Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 9 July 2015 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interest 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 agenda items for the meeting.

The following interest was declared:-

Personal Interest

To consider call-in items (if any)

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRR) for the Supporting Places and Thriving Economy Portfolios are presented for consideration by the Committee. These provide an early update on progress in delivering the portfolio priority outcomes through the Investing in Stockport programme and other key projects during the first quarter of 2015/16. They include forecast performance data (where this is available) and projected data for the Portfolios, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to:-

(a) consider the First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports,

(b) review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 20215/16.

(c) highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues.

(d) highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Executive alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report; and

(e) identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer Contacts Joe Conmee/Michael Cullen on 0161 474 5396/4361 or email: joseph.conmee@stockport.gov.uk/michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports for the Supporting Places, and Thriving Economy Portfolios. The report provided an early update on progress in delivering the portfolio priority outcomes through the Investing in Stockport programme and other key projects during the first quarter of 2015/16. They included forecasted performance data (where this was available) and projected data for the Portfolios, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Executive Councillor (Supporting Place) (Councillor Martin Candler) and the Executive Councillor (Thriving Economy) (Councillor Patrick McAuley) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

Supporting Places

·         With regard to performance indicator SP.07, the reduction in the percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting was highlighted. Nevertheless, the Council remained the best performing local authority area in the North West and Members requested a copy of the national league tables for recycling rates. An awareness raising scheme funded by the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority would target 8,000 properties across Stockport in order to understand perceived barriers to recycling amongst residents.

·         Officers were thanked for their highly commended work at the Better Regulation Delivery Office Primary Authority Awards in Birmingham in recognition of the extensive work carried out with Dace Motor company.

·         The Corporate Director confirmed that that the assessment training and training in the safe use of machinery for representatives of Friends of Parks Groups was not a replacement for the provision of direct services. The Council was grateful for the contribution made by volunteers to the maintenance and upkeep of the Borough’s parks.

·         A Member enquired when the review jointly commissioned by the Council and Solutions SK to appraise the strategic future of Solutions SK would be submitted to the Executive. The review would explore the ability to reduce the costs of current service provision by at least the equivalent of the ‘profit’ element that was a feature of the current ‘cost plus’ arrangement (approximately £0.8m) from 2016/17 onwards. For 2015/16 the desired impact on the client budget could be achieved by freeing up and contributing a proportion of the earmarked reserve established to support the delivery of the SSK recovery plan.

·         The financial pressures faced by the Car Parking Service, of which the majority related to the Merseyway Car Park operation, were highlighted.

·         A Member was provided with more details regarding the 3,000 products seized at a premise suspected of selling Legal Highs or Nitrous Oxide. Ongoing education was being provided to advise people of the dangers of the products.

·         A business case would be prepared with regard to using LED technology in street lights. A Member suggested that repairs to street lights and the carriageway could be carried out at the same time.

·         Discussions were ongoing with the Highways Agency with regard to completing the cycleway on Manchester Road, Cheadle.

Thriving Economy

·         The Council employed two Employment and Skills Advisers so the 34 people who they had helped move into work was a good outcome.

·         Six apprentices were currently employed in connection with the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief road scheme.

·         Overall footfall to the Market area had fallen by 6% compared to the same period last year. Whilst footfall to specialist markets on Sundays and the second hand market on Tuesdays had held up well, footfall continued to decline in the market on Fridays. It was proposed that a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on proposals for the Market Place and Underbanks area.

·         Gate lines at both ends of the underpass at Stockport Railway Station were being introduced by Virgin Trains on 18 August 2015 and a further meeting would be held with Councillors and Officers towards the end of September in order to discuss the scheme.

·         A Member asked for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report provides information about the proposed process to develop the Fourth Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan which will be developed by Transport for Greater Manchester on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The first element of this work is the development of an overarching long term strategy and as part of the development of the strategy Transport for Greater Manchester is consulting on a document ‘Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 Our Vision’.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 Our Vision and support the document, together with the principle of a longer term strategy document and supporting five years delivery plan.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing information about the proposed process to develop the Fourth Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan which would be developed by Transport for Greater Manchester on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The first element of this work was the development of an overarching long term strategy and as part of the development of the strategy Transport for Greater Manchester was consulting on a document entitled ‘Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 Our Vision’.

The document was the starting point in the development of a new transport strategy for Greater Manchester. It set out a vision for the transport network that it was believed Greater Manchester needed by 2040 to support economic growth and prosperity, to enable everyone to benefit from that prosperity and to safeguard the environment for current and future generations.

Simon Warburton, Head of Policy and Research at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), also attended the meeting to make a presentation on this issue and respond to questions from Members.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         In response to a Member’s question regarding the need for proposals beyond the boundary of Greater Manchester, Members were advised that Rail North and Transport for the North had been established. The emerging Northern Transport Strategy was being overseen by Transport for the North.

·         A Member expressed concern that older people would not be persuaded to use public transport more unless there was increased connectivity, particularly in more rural areas. Nevertheless the free concessionary travel for senior citizens in Greater Manchester had resulted in increased usage of public transport.

·         The aim in the document for all journeys of up to two kilometres (just over a mile) to be undertaken on foot was optimistic.

·         There needed to be a transport system that did not disadvantage any people, for example in accessing health services.

·         A Member was sceptical how the control over bus routes could be re-established when so many bus routes had been lost in the borough since the deregulation of bus services.

·         The difficulties in introducing a travel smart card in Greater Manchester and the recent termination of the agreement with the current partner were highlighted.

·         There had been a significant increase in the use of electric vehicles in Greater Manchester from a low base.

·         TfGM were looking at examples from a number of city regions around the world to identify innovative solutions to transport challenges and to better integrate transport modes into the seamless, accessible and efficient network required by a leading European city region.

·         TfGM had successfully made the case for investment through initiatives such as the Growth Deal.

·         With regard to the section on the Atlantic Gateway, Transport for the North was looking at the issue of freight with opportunities to use the Manchester Ship Canal and develop the transportation of freight from the Port of Liverpool. Changes in shipping patterns driven by the widening of the Panama Canal and the planned completion of deeper water container berths at the Port of Liverpool had meant that Liverpool was expected to at least double its share of the container market, and this offered new opportunities for Greater Manchester via the Manchester Ship Canal.

·         The proposed City-to-City links would potentially increase pollution as local links to the motorway network were improved. In response to a Member’s question, the Corporate Director confirmed that the Government had approved expenditure on a business case for the extension of the A555 from the M60 at Bredbury to the A6 at Hazel Grove.

·         A Member expressed the view that the proposals for HS3 rail services were potentially more important than those for HS2.

RESOLVED – That support be given for the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 Our Vision, along with the principle of a longer term strategy document and supporting five year delivery plan.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out the process for the selection of Scrutiny Review topics by Scrutiny Committees to be carried out during the 2015/16 municipal year.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the selection of Scrutiny Review topics to be carried out during the 2015/16 municipal year.

Officer Contact: Craig Ainsworth on 0161 474 3204 or email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Scrutiny Committee to consider the process for the selection of Scrutiny Review topics and to select a topic for a review to be carried out during the 2015/2016 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED – (1) That a review with regard to ‘Repairing potholes and other defects – process and quality’ be selected by this Scrutiny Committee for inclusion in the 2015/16 Scrutiny Work Programme.

(2) That Councillor Philip Harding (Lead Member); Councillors Richard Coaton, Christine Corris, Graham Greenhalgh and Suzanne Wyatt be nominated to sit on the proposed Scrutiny Review Panel.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager

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

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

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

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for the Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.