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud (Power to Require Information) (England) Regulations 201444, or similar powers45

total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of employees undertaking investigations and prosecutions of fraud

total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of professionally accredited counter fraud specialists

total amount spent by the authority on the investigation and prosecution of fraud, and

total number of fraud cases investigated.

Part 2.3: Information to be published once only

Waste contracts

54. Local authorities must publish details of their existing waste collection contracts, in line with the details contained in paragraph 32. Local authorities must publish this information at the same time as they first publish quarterly procurement information under paragraphs 27, 31 and 32 of this Code.

Part 2.4: Method of publication 55. Public data should be published in a format and under a licence that allows open re-

use, including for commercial and research activities, in order to maximise value to the public. The most recent Open Government Licence published by the National Archives should be used as the recommended standard. Where any copyright or data ownership concerns exist with public data these should be made clear. Data covered by Part 2 of this Code must be published in open and machine-readable formats (further information about machine-readable formats can be found in Part 3.2).

43

The definition of fraud is as set out by the Audit Commission in Protecting the Public Purse. 44

S.I. 2014/899. 45

For example, the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 gives local authorities the power to require information from listed bodies, during the investigation of fraud connected with an application for or award of a reduction under a council tax reduction scheme: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/501/contents/made

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Part 3: Information recommended for publication 56. Part 2 of this Code set out details of the minimum data that local authorities must

publish. The Government believes that in principle all data held and managed by local authorities should be made available to local people unless there are specific sensitivities to doing so. Therefore, it encourages local authorities to go much further in publishing the data they hold, recognising the benefits of sharing that data for local people, more effective service delivery and better policy making. Part 3 of this Code sets out details of data that the Government recommends local authorities publish.

Part 3.1: Information recommended for publication 57. Data covered by this section includes:

expenditure data (see paragraph 58)

procurement information (see paragraphs 59 and 60)

local authority land (see paragraph 61 and 62)

parking spaces (see paragraphs 63 and 64)

organisation chart (see paragraph 65)

grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (see paragraphs 66 and 67), and

fraud (see paragraph 68).

Expenditure data

58. It is recommended that local authorities go further than the minimum publication requirements set out in Part 2 and:

publish information on a monthly instead of quarterly basis, or ideally, as soon as it becomes available and therefore known to the authority (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication)

publish details of all transactions that exceed £250 instead of £500. For each transaction the details that should be published remain as in paragraph 29

publish all transactions on all corporate credit cards, charge cards and procurements, including those that are not a Government Procurement Card. For each transaction the details that should be published remain as set out in paragraph 30

publish the total amount spent on remuneration over the period being reported on, and

classify expenditure using the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Service Reporting Code of Practice to enable comparability between local authorities.

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Procurement information

59. It is recommended that local authorities place on Contracts Finder46, as well as any other local portal, every invitation to tender or invitation to quote for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £10,000. For each invitation, the details that should be published are the same as those set out in paragraph 31.

60. It is recommended that local authorities should go further than the minimum publication

requirements set out in Part 2 and publish:

information on a monthly instead of quarterly basis, or ideally, as soon as it is generated and therefore becomes available (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication)

every invitation to tender for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £500 instead of £5,000. The details that should be published are the same as those set out in paragraph 31

details of invitations to quote where there has not been a formal invitation to tender. The details that should be published are the same as those set out in paragraph 31

all contracts in their entirety where the value of the contract exceeds £5,00047

company registration number at Companies House

details of invitations to tender or invitations to quote that are likely to be issued in the next twelve months. The details that should be published are the same as those set out in paragraph 31

details of the geographical (eg. by ward) coverage of contracts entered into by the local authority

details of performance against contractual key performance indicators, and

information disaggregated by voluntary and community sector category (eg. whether it is registered with Companies House, Charity or Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Community Interest Company, Industrial and Provident Society, Housing Association, etc).

Local authority land

61. It is recommended that local authorities should go further than the minimum publication requirements set out in Part 2 and publish information on a monthly instead of annual basis, or ideally, as soon as it becomes available and therefore known to the authority (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication). It is also recommended that local authorities should publish all the information possible on Electronic Property Information Mapping Service.

46

Documentation for all procurements valued at over £10,000 is stored on Contracts Finder for public viewing as part of government's transparency commitment. https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/ 47

Where a contract runs into several hundreds of pages or more, a local authority should publish a summary of the contract or sections of the contract, if this would be more helpful to local people and businesses.

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62. It is further recommended that local authorities also go further than the minimum publication requirements set out in paragraph 37 by publishing, alongside them in one place, the following information:

size of the asset measured in Gross Internal Area (m2) for buildings or hectares for land, in accordance with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Code of Measuring Practice. The Gross Internal Area is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level. Local authorities using Net Internal Area (m2) should convert measurements to Gross Internal Area using appropriate conversion factors48 and state the conversion factor used

services offered from the asset using the services listed in the Effective Services Delivery government service function list http://doc.esd.org.uk/FunctionList/1.00.html (listing up to five main services)

reason for holding asset such as, it is occupied by the local authority or it is providing a service on the authority’s behalf, it is an investment property, it supports economic development (eg. provision of small businesses or incubator space), it is surplus to the authority’s requirements, it is awaiting development, it is under construction, it provides infrastructure or it is a community asset

whether or not the asset is either one which is an asset in the authority’s ownership that is listed under Part 5 Chapter 3 of the Localism Act 2011 (assets of community value) and/or an asset which the authority is actively seeking to transfer to the community

total building operation (revenue) costs as defined in the corporate value for money indicators for public services49

required maintenance - the cost to bring the property from its present state up to the state reasonably required by the authority to deliver the service and/or to meet statutory or contract obligations and maintain it at that standard. This should exclude improvement projects but include works necessary to comply with new legislation (eg. asbestos and legionella)

functional suitability rating using the scale:

o good – performing well and operating efficiently (supports the needs of staff and the delivery of services)

o satisfactory – performing well but with minor problems (generally supports the needs of staff and the delivery of services)

o poor – showing major problems and/or not operating optimally (impedes the performance off staff and/or the delivery of services)

o unsuitable – does not support or actually impedes the delivery of services

energy performance rating as stated on the Display Energy Certificate under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

48

Local authorities are not expected to re-measure buildings. Research undertaken for the Scottish Government offers one method of converting Net Internal Area to Gross Internal Area and can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/217736/0121532.pdf 49

http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2010-11-Estates-Management.pdf (See page 17).

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Parking spaces

63. It is recommended that local authorities should publish the number of:

free parking spaces available in the local authority’s area and which are provided directly by the local authority, and

parking spaces where charges apply that are available in the local authority’s area and which are provided directly by the local authority.

64. Where parking space is not marked out in individual parking bays or spaces, local

authorities should estimate the number of spaces available for the two categories in paragraph 63.

Organisation chart

65. It is recommended that local authorities should go further than the minimum publication requirements set out in Part 2 and publish:

charts including all employees of the local authority whose salary exceeds £50,000

the salary band for each employee included in the chart(s), and

information about current vacant posts, or signpost vacancies that are going to be advertised in the future.

Grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations

66. It is recommended that local authorities should go further than the minimum publication requirements set out in Part 2 and publish information on a monthly instead of annual basis where payments are made more frequently than a single annual payment, or ideally, as soon as the data becomes available and therefore known to the authority (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication).

67. It is further recommended that local authorities publish information disaggregated by

voluntary and community sector category (eg. whether it is registered with Companies House, charity or charitable incorporated organisation, community interest company, industrial and provident society, housing association, etc).

Fraud 68. It is recommended that local authorities should go further than the minimum publication

requirements set out in Part 2 and publish:

total number of cases of irregularity investigated

total number of occasions on which a) fraud and b) irregularity was identified

total monetary value of a) the fraud and b) the irregularity that was detected, and

total monetary value of a) the fraud and b) the irregularity that was recovered.

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Part 3.2: Method of publication

69. The Government endorses the five step journey to a fully open format:

One star Available on the web (whatever format) but with an open license

Two star As for one star plus available as machine-readable structured data

(eg. Excel instead of an image scan of a table)

Three star As for two star plus use a non-proprietary format (eg. CSV and

XML)

Four star All of the above plus use open standards from the World Wide

Web Consortium (such as RDF and SPARLQL21)

Five star All the above plus links an organisation’s data to others’ data to

provide context

70. The Government recommends that local authorities publish data in three star formats

where this is suitable and appropriate50, alongside open and machine-readable format, within six months of this Code being issued.

Shehla Husain A Senior Civil Servant in the Department for Communities and Local Government Department for Communities and Local Government 27 February 2015

50

Statistical data, lists etc should be capable of being published in this format but others (eg. organisation charts) may be more difficult.

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Annex A: Table summarising all information to be published Information

title Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

Expenditure exceeding £500

Quarterly publication Publish details of each individual item of expenditure that exceeds £500, including items of expenditure, consistent with Local Government Association guidance, such as:

individual invoices

grant payments

expense payments

payments for goods and services

grants

grant in aid

rent

credit notes over £500

transactions with other public bodies. For each individual item of expenditure the following information must be published:

date the expenditure was incurred

local authority department which incurred the expenditure

beneficiary

summary of the purpose of the expenditure

amount

Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered

merchant category (eg. computers, software etc).

Publish information on a monthly instead of quarterly basis, or ideally, as soon as it becomes available and therefore known to the authority (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication).

Publish details of all transactions that exceed £250 instead of £500. For each transaction the details that should be published remain as set out in paragraph 29.

publish the total amount spent on remuneration over the period being reported on.

classify purpose of expenditure using the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Service Reporting Code of Practice to enable comparability between local authorities.

29

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

Government Procurement Card transactions

Quarterly publication Publish details of every transaction on a Government Procurement Card. For each transaction, the following details must be published:

date of the transaction

local authority department which incurred the expenditure

beneficiary

amount

Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered

summary of the purpose of the expenditure

merchant category (eg. computers, software etc).

Publish all transactions on all corporate credit cards, charge cards and procurements, including those that are not a Government Procurement Card. For each transaction the details that should be published remain as set out in paragraph 30.

Procurement information

Quarterly publication Publish details of every invitation to tender for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £5,000. For each invitation, the following details must be published:

reference number

title

description of the goods and/or services sought

start, end and review dates

local authority department responsible. Quarterly publication Publish details of any contract, commissioned activity, purchase order, framework agreement and any other legally enforceable agreement with a value that exceeds £5,000. For each contract, the following details must be published:

reference number

title of agreement

local authority department responsible

Place on Contracts Finder, as well as any other local portal, every invitation to tender or invitation to quote for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £10,000. Publish:

information on a monthly instead of quarterly basis, or ideally, as soon as it is generated and therefore becomes available (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication)

every invitation to tender for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £500 instead of £5,000

details of invitations to quote where there has not been a formal invitation to tender

all contracts in their entirety where the value of the contract exceeds £5,000

30

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

description of the goods and/or services being provided

supplier name and details

sum to be paid over the length of the contract or the estimated annual spending or budget for the contract

Value Added Tax that cannot be recovered

start, end and review dates

whether or not the contract was the result of an invitation to quote or a published invitation to tender

whether or not the supplier is a small or medium sized enterprise and/or a voluntary or community sector organisation and where it is, provide the relevant registration number.

company registration number at Companies House

details of invitations to tender or invitations to quote that are likely to be issued in the next twelve months

details of the geographical (eg. by ward) coverage of contracts entered into by the local authority

details of performance against contractual key performance indicators

information disaggregated by voluntary and community sector category (eg. whether it is registered with Companies House, charity or charitable incorporated organisation, community interest company, industrial and provident society, housing association, etc).

