Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2017.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 2 March 2017 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.

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

The following interest was declared:-

Personal Interests

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 sets out a proposal for short term investment in the Council’s leisure centre portfolio.  It is proposed that £1.545m is invested to facilitate works to address priority condition issues at seven centres in 2017/18.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Peter Ashworth on 0161 474 2392 or email: peter.ashworth@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposal for short term investment in the Council’s leisure centre portfolio. It was proposed that £1.545m was invested to facilitate works in order to address priority condition issues at seven centres in 2017/18. It was also proposed that a contingency facility of £0.543m was created in order to ensure that condition issues which could lead to business continuity issues at leisure centres could be addressed promptly as and when the need arose. The Corporate Director advised that a number of pieces of work were underway including a leisure needs survey and a detailed analysis of the age and quality of the leisure centres. Council Officers were working very closely with Life Leisure in progressing this work. Work was also being carried out as part of the health and wellbeing agenda.

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

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting to be held on 25 April 2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• In response to a Member’s question, the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration agreed to clarify over how many years the business continuity work at Marple Leisure Centre would be carried out and share the project plan with the relevant Ward Councillors.
• Borrowing was the least attractive option to fund the works, but may be necessary.
• Putting the leisure estate back into the Asset Management Plan allowed more flexibility in the future for the leisure estate to be considered alongside other Council priorities and ensure that health and safety requirements were met. A Member expressed concern that the leisure estate had been taken out of the Asset Management Plan. At that time it had been proposed that the repair and maintenance of the leisure estate would transfer to Life Leisure.
• A Member expressed concern that when the Scrutiny Committee had previously considered the repair and maintenance of the Leisure Estate, it had been based on an evaluation of the condition of the facilities that was out of date.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That Members of the Scrutiny Committee be provided with further information as soon as possible on how the works are to be funded should the Executive Meeting agree the proposals for short term investment in the Council’s leisure centre portfolio.

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

The report is an update on employment and skills data, issues and initiatives in Stockport. The report covers the current key data on Stockport’s labour market and benefit claimants, outlines local context and provides information on employment and skills initiatives in Stockport, including the Council’s new Inclusive Growth Strategy. Key issues covered are employment rates, worklessness and employabilty, particularly in priority neighbourhoods; skills gaps and the changes within wider skills. education and training provision.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to consider the data and issues in the report.

Officer Contact: Richard Mortimer on 0161 474 3864 or email: richard.mortimer@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on employment and skills data, issues and initiatives in Stockport. The report covered the current key data on Stockport’s labour market and benefit claimants, outlined local context and provided information on employment and skills initiatives in Stockport, including the Council’s new Inclusive Growth Strategy as outlined in paragraph 2 of the report. Key issues covered were employment rates, worklessness and employability, particularly in priority neighbourhoods, skills gaps and the changes within wider skills, education and training provision.

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 work of the City Regions Board in developing initiatives nationally was highlighted.

·         Stockport’s claimant rate for Job Seekers Allowances was the second lowest ot of the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester, at 0.9% compared to Trafford’s 0.8%.

·         Support was given to the Council’s Work Clubs in supporting people into employment.

·         With regard to the Local Employment and Skills Agreements – Construction in Appendix 11 of the report, it was noted that four of the local authority funded projects were coming to their end in early 2018 and attempts would be made to ensure there were local agreements for maintenance work as opposed to new construction work.

·         The Council’s ability to ‘drill down’ the data on priority areas was dependent on the information provide to it on the effect of Universal Credit on Job Seekers Allowances and who was claiming it.

·         There would always be a small number of school leavers who were unaccounted for and who it had not been be possible to track in the system.

·         The success of the Greater Manchester Working Well Programme was demonstrated in that it would eventually be superseded by the Greater Manchester Working Well Programme which was a Greater Manchester version of the national programme being commissioned by the Department fort Work and Pensions. Greater Manchester’s Working Well Programme had been the model used by the Department for Work and Pensions to design the Work and Health Programme.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted and the initiatives supported.

