Decisions

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing has agreed the Section 106 Agreement for DC067771 in respect of the former Greenhale House, Stockport as follows:-

Formal Sport Contribution of £163,187.76 is to be divided equally and assigned to improvements to the multi-use sports areas at Gorsey Bank Park (£81,593.88) and Heaton Norris Park (£81,593.88).

Children’s Play contribution of £102,134.64 is to be divided and assigned to Phase 1 play improvements at Heaton Norris Park (£57,230.89) and Hollywood Park (£44,903.75).

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing has agreed the Section 106 Agreement for DC070269, former Nipp Inn, 4 Cymbal Court, Penny Lane and the allocation of Commuted Sums as follows:

·         Formal Sport Contribution of £56,796.00 is assigned to the provision of a new multi use sports zone in Gorsey Bank Park.

·         Children’s Play contribution of £35,546.86 is assigned to Phase 1 play improvements at Lancashire Hill Play Area for the provision of a new junior multi play unit. 

The Cabinet considered the Council’s Annual Pay Policy Statement and Gender Pay Gap figures for 2018 and recommended the Council Meeting adopt the Statement and agree to publish the Council’s Gender Pay Gap information.

The Cabinet considered an update to the Council’s 2019/20 to 2022/23 Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) forecasts and assumptions taking account of local and national changes since the completion of the MTFP Summer Review and agreed that

·         the report, including the announcements made in the Government’s 2018 Autumn Budget be noted;

·         the delay to the announcement of the 2019/20 Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and the impact changes in the Council’s settlement funding would have on the revised MTFP be noted;

·         the financial forecasts for 2019/20 to 2022/23, and the key issues to be addressed in formulating a response to the financial challenges facing the Council be noted;

·         the budget reduction requirement for 2020/221 of £11.831m rising to £33.399m in 2022/23 be noted;

·         the unallocated one-off resources identified and the options for the use of this resource as detailed in the report be noted; and

·         authorisation be given to the final steps necessary to propose a balanced budget for 2019/20 to the Budget Council meeting on 21 February 2019.

The Cabinet considered an opportunity for creating a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) to lead the regeneration of Stockport’s Town Centre West and agreed that

·           the overall purpose for an MDC in Stockport’s Town Centre West be approved;

·           approval be given to underwriting the running costs of any MDC and to the guiding principles according to which an MDC would be created;

·           the GM Mayor’s intention to consult on the MDC proposal, and the intention to submit a further report to Cabinet before any final decision by the Mayor could be implemented, be noted.

The Cabinet considered and endorsed the revised plan set out headline achievements against last year’s Youth Justice Plan and outlined priorities for the coming year and recommended to the Council Meeting that it adopt the Plan.

The Cabinet considered and noted performance in relation to complaints received in the second quarter of 2018/19.

The Cabinet considered applications under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 (as amended), seeking to establish a Neighbourhood Forum and Neighbourhood Area for Mellor, Marple Bridge, Mill Brow and Compstall and

recommended to the Council Meeting that it approve the applications and formally designate the Forum and Area.

The Cabinet considered the outcome of consultation on proposed changes to the Council Tax and Business Rates Discounts following the annual review and agreed to endorse the proposed changes and recommend to the Council Meeting that it approve the Council Tax and Business Rates Discounts Schemes as set out in the report.

The Cabinet considered the forecast Collection Fund outturn position for 2018/19, the setting of the Council Tax Taxbase for 2019/20 and a forecast for Business Rates income for 2019/20 and agreed that in relation to the Stockport Billing Area -2019/20 Council Tax Taxbase and Non Domestic Rates forecast:

·         a forecast Collection Fund surplus of £2.029m (£1.767m attributable to the Council) in 2018/19 be declared relating to:

-       an in-year Council Tax surplus of £1.607m (£1.396m attributable to the Council);

-       an in-year Business Rates deficit of £0.088m (£0.087m attributable to the Council; and

-       a Collection Fund carry forward position of £0.510m (£0.458m attributable to the Council).

·         the 2019/20 Council Tax Taxbase for budget setting purposes of 94,302.9 Band D equivalent dwellings rising to 95,100.8 subject to the approval of the CTD proposal;

·         the impact that the approval of the proposed changes on the Council’s Council Tax Discount scheme on the 2019/20 Council Tax Taxbase be noted;

·         the 2019/20 forecast for Business Rates income of £82.367m be provisionally approved subject to the completion of the Council’s 2019/20 NNDR1 form in January;

·         the £1.802m forecast benefit from the 2018/19 Pilot and the indexation compensation grant adjustment of £0.720m in 2019/20 against this be noted;

·         the transfer of the 100% Retention Pilot 2018/19 outturn benefit to Collection Fund Reserves as part of the financial year end process be noted;

·         the available resources to support the Council’s 2019/20 investment decisions and Medium Term Financial Plan be noted.

The Cabinet also agreed that the Borough Treasure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Reform and Governance, be authorised to take decisions in relation to:

·         vary the Business Rates forecast presented in Table 7.

·         continuing in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire Business Rates pooling arrangement.

The report will set out proposals for deciding the future arrangements for Estate & Asset Management post Carillion liquidation.

The Cabinet considered proposals for a new service delivery model for Estate and Asset Management functions following the liquidation of Carillion PLC, who had previously been part of the Council’s Strategic Property Partnership, and agreed that:

·         the proposed approach for Estate and Asset Management be approved, to be supported by niche supplier commissioning as required on a project by project basis, to include additional temporary support for remediation works to deal with back log;

·         the new service to include:

-    an in-house estates team

-    a dedicated schools estates team

-    a small Design and Technical team

-    a Facilities Management and Asset Management client team

·         in line with the existing scheme of delegation the procurement of a Facilities and Asset Management supplier be undertaken, with a contract to commence with effect from 1 July 2019 and authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive and Cabinet member with portfolio responsibility for the contract area to procure, finalise and agree the terms of the contract and any subsequent call-off contracts.

(Note: the report contained information ‘not for publication’ in its appendices that have been circulated to cabinet members only)

The Cabinet considered and adopted the first annual Stockport Council Modern Slavery Statement for 2019/20.

The Cabinet will be invited to consider proposals to implement the principles of the Medium Term Financial Plan previously agreed by the Council and business cases that have been subject to public and stakeholder consultation.

The Cabinet considered an update on the Cabinet’s budget proposals and choices for 2019/20, including information on further engagement that has occurred since the Cabinet meeting in October and agreed that:-

·         the update on the Medium Term Strategy and the intention to submit further detail on the remaining proposals for 2019/20 to the 5 February 2019 Cabinet meeting be noted;

·         approval be given to the implementation of the following final proposals appended to the report:

-       2. Value for Money Procurement

-       6. Support and Governance – HR and OD and Communications

-       8. Modernising Citizen Journeys

-       9. Balancing the Cost of Services

The Cabinet considered proposals for future polling arrangements for Stockport as a result of a review of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations following a consultation period and recommended to the Council Meeting that it adopt those proposals.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing has agreed that £181,000 of formal sport commuted sum will be invested in improving the car park that serves Bruntwood Park BMX track.