Local authority land

Annual publication Publish details of all land and building assets including:

all service and office properties occupied or controlled by user bodies, both freehold and leasehold

any properties occupied or run under Private Finance Initiative contracts

all other properties they own or use, for example, hostels, laboratories, investment properties and depots

garages unless rented as part of a housing tenancy agreement

surplus, sublet or vacant properties

undeveloped land

serviced or temporary offices where contractual or actual occupation exceeds three months

all future commitments, for example under an agreement for lease, from when the contractual commitment is made.

Publish information on a monthly instead of annual basis, or ideally, as soon as it becomes available and therefore known to the authority (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication). It is also recommended that local authorities should publish all the information possible on Electronic Property Information Mapping Service. Publish the following additional information:

the size of the asset measured in Gross Internal Area (m2) for buildings or hectares for land, in accordance with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Code of Measuring Practice. The Gross Internal Area is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at

31

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

However, information about the following land and building assets are to be excluded from publication:

rent free properties provided by traders (such as information booths in public places or ports)

operational railways and canals

operational public highways (but any adjoining land not subject to public rights should be included)

assets of national security

information deemed inappropriate for public access as a result of data protection and/or disclosure controls (eg. such as refuge houses).

Information on social housing is also excluded from this specific dataset.

For each land or building asset, the following information must be published together in one place:

Unique Property Reference Number

Unique asset identity - the local reference identifier used by the local body, sometimes known as local name or building block. There should be one entry per asset or user/owner (eg. on one site there could be several buildings or in one building there could be several users, floors/rooms etc – where this is the case, each of these will have a separate asset identity). This must include the original reference number from the data source plus authority code

name of the building/land or both

street number or numbers - any sets of 2 or more numbers should be separated with the ‘-‘ symbol (eg. 10-15 London Road)

street name – this is the postal road address

post town

each floor level. Local authorities using Net Internal Area (m2) should convert measurements to Gross Internal Area using appropriate conversion factors and state the conversion factor used

the services offered from the asset, using the services listed in the Effective Services Delivery government service function list http://doc.esd.org.uk/FunctionList/1.00.html (listing up to five main services)

the reason for holding asset such as, it is occupied by the local authority or it is providing a service in its behalf, it is an investment property, it supports economic development (eg. provision of small businesses or incubator space), it is surplus to the authority’s requirements, it is awaiting development, it is under construction, it provides infrastructure or it is a community asset

whether or not the asset is either one which is an asset in the authority’s ownership that is listed under Part 5 Chapter 3 of the Localism Act 2011 (assets of community value) and/or an asset where the authority is actively seeking transfer to the community

total building operation (revenue) costs as defined in the corporate value for money indicators for public services

32

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

United Kingdom postcode

map reference – local authorities may use either Ordnance Survey or ISO6709 systems to identify the location of an asset, but must make clear which is being used. Where an Ordnance Survey mapping system is used (the grid system) then assets will be identified using Eastings before Northings. Where geocoding in accordance with ISO 6709 is being used to identify the centre point of the asset location then that reference must indicate its ISO coordinates

whether the local authority owns the freehold or a lease for the asset and for whichever category applies, the local authority must list all the characteristics that apply from the options given below:

for freehold assets: o occupied by the local authority o ground leasehold o leasehold o licence o vacant (for vacant properties, local authorities should

not publish the full address details and should only publish the first part of the postcode)

for leasehold assets: o occupied by the local authority o ground leasehold o sub leasehold o licence

for other assets: o free text description eg. rights of way, access etc.

whether or not the asset is land only (without permanent buildings) or it is land with a permanent building.

required maintenance - the cost to bring the property from its present state up to the state reasonably required by the authority to deliver the service and/or to meet statutory or contract obligations and maintain it at that standard. This should exclude improvement projects but include works necessary to comply with new legislation (eg. asbestos and legionella)

functional suitability rating using the scale: o good – performing well and operating

efficiently (supports the needs of staff and the delivery of services)

o satisfactory – performing well but with minor problems (generally supports the needs of staff and the delivery of services)

o poor – showing major problems and/or not operating optimally (impedes the performance off staff and/or the delivery of services)

o unsuitable – does not support or actually impedes the delivery of services

energy performance rating as stated on the Display Energy Certificate under the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

33

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

Social housing asset value

Annual publication Publish details on the value of social housing assets within local authorities’ Housing Revenue Account. Information to be published using the specified value bands and postal sector:

total number of homes

the aggregate value and mean value of the dwellings for both existing use value (social housing) and market value, and

percentage of homes that are vacant and that are tenanted. Information to be published at a general level:

an explanation of the difference between the tenanted sale value of homes within the Housing Revenue Account and their market sale value, and

an assurance that the publication of this information is not intended to suggest that tenancies should end to realise the market value of properties.

Other residential tenanted properties that the authority may hold within their General Fund are excluded from this specific dataset, as is information on other building assets or land that local authorities hold within their Housing Revenue Account.

Grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations

Annual publication Publish details of all grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. This can be achieved by either:

tagging and hence specifically identifying transactions which relate to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations within published data on expenditure over £500 or published procurement information, or

by publishing a separate list or register.

Publish information on a monthly instead of annual basis where payments are made more frequently than a single annual payment, or ideally, as soon as the data becomes available and therefore known to the authority (commonly known as ‘real-time’ publication).

34

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

For each identified grant, the following information must be published as a minimum:

date the grant was awarded

time period for which the grant has been given

local authority department which awarded the grant

beneficiary

beneficiary’s registration number

summary of the purpose of the grant

amount

information disaggregated by voluntary and community sector category (eg. whether it is registered with Companies House, charity or charitable incorporated organisation, community interest company, industrial and provident society, housing association etc).

Organisation chart

Annual publication Publish an organisation chart covering staff in the top three levels of the organisation. The following information must be included for each member of staff included in the chart:

grade

job title

local authority department and team

whether permanent or temporary staff

contact details

salary in £5,000 brackets, consistent with the details published for Senior Salaries

salary ceiling (the maximum salary for the grade).

Local authorities should publish:

charts including all employees in the local authority whose salary exceeds £50,000

the salary band for each employee included in the chart(s)

information about current vacant posts, or signpost vacancies that are going to be advertised in the future.

Trade union facility time

Annual publication Publish the following information:

total number (absolute number and full time equivalent) of staff who are union representatives (including general, learning and health and safety representatives)

total number (absolute number and full time equivalent) of union representatives who devote at least 50 per cent of their time to union duties

names of all trade unions represented in the local authority

35

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

a basic estimate of spending on unions (calculated as the number of full time equivalent days spent on union duties multiplied by the average salary), and

a basic estimate of spending on unions as a percentage of the total pay bill (calculated as the number of full time equivalent days spent on union duties multiplied by the average salary divided by the total pay bill).

Parking account

Annual publication Publish on their website, or place a link on their website to this data published elsewhere:

a breakdown of income and expenditure on the authority’s parking account. The breakdown of income must include details of revenue collected from on-street parking, off-street parking and Penalty Charge Notices

a breakdown of how the authority has spent a surplus on its parking account.

Parking spaces

Annual publication Publish the number of marked out controlled on and off-street parking spaces within their area, or an estimate of the number of spaces where controlled parking space is not marked out in individual parking bays or spaces.

Local authorities should publish the number of:

free parking spaces available in the local authority’s area and which are provided directly by the local authority, and

parking spaces where charges apply that are available in the local authority’s area and which are provided directly by the local authority.

Where parking space is not marked out in individual parking bays or spaces, local authorities should estimate the number of spaces available for the two categories.

36

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

Senior salaries

Annual publication Local authorities must place a link on their website to the following data or must place the data itself on their website:

the number of employees whose remuneration in that year was at least £50,000 in brackets of £5,000

details of remuneration and job title of certain senior employees whose salary is at least £50,000

employees whose salaries are £150,000 or more must also be identified by name.

a list of responsibilities (for example, the services and functions they are responsible for, budget held and number of staff) and details of bonuses and ‘benefits in kind’, for all employees whose salary exceeds £50,000.

Constitution Annual publication Local authorities must publish their Constitution on their website.

Pay multiple Annual publication Publish the pay multiple on their website defined as the ratio between the highest taxable earnings for the given year (including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind) and the median earnings figure of the whole of the authority’s workforce. The measure must:

cover all elements of remuneration that can be valued (eg. all taxable earnings for the given year, including base salary, variable pay, bonuses, allowances and the cash value of any benefits-in-kind)

use the median earnings figure as the denominator, which should be that of all employees of the local authority on a fixed date each year, coinciding with reporting at the end of the financial year

exclude changes in pension benefits, which due to their variety and complexity cannot be accurately included in a pay multiple disclosure.

37

Information title

Information which must be published Information recommended for publication

Fraud Annual publication Publish the following information:

number of occasions they use powers under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud (Power to Require Information) (England) Regulations 2014, or similar powers

total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of employees undertaking investigations and prosecutions of fraud

total number (absolute and full time equivalent) of professionally accredited counter fraud specialists

total amount spent by the authority on the investigation and prosecution of fraud

total number of fraud cases investigated.

Local authorities should publish:

total number of cases of irregularity investigated

total number of occasions on which a) fraud and b) irregularity was identified

total monetary value of a) the fraud and b) the irregularity that was detected, and

total monetary value of a) the fraud and b) the irregularity that was recovered.

Waste contracts

One-off publication Local authorities must publish details of their existing waste collection contracts, in line with the details contained in paragraphs 32 of the Code, at the point they first publish quarterly contract information under Part 2 of this Code.

