Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has considered a report setting out the context, considerations and rationale for the proposed local approach to the allocation of the Household Support Fund Phase 5 (HSF5).

Since December 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have provided local authorities with grants to support vulnerable households. The Household Support Fund (HSF) succeeded the Covid Winter Package (CWP) and the Local Support Grant (LSG).

On 6 March 2023, in the Government’s Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced that the HSF would be extended from 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024. Stockport’s allocation for HSF5 is £2.163m. As with previous extensions, the DWP stipulated that this is a new grant subject to its own grant conditions.

HSF5 funding will be supplemented by £0.5m approved as part of the 2024/25 Budget to fund positive investment and £0.068m from existing cash limit budget held by the Resident Advice Support team. The additional funding will be used alongside HSF5 funding to provide support to vulnerable residents and ensure this support (albeit at a much reduced amount) covers a further 6 months when HSF5 ends in September.

Following learning from HSF4 plus engagement with key stakeholders including Senior Leaders, Cabinet Members and Trusted Partners, the report sets out recommended delivery programme for HSF5 to ensure that effective delivery and maximised support to vulnerable households aligned to the grant conditions set by DWP.

A HSF5 delivery plan will be submitted to DWP on 10 May as required by the grant conditions.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has given approval to the delivery plan for HSF5 as detailed in Section 8 of the report.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education has given approval to the following nominations to the listed vacancies for the position of LA Governor:-

Ms J Rogers                            St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary
Mr E Stephenson                    Brookside Primary
Rev Aled Seago                      Bradshaw Hall
Mrs N Sawers-Boyle               Broadstone Primary

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has given approval to the use of £7,400 from the Ward Discretionary Budget (Hazel Grove ward) towards the cost of play area improvements at Clarendon Road Play Area and for the funds to be deposited in Capital Schemes for Parks as soon as practicable to support future play equipment procurement.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has given approval to the use of £3,000 from the Ward Discretionary Budget (Marple South and High Lane ward) towards the cost of outdoor gym equipment at High Lane Park and for the funds to be deposited in Capital Schemes for Parks as soon as practicable to support future play equipment procurement.

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services has given approval to the supply and installation of upgraded School ‘WigWag’ signage on Edgeley Road, Edgeley at a cost of £1,600 to be funded from the Area Committee’s Delegated Budget (Edgeley ward allocation).

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services has given approval to the allocation of £48,000 of formal sport commuted sum to tennis court improvements at Thornfield Park.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education has given approval to the following nominations to the listed vacancies for the position of LA Governor:-

Mr M Hurlstone                                 Cheadle Catholic Primary
Mrs T Martin                                      St Paul’s Catholic Primary
Mrs J Pritchard                                  Lisburne School

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services has considered a number of objections to the proposed Traffic Regulation Order ‘No Waiting At Any Time’ on Compstall Road, Romiley and has agreed that in the light of the objections the order should be amended as follows:-

Proposed No Waiting At Any Time

Compstall Road (Southern Side)

From a point 24.5m west of the intersection of the western kerbline of Waterloo Road to a point 60m east of the intersection of the eastern kerbline of Waterloo Road.

Compstall Road (Northern Side)

From a point 73m west of the intersection of the western kerbline of the Cherry Tree House site access to a point 10m east of the intersection of the eastern kerbline of the Cherry Tree House site access.

Waterloo Road (Both sides)

From the intersection of the southern kerbline of Compstall Road for a distance of 10m in a southerly direction.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has given approval to a virement of £500 from the Ward Discretionary Budget to the Ward Flexibility Funding Budget (Reddish South ward allocation).

The Area Committee has given approval to an application received from 4 Seasons Event Group to hold a Kids Adventure Kingdom Inflatable World & Childrens Funfair Event at Torkington Park on Saturday, 4 to Monday, 6 May 2024, subject to all appropriate paperwork and licences being obtained and submitted to the Council at least one week prior to the event taking place.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources has given approval to the write off of 4 outstanding Business Rates debts (totalling £53,203.13) that are considered irrecoverable.

Every possible method of recovery has been attempted to recover these debts. However, for the reasons stated in the report, there is no further recovery action that can be taken to recover the money owed.

If circumstances change and it becomes possible to recover the debt, recovery can be reinstated even if the debt has been written off.

