Agenda and minutes

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules and suggests that the Panel should adopt them for the purpose of conducting the review.

The Panel are requested to formally adopt the Scrutiny Review Panel Rules for the purpose of conducting the review.

Officer Contact: Daman Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Panel to agree a set of procedures to be adhered to for the conducting of the review.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Panel Procedure Rules as set out in the report be adopted.

Report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report is designed to assist the Panel to scope the review and determine the areas which they wish to explore and scrutinise further. Andy Kippax (Strategic Housing Lead) and Paul Richards (Development Manager, Town Centre Development Team) will attend the meeting to assist in scoping the Review.

Members have previously suggested the following areas may be useful to consider as part of the scope for the Review:-

·         what constituted the ‘town centre’;

·         what type and form of residential accommodation was appropriate;

·         the implications for current residents; and

·         the necessary infrastructure to support new residential development.

The Panel is requested to determine the scope of the review and outline areas which they wish to scrutinise further.

Officer Contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the background to the selection of the Review Topic and requesting that the Panel give consideration to the scope of the proposed review, its aims and its objectives.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         There was already a significant population living within the area broadly defined as the town centre.

·         The town centre needed to be an attractive place to live for new and current residents.

·         The Panel needed to assist in providing a steer on the future direction of the residential strategy for the town centre.

·         There needed to be an agreed definition of what constituted the town centre.

·         There needed to be an emphasis on increasing residential development in town centre as mechanism towards regeneration.

·         Consideration needed to be given to providing gap funding to developers to allow them to build out town centre developments to a high quality standard and make development on brownfield town centre sites an attractive proposition.

·         Stockport town centre offered levels of connectivity unparalleled elsewhere in the Borough.

·         The review needed to consider the mix of accommodation in the town centre.

·         The infrastructure needed to support an increase in residential accommodation needed to be considered which included access to medical facilities and community resources.

·         The level of amenity space provided for in and around future developments was a vital consideration.

·         It was important to gain the views of a cross-section of local residents as part of the review.

RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to the broad scope, aims and objectives of the Review as detailed in paragraph 1.2 of the report.

(2) That approval be given to following framework for the conduct of the Review:-

Meeting 2

To examine baseline data (to include the current housing mix, facilities and amenities in the ‘town centre’).  This meeting will also including attendance by and interviews of with residents.

Meeting 3

An examination of the type and design of accommodation that would be considered appropriate in the town centre, and the necessary infrastructure to support that development.

Meeting 4

How can the town centre can be made an attractive development opportunity.

Meeting 5

Formulation of draft recommendations.

To agree the dates of future meetings and the timescales for undertaking the review.

It is suggested that the Scrutiny Review Panel meets on the following indicative basis:-

·         Wednesday, 1 November 2017 – Evidence gathering

·         Wednesday, 6 December 2017 – Evidence gathering

·         Wednesday, 24 January 2018 – Evidence gathering and formulation of draft recommendation

·         Wednesday, 28 February 2018 – Consideration of draft final report and sign off

All to commence at 6.00 pm.

RESOLVED – That future meetings of the Panel be convened on the following dates:-

Thursday, 16 November 2017

Wednesday, 6 December 2017

Monday, 8 January 2018

Thursday, 8 February 2018