38

Annex B: Detecting and preventing fraud Tackling fraud is an integral part of ensuring that tax-payers money is used to protect resources for frontline services. The cost of fraud to local government is estimated at £2.1 billion a year. This is money that can be better used to support the delivery of front line services and make savings for local tax payers. A culture of transparency should strengthen counter-fraud controls. The Code makes it clear that fraud can thrive where decisions are not open to scrutiny and details of spending, contracts and service provision are hidden from view. Greater transparency, and the provisions in this Code, can help combat fraud. Sources of support to tackle fraud include: Fighting Fraud Locally, The Local Government Fraud Strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118508/strategy-document.pdf), was drafted by the National Fraud Authority and CIPFA (the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy). The document calls for the adoption of a tougher approach to tackle fraud against local authorities. The strategy is part of a wider collaboration on counter fraud and is the local authority contribution to the national fraud strategy – Fighting Fraud Together (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nfa-fighting-fraud-together) which encompasses both the public and private sectors response to fraud in the UK. Local authorities should use a risk management approach with strong internal control arrangements to reduce the risk of any payment fraud as a result of publishing public data. Local authorities should refer to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Code of Practice on Managing the Risk of Fraud and Corruption (http://www.cipfa.org/services/counter-fraud-centre/code-of-practice). The document sets out a step by step toolkit to tackling fraud: identifying and understanding your fraud risks and potential exposure to fraud loss; assessing current resilience to fraud; evaluating the organisation’s ability to respond to potential or identified fraud; and developing a strategy. Developing an anti-fraud culture is an important part of improving resilience; the benefits of improving resilience to fraud include reduced exposure to fraud and an organisation that is better able to identify attempted frauds or vulnerabilities. The National Fraud Authority have produced a guide on procurement fraud, Procurement Fraud in the Public Sector, (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118460/procurement-fraud-public-sector.pdf) which deals with the whole process, from bidding during the pre-contract award phase through to false invoicing in the post-contract award phase. There are some specific steps local authorities can take to prevent procurement fraud. These might include:

only accepting requests for changes to supplier standing data in writing

39

seeking confirmation from the supplier that the requested changes are genuine, using contact details held on the vendor data file or from previous and legitimate correspondence; and not contacting the supplier via contact details provided on the letter requesting the changes

ensuring that there is segregation of duties between those who authorise changes and those who make them

only authorising changes when all appropriate checks have been carried out with legitimate suppliers and only making the changes when the proper authorisations to do so have been given

maintaining a suitable audit trail to ensure that a history of all transactions and changes is kept

producing reports of all changes made to supplier standing data and checking that the changes were valid and properly authorised before any payments are made

carrying out standard checks on invoices before making any payments, and

regularly verifying the correctness of standing data with suppliers.

40

Annex C: Social housing asset data to be published Postal Sector

Valuation Band Range

Intervening bands Dwellings value Tenure status

Total number social housing dwellings

EUV-SH Values

Market Values

% occupied dwellings

% vacant dwellings

Total Average Total Average

PO1 1** <£50,000 - £99,999 <£50,000

£50,000 - £59,999

£60,000 - £69,999

£70,000 - £79,999

£80,000 - £89,999

£90,000 - £99,999

£100,000 - £299,999 £100,000 - £119,999

£120,000 - £139,999

£140,000 - £159,999

£160,000 - £179,999

£180,000 - £199,999

£200,000 - £219,999

£220,000 - £239,999

£240,000 - £259,999

£260,000 - £279,999

£280,000 - £299,999

£300,000 - £499,999 £300,000 - £349,999

£350,000 - £399,999

£400,000 - £449,999

£450,000 - £499,999

£500,000 - £999,999 £500,000 - £599,999

£600,000 - £699,999

£700,000 - £799,999

£800,000 - £899,999

£900,000 - £999,999

£1m - £2,999,999> £1,000,000 - £1,499,999

£1,500,000 - £1,999,999

£2,000,000 - £2,499,999

£2,500,000 - £2,999,999

£3,000,000>

EXAMPLE OF INFORMATION TO BE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY

ITEMPayment

Method Description Nett VAT

Total

Amount Due

AdministrationSage (UK) Ltd 300813 Accounts Software 701.00£ 140.20£ 841.20£

Town Hall

Cheshire East Council 300814 Rent and Services 750.00£ -£ 750.00£

Civic & Community Events

Spectacular Fireworks 300818

Christmas Illuminations: erection

and dismantle 556.00£ -£ 556.00£

Archer Signs 300822 Events: Road Signs 1,393.35£ 278.67£ 1,672.02£

Projects

FCC Recycling (UK) Ltd 300812 WREN/BCYP 5,124.12£ -£ 5,124.12£

Lite 300826 High Street Tree: Lights 1,685.00£ 337.00£ 2,022.00£

PersonnelOfficers' Salary S139 Salary for November 2016 3,217.21£ -£ 3,217.21£

Administratin Staff Salary S140 Salary for November 2016 1,280.81£ -£ 1,280.81£

Cleaning Staff S141 Salary for November 2016 127.49£ -£ 127.49£

Town Wardens S142 Salary for November 2016 808.26£ -£ 808.26£

Cheshire West and Chester S147 CPF November 2016 1,422.28£ -£ 1,422.28£ Total 17,065.51£ 755.87£ 17,821.38£

Council & Committees Schedule of Meetings until May 2018

Council and Committees meetings are held in the Council Chamber at Bollington Town Hall. Members of the public are welcome to attend and may speak at the invitation of the Chair. Council Meetings

Annual General Meeting & Mayor Making: 02/05/17 7.00pm Monthly Meetings: 09/05/17 7.00pm 06/06/17 7.00pm 04/07/17 7.00pm 05/09/17 7.00pm 03/10/17 7.00pm 07/11/17 7.00pm 05/12/17 7.00pm 09/01/18 7.00pm 06/02/18 7.00pm 06/03/18 7.00pm 03/04/18 7.00pm

Planning Executive Committee *

23/05/17 7.00pm 20/06/17 7.00pm 18/07/17 7.00pm 15/08/17 7.00pm 19/09/17 7.00pm 17/10/17 7.00pm 21/11/17 7.00pm 19/12/17 7.00pm 23/01/18 7.00pm 20/02/18 7.00pm 20/03/18 7.00pm 17/04/18 7.00pm

Strategic Planning Advisory Committee

16/05/17 7.30pm** 18/07/17 7.30pm** 19/09/17 7.30pm** 21/11/17 7.30pm** 23/01/18 7.30pm** 20/03/18 7.30pm** ** directly after Planning Executive Committee

Civic Hall Management Executive Committee

14/06/17 7.00pm*** 23/08/17 7.00pm*** 11/10/17 7.00pm*** 13/12/17 7.00pm*** 14/02/18 7.00pm*** 11/04/18 7.00pm*** *** combined with CHUG

Devolution Executive Committee 21/06/17 10.00am 18/10/17 10.00am 21/02/18 10.00am

Finance Advisory Committee 2 meetings per year 11/10/17 10.00am 14/11/17 7.00pm

Footpaths & Bridleways Advisory Committee

12/06/17 7.00pm 09/10/17 7.00pm 12/02/18 7.00pm

Highways Enhancement Advisory Committee 11/05/17 6.30pm 14/09/17 6.30pm 18/01/18 6.30pm

Personnel Advisory Committee 21/09/17 10.00am 22/02/18 10.00am

Town Assembly Bollington Civic Hall 13/03/18 7.30pm

* If a plan is received with a deadline that will not wait for the Planning Meeting it will be discussed at an additional Planning Meeting held prior to the Council meeting

9

Council, Committees and Working Groups

Council Consisting of: all Councillors. Chair: Town Mayor Meets: 12 times per year and additionally if required by emergency business. May (twice), June, July, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr Time: Evening 7.00pm on the first Tuesday of the month Terms of Reference: the council is a corporate body, a legal entity separate from that of its members. Its decisions are the responsibility of the whole body. The council has been granted powers by Parliament including the important authority to raise money through taxation (the precept) and range of powers to spend public money. It is responsible for decision making on the raising of the precept and for the strategic decisions affecting the community and inhabitants of Bollington.

Committees Civic Hall Management Executive Committee Consisting of: 6 Councillors. Chair: Town Mayor Meets: 6 times per year Time: 7.00pm together with Civic Hall User Group meeting Terms of Reference: to have delegated authority from the Town Council to manage the Civic Hall within the Council’s approved budget. Cllr Allan Williams Cllr Angela Williams Cllr Ken Edwards

Vacancy

Cllr Graham Hibbert Cllr Chris Bennett David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Devolution Executive Committee Consisting of: 6 Councillors Meets: 4 times per year. Time: Daytime 10.00am. Terms of Reference: to access the business case for devolution of assets and services from Cheshire East Council and to make recommendations on behalf of the Council for appropriate or necessary action. Cllr Chris Bennett Cllr Amanda Stott Cllr James Nicholas Cllr Jon Weston Cllr Andrew Langdon Cllr Ken Edwards David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Planning Executive Committee

Consisting of: all Councillors. Chair: Deputy Town Mayor Meets: at least 11 times per year (additional meetings before the monthly council meetings for planning application responses that cannot not wait for the next scheduled planning meeting). May, June, July, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr. Time: Evening 7.00pm on the third Tuesday of the month and, if required, prior to the monthly Council meeting. Terms of Reference and Delegated Authority from Council: to make recommendations on behalf of the Council on Planning Applications submitted to Cheshire East Council and to report to Council on those recommendations.

Finance Advisory Committee

Consisting of: all Councillors. Chair: to be elected at first meeting Meets: Twice a year in Oct (detailed pre-budget analysis) and Nov (budget) Time: Evening 7.00pm Terms of Reference: to make recommendations to the Council on Budget requirements and Precept requests and to report to Council on those recommendations. All Councillors David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-memberJennifer Brockbank, RFO, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Footpaths & Bridleways Advisory Committee

Consisting of: 3 Councillors, at least 1 from each ward and no more than six other co-opted members. Meets: 3 times per year. Feb, June, Sept. Time: Evening 7.00pm. Terms of Reference: to advise the Council on all matters relating to designated footpaths and bridleways situated within the boundaries of the Town and to make recommendations to Council for appropriate or necessary action. Cllr John Whitehurst (East)

Vacancy (Central)

Cllr Angela Williams (West) Doreen Earl Non Cllr Keith Hartley Non Cllr John Kershaw Non Cllr Susan Dale Non Cllr Andrea Paterson, Town Hall Assistant non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Highways Enhancement Advisory Committee

Consisting of: 5 Councillors and co-opted representatives from Cheshire East Council and the Bollington Community. Meets: 4 times per year. Jan, Apr, July, Oct. Time: Evening 6.30pm Terms of Reference: to consider parking, road and pavement issues in Bollington and to make recommendations to Council for appropriate or necessary action. Cllr Allan Williams Cllr John Whitehurst

Vacancy

Cllr Andrew Langdon Cllr Graham Hibbert Officers from Cheshire East Highways David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Personnel Advisory Committee

Consisting of: 6 Councillors including the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor Meets: 2-3 times per year. Mar and Sept. Time: Daytime 10.00am Terms of Reference: to advise the Council on staffing needs, equipment and Town Hall matters and make recommendations to Council for appropriate or necessary action and to deal with grievance matters. Cllr Andrew Langdon (Town Mayor 2017-2018) Cllr Jon Weston (Deputy Town Mayor 2017-2018) Cllr Allan Williams Cllr Angela Williams Cllr Amanda Stott Cllr James Nicholas David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Strategic Planning Advisory Committee Consisting of: all Councillors Meets: 6 times per year. Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov. Time: Evening 7.30pm following Planning Executive Committee. Terms of Reference: to consider issues of strategic relevance to Bollington; to monitor the delivery of public services to the town and to make recommendations to Council for appropriate or necessary action. All Councillors David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Working Groups Audit & Accounts Working Group

Consisting of: 4 Councillors Meets: 3 times per year. Jan, June and Oct. Time: Daytime 10.00am. Terms of Reference: to review the effectiveness of the system of internal financial control. To monitor the budget and treasury management and to make recommendations to Council for appropriate or necessary action. Cllr Amanda Stott Cllr Jon Weston Cllr Andrew Langdon Cllr Ken Edwards Jennifer Brockbank, RFO, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Business Planning Working Group Consisting of: 6 Councillors Meets: 12 times per year. Time: Daytime 10.00am.

