Agenda item

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

The Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio is presented for consideration by the Committee. This provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects during the third quarter of the financial year (October to December 2017). It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The report is based on the 2017/18 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement (PPRA) which was considered by the Scrutiny Committee on 25 May 2017 and approved by the Cabinet on 13 June 2017.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·         Consider the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

·         Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2017/18;

·         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 Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

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

Officer contact: Alan Lawson on 0161 474 5397 or email: alan.lawson@stockport.gov.uk / Kora Yohannan on 0161 474 4032 or email: kora.yohannan@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio for consideration by the Committee. This provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects during the third quarter of the financial year (October to December 2017). It included forecast performance and financial data (where this was available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The report was based on the 2017/18 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement (PPRA) which had been considered by the Scrutiny Committee on 25 May 2017 and had been approved by the Cabinet on 13 June 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• It was requested that all Councillors be advised of the results of the Poverty Insight work, including the work and skills related findings from the Poverty Insight work which would be factored in the emerging Work and Skills action plan. A Member requested details of the methodology for the work and how the results would be analysed on the basis of the fifty to sixty individual case studies. It was highlighted that not all poverty existed in Priority One areas as there were pockets of deprivation throughout the borough.
• With regard to Performance Indicator E&R02 on the footfall in the market area, a Member requested information on how much it cost to run the market and what the actual footfall was of people using the market as opposed to attending events such as Foodie Friday.
• The success of Aurora Stockport would mean that it could be repeated if sufficient suitable land was available in the borough.
• The Council was now a significant landowner in the town centre and was working closely with the providers of residential accommodation to increase the number of residential units in the town centre. Some of the retail premises would be suitable for residential accommodation.
• With regard to Performance Indicator E &R 05 for CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita) within the scope of influence of local authorities, the Corporate Director advised that a report on air quality in the borough was being prepared.
• Members commended the scale of the capital programme for 2017/18, the success of Aurora Stockport, the number of visitors to the Light Cinema at Redock, the success of the Holiday Inn at Stockport Exchange, the initial phases of the office development at Stockport Exchange and the net number of business start ups.
• Concern was expressed about the quality of the design of the bridge from Heaton Lane to the bus station. This had been designed to protect species of bats in the vicinity.
• A Member felt that there should be more emphasis on vacant retail, commercial and businesses premises within the borough’s district centres. As an example he highlighted that there were eight additional units vacant in Hazel Grove and he enquired how the Council would be dealing with this.
• The square feet of office, retail and industrial space let or sold to new occupiers was below the targets (Performance Indicators E&R 13 and 13a). The town centre was changing with a number of vacant office buildings which had, and were being, converted to residential units. The Employment Land Review would assist in identifying industrial land which had been vacant for some time.
• The Growth Strategies aimed to capitalise on the opportunities of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail by proposing a series of complementary investments in order to bring maximum benefits to residents, local businesses and to the wider economy. They recognised the importance of improving and enhancing access to the airport for both visitors and staff from neighbouring areas. This was identified as a priority in the recent SEMMMS Refresh consultation. Capital programme monies for the SEMMMS scheme would be spent for a number of years to come, including re-phasing as part of managing the Capital Programme. Members would be advised of progress on the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road at a briefing to be held on 7 February 2018.
• Risk Description E&R06 – insufficient brownfield land identified for development as it was unviable for development or unattractive to the market – remained a big risk to the borough. Members were encouraged to pro-actively put forward sites in their Wards and think creatively with regard to the buildings which could be converted for development.
• The investment in the Merseyway Shopping Centre was an indicative figure, in accordance with the approved strategy, but would be reviewed when detailed proposals came forward.
• The strategies being used to combat the fall in the combined visitor numbers for all the museums and cultural attractions compared to the equivalent quarter in 2016/17 were requested.
• With regard to the street lighting planned programme, there were plans to mitigate the glare from the lights where this was possible.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.