Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Area Committee until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Dickie Davies be elected Chair of the Area Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Area Committee until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Kerry Waters be appointed Vice-Chair of the Area Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2020.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 12 March 2020 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.

No declarations of interest were made.

No announcements were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Area Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Area Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice (Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting on the cards provided. These are available the meeting.  You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

No public questions were submitted.

Councillor Wendy Wild reported on the receipt of a petition from ten signatories expressing several areas of concern regarding an industrial unit off Adswood Road, Stockport.

RESOLVED – That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration for investigation and the outcome reported back to Ward Councillors.

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive reported that no organisation had indicated that they wished to address the Area Committee as part of the Open Forum arrangements.

The Area Committee will need to agree to delegate the determination of applications for Ward Flexibility Funding for the Municipal Year 2020/21 to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with Ward Councillors, should it wish to continue with its current practice for determining applications for funding.

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive reported that, as in previous years, it was necessary for the Area Committee to consider its current practice for determining applications for Ward Flexibility Funding at the start of the Municipal Year.

RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to delegate the determination of applications for Ward Flexibility Funding for the Municipal Year 2020/21 to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with Ward Councillors.

(2) That the Area Committee’s thanks be extended to all the voluntary and community organisations who had assisted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are no development applications to consider.

There were no development applications to consider.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report summarises recent appeal decisions; lists current planning appeals and dates for local enquiries; informal hearings for planning appeals, and enforcement action within the Central Stockport Area Committee area.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) listing any outstanding or recently determined planning appeals and enforcements within the area represented by the Central Stockport Area Committee.

A Member requested that a detailed update be provided on the enforcement notice served because of untidy land at 287 Wellington Road South, Heaviley.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Members of the Area Committee raised various neighbourhood policing issues within the Central Stockport area as follows:-

·         An update was requested by the Edgeley and Cheadle Heath Ward Councillors on ongoing activity by the division and Greater Manchester Police Transport Unit to address speeding and dangerous driving in the area, including statistics of enforcement carried out so far.

·         Given the reduced amount of traffic on the roads during the lockdown period of the Covid-19 pandemic, and even now that some of the restrictions had been lifted, a minority of motorists had been driving at excessive speed on some of the quieter roads in the area. It was queried what resources Greater Manchester Police had to deal with the issue and whether local Councillors could suggest hot spots in their own wards for speed checks.

·         An update was requested on plans to address the anti-social behaviour reported on Davenport Playing Fields and car park, and anti-social behaviour associated with off road bikes and speeding vehicles.

·         The increasing use of small, nitrous oxide gas canisters by young people in the area’s parks was raised.

RESOLVED – That a representative of Greater Manchester Police be requested to respond in writing to the issues raised.

The Area committee is invited to nominate Ward spokespersons with whom the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration can consult on highway maintenance and traffic management matters.

The Area Committee is recommended to nominate Ward Spokespersons for the Brinnington & Central, Davenport & Cale Green, Edgeley & Cheadle Heath and Manor Wards.

Officer Contact: David Clee on 0161 474 3137 or email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

The Area Committee was invited to nominate Ward Spokespersons with whom the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration could consult on highway maintenance and traffic management matters during 2020/21.

RESOLVED – That the following Councillors be appointed as Ward Spokespersons for highways and traffic issues for 2020/21:-

Brinnington and Central Ward – Councillor Andy Sorton

Davenport and Cale Green Ward – Councillor Dickie Davies

Edgeley and Cheadle Heath Ward – Councillor Matt Wynne

Manor Ward – Councillor Charlie Stewart

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive

The report requests the Area Committee to consider appointments of representatives on Outside Bodies.

The Area Committee is requested to make nominations for appointments on Outside Bodies.

Officer Contact: David Clee on 0161 474 3137 or email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Area Committee to appoint representatives of the Council to local outside bodies.

RESOLVED – That the following representatives of the Council be appointed to outside bodies for 2020/21:-

Cheadle Heath Community Association

Councillor Sheila Bailey

Councillor Philip Harding

Councillor Matt Wynne

Woodbank Community Association

Councillor Laura Clingan

Councillor Amanda Peers

Councillor Charlie Stewart

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive

The report provides an update on progress since the last meeting on decisions taken by the Area Committee and the current position on ward flexibility funding. The report also includes the current position on the ward delegated budgets.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: David Clee on 0161 474 3137 or email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating the Area Committee on progress since the last meeting on decisions taken by the Area Committee and the current position on Ward Flexibility Funding.

A Member raised the issue of vehicles mounting the pavement and parking on the paved area at Covent Garden and it was proposed that bollards be installed to prevent this.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That, with regard to the proposal to install bollards on Covent Garden, Stockport, authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration to consult with the Brinnington and Central Ward Councillors following the expiry of the consultation period, and that a proposal be then referred to the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport for consideration.

(3) That the Public Realm Officers be thanked for all the work which they had undertaken in the Central Stockport area.