Terms of Reference: To produce a 3-Year Draft Business Plan for community consultation and Council approval which would comprise a vision for the Council with SMART specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time limited objectives. Where appropriate the Plan would also contain the triggers under which certain objectives would need to be met and comprise an objective for the Council to attain the Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS) Gold Standard during 2016. The Draft Plan to be available in October/November to enable the Council to prepare budgets for 2016 – 2019

The aim would be for the Plan to be readable within 20 minutes and be written in simple terms without jargon or “council speak” Cllr Jon Weston Cllr Amanda Stott Cllr Ken Edwards Cllr Christopher Bennett

Vacancy

Cllr James Nicholas David Naylor, Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder) Jennifer Brockbank, RFO, non-member

Civic Functions and Events Working Group

Consisting of: 5 Councillors including the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor Meets: 10 times per year. Time: Daytime 10.00am. Terms of Reference: to identify new events and review existing events and Civic Functions to ensure they operate smoothly and uphold the dignity of the Council. Cllr Andrew Langdon (Town Mayor) Cllr Jon Weston (Deputy Town Mayor) Cllr Allan Williams Cllr Angela Williams Cllr Graham Hibbert Cllr John Whitehurst Emma Bambrook, Town Mayor’s Secretary, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Grants Working Group

Consisting of: 6 Councillors Meets: 2 times per year. June and Sept. Time: Daytime 10.00am Terms of Reference: to evaluate grant applications and to make recommendations to Council on the amounts to be awarded to organisations. Cllr Angela Williams Cllr Amanda Stott Cllr James Nicholas Cllr Jon Weston Cllr Chris Bennett Cllr Graham Hibbert Jennifer Brockbank, RFO, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Standing Orders/LCAS Working Group

Consisting of: 4 Councillors Meets: 3 times per year. Feb, May, Sept and Oct. Time: Daytime 10.00am Terms of Reference: to review standing orders and financial regulations and to monitor progress towards achieving the Local Council Award Scheme qualification and to make recommendations to Council for appropriate or necessary action. Cllr Allan Williams Cllr Andrew Langdon Cllr Ken Edwards Cllr Chris Bennett David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Working Group

Consisting of: 4 Councillors and the PCSO Meets: 6 times per year. Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept and Nov. Time: Evening 7.00pm/Daytime 10.00am Terms of Reference: to monitor the work of the Bollington PCSO and his/her associated crime reduction and community development activities. Cllr James Nicholas Cllr John Whitehurst

Vacancy

Cllr Graham Hibbert PCSO John Lee PC Gary Thurgoland Stg Helen Percival David Naylor, Town Clerk, non-member (Minutes and Key Holder)

Legal Topic Note from NALC

NON-COUNCILLOR MEMBERS OF COMMITTEES

Introduction

1. This Legal Topic Note outlines the circumstances in which local councils may invite non-

councillors to sit on council committees. Non-councillors may be invited to sit on two

different types of committee:

Committees set up to discharge the functions of a council are obliged to include at

least one councillor (pursuant to section 102(3) of the Local Government Act 1972

hereafter referred to as ‘the 1972 Act’; and

Advisory committees (pursuant to s. 102(4) of the 1972 Act) known sometimes as

working parties/groups/panels may be set up to advise a council in any matter

relating to the discharge of their functions. Such committees may be wholly

comprised of persons who are not members of the council (pursuant to section

102(4) of the 1972 Act). In practice and dependent on their terms of reference,

advisory committees are usually comprised of both councillors and those who are

not members of the council.

2. The topic of working parties/groups/panels is further documented in LTN 1 (Councils’

Powers to Discharge their Functions).

What is the power?

3. The power is set out in s. 102(3) of the 1972 Act. The section states that committees

and sub-committees (including joint committees) of councils can appoint persons to

(sub-) committee who are not members of the authority.

Does the power apply to all committees?

4. The power is drafted very broadly and applies to all committees and sub-committees

other than:

‘A committee for regulating and controlling the finance of the local authority or of

their area.’

Disqualification

5. S.102(3) of the 1972 Act provides that a person can be appointed as a non-councillor

member of a committee unless they have been disqualified pursuant to s. 104 of the

1972 Act. S. 104 states that a person is disqualified if he would be disqualified from

being elected or being a member of a local authority pursuant to Part V of the Act. S. 80

of the 1972 Act sets out the circumstances in which a person is disqualified from being a

member of a council. In summary, a non-councillor cannot sit on a committee if he or

she:

holds any paid office or employment (other that the office of chair, vice chair or

deputy chair) to which he has been appointed by the council or any committee or

sub-committee of the council, or by a paid officer of the council, or by any joint

committee on which the council is represented; or

is the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim bankruptcy order; or

has within five years before the day of election, or since his election, been

convicted of any offence and has had passed on him a sentence of imprisonment

of at least three months (whether suspended or not) without the option of a fine; or

has been found guilty of corrupt or illegal practices or was responsible for incurring

unlawful expenditure and the court orders his disqualification.

6. Further details in respect of the disqualification of persons who can be elected as

councillors (and, by virtue of s. 102(3), non-members) are set out in LTN 8 (Elections).

Qualification

7. Persons wishing to become councillors may only do so if they meet the qualification

requirements set out in s. 79 of the 1972 Act (also set out in detail in LTN 8 -Elections).

These qualification provisions, however, do not apply to non-councillor members of

committees.

Voting Rights

8. Most non-councillor members of committees and sub-committees do not have voting

rights (by virtue of s. 13 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989). However, by

virtue of Article 3 of The Parish and Community Councils (Committees) Regulations

1990 (SI 1990/2476), non-councillor members of committees do have voting rights in

respect of:

the management of land owned or occupied by the council;

the functions of the council as a harbour authority (as defined in s. 57(1) of the

Harbours Act 1964);

any function under s. 144 of the 1972 Act relating to the promotion of tourism; and

any function under s. 145 of the 1972 Act relating to the management of a festival.

Code of Conduct

9. Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 as amended deals with the conduct expected

of members of local councils. S. 49 (7) of the 2000 Act defines a ‘co-opted member’ as

a person who is not a member of the council but who is a member of one its committees

or sub committees (including joint committees) and who is entitled to vote on any

question which needs to be decided at any such meeting. Article 1(4) of the Local

Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2007 (No. 1159) confirms the Code of

Conduct applies to co-opted members of parish councils. Part 1 of the schedule to the

Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) (Wales) Order 2008 (No. 788) confirms the

Code of Conduct applies to co-opted members of community councils.

10. Article 2(5)(a) of the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2007 provides

that where a person acts as a representative of a parish council on another relevant

authority (such as another local authority or a fire and rescue authority) that person must

comply with the other relevant authority’s Code of Conduct.

Paragraph 3(a) of the Schedule to the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct)

(Wales) Order 2008 provides that where a person is elected, appointed or nominated by

a community council to serve on another relevant authority (such as another local

authority or a fire and rescue authority) that person, must comply with the other relevant

authority’s Code of Conduct.

The principle applies both where:

the non-councillor is a member of a committee or sub committee (including joint)

pursuant to s. 102(3) of the 1972 Act; and

the non-councillor is a member of an advisory committee or sub committee

(including joint) pursuant to s. 102(4) of the 1972 Act.

Other Provisions

11. Non-councillor members of committees will be required to comply with the council’s

standing orders and will have the same rights as members of the public to attend

meetings of the council or other committees of which they are not members. This

applies to all non-councillor members of committees – even where they are councillors

of other authorities.

Committee Members 2017-2018

Councillor

Planning

Executive

Civic Hall

Management

Executive

Devolution

Executive

Finance

Advisory

Footpaths and

Bridleways

Advisory

Highways

Enhancement

Advisory

Personnel

Advisory

East

Allan Williams

Amanda Stott

James Nicholas

John WhitehurstCentral

Roland Edwards

Jon Weston

Anthony Harrison

Andrew LangdonWest

Angela Williams

Ken Edwards

Graham Hibbert

Chris Bennett

Notes All Councillors 6 Members 6 Members All Councillors3 Members (1

from each Ward) 5 Members 6 Members

Meeting Time 7pm 8pm 10am 7pm 7pm 10am 10am

Personnel Advisory consists of:

Town Mayor (Chair), Deputy Town Mayor and 4 other Councillors

50 places We require 1 additional member for:

Avg 4 Civic Hall Management Executive Committee

Footpaths & Bridleways Advisory Committee (Central Ward Only)Member Highways Enhancement Advisory Committee

Compulsory Member

Working Group Members 2017-2018

Councillor Audit & Accounts

Business

Planning

Civic Functions &

Events Grants

Standing

Orders/LCAS PCSO

East

Allan Williams

Amanda Stott

James Nicholas

John WhitehurstCentral

Roland Edwards

Jon Weston

Anthony Harrison

Andrew LangdonWest

Angela Williams

Ken Edwards

Graham Hibbert

Chris Bennett

Notes 4 Members 6 Members 6 Members 6 Members 4 Members 4 Members

Meeting Time 10am 10am 10am 10am 10am 10am

30 places

Avg 2.5 We require 1 additional member for:

Business Planning Working GroupMember PCSO Working Group

Compulsory Member

Representation to Other Bodies 2017-2018

Councillor

Bollington

Cross Project

Bollington

Festival

Bollington

Initiative

Trust

Bridgend

Centre

Management

Cheshire

Association

of Local

Councils

Destination

Bollington

Friends of

Bollington

Recreation

Ground

Kerridge

Ridge and

Ingersley

Vale

Neighbourh

ood Plan

Steering

Committee

Local Area

Partnership

East

Allan Williams

Amanda Stott

James Nicholas

John WhitehurstCentral

Roland Edwards

Jon Weston

Anthony Harrison

Andrew LangdonWest

Angela Williams

Ken Edwards

Graham Hibbert

Chris Bennett

Notes 3 Rep 3 Rep 2 Rep 2 Rep 3 Rep 2 Rep 2 Rep 1 Rep 4 Rep 2 Rep

Tree Warden: John Kershaw non councillor

24 places We require 1 additional member for:

Avg 2 Bollington Festival

Bollington Initiative TrustMember Bridgend Centre Management

Friends of Bollington Recreation Ground

Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

10

Bollington Cross Youth Project Minutes 13 March 2017 1

Bollington Cross Youth Project working Group held at the Town Hall Bollington at 7.00p.m. on Monday 13 March 2017.

Present: Ken Edwards (BTC) Chair, John Murdoch Bollington Health & Leisure (BHL), Alan Pengelly BUJFC, James Nicholas Bollington Town Council (BTC), John Whitehurst (BTC), David Brown Bollington Junior Football Club (BUJFC), Paul Gibbons (Decipher), David Naylor Town Clerk 1. Apologies: Pete Tunwell (BHL) and David King (BHL) 2. Minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2017 were accepted as a true record 3. Matters arising:

Minute 3 - CEC’s Pitch Strategy: It will be presented to CEC’s Cabinet on April 11th.