(2) That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the appropriate Scrutiny Committee on the Council’s new Inclusive Growth Strategy.

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

The report sets out details of the Government’s intention to allow local authorities to increase the fees for planning and related applications by 20% from July 2017 (as contained in the Housing White Paper) and the Council’s commitment to ensuring that the additional fee income is ‘ring fenced’ to the delivery of improvements to the planning service. The report sets out proposals to implement improvements.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Emma Curle on 0161 474 3542 or email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out details of the Government’s intention to allow local authorities to increase the fees for planning and related applications by 20% from July 2017 (as contained in the Housing White Paper) and the Council’s commitment to ensuring that the additional fee income was ‘ring fenced’ to the delivery of improvements to the planning service. The report set out proposals to implement improvements through the creation of additional posts in the planning service, particularly in the areas of pre-applications, development engagement and monitoring, and conservation.

Further work would be undertaken to develop the proposals further and provide a more detailed and costed proposal with a view to commencing the recruitment process in early 2017/18.

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 Scrutiny Committee was generally in favour of the proposals which aimed to improve the quality of the planning service that responded to applications promptly and facilitated quality development in the borough.
• There would be the opportunity to share expertise across Greater Manchester, for example Conservation Officers.
• The Government should be encouraged to review the fees for planning applications on an annual basis.
• Full cost recovery of the cost of processing planning applications would be problematic as most applications were householder applications.
• Most pre-application resulted in applications subsequently being submitted.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Meeting be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the proposals to implement improvements to the planning service as a result of the increase in planning application fees.

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

This report sets out a proposal to adopt a more proactive approach to post development application approval with developers to enable tracking and monitoring, and minimise instances of non-compliance. The intention would be to have a ‘development tracker’ in place from May 2017.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Emma Curle on 0161 474 3542 or email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposal to adopt a more proactive approach to post development application approval with developers to enable tracking and monitoring, and minimising instances of non-compliance. The intention would be to have a ‘development tracker’ in place from May 2017. This work would be linked to and form part of the Brownfield First work and aimed to ensure delivery of development and a proactive approach to minimising delivery.

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

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• Data on Brownfield Sites was kept on the Council’s website and would help to reassure members of the public who had concerns about development. The Digital by Design Team could assist in offering members of the public to put forward possible sites on the Council’s website which could be developed.

RESOLVED – That the introduction of a development tracker be supported.

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

The report presents the various aspects of the flood events in September 2016 and specifically incorporates a draft Independent Section 19 Investigation Report in accordance with the Flood & Water Management Act on the investigations into the flooding events undertaken by Jacobs Consulting Engineers.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the draft Jacobs Section 19 Report for the September 2016 floods, attached as Appendix A to the report, and recommend that the Executive Meeting approves the final report.

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) presenting the various aspects of the flood events in September 2016 and specifically incorporating a draft independent Section 19 Investigation Report, in accordance with the Flood and Water Management Act, on the investigations into the flooding events which had been undertaken by Jacobs Consulting Engineers.

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

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting to be held on 25 April 2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• A Member expressed appreciation for the work undertaken by Council Officers, United Utilities and the Environment Agency in working together and meeting regularly with local residents and discussing the issues which affected them.
• A map and a proper management plan was required of the culverts in each ward. CCTV was being used to ‘map’ the culverts in different areas, but this would take a number of years before a completed map was in place. A Member enquired whether there was any funding which could be used to assist in preparing a map of the culverts in the borough and requested that this should be raised with the Department for Communities and Local Government. Work was being carried out across Greater Manchester on infrastructure mapping and Officers would make enquiries to see if the funding could include work on mapping culverts in the borough.
• The Council’s highways department had a responsibility to maintain the efficient operation of highway drains, and a maintenance programme and improvement plan was required. United Utilities had responsibility to maintain the efficient operation of surface water and combined sewers.
• A number of drains were blocked after the flooding as a result of debris being blown into the drains at high speed.
• A Member felt that a wider review of flood management was required. The drainage system was very old and other ways needed to be considered of stalling water before it entered the drainage system.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive Meeting be recommended to approve the final Jacobs Section 19 Report for the September 2016 floods.

(2)  That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee which addressed how the Council could expedite the preparation of a map of the culverts in the borough in the next two or three years and the introduction of a drainage improvement programme.

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

The report updates the Scrutiny Committee on work regarding Air Quality in Stockport and Greater Manchester including:

·              The current air quality action plan progress report and actions, which need to be undertaken, to progress the delivery of the action plan including the creation of an Air Quality Steering Group for Stockport.

·              The outcomes and proposed actions in Stockport of the air quality monitoring review carried out by Transport for Greater Manchester.

·              The forthcoming Manchester Air Quality Day and plans to have events in Stockport.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to recommend that :-

·         the Executive Meeting supports the improvements to the Air Quality Monitoring Network in the Borough set out in this report.

·         the Executive Meeting authorises the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration to establish a steering group and to settle the group’s terms of reference in accordance with this report.

·         regular updates are submitted to the appropriate Scrutiny Committee in regard to the progress made by the Air Quality Steering Group.

·         the Executive  Meeting supports the delivery of National Clean Air Day in Stockport as part of the Greater Manchester participation.

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) updating the Scrutiny Committee on work regarding air quality in Stockport and Greater Manchester including:-

• the current air quality action plan progress report and actions which needed to be undertaken to progress the delivery of the action plan, including the creation of an Air Quality Steering Group for Stockport;
• the outcomes and proposed actions in Stockport of the air quality monitoring review carried out by Transport for Greater Manchester;
• the forthcoming Manchester Air Quality Day and plans to have events in Stockport.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing) (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions. She also advised the meeting that it was proposed that a student from Manchester Metropolitan University would be undertaking a study of air quality in Stockport. The student’s findings would be presented to a future meeting of the appropriate Scrutiny Committee.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting to be held on 25 April 2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• support was given to the forthcoming Manchester Air Quality Day and plans to have events in Stockport.
• Air quality problems and the effect small particulates had on people’s health was under estimated to a significant extent.
• A Member enquired whether there were any indicators in place to measure actions which had already been taken to reduce air quality. The effect of increased cycle routes and school travel plans on improving air quality would be difficult to measure.
• Monitoring of air quality had taken place before the start of the construction of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road and the Town Centre Access Plan, and would take place again after the works were completed. Monitoring had also taken place on the A34 at the junction with Gatley Road.
• People should be encouraged to change from diesel to petrol vehicles because of the worse effect of diesel vehicles on air pollution.
• The problem with electric or hybrid vehicles was that although they were environmentally friendly, they also very expensive. The Council and Solutions SK should be setting the lead in using low emission vehicles.
• Public transport in the country was significantly more expensive than in other countries in Europe.
• The problems of poor air quality would compound the ‘knock on’ effect of the new houses being built in the borough. Increased car usage would put more pressure on the borough’s roads and increase pollution.
• The problems of air pollution caused, for example, by companies using generators also had to be considered.
• The latest studies showed that private vehicles caused more pollution than heavy goods vehicles.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive Meeting be recommended to support the improvements to the Air Quality Monitoring Network in the borough, as set out in the report.

(2) That the Executive Meeting be recommended to authorise the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration to establish a steering group and to agree the group’s terms of reference in accordance with this report.

(3) That the appropriate Scrutiny Committee be provided with regular updates in regard to the progress made by the Air Quality Steering Group,

(4) That the Executive Meeting be recommended to support the delivery of aNational Clean Air Day in Stockport as part of Greater Manchester’s participation in the event.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager

The report sets out planned agenda items for the first meeting of the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee and the Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committees.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee and the Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny 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 have been circulated) setting out the planned agenda items for the first meetings of the Communities & Housing and Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committees, and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of those Scrutiny Committees.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.