Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 July 2016.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 7 July 2016 were approved as a correct record.

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

No declarations of interest were made.

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 report provides information about the proposed Greater Manchester Strategy 2040 and the related Delivery Plan which are currently being consulted on. The consultation period of twelve weeks closes on 26 September 2016.

Officers from Transport for Greater Manchester will attend the meeting to provide a presentation on the proposed strategy.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the strategy and its related Delivery Plan, and support the response from the Council.

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 Greater Manchester Transportation Strategy 2040 and the related Delivery Plan which were currently being consulted upon. The consultation period of twelve weeks closed on 26 September 2016.

Nicola Kane and Rod Fawcett from Transport for Greater Manchester attended the meeting to make a presentation on the proposed strategy.

The Executive Councillor (Economy and Regeneration) (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Support was given to the holistic, joined up approach of the strategy and model of integrated public transport.

·         The importance of improving radial links outside the town centre was highlighted, for example the A34 corridor study, which was part of the ‘refresh’ of the SEMMMS strategy, was very important to those areas of the borough which had roads that accessed the A34.

·         Attention was drawn to the significant development at Handforth Dean within Cheshire East and the significant implications this would have on the A34 corridor.

·         The problems of traffic congestion on the M60 and A6 at peak periods were also of great significance, including the effect on air quality which need to be addressed to a greater extent in the strategy.

·         The movement of heavy goods vehicles along residential roads in Stockport was another significant issue.

·         Work was being carried out on the concept of taxis being electrically powered in the future.

·         The strategy needed to plan for a future where people gave up their cars more easily and used cycling as their primary mode of transport.

·         The details of the benefits to Stockport emanating from the strategy were contained in the five year delivery plan.

·         Officers working on the Greater Manchester 2040 Transportation Strategy were working closely with Officers working on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

·         It was in the districts of Greater Manchester where the connectivity between communities needed to be improved and this is where the investment in public transport was required, not the regional centre of Manchester.

·         It was important that cycleways were off road wherever possible, but it was acknowledged that a lack of space in the conurbation was a problem.

·         Support was given to the investment in Port Salford and to developing the use of the canal network.

RESOLVED – (1) That Nicola Kane and Rod Fawcett be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

(2) That the response from the Council to the consultation be supported, but the political groups be also encouraged to respond separately to the consultation.

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

The First Update Portfolio Performance and Resources Report (PPRR) for the Communities & Housing, Environment & Regeneration and Education Portfolios provides an early update on progress on delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects during the first quarter (April to June) of 2016/17.. It includes forecast performance data (where this is available) and projected financial data for the Portfolios, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

 The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:

·         Consider the first quarter Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports;

·         Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2016/17;

·         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

·         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Executive alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

·         Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

 Officer Contacts: Joe Conmee/Kora Yohannon on 0161 474 5396/4032 or email: joseph.conmee@stockport.gov.uk/kora.yohannon@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 Resources Report (PPRR) for the Communities & Housing, Environment & Regeneration and Education Portfolios. The report provided an early update on progress on delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects during the first quarter (April to June) of 2016/17. It included forecast performance data (where this was available) and projected financial data for the Portfolios, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing) (Councillor Sheila Bailey) and Executive Councillor (Economy and Regeneration) (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

Communities and Housing Portfolio

·         The Scrutiny Committee welcomed the initial steps to review the performance indicators and felt that there should be more target and trend analysis.

·         The Scrutiny Committee welcomed the review of the Council’s earmarked reserves and balances, and the imminent report. A Member expressed concern that the report had been delayed from its scheduled completion date and requested an update on when it would be completed.

·         The budget proposals would not be presented to the Scrutiny Committee at such an early stage as in previous years in order to ensure that the options presented were the definitive proposals.

·         The projected deficit in the budget for the portfolio was largely due to the loss of car parking income particularly arising from the closure of the car park at Bridgefield Street as a result of the Redrock development. There had been a contribution from the core budget to try and offset this and efforts would be made over the next few months to reduce the deficit. There had also been a shortfall in the income received for Pest Control and Licensing as the demand for these services had not been as great as originally projected.