When asked if the Strategy supported the Bollington Cross Strategy Ralph Kemp said

that “we shouldn’t be unhappy about it”, hinting that it did.

4. Land Transfer Documentation from CEC

The Clerk advised that the leases had now been agreed by all parties. Also, the

current leases between CEC and BHL and between CEC and BULFC would be

subsumed within the Lease between CEC and BTC. Therefore, the issue and level of

lease payments, if any, would be a matter solely for BTC. The Clerk then asked for

clarification regarding the 50-year lease to be issued by BTC to BHL, would BHL then

issue a sub-lease to BUJFC? John Murdoch confirmed that BTC would issue one

lease only to BHL. BUJFC was being brought within the governance structure of BHL,

and BHL would enter a service agreement with them. The Clerk advised that he would

inform the Council’s solicitor, Blunts, of this. ACTION The Clerk

The Clerk also sought clarification that BTC’s legal costs would be covered from the £5k provided by BUJFC – This was confirmed.

5. MUGA Tenders & Evaluation Progress The Clerk advised that 4 tenders had been received and an evaluation group was needed: It was agreed that the Group should comprise: Paul Gibbons, David Naylor, John Whitehurst, John Murdoch and Alan Pengelly. The Clerk advised that Cllr Amanda Stott would also like to be involved. Paul Gibbons would supply a template for read-across comparison of the tenders. The Clerk would complete that template prior to the evaluation meeting. It was agreed that the evaluation meeting would then be held on Monday 20 March at 10am Bollington Town Hall. Visits would then be arranged to reference sites of the preferred bidders.

Wren would be advised as soon possible of the successful tenderer and their costings,

so that the funding agreement could be competed and signed. This agreement

needed to be signed before the end of April. ACTION Paul Gibbons and The Clerk

Bollington Cross Youth Project Minutes 13 March 2017 2

6. Pitch Finance Two meetings had taken place with Cheshire FA at Northwich with Alice Watson. There were two issues; she suggested that the BCY Project did not need a gold plated all singing and dancing solution of £350k when £150k may be enough. High-cost pitches would require high-cost maintenance over a 10-year maintenance plan period to keep them to that standard. She confirmed that £90k from the FA was a realistic prospect. It was acknowledged that the Project needed up-to-date costings, £55k Section 106 funding was “in the bag” but how much more would be needed? Ian Mather-Brewster, Grounds person at the FA, would visit with contractors armed with a topographical survey (supplied) to produce an estimate of cost. This would then enable an application to be made for funding. Paul Smith, BCYP’s commissioned fundraiser, had recently suggested that Sports England were now providing up to £150k grants and these were targeted at recipients of devolved assets which was particularly appropriate for this Project. Paul also said that it would be better to secure a single grant large enough to cover the balance, required over and above the £55k Section 106 funding, rather than have two grants. Funders were more likely to provide funding when that knew that their contribution would guarantee the delivery of the project. It was likely that Sports England could replace the FA in the grant bidding process.

Key next issues were:

Obtain accurate costing

Identify the balance required and mechanism for funding it

Commission Paul Smith to apply for the funding The Clerk, again raised the issue of VAT which needed to be considered in any grant application if BHL could not recover it. The Town Council would not be able to help in this regard. Paul Gibbons suggested that the trust he was dealing with in the Northwest had managed to recover VAT. He would send John Murdoch the details. John would consider it and provide BHL’s definitive position.

7. Date of the next full meeting of the BCYP

Monday 10 April 2017 7.00pm Bollington Town Hall

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 1

BOLLINGTON TOWN COUNCIL

DRAFT RESPONSE TO CEC CONSULTATION ON SADPD ISSUES

Issue 1. The layout of the SADPD. P5

Question 1. How do you think that the SADPD should be laid out?

a. Under topic-based chapters such as 'Housing', 'Employment' and 'Transport and

Infrastructure', or

b. Under chapter headings that reflect those in the Local Plan Strategy?

Response.

For ease of understanding and clarity of presentation the topic based approach should be

used. This focusses attention on specific issues in Cheshire East and will be of more interest

to the public. In addition, this would make the SADPD coherent with individual

Neighbourhood Plans.

Issue 2. Determining whether further specific guidance is needed in the SADPD

regarding Sustainable Development. P6.

Question 2. Do you agree with this approach or do you think that further guidance is required

in the SADPD specifically regarding sustainable development?

Response.

At its simplest ‘sustainable development’ is development that will not prevent future

generations meeting their needs as they arise, and has profound economic, environmental and

social aspects that need to be strategically balanced. Cross referencing to extant policy

documents does not allow the framing, or strategic balancing of ‘sustainable development’

within the context of the individual themes within the SADPD. ‘Sustainable development’, as

a concept is likely to have differing interpretations and must be defined and explained by

section. Further, the ‘Sustainable Development’ concept may also vary across Local Service

Centres which, again, calls for specific guidance. The generalised statements in the local Plan

need particular emphasis in each of the themed areas and practical examples of sustainable

development need to be given.

Issue 3. Meeting the development requirements identified for Local Service Centres and

Other Settlements and Rural Areas. P6.

Question 3a. What approach do you think should be taken towards the apportionment of the

overall development requirement across Local Service Centres?

Question 3b. What approach do you think should be taken towards meeting development

requirements across Other Settlements and Rural Areas?

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 2

Question 3c. Are there any other issues related to meeting development needs across Local

Service Centres and Other Settlements and the Rural Area that should be included in the

SADPD?

Response.

Where Neighbourhood Plans are confirmed or have been submitted these should be an

integral part of guiding the vision of the SADPD. The agreed housing numbers need to be

taken into account and, in particular, their views on open space, the environment and

greenfield sites should be respected particularly where the Green Belt is involved. The

allocation of land for housing and for employment must also be looked at as a whole over all

LSC’s at once and not dealt with piecemeal site by site in alphabetical or any other sequence.

Some LSC’s are very constrained by boundaries, geography and green belt which has meant

development to date has often been over concentrated without adequate infrastructure. This

must not be embedded by procedures in the creation of the SADPD.

The list of potential factors appears robust and the narrative identifies a baseline start date for

the level of potential development; but other factors, such as infrastructure, also need a

defined baseline date to be established. Infrastructure support such as public transport is

declining and shops, post offices, libraries, care homes etc are closing and the workload, in

terms of potential users on health centres and care workers is increasing at a rapid rate. The

infrastructure baseline needs to set the MINIMUM requirements for infrastructure for each

Local Service Area from a fixed FUTURE date, say 2020, so that it can guide the extra

infrastructure build, such as hospitals, schools and health centres that will be required to

service the increased population.

The list of potential factors is also boilerplate; the significance and influence of these

headings may vary between sites, skewing results and making cross comparisons

meaningless. A potential approach to solving this issue would be to apply a set of agreed and

published weightings to each heading that are specific to each Local Service Area to

demonstrate where the CEC process will place greatest importance, i.e. is ‘development

opportunities’ more ‘infrastructure’ and so forth. This would also allow councils to show if

these headings are of a lesser or greater importance for individual centres, such information

would be gleaned from the Neighbourhood Plan. CEC should develop a published and

reviewed methodology which showed how each issue would be judged by centre and the

results used to develop the proposed level of development. The Neighbourhood Plans need to

be afforded greater significance in the SADPD.

A significant omission from this section is any recognition of the outcome of the ‘Call for

Sites’ exercise. Local Service Centres should be consulted on the offerings and be advising

CEC on the appropriateness of any proposals. These documents need to be afforded greater

significance in the SADPD.

Issue 4. Determining whether any further adjustments to the Green Belt boundary are

required around Macclesfield and the Key Service Centres inset within the Green Belt

(Handforth, Knutsford, Poynton and Wilmslow). P9

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 3

Question 4. Do you agree with the approach set out for determining whether further

adjustments to the Green Belt boundary are required around Macclesfield and the Key

Service Centres inset within the North Cheshire Green Belt (Handforth, Knutsford, Poynton

and Wilmslow)?

Response.

Where there is an overall need agreed by the Inspector then a strategic view should be taken

as was done when areas of SW Macclesfield were designated for development. This requires

a detailed review of the Green Belt in accordance with its five stated purposes as has been

done by the Arup Report. However local consultation should be conducted on any proposed

use of the hierarchy as established by that report, and the extant ARUP conclusions need to

be re-tested using the same framework of analysis. Again, the extant Neighbourhood Plans

have a key function.

Issue 5. Determining whether adjustments to the Green Belt boundary are required

around the Local Service Centres inset within the Green Belt (Alderley Edge,

Bollington, Chelford, Disley, Mobberley and Prestbury). P11.

Question 5a. Do you agree with the approach set out for determining whether alterations to

the Green Belt boundary are required around the Local Service Centres inset within the Green

Belt (Alderley Edge, Bollington, Chelford, Disley, Mobberley and Prestbury)?

Question 5b. What approach do you think should be taken towards apportioning the

remaining requirement for safeguarded land?

Response.

We disagree with this approach which is completely haphazard and depends on where sites

emerge from individual owners and is not the strategic approach required by long term

planning. If additional housing/employment land is required from an Local Service Centre

then there needs to be a strategic analysis albeit on a small scale to determine where release

of land from the Green Belt will do the least damage to that community, then ask for sites to

come forward in that area. Where a Neighbourhood Plan exists the Neighbourhood Plan

Group should be tasked with that analysis with the support of a designated, independent

Strategic Planner.

Issues such as physical constraints and accessibility are of importance as is a mechanism for

balancing the alterations across the identified Local Service Centres. The use of a weighted

mechanism as outline in Response 3 should be applied.

Issue 6. Whether villages below the scale of Local Service Centres should be 'washed

over' by the Green Belt or 'inset' in the Green Belt. P12.

Question 6a. (i) Do you agree with the proposed approach to determining whether villages

should be 'inset' within or 'washed over' by the Green Belt?

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 4

(ii) Do you agree with our interpretation of NPPF paragraphs 86 and 83 in terms of meeting

the 'exceptional circumstances' test for altering Green Belt boundaries to exclude a village

from the Green Belt?

Question 6b. Are there any other Green Belt matters that need to be addressed in the

SADPD?

Response.

Given the pressure to find housing and the attractiveness of small settlements it would be

sensible to establish boundaries which allow for proportionate infilling mindful of the need

for appropriate infrastructure such as schools and medical services and for increases in family

housing. The role of the green belt in protecting historic village areas needs to be emphasized

as part of the analysis of rural villages within the Green Belt.

Issue 7. Strategic Green Gaps. P13.

Question 7. Do you agree that this is an appropriate way forward for defining Strategic

Green Gap boundaries and are there any other issues related to Strategic Green Gaps that

should be considered?

Response.

Our response to this and the next two questions are rolled up under Q9.

Issue 8. The approach to identifying Local Green Gaps. P14.

