Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer).

The report outlines the proposed scope and brief for the review.

The Panel is requested to determine the scope of the review and outline any areas they wish to scrutinise further.

Officer contact: Michael Cullen, email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which aimed to assist the Panel to scope the review and determine the areas which they wish to explore and scrutinise further as part of the Review of Local Government