Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 11 March 2013 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

The following interests were declared:-

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Suzanne Wyatt                    Agenda item 4 “Scrutiny Review Panel Final Report – Preparing for the introduction of the Universal Credit Regime” as an employee of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

There were no items to consider.

To consider the final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – Preparing for the introduction of the Universal Credit Regime

This report is the draft final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – Preparing for the introduction of the Universal Credit Regime.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment upon the draft Final Report prior to its submission to the Executive.

Officer contact: Holly Rae on 474 3014 or email: holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

The Lead Member of the Scrutiny Review Panel (Councillor Philip Harding) submitted the final report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the findings of the Scrutiny Review on "Preparing for the introduction of the Universal Credit Regime”. He stated that this was an interim report and that further work was required as the changes were implemented.

RESOLVED – That the final report and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel - " Preparing for the introduction of the Universal Credit Regime” be referred to the Executive for consideration subject to the following amendments:

·         Paragraph 4.1, the deletion of the words “Digital Exclusion” and replace them with “Digital Inclusion”;

·         Paragraph 4.3, under the heading ‘Wigan Pathfinder’ the deletion of the first sentence and replace with “As a pathfinder authority, Wigan have developed some customer awareness initiatives:”

·         Paragraph 5.1, recommendation 8 to read “Members of the Corporate, Resource Management and Governance and the Adults and Communities Scrutiny Committees be provided with information on the cumulative impact of Welfare Reform relating to vulnerable groups.

·         Paragraph 5.1, recommendation 9 to read “Provide an analysis of the additional resources required to process Universal Credit”.

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation).

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to comment on the information set out in this report and, in particular, to:

·         Provide any feedback to inform the development of a Stockport response to the Greater Manchester Strategy (para. 5.5)

·         Offer views about any assets or achievements that should specifically be referenced in the Proud of Stockport section (para. 3.5)

Officer contact, Steve Skelton, Head of Policy and Partnerships, telephone number 0161 474 3174, steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk

The Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) informing the Scrutiny committee that the Council would be refreshing the Borough’s Sustainable Communities Strategy and inviting comments on the Greater Manchester Strategy which was currently subject to consultation.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:

·         The Committee expressed concern that they had not been provided with information about baseline data, justification/evidence or the means of measurement for the high level measures in relation to the Greater Manchester Strategy:

·         There was concern as to whether the high performance measures in relation to the Greater Manchester Strategy were too ambitious and therefore unachievable.

·         The Committee would therefore like to see intermediate targets agreed

·         The Committee suggested that “the living wage” should be included within Stockport’s Sustainable Strategy.

·         The Strategies need to be written in a language which can be understood by members of the public.

RESOLVED (1) That the report be noted and the above comments be also taken into account as part of Stockport’s Sustainable Community Strategy Refresh.

(2) That Stockport’s Sustainable Community Strategy.be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee in due course for consideration.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services

The report provides responses to each of the recommendations together with timescales for completion of the various actions.

The report was considered by the Executive at its meeting held on 2 April 2013.

Officer contact: Andrea Stewart /  Rob Smallbone, 0161 474 3243/ 218 1844, andrea.j.stewart@stockport.gov.uk / rob.smallbone@stockport.gov.uk

The Leader of the Council submitted a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Executive’s response to the “Making the Best Use of the Local Information System” Scrutiny Review adopted by the Executive at its meeting on 2 April 2013.

RESOLVED – That the Executive’s response be noted.

To consider the selection of Scrutiny Review Topics for 2013/14.

Scrutiny Committees are being invited to consider potential Scrutiny Reviews to be undertaken during the 2013/14 municipal year.  This will facilitate the approval of an initial Scrutiny Work Programme at the Council Meeting on 27 June which would enable the Reviews to commence much earlier than in previous years.

There would be a further opportunity for the selection of any additional topics following the commencement of the new Municipal Year which could take into account the outcome of the consultation on the Executive Savings proposals.  Once the Scrutiny Committees have had the opportunity to undertake any further appraisal of their review topics, the Scrutiny Work Programme may be further considered at the Council Meeting on 12 September for the remainder of the 2013/14 Municipal Year.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to give consideration to the selection of Scrutiny Review Topics for the 2013/14 Municipal Year.

Officer contact: Craig ainsworth on 474 3204 or email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

The Democratic Services Manager invited the Scrutiny Committee to consider potential Scrutiny Review topics to be undertaken during the 2013/14 municipal year.

RESOLVED – That the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation) be requested to submit a report to the next meeting of this Committee considering the following potential Scrutiny Review topics:

·         Tackling inequalities within the Borough.

·         The implications for the Council in respect of Welfare Reform, specifically the Social Fund, Council Tax Support Scheme and Personal Independence Payment.

·         Developing opportunities and relationships with local manufacturing industries.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.               

The report sets out planned agenda items for the next meeting of the Committee and Forward Plan items that fall within its remit.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings.

Officer contact: Craig Ainsworth, Democratic Services Manager, telephone number 474 3204, email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

The Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned items for the Scrutiny Committee’s future meetings and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That this Scrutiny Committee would wish to receive a report on the outcome of the review of Property Services before a final decision is taken by the Executive.

(3) That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to write to members of this Scrutiny Committee with an update in relation to the condition survey being undertaken of the Council’s highways and footways infrastructure.