Question 8. Do you agree that this is an appropriate way forward for identifying Local Green

Gaps? Are there any other issues related to potential Local Green Gaps that should be

considered?

Issue 9. The role of Neighbourhood Plans in defining Local Green Gaps. P14.

Question 9. a. What role should Neighbourhood Plans play in defining Local Green Gaps?

b. Should Local Green Gaps-type policies be left to Parish and Town Councils to determine

through Neighbourhood Plans, perhaps supported by a 'toolkit' prepared by Cheshire East

Council?

c. Should the SADPD include any further policy to support the identification of Local Green

Gaps in Neighbourhood Plans? If so, what should it say?

Response.

The Neighbourhood Plan should be the key document used to identify Local Green Gaps. It

is, however, equally important that the identification is based on a common and verifiable

methodology which should be enunciated within the SADPD. It is questioned why this paper

seems to suggest that the Neighbourhood Plans only have a role in identifying Local Green

Gaps.

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 5

Both Strategic and local Green Gaps should be investigated and supported when historic

communities express a strong wish to maintain their separate identity but the importance of

Settlement Boundaries once established in relation to the need for sustainable development

should be protected through policy. Neighbourhood Plans should have a clearly designated

‘toolkit’ to help them establish local Green Gaps where necessary.

Issue 10. Settlement boundaries. P15.

Question 10. Have we identified the key settlement boundary issues that the SADPD should

address?

Response.

The need for the definition or re-definition of settlement boundaries is crucial but the case is

not well made. The described approach is monolithic as it fails to address the case where new

settlement boundaries may encroach towards those of individual or multiple settlements. It is

important to define how these new boundaries will be negotiated. Further, there must be a

clear policy on what size of rural settlement becomes a village and merits a settlement

boundary. This document does not deal with settlement boundaries and the boundaries of

Neighbourhood Plans which should be contiguous or with administrative boundaries in

relation to settlement boundaries which are relevant in some cases.

Issue 11. Jodrell Bank Observatory. P17.

Question 11. Do you think that further planning policy guidance regarding the Jodrell Bank

Observatory should be included in the SADPD? If you do, what should its scope be?

Response.

Jodrell Bank should be fully protected within the SADPD. That protection should be drafted

in close consultation with the relevant scientific bodies to ensure its efficient and effective

current use and future development.

Issue 12. The need for a policy or policies setting out general requirements for all

development. P18.

Question 12. Do you think that there should be a single policy or small number of policies

that cover a range of requirements generally applicable to all (or at least most) forms of

development?

Response.

A single policy will result in a monolithic approach to development and could seriously

disadvantage one settlement compared to another in terms of development pressures. Policies

should be developed which address the range of settlements types in CEC and the issues that

they face in managing development. Whilst it is conceded that the general requirements

cannot cover every case they are inadequate as they do not address development in

conservation areas and the particular problems that these bring, such as correct types of

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 6

building material. Infrastructure speaks only of transport and fails to take account of

schooling (e.g available school places, distance to schools and the presence or lack of

adequate and safe means of movement to schools), homecare, medical care and other crucial

infrastructure requirements.

All those requirements listed in Para 3.3 should be in a general requirement policy and just as

there is a requirement for a definition of ‘sustainable development’ there needs to be a

definition of ‘over development’ to ensure that urban areas with already concentrated

development are protected from further pressure that makes development unsustainable on

grounds of safety, health and amenity. There should be general requirement that all

development positively contributes to the well being of residents, workers and visitors.

Issue 13. Natural environment, climate change and resources. P20.

Question 13. Do you think that these are the issues that the SADPD should look to address

regarding the natural environment, climate change and resources?

Response.

Yes, but the SADPD needs to look to plan for fast broadband access across the whole of the

Borough . Equally access to the countryside to enjoy the natural environment should be a

vital part of the SADPD therefore the protection of rights of way, open space for a variety of

purposes, and particular landscapes which contribute to health and fitness and mental well-

being need to be recognised. Conflicts of interest need to be recognised and policies written

to prevent them e,g, wind farms and blight on the landscape.

Issue 14. The historic environment. P 22.

Question 14. What policy detail regarding the historic environment do you think should be

included in the SADPD?

Response.

We support the SADPD including all aspects of the historic environment mentioned being

part of the policies mapping process. Clear guidance on the protection of historic assets

should be given and the role of the Green Belt in protecting these assets needs to be

emphasized. The historic towns identified in the ARUP report on the Green Belt should be

acknowledged and designated as such in the SADPD.

Issue 15. Employment development. P23.

Question 15. Do you think that these are the issues that the SADPD should look to address

regarding employment development?

Response.

These issues are of importance and should be included in the SADPD. Increasing urban

employment development will increase the number of workers that enter and leave the urban

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 7

environment which will have an impact on the settlement’s infrastructure requirements,

particularly transport, parking, shops and, potentially health care. Any policies of

employment development must take account of infrastructure impact and the need for greater

provision of those services.

There needs to be far more detail in relation to employment particularly to the distribution of

Goods. Given CE’s central position in the country there is the potential for growth of

distribution facilities particularly around Crewe but also around south Manchester. The sites

are often large and generate much heavy traffic and a set of policies are required to encourage

yet control such development. The SADPD needs to have a set of policies dealing with sites

and employment in the ‘scientific corridor going north from Macclesfield again both

encouraging and controlling such development, There needs to be planning and aspiration to

develop transport links between Macclesfield and Manchester particularly the airport. The

visitor economy and employment needs a suite of policies to encourage provision of facilities

such as hotels, car parks public toilets etc.

Issue 16. Housing. P24.

Question 16. Do you think these are the relevant housing issues for the SADPD to address?

Response.

The provision of 36,000 houses across the Borough between 2010 and 2030 is a major

challenge. Major restrictions are undoubtedly the overall residential land supply and the

complexity of the planning system but a further serious restriction is the rate larger

housebuilders bring houses to the market. One partial solution is to favour smaller builders by

identifying numerous smaller sites across smaller settlements as part of SADPD process.

Local consultation must be part of that process and the SADPD ignores that process

completely. There is no mention of Neighbourhood Plans in your considerations of housing

requirements this is serious oversight. All Local Service Centres should be encouraged

through funding and officer support to produce Neighbourhood Plans that identify housing

sites within settlement boundaries similarly with rural parishes. They need to be incentivised

to produce Plans that identify housing sites. In addition, the outcome of any ‘Call for Site’

activity should have been highlighted in this section.

A further key issue will be the strategic phasing of the building process across the area and

time and the nature and ratio of the housing and industrial mix. There is no indication here

that such a strategic approach has been considered. There will also be the need to put in place

a strategic process that ensures that speeding the application process does not permit

inappropriate development, this indicates that a robust policing policy must be introduced. A

difficulty here is that speed may easily result in shoddy or sub-standard building practices or

the release of inappropriate sites after appeal. Technical standards should be defined and a

means of policing the building process to ensure that the highest standards are implemented.

Finally, reaching such numbers of buildings is a high risk strategy which depends on the

supply of skilled workmen, and building firms staying solvent. This, more than any other

issue requires a risk register to be established, it is noticeable that risk, as an issue and a threat

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 8

to the SADPD is NOT mentioned in this document. We should be told the nature of any risk

mitigation plans.

Issue 17. Town centres and retail development. P27.

Question 17. Do you think that these are the issues that the SADPD should look to address

regarding town centres and retail development?

Response.

There should be policies to control the effect of entertainment services on Town Centre

living. Policies to support a variety of retail outlets and the overall retail offer in local service

centres should be considered in order the ensure that the local service centres provide the

widest retail offer possible including the balance of services for the night time economy, such

centres such as restaurants and public houses. There should be policies in place to support

public houses and to restrict changes of use to housing. Evidence that such a change is

necessary should be required.

Issue 18. Transport and other infrastructure. P29.

Question 18. Are these the transport and infrastructure issues that the SADPD should

address?

Response.

The statements on infrastructure are very weak. There need to be much clearer policies on the

levels of infrastructure required to support particular levels of housing in Local Service

Centres where infrastructure is often limited and in some communities like Bollington

already seriously overstretched for example, roads, car parking provision, and health

facilities. Public health requirements need policies access for leisure centres and swimming

pools need to be planned for. There needs to recognition of the importance of Assets of

Community Value, how they are identified, registered and maintained.

Issue 19. Recreation and community facilities. P30.

Question 19. Do you agree that these are the issues that the SADPD should address regarding

recreation and community facilities?

Response.

Yes, these issues of facilities for sport and recreation and open spaces for a variety of

purposes all need to be addressed in the SADPD. Provision for outdoor recreation and access

to the open countryside need emphasizing and specific policies developed to ensure sufficient

provision and open space for a variety of uses. Policies for community facilities need to be

developed including parks and war memorial sites and physical facilities for meetings, artistic

activities, plays, concerts etc. These are vital facilities for supporting the mental and physical

health for an aging population. Care homes and convalescent homes need to be provided for

the elderly and sick.

Bollington Town Council - Site Allocations and Development Policies Document Page 9

The list of potential infrastructures is weak and not all inclusive. This must include the

provision of medical facilities, in larger towns’ hospitals and schools and adequate car

parking. Policies on all these issues are required. It is also noted that a policy on the

identification of land for allotments, parks and playgrounds has not been proposed. There is

no acknowledgement of the need to interact with other bodies such as the Canal and River

Trust, National Trust, National Parks etc to ensure that the policies are consonant with other

bodies.

Issue 20. Policies Map. P30.

Question 20. Do you agree with the proposed approach to the Local Plan Policies Map?

Response. We agree with the proposed approach.

Issue 21. Monitoring and Implementation. P31.

Question 21.i. Do any additional monitoring indicators need to be included in the SADPD?

ii. If you think additional monitoring indicators are needed, where would the information for

these indicators come from?

Response.

The key document is the Neighbourhood Plan which should provide an identification of the

monitoring indicators.

Site Allocations Development Policies Document: Issues Paper

February 2017

Community Infrastructure Levy – Preliminary Draft Charging

Schedule February 2017

Cheshire East has issued these two documents for consultation and responses to both needs to be

made by 5pm on Monday 10th April. In view of the importance and implications of these two

documents for all of the Town and Parish Councils in the Borough it is my recommendation that

representations should be made by ChALC and also by individual Councils. The documents can be

viewed on line at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/localplan

1. Sites Allocations Development Policies Document (SADPD)

The purposes of this document are;

To allocate sites of less than 150 homes or 5ha for development

To set out more detailed policies to guide planning application decisions

It will form part of the Development Plan for Cheshire East alongside the Local Plan and the Minerals

and Waste Development Plan.

At the same time as the consultation there is a ‘call for sites’ inviting residents, landowners,

developers and other parties to put forward sites to the Council.

Comments should preferably be made on-line however a paper form is also available from the

Council.

The draft timetable for the SADPD is as follows;

Plan preparation – current consultation

Pre-publication draft - 4th Quarter 2017

Publication version – 1st Quarter 2018

Submission for Examination – 2nd quarter 2018

Independent Exanimation – 2nd quarter 2018

Inspector’s Report – 4th Quarter 2018

SADPD Adoption – 4th Quarter 2018

The document then sets out the scope of the SAPDP Policies as issues and then asked questions

against each issue.

