Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Executive Councillor (Children & Young People) and the Corporate Director for People.

The report provided the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the performance of the Service in 2011/12.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Donna Sager on 474 3928 or email: donna.sager@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for People and the Executive Councillor (Children & Young People) submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the performance of the Directorate in 2011/12.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed that now that the Mind Exercise Nutrition Do It! (MEND) programme had ended, the All Together Active (A2A) programme would be unable to cope with the additional referrals. It was explained that anyone on the waiting list for the programme were also referred to the Change for Life website.

·         Efforts being made to improve local employment opportunities for young people Not in Education, Employment or Training.

·         The collection of data in relation to the percentage of pupils achieving the required level at the Early Years Foundation Stage.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the shortfall in school nurses.

·         The management of key vacancies within the Directorate.

·         The decrease in teenage conception rates for 15-17 year olds was welcomed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and further information be circulated in relation to the management of key vacancies within the Directorate.

To consider reports of the Corporate Director for People.

The purpose of these reports is to provide a detailed overview of performance

which relates to the Health Scrutiny Committee.

The information is provided in the form of the Quarter 4 2011/12 Portfolio

Performance and Resources Reports for each of the Adults & Health, Children & Young People and Leisure.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

a)      Review the current levels of performance;

b)      Highlight key areas of, and responsibility for, taking forward corrective

          action to address any existing or forecast performance issues;

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

Officer contacts:

Adults & Health - Katy Forde, 07527 387232, katy.forde@stockport.gov.uk

Children & Young People – Michael Henry, 0161 474 3830, michael.henry@stockport.gov.uk

Leisure – Doug Holland, 0161 474 2976, doug.holland@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted the Portfolio Performance and Resources Annual Reports 2011/12 (copies of which had been circulated) for the former Adults & Health, Children & Young People and Leisure portfolios to provide the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the performance of the portfolios in 2011/12.

The Executive Councillor (Health & Wellbeing) attended the meeting to answer questions from councillors.

Councillors discussed declining participation by young people in sports and physical activity.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of Executive Councillors (Policy, Reform & Finance) and (Governance & Corporate Services)

The report reflects the corporate position in delivering the Council’s priorities, revenue budget and capital programme during 2011/12, and highlights progress on implementing key strategic projects and managing corporate risks.

This Corporate Report and the individual Portfolio Performance and Resources Reports (PPRRs) which support it reflect the Portfolio Responsibilities for 2011/12, which have subsequently been refreshed. Where significant activity or decisions have been made since the end of the last financial year, these have been included to ensure that the report remains timely. These will also be reported within the first update for 2012/13.  

The PPRRs can be accessed via the Council’s website at http://democracy.stockport.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=10267 and will be considered during the next round of Scrutiny Committees.

The Executive is asked to;

a)    Review progress against delivering Council Plan priorities, portfolio outcomes and capital schemes alongside budget forecasts contained within the report.

b)   Approve the virements to the Revenue Budget set out in section 2.2 of the report

c)    Note the cash limit and non-cash limit outturn positions for 2011/12 as set out in section 2.3 of the report;

d)   Agree the approach to managing cash and non-cash limit surpluses set out in this report including the recommendation to return cash limit surpluses to portfolio holders in 2012/13 set out at paragraph 2.3.2;

e)    Approve the proposed contributions to/from earmarked reserves and general fund balances described in sections 2.5 and 2.6 of the report and illustrated at section 2.9 of the report.

f)     Approve the repayment of the 2010/11 volume discount to SSK as set out at section 2.10 of the report which has the effect of reducing the overall non-cash limit surplus to £1.777m;

g)   Approve the creation of a £5m earmarked reserve in relation to SSK’s estimated losses for 2011/12 and appropriate costs associated with addressing the Company’s financial position as set out at section 2.10 of the report.  The reserve will be created by earmarking the non-cash limit surplus of £1.777m and by transferring £3.223m from the corporate Medium Term Financial Strategy Reserve.

h)   Note the outturn for the 2011/12 Capital Programme as set out in section 3.1 of the report

i)     Approve the changes to the Capital Programme as set out in paragraph 3.1.7

j)     Approve the resourcing of the Capital Programme as set out in section 3.4

k)    Note the 2011/12 Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix 5

l)     Identify key areas for further investigation and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any existing or forecast issues or risks.

Officer contact: Andrea Stewart/  Christine Buxton, 474 3243/ 4124, andrea.j.stewart@stockport.gov.uk / Christine.buxton@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report of the Leader of the Council (Policy, Reform and Finance) and the Executive Councillor (Governance & Corporate Services) was submitted (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the corporate position at the end of 2011/12 in delivering the Council’s priorities, revenue budget and capital programme during the year.

Executive councillors highlighted key performance and budget issues within the former executive portfolios and commended officers across the Council for their efforts to ensure good performance and budget surpluses amid difficult economic circumstances.

RESOLVED – That

(i)            the virements to the Revenue Budget set out in section 2.2 of the report be approved;

(ii)          the cash limit and non-cash limit outturn positions for 2011/12 as set out in section 2.3 of the report be noted;

(iii)         the approach to managing cash and non-cash limit surpluses set out in the report including the recommendation to return cash limit surpluses to portfolio holders in 2012/13 set out at paragraph 2.3.2 of the report be agreed;

(iv)         the proposed contributions to/from earmarked reserves and general fund balances described in sections 2.5 and 2.6 of the report and illustrated at section 2.9 of the report be approved;

(v)          the repayment of the 2010/11 volume discount to SSK as set out at section 2.10 of the report which has the effect of reducing the overall non-cash limit surplus to £1.777m be approved;

(vi)         the creation of a £5m earmarked reserve (created by earmarking the non-cash limit surplus of £1.777m and by transferring £3.223m from the corporate Medium Term Financial Strategy Reserve) in relation to SSK’s estimated losses for 2011/12 and appropriate costs associated with addressing the Company’s financial position as set out at section 2.10 of the report be approved;

(vii)        the outturn for the 2011/12 Capital Programme as set out in section 3.1 of the report be noted;

(viii)      the changes to the Capital Programme as set out in paragraph 3.1.7 of the report be approved;

(ix)         the resourcing of the Capital Programme as set out in section 3.4 of the report be approved; and

(x)          the 2011/12 Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix 5 be noted.