Agenda item

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

The Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRR) for the Communities & Sustainability and Economic Development & Regeneration Portfolios are presented for consideration by the Committee. These provide a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during the third quarter of 2014/15, and include full-year forecast performance and financial data for each Portfolio. The reports also include a progress report and updated risk assessment of the portfolio savings programmes.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

a) Consider the Final Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports,

b) Review the progress against priorities, performance, budgets and savings targets for 2014/15;

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

d) 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 Final Update Performance and Resource Reports for the Communities and Sustainability, and Economic Development and Regeneration Portfolios. The report provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during the third quarter of 2014/15, and included full-year forecast performance and financial data for each Portfolio. The report also included a progress report and updated risk assessment of the portfolio savings programmes.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability) (Councillor Martin Candler) and the Executive Councillor (Economic Development and Regeneration) (Councillor Patrick McAuley) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

Economic Development and Regeneration Portfolio

·         The National Skills Academy for Construction had confirmed that the Council’s application for accredited status for the National Skills Academy for Construction had been successful.

·         There had been a decline in the number of visitors to Stockport’s Museums, due primarily to a decline in visitors at the Hat Works, Chadkirk Chapel and Bramall Hall (the last named was closed for refurbishment).

·         Although the produce hall and the outdoor market had performed well, the occupancy levels in the outdoor market and the difficulties in attracting traders who wished to operate on a regular basis called into question the long term viability of the outdoor market.

·         Although there had been a slight reduction in the footfall in the town centre, the commercial position of the tenants in Merseyway precinct remained strong, although investment was required.

·         The balance between attracting well known food operators to the Redrock development and the Council’s promotion of public health and reducing obesity was discussed. The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration confirmed that discussions were taking place between Regeneration Officers and Public Health Officers in this regard.

·         With regard to the Redrock development, Heads of Terms had been exchanged with one major operator and sent to another operator. No leases had yet been signed with operators.

·         £1.82m of external funding had been successfully secured across sixteen projects and a total project value of £2.57m had been supported to application stage. This quarter the Mario dementia project had been successful.

Communities and Sustainability Portfolio

·         The enforcement action taken by Trading Standards Officers against a town centre shop selling “Legal Highs” was discussed, together with the development of a project with other partners in the Safer Stockport Partnership to stop the supply of these products in the borough and educate young people about the dangers of using them.

·         Progress with the pay on exit system at Merseyway car park since it came into operation in October 2014 was raised and it was agreed that an update be provided to the meeting of this Scrutiny Committee to be held on 14 March 2016.

·         More details were requested with regard to the street lighting programme.

·         With regard to performance indicator C&S 16 in respect of the number of casualties resulting from road traffic collisions – three year average, information was requested on a breakdown by age of those involved.

·         The differences were requested between performance indicator C & S12a – greenhouse gas emissions from local authority own estate and operations (tonnes Co2) scope 1 & 2, and C&S 12b – greenhouse gas emissions from local authority own estate and operations (tonnes Co2) Scope 3.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That an update report on progress with the pay on exit system at Merseyway Car Park be submitted to the meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on 14 March 2016.

(3) That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to provide further details to Members of the Scrutiny Committee with regard to the street lighting programme.

(4) That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to provide a breakdown to Members of the Scrutiny Committee of the age of the casualties resulting from road traffic collisions.

(5) That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to provide an explanation of the differences between performance indicators C&S12a and C&S12b.