Issue 1 – Layout of the SADPD

Question - Topic based – housing, employment or Chapter headings that reflect the Local Plan?

Issue 2 – Is further guidance required regarding Sustainable Development

Question - Do you think sufficient guidance exists?

Issue 3a –Settlement Hierarchy and Spatial Distribution

Raises the issue of overall development targets for the 13 Local service Centres and the approach to

be taken towards the apportionment of 1125 homes and 3.56 ha of employment land.

There is an initial list of potential considerations which include;

Level of development already completed and currently committed

Known additional development opportunities

Socio-economic profile

Infrastructure provision

Planning constraints such as Green Belt

Physical constraints such as flood risk, landscape, ecology

Sustainable development and accessibility

Delivery and viability

Findings of Sustainability Appraisal/Habitat Regulations Assessment

Consistency with the Vision and Strategy of the Local Plan

I would add;

Adopted Neighbourhood Plan

Historic Patterns of Development

Settlement Boundary

Size of the LSC

Landscape Setting and Character

Phasing of development linked to the delivery of infrastructure including school places,

doctors surgery and dentists

Question3a – What approach do you think should be taken towards the apportionment of the

overall development requirement across LSCs?

Issue 3b – Other Settlements and Rural areas

There remains 1250 homes and 4 Ha of employment land to be provided for and the Plans overall

strategy is to direct development to those villages that offer a reasonable range of services.

Question 3b – what approach should be taken to meeting these development requirements?

would suggest a criteria based policy similar to that set out above

Question 3c Are there any other issues relating to LSCs and other settlements to be included in the

SADPD?

Issue 4 – Green Belt

This matter relates to Green Belt in the north of the Borough and whether further adjustments are

required.

Issue 5 – Adjustment to Green Belt boundaries around LSCs inset within the Green Belt ( Alderley

Edge, Bollington,Chelford, Disley, Mobberley and Prestbury)

Issue 6 – Should villages below LSCs be washed over by the Green Belt or inset

Issue 7 Strategic Green Gaps

Policy PG4a establishes the principle and broad extent of Strategic Green Gaps between Crewe and

Nantwich, and between Crewe and its surrounding villages. The precise boundaries need to be

identified through the SADPD and it Is suggested that detailed boundaries be drawn so that they

follow identifiable, physical features on the ground that are likely to be permanent and also follow,

as closely as possible, the extent of the hatched areas identified in Figure 8.3a that accompanies

Policy PG4a in the Local Plan.

Question 7– do you agree that this is an appropriate way forward?

My view is that it is not and the Green Gap should be reviewed against permissions already granted

and that a cumulative assessment is made of the erosion of the Green Gap to date, how and where

it can be extended and a reassessment is made of its future role and function as a strategic policy.

Issue 8 – The approach to identifying Local Green Gaps

The SADPD recognises that there may be other gaps that require policy protection through a local

Green Gap policy. The Council are suggesting that this work should be undertaken utilising the 2013

New Green Belt and Strategic Open Gap Study.

Question8 – Do you agree that this is an appropriate way forward?

My view for the reasons set out above is that it is not. The study is now 4 years old and both the

Local Plan and various appeal decisions have ‘moved the goal posts. I would suggest that the Council

should commission a new piece of work, involve local councils and bodies such a Cheshire Wildlife

Trust to fully understand the role and local importance of the existing and extended Green Gaps.

Local communities in my view are best placed to review and recommend the boundaries and extent

of their local Green Gaps. The Council can then be responsible for the wider Borough view joining up

green gaps where they cross Parish and Town boundaries in consultation with those communities.

Issue 9 – The role of Neighbourhood Plans in defining Local Green Gaps

An option may be to leave the definition of Local Green Gaps to Neighbourhood Plans

Question 9

a) What role should NPs play?

b) Should Local Green Gap –type policies be left to Town and Parish Councils guided by a

toolkit prepared by CE?

c) Should the SADPD include further policies to identify Local Green Gaps in NPs?

My view is that Neighbourhood Plans do have a role to play as do Town and Parish Councils however

as stated in Question 8 above it should be done in co-operation with and the support of Cheshire

East.

Issue 10 – Settlement Boundaries

The SADPD will need to identify settlement boundaries around Principal Towns, Key Service Centres

and Local Service Centres. It is proposed to use a criteria based methodology to include allocated

sites, sites with planning and previously developed land on the edge of settlements.

Question 10 – have we addressed the key settlement boundary issues that the SADPD should

address?

My view is no. This work should be undertaken together with the assessment of Green Gaps, where

appropriate. It should reflect the scale and role of that settlement both at present and in the future,

its existing built form and any environmental and infrastructure constraints.

Issue 11 – Jodrell Bank

Question 11 – do you think further planning policy guidance regarding the Jodrell Bank Telescope

Observatory should be included?

My view is yes as this is a unique world famous facility which is also a major tourist attraction for the

Borough.

Issue12 – General Requirements

The need for a policy or policies setting out general requirements for all development . All

development should be of a high standard and positively contribute towards creating places that are

attractive, safe and promote healthy lifestyles. Good design is indivisible from good planning. The list

of general requirements includes;

Safe and convenient access prioritising the needs of cyclists and pedestrians as well as the

needs of people with disabilities

Provision of links to existing transport infrastructure and demonstrating there is sufficient

capacity avoiding unacceptable levels of congestion

Provision of necessary parking

Safeguarding residential amenity

Provision of landscaping

Achieving good design

Promotion of environmental sustainability

Provision of necessary infrastructure generated by the development

Question 12 - do you think there should be a single policy or a number of policies that cover a range

of requirements?

My view is that there should be a range which not only covers that matters set out above but

includes housing mix both in terms of type but also tenure to reflect not only the Boroughs needs

but also those of the local community recognising we are an ageing population. Some attempt by

developers to move away from their standard house type to create designs that reflect the locality.

More emphasis on consideration of the character, built form, ecology, historical context and

environment of an area when planning new developments. Infrastructure provision to include

education, libraries and health care.

Issue 13 - Natural Environment, climate change and resources

The Council expect that the SADPD will add further policy detail relating to;

Flood risk and water management

The need to design development in a way that gives resilience to the effects of climate

change

Pollution, land contamination and land instability

The SADPD will consider the energy generating opportunities identified in the Council’s Energy

Framework such as;

District Heating

Combined heat and power schemes

Solar voltaics – particularly large scale solar power schemes

Hydropower

Windpower

Question 13 – Do you think that these are the issues that the SAPDP should address?

My view is yes but the policies should include safeguards regarding the environmental and visual

impact of large solar voltaic and wind power schemes, some criteria should be included to protect

residential amenity and the wider countryside.

Issue 14 – Historic Environment

The Council need to consider what further policy detail is needed for;

Conservation areas

Listed Buildings

Scheduled Monuments

Registered Parks and Gardens

Registered Battlefields

The policies map will show;

Areas of Archaeological importance

Sites of archaeological importance

Local list of significant historic parks and gardens

Local list of Historic Buildings

Question 14 – What policy detail regarding the historic environment should be included/

My only addition would be sites and buildings of local importance where they are not included on a

national list but still merit protection.

Issue 15 – Employment

Promoting economic prosperity is a strategic priority of the Local Plan. Further work is proposed to

distribute identified employment requirements to LSCs and Other Settlements and Rural Areas. The

Council intends to identify and allocate further sites for employment uses. They also need to

consider what additional policy detail is needed.

Question 15 – Do you think these are the issues that the SADPD should address?

The SADPD proposes allocating additional land but does not include any detail on how sites will be

evaluated, what other planning matters will be taken into account such as residential amenity,

infrastructure, access the major road network etc. More detail is required.

Issue 16 – Housing

As part of the SADPD further work is proposed to identify housing requirements for each LSC and

also to ensure that the housing requirement for Other Settlement and Rural Areas is met. The

SADPD will provide detailed policy on housing mix (type, size and tenure) to ensure that high quality

homes are provided for everyone, including the increased number of older residents. The Council

also would like views on housing density to reflect local standards in order to boost housing supply.

Reference is made to the recent White Paper ‘Fixing our broken housing market’ and the 4 step

approach;

Planning for the right homes in the right places

Building homes faster

Diversifying the market

Helping people now

The Council want to explore how sites with pp (17,000)can be built out more quickly and that large

house builders alone may not deliver the number of homes needed. The Council also want evidence

to support the incorporation of the Housing Standards Review, a new approach for the setting of

technical standards for new housing and internal space standards.

Question 16 – Do you think that these are relevant housing issues.

Yes I do but I fear that policies in the SADPD will not make developers build quicker nor will they

encourage developers to build houses that are needed in the locality rather than their standard 4/5

bedroom house. I think we should support the Council in their policy endeavours however the

housing market is something that needs to be tackled at a national level and in my opinion the

recent White Paper did very little to tackle the inherent problems of a market controlled by

developers for their own profit, not a market which seeks to meet and satisfy local needs.

Issue 17 – Town centres and retail development

The Council want to support the viability and vitality of town centres. In the SAPD the Council will

address;

The allocation of sites

Identifying boundaries of town centres and primary retail frontages

Identifying shopping areas in Principal Towns and LSCs

Policies to prevent changes of use in town centres to retain their retail cores

Control advertising, amusement centres, shop fronts etc

Policies relating to the scale of retailing appropriate to the size of the centre

Policies for other forms of retiling including farm shops

Question 17 – Do you think these are issues the SADPD should address?

Yes. In my view it should also address the changing patterns in retailing, the decline of many of our

town centres and, what other uses may be appropriate.

Issue 18 – Transport and Infrastructure

Infrastructure includes transport, education, health, public utilities, sports facilities and open space.

Development has to address infrastructure through appropriate contributions and these will be

secured through the CIL proposals.

Question 18 – Are these the transport and infrastructure issues the SADPD should address?

Yes but key is delivery before or at the same time as the development with minimum local

disruption. If we are to have CIL then the proposed charges should reflect the need to provide new

infrastructure where development is proposed and not set at a zero rate.

Issue 19 – Recreation and Community

The Council is updating its Playing Pitch Strategy and Indoor Facilities Strategy. These may give rise

to the need for new or improved facilities. Local Green Space designations identify for special

protection green areas of particular importance to locl communities. Should the Council make Local

Green Space designations in the SADPD or should these be designated in Neighbourhood plans?

Question 10 – Do you agree that these are the issues?

Yes but the policy should consider the opportunity to share school facilities and improve them

through contributions. Local communities are best placed to decide what Local Green Spaces are

important to them however the SADPD should contain an overarching policy to allow this to happen

and to protect such spaces from development pressures securing contributions for their ongoing

maintenance.

Issue 20 – Policies Map

This will illustrate;

Settlement and other policy boundaries

Sites allocated for housing, employment, town centre and other development

International, national and local designations

Other important planning considerations such as the Jodrell Bank safeguarding and , flood

risk zones

Question 20 – Do you agree this approach to the Policies Map?