It is recommended that these debts are now written off as all attempts to recover the monies owed have been exhausted.

(NOTE: The report contains a confidential appendix that has been circulated to the decision maker only).

The Area Committee has given approval to an application received from Stockport Canal Boat Trust for a grant of £300 from the Ward Flexibility Funding Budget (£150 from each ward allocation) towards the cost of developing a new service area at Marple wharf and an attractive waterway frontage between the Wharf transhipment shed and the new houses by providing seating, planting and features such as bird boxes to support wildlife.

The Area Committee has given approval to an application received from Friends of Hesketh Park to hold their annual community BBQ on Saturday 14 September 2024 at 12.30 until 15.30, with access required from 10.00 until 16.30, subject to the event organiser obtaining and providing the relevant paperwork at least 2 weeks prior to the event, including any necessary licences, health and safety documentation, insurance certificates, a satisfactory traffic management plan and the payment of agreed fees and charges.

The Area Committee has given approval to an application from Friends of Shahnameh for a grant of £360 from the Ward Flexibility Funding (£120 from each ward allocation) towards the cost of organising visits to cultural venues and running regular Persian poetry workshops, for the benefit of Persian and English speaking members of the community.

The Area Committee has given approval to an application from Marple Carnival for a grant of £600 from the Ward Flexibility Funding Budget (£300 from each ward allocation) towards the cost of purchasing re-usable banners, storage units and equipment to support this year’s Carnival.

The Area Committee has given approval to application from Bramhall In Bloom for a grant of £1,000 from the Ward Flexibility Funding (£250 from Bramhall North, £750 from Bramhall South & Woodford) towards the cost of replanting and caring for planters in the village area, for the benefit of the local community.

The Area Committee has given approval to an event application received from Marple Carnival Charities Committee to hold their annual Carnival event at Marple Memorial Park and Brabyns Park on Saturday 15 June 2024 accessing both parks between 13 June to 16 June 2024 to enable event set up and close down of the event and subject to the event organiser obtaining and providing the relevant paperwork at least 2 weeks prior to the event to the Council, including any necessary licences, health and safety documentation, insurance certificates, a satisfactory traffic management plan and the payment of agreed fees and charges.

The Area Committee has given approval to an event application received from Marple Runners to hold their 8th Annual Carnival 10K Trail Race and a 2K Family Fun Run on Sunday 16 June 2024. The 10K run will start and finish within Brabyns Park, with the course route also utilising highway and canal routes and the 2K Family Fun Run will be within Brabyns Park only. The event will start with the trail race starting at 09.30am and finishing at 11.30am, and the Family Fun Run starting 9.30am accessing the site between 7.00am and 1.00pm and subject to the event organiser obtaining and providing the relevant paperwork to the Council at least 2 weeks prior to the event, including any necessary licences, health and safety documentation, insurance certificates, a satisfactory traffic management plan and the payment of agreed fees and charges.

The Area Committee has considered an objection to the proposed Traffic Regulation Order ‘No Waiting at Any Time and Limited Stay Disabled Bay’ on parts of Buckingham Road, Cheadle Hulme and has agreed that, notwithstanding the objection, the order be made as originally advertised.

The Area Committee has given approval to the legal advertising of the Traffic Regulation Order set out below and at Appendix A and, subject to no objections being received within 21 days from the advertisement date, that the order be made (at a cost of £2,600, to be funded in part by the Davenport & Cale Green Delegated Ward Budget):

Proposed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) Schedule

School Keep Clears – No Stopping Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

Neston Grove (South Side)

From a point, 13 metres south west from the intersection of the south western kerb line of Rostherne Road for a distance of 63.12 metres in a south westerly direction.

The Area Committee has given approval to the proposed highway maintenance scheme on Andrew Lane – Carriageway Repairs (Part Contribution) at a cost of £8,000 to be funded by the Highway Maintenance & Traffic Management Delegated Budget for Marple South & High Lane and authorises the Director of Place Management to order the work.

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services has given approval to the allocation of £34,000 of formal sport commuted sum to fencing the bowling green at Heaton Moor Park.

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services has considered a number of objections received to the proposed introduction of Traffic Regulation Orders for Heathfield Road, Beech Road and Bramhall Lane, Davenport, Stockport, and has agreed that, notwithstanding the objections, the orders be made as advertised.