·         Support was given to the continued implementation of the Leisure Strategy and investment in building infrastructure of the Council’s leisure facilities

·         With regard to the Portfolio Savings Programme, a Member queried why the risk rating for Leisure Facilities was shown as green when an extra budget had been assigned to the area.

·         The health suite at Grand Central had been closed in order to enable improvements to be made to the quality of the environment and the works would be carried out as soon as was practicable.

·         The decision to discontinue the Council’s involvement in proposals for a shared highways service were as a result of the limited number of other local authorities in Greater Manchester who were still involved in the discussions meaning that the financial efficiencies would not be forthcoming. A Member encouraged greater shared working with neighbouring local authorities such as Cheshire East Council.

·         The lines of communication and areas of responsibility would be examined in the Public Realm and Enforcement teams with a view to streamlining the system for councillors and residents who reported issues.

Economy and Regeneration Portfolio

·         A Member enquired which cycling schemes were being delivered under the Cycle City Ambition Grants 1 and 2.

·         With regard to the SEMMMS A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road, a Member contended that the package of mitigation measures for High Lane did not reflect the views of residents expressed during the consultation period.

·         The Scrutiny Committee expressed appreciation that the work on the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road was more or less on schedule.

·         Representatives of the Portas Pilot Board would be invited to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee to outline what they had achieved and their legacy to the town centre.

·         Members expressed concern at the length of time taken to effect a Compulsory Purchase Order on the derelict site at 33 Swann Lane, Cheadle Hulme known locally as ‘The Coach House’. Concern was expressed at the security of the site which had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

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

The report provides an overview of the West Coast rail franchising process and the Department for Transport consultation on the proposed franchise specification.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the Council’s proposed response to the consultation.

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 an overview of the West Coast rail franchising process and the Department of Transport’s consultation on the proposed franchise specification. The Council’s response to the consultation was required to be submitted by the deadline of 2 August 2016, but could be amended subsequently.

The Executive Councillor (Economy and Regeneration) (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Council’s response to the consultation needed to emphasise the importance of upgrading Stockport railway station given that the investment that the Council was making in the nearby Stockport Exchange development and the importance of the railway station in raising the profile of the borough and providing an initial impression of the town.

·         A Member expressed concern that there was no ticket office at the Edgeley side of Stockport railway station meaning that passengers approaching the station from that side could not take advantage of different ticket prices and offers available. The introduction of barriers had, however, improved the safety of pedestrians from cyclists using the underpass.

·         It was important that the underpass remained as an important route to the town centre despite the introduction of the barriers last year.

·         A Member requested that the report be referred to the meeting of the Central Stockport Area Committee on 11 August 2016.

RESOLVED – That the Council’s response to the consultation be amended in line with the comments of this Scrutiny Committee.

At the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, Members provisionally agreed to undertake a Scrutiny Review on ‘A Refresh on the previous Mills Strategy 2005’ and that the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee be requested to consider whether it would wish to undertake a joint review with this Scrutiny Committee on the topic.

The outcome of the Adult Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee’s consideration of this issue will be reported at the meeting.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reminded Members that at the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee they had given provisional approval to undertaking a Scrutiny Review on ‘A Refresh of the previous Mills Strategy 2005’ and that the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee be requested to consider whether it would wish to undertake a joint review with this Scrutiny Committee. It had subsequently agreed to a joint review and nominated Councillor Chris Murphy to serve on the proposed Scrutiny Review Panel.

RESOLVED – (1) That a joint scrutiny review with the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee on  ‘A Refresh of the previous Mills Strategy’ be selected by this Scrutiny Committee for inclusion in the 2016/17 Scrutiny Work Programme.

(2) That Councillor Graham Greenhalgh (Lead Member); Councillors Richard Coaton, Oliver Johnstone and Charlie Stewart be nominated to serve on the proposed Scrutiny Review Panel from this Scrutiny Committee.

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.