I would suggest that there should be a series of maps in order that all the ammeters can be seen

clearly. One map could become jumbled and confusing.

Issue 21 – Monitoring and Implementation

Sets out a range of indicators to monitor the planning policies.

Question 21 – Do any additional monitoring indicators need to be included and if you do where will

the information for these indicators come from?

I would suggest that annual if not half yearly housing completion figures are produced and published

on the 31st March and 31st September not several months afterwards and, information is published

on the cumulative encroachment in the Green Gap on an annual basis.

2. Community Infrastructure Levy – Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule

The draft charging schedule asks a number of questions;

1. Do you agree with the assumptions and methodology?

2. Do the proposed rates strike an appropriate balance between funding infrastructure and

potential effects on viability?

3. What approach should be taken to Strategic Sites?

4. Should the Council introduce an instalments policy to stagger payments?

5. Should the Council offer relief for any of the following; land and infrastructure in kind, relief

for exceptional circumstances and any other discretionary relief.

6. Do you have any views on the Councils Initial Draft Regulation 123 list and the balance

between CIL and 106?

7. Do you have any other comments on the Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule?

8. Do you have any comments on the evidence base?

The levy is payable on development which creates net additional floor space where the gross

internal area of new build exceeds 100 square meters. That limit does not apply to new houses or

flats and a charge can be levied on a single house or flat of any size unless it is built by a self builder.

There is a list of 11 forms of development which do not pay CIL including such matters as social

housing, charitable developments, pylons and wind turbines.

Landowners are liable to pay CIL however Developers may take liability to pay the CIL charge on

behalf of landowners.

The benefits of CIL include;

A clear mechanism for the funding of infrastructure

Contributions from a range of developments

Provides Councils with greater flexibility to set their own priorities

CIL is non-negotiable

Parishes will receive their own portion of CIL. Where there is no neighbourhood plan this will be 15%

capped at £100 per existing dwelling to be spent on local priorities. Where there is a Neighbourhood

Plan in place this portion increases to 25% uncapped.

The existing 106 system in the Borough will remain and will continue to be used for affordable

housing and for site specific measures.

The Regulation 123 list is a draft list of projects and types of infrastructure to be funded in whole or

in part by CIL. In order to set a CIL Charge the Council must have;

An up to date Development Plan

Evidence of an infrastructure funding gap

Evidence on viability and the need to strike an appropriate balance between the desire to

fund infrastructure and the effects on economic viability

Any CIL levy will become payable once the development has started.

Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule

1.Residential use Zone 1 – Built up areas of Crewe, Alsager, Macclesfield, Congleton, Handforth,

Middlewich, Nantwich, Sandbach, Audlem, Bunbury, Bollington, Chelford, Disley, Goostrey,

Haslington, Holmes Chapel, Shavington and Wrenbury - £0

2. Residential use Zone 2 – Crewe Rural Hinterland - £35

3. Residential use Zone 3 – Built up areas of Knutsford, Alderley Edge, Mobberley, Prestbury,

Poynton and Wilmslow - £88

4. Residential use Zone 4 – Greenfield areas to the south and central areas of Cheshire - £112

5. Residential use Zone 5 – Greenfield areas to the north of the Borough - £168

6. Apartments – Zone 3+5 –Built up and Greenfield areas to the north of the Borough - £60

7. Hotels – Whole Borough - £0

8. Retail uses – Retail Zone 1 – Retail Parks at Grand Junction in Crewe and Handforth Dean in

Handforth - £66

9. Retail uses outside Retail Zone 1 - £0

10. Offices - £0

11. General Industrial - £0

12. Storage and Distribution - £0

13. All other uses - £0

(See detailed plans on line for definition of these areas)

Commentary.

It would appear that the areas subject to most development pressure in the Borough to the south

and thus pressure on the existing infrastructure are those areas where no charge is to be levied. This

appears counter intuitive. Furthermore by imposing relatively high tariffs on development in the

north then this could divert development to areas in the south where no charge is levied.

Interestingly Cheshire West and Chester impose a flat charge of £135 per dwelling in Chester and the

rural area but charge £0 in Ellesmere Port, Northwich, Winsford and Blacon urban areas.

The areas listed in Zone 1 are Principal and Key towns as well as all of the LSC’s where the majority

of new and ‘sustainable’ development is to be directed. To levy a zero charge does not make sense

when these are the areas where the majority of new house building will take place which will in turn

place greatest pressure on existing infrastructure. It also does not make sense to levy different rates

across the Borough and a flat charge of £135 for each new dwelling would not appear unreasonable

having regard to the high land prices across Cheshire and new house prices. Such a nominal charge

will not, in my opinion, discourage housebuilding nor will it affect the viability of a development.

Minutes of the Civic Functions Working Group 6th March 2017 Page 1

Minutes of the Civic Functions and Events Working Group Held on 6th March 2017 Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bollington

Present Cllr. Allan Williams, Town Mayor, Cllr. Andrew Langdon, Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Angela Williams, Cllr. John Whitehurst, Cllr. Graham Hibbert, David Thickett, Emma Bambrook, the Town Mayor’s Secretary and David Naylor, the Town Clerk.

1. To receive and approve apologies for absence Anne Cave and Deryck Sutton

It was suggested that a letter be sent to Deryck, thanking him for his involvement and time with the Town Council events over the years. Cllr. Langdon said that he would speak to Deryck about his plans for the future at the Royal British Legion meeting on Wednesday.

2. The minutes of the meeting held on 23rd January were approved.

3. Matters arising from the minutes of the meeting5. Christmas Light Switch On – Review

Chrome Motors had not given the donation they had promised for being allowedto have four advertising vehicles at the Christmas Light Switch On. It wasconfirmed that no donation has since been forthcoming and Cllr. Langdon hasbeen unable to contact them.

4. Civic Dinner – PlanningThe Mayor has asked Karen Black (Sea Cadets) to provide a Guard of Honourand two cadets to pipe in the guests as they are being seated. Cllr. Hibbertsuggested finding someone to play the bagpipes, as had been done at a previousCivic Dinner.

Table layout was discussed, Emma believes that a large, round table will need to be used for the top table, rather than a long one as, from previous experience, this will only seat 8. Not all RSVPs are in yet but it looks like a table to seat 10 may be needed.

The toast list was discussed and it was confirmed that Veronica Hydon would say Grace, Cllr. Hibbert’s son-in-law, Squadron Leader Seale-Finch, has offered to make the Loyal toast and this offer was accepted. David Rutley, if he attends, will be asked to make the Civic toast, response will be by the Mayor and the guests will be proposed by Cllr. Langdon. This just leaves someone to make the response. Once all the RSVPS are back, a decision can be made.

Minutes of the Civic Functions Working Group 6th March 2017 Page 2

5. Mayor Making – Planning A caterer has already been booked for the reception and Cllr. Langdon confirmed that there wouldn’t be a raffle at the reception as he intends to raise money for charity through organised events. It was confirmed that the Youth Consort would be invested as part of the Mayor Making Ceremony and that when the new Youth Consort was selected, Emma would arrange a time for him/her to speak with Holly Brockbank at the Town Hall. It was also suggested that they have the opportunity to rehearse for the ceremony, which will need to be separate from the usual rehearsal, as they would be in school. It was decided that the certificate for the outgoing Youth Consorts should be A5 sized and framed. Emma will organise this.

6. Passchendaele Commemoration – Update It was decided that Cllr. Langdon will take this to the Royal British Legion meeting

on Wednesday and will then e-mail the committee’s suggestions. It was suggested that the end of the Battle could be commemorated, rather than then start; this would be on Friday 10th November and would lead into a weekend of remembrance.

7. Battle’s Over – A Nation’s Tribute – Update

The weekend of remembrance would also include the Battle’s Over tribute. David Thickett will seek permission to install a beacon at up at White Nancy and will then look into fabricating a suitable brazier. He will provide an update at the next meeting.

8. Mayor’s Garden Party – Update

Cllr. Langdon has asked Laura Dronsfield to provide the food from her retro caravan at the Recreation Ground. He will speak to Andrea about the cricket schedule to avoid a clash. It was felt that some sort of music would be a good idea and a voucher system was suggested in order stop people who hadn’t been invited getting refreshments intended for the volunteers; they would however, be able to buy their own refreshments.

Cllr. Langdon would set a date for the next meeting and asked that people e-mail him with suggestions of volunteers to invite. It was agreed that those invited should be people who are unpaid, not part of a club and who help and further the interests of the local community.

9. Items for next agenda Mayor’s Garden Party 10. Date of next meeting

Monday 24th April 2017 at 10am

Council Chamber BOLLINGTON TOWN HALL

To Follow Item, for Council Meeting 4 April 2017

Bollington Initiative Trust - The Water Street Centre

From: Will Spinks <s.spinks1@ntlworld.com>

Sent: 02 April 2017 17:22

To: Bollington Town Council Town Clerk

Subject: Re: Response following your Trustees Meeting

Dear David,

Thank you for your email of Monday 27th March detailing Bollington Town Council’s

response from your discussions at the Strategic Planning meeting held on March 21st. We also

appreciate your very supportive comments acknowledging the work of the Trust. As promised, I

have shared this with the Trustees at our meeting that evening and I am writing to you now in

order to reply.

Firstly, the Trustees would like to thank the Council for the time and consideration that has been

given to the proposals that the Trust submitted. We fully recognise that what we are asking for

tests previous ways of doing things and raises questions about how the Council may want to

operate in the future. We also fully recognise the very difficult financial circumstances that all

public sector bodies face – indeed, this is very much the environment that the Trust has been

operating in since we took on the liabilities associated with Water Street School upon its transfer

to BIT from Cheshire East. Finding grant funding to repair a roof has been extraordinarily difficult.

Whilst we very much appreciate your offer of a loan, I am afraid that it does not fundamentally

address the challenge we are facing with the Centre. As we explained in the papers that the

Trust submitted to the Council, we need to find a minimum injection of £60k cash from

somewhere in addition to finding further funds in order to retain the building for community

use. A loan in itself does not work. Finding a cash injection therefore remains a priority for the

Trustees and without it, we remain in some difficulty. If we were simply to take up your offer of a

£60k loan to fix the roof, we would have no funds left to refurbish the upstairs and thus no means

of generating the additional income necessary to repay the loan with sufficient certainty.

At our meeting, the Trustees were very clear that if this grant funding were to be available from

another source, we would choose not to progress any further discussions with the developer.

We acknowledge that any support from public funds by Bollington Town Council would require

the positive support of the wider community and we accept that this has not yet been fully

research. We do, however, have the opportunity provided by the Bright Ideas process to engage

more fully with all of the Bollington community in order that we test public support for community

use of the whole building. We would ask that Bollington Town Council works with us in this

process with a view to determining whether that public support is evident. Once this is done and

an outcome reached, we would hope that the Council could then make its final decision on grant

funding.

If the Council were prepared to agree to this, we would inform the developer that we are not

prepared to support a planning application requiring access over Water Street Centre land at this

time.

I understand you have a Town Council meeting coming up very shortly and that you may want to

discuss this matter further.

Best wishes,

Will Spinks

As Chair of BIT