Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Ward Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Andy Sorton be elected Chair of the Ward Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2016.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 2 February 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 receive any announcements from the Chair of the Joint Ward Committee.

No announcements were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair any matters within the powers and duties of the Ward 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 card provided.  These are available at the meeting. You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions)

One public question was submitted in relation to the Green Flag scheme.

RESOLVED – That the question be submitted to the Executive as a more appropriate body to address the issues raised by the questioner.

To receive petitions from members of the public and community groups.

No petitions were submitted.

To consider any applications for Ward Flexibility Funding or to receive feedback from organisations who have received funding.

No ward funding applications were submitted.

To consider any applications for funding from the Frank Bramwell Legacy Fund or to receive feedback from organisations who have received funding.

Members of Friends of the Vale attended the meeting and informed the Ward Committee that drainage work was needed to improve the standard of Sunnyside Pond on Reddish Vale Country Park. Officers from Public Realm had been in contact with a drainage firm who needed to complete a survey before providing a quote for the work.

RESOLVED – That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be authorised to determine the application in consultation with Ward Committee members, subject to the receipt of a satisfactory drainage survey and a detailed quote outlining the cost of the drainage works to Sunnyside Pond, Reddish Vale Country Park.

A representative of Stockport Action for Voluntary Youth will attend the meeting to update the Committee on the organisations detached youth work being done in the area.

Vicky Bloomfield (Manager) and Kenny Stenton (Youth Work Co-ordinator) from Stockport Action for Voluntary Youth (SAVY) attended the meeting to discuss their on-going youth work in Brinnington.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The organisation had been in existence for 21 years whilst gaining charity status in 2008, and had previously received funding from the Local Authority to deliver youth work in priority 1 areas in Stockport prior to cuts to the people directorate budget.

·         There were three main types of youth work the charity engaged in, Open Youth Work, Targeted Youth Provision and Detached Youth Work. Open Youth Work involved sessions open to anybody within an area between 8 and 16 years old to learn their needs in order for the group to react to them, as well as teaching them new skills;

·         Targeted Youth Provision operated on a referral basis for 14-19 year olds and looked at the reasons why the young person was accessing the provision such as mental health or physical disability;

·         Detached Youth Work was aimed at young people who did not access any forms of education or training, and youth workers would go out to anti-social behaviour hotspots to offer support.

·         Long term funding was difficult to secure in the current economic climate therefore SAVY was going through a period of uncertainty. It was reported that the previous three years had been a particular challenge and that the charity had been forced to use up reserves.

·         SAVY had gained one years funding from the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner’s Youth Aspiration Fund, and it was hoped that the funding could continue the following year.

·         Members welcomed the focus on crime prevention to avoid young people being arrested and acknowledged the cost benefit of sending out youth workers to anti-social behaviour hotspots as opposed to police officers.

·         SAVY was not involved in Reddish due to the positive impact Re:dish was already having in the area.

·         It was noted that off-road bikes were a particular issue in the area and members recommended that SAVY liaise with Andy Roughley of Roughley’s bike show to try and help engage local young people in safe motorbike use.

RESOLVED – That Vicky and Kenny be thanked for their attendance.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration will attend the meeting and provide an update on issues affecting the management of Reddish Vale Country Park.

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration attended the meeting and provided an update on issues affecting the management of Reddish Vale Country Park.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Council now had a procedure in place to react to reports of illegal bottle digging and to take preventative measures including signage and police communication.

·         The Friends of the Vale had recently held their annual fun day which was attended by over 1,000 people and was a great success.

·         Following funding from Equity Housing Group bee hives had been installed in the park.

·         Restorative work had taken on place on the railway viaduct, and further work was needed on the viaduct legs.

·         New barriers and fencing had been installed at the Woodhall Road entrance to the park following damage to the existing fencing.

·         Bee information boards, butterfly information boards, a visitor information board and a large map had been installed within the country park.

RESOLVED – That Wayne Bardsley be thanked for his attendance.

Councillors are invited to suggested items for inclusion on future agendas.

Councillors were invited to suggest items for inclusion on future agendas.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Chair be requested to approach representatives of Reddish Vale High School to discuss the possibility of attendance at the next meeting of the Ward Committee.

(2) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to invite representatives of the Reclaim Project to the next meeting to discuss their work in Brinnington scheduled to start in October 2016.

(3) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to invite representatives of Arts for Recovery in the Community (ARC) to the next meeting to discuss their on-going work in Reddish.

(4) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to include a discussion item on the agenda for the next meeting in respect of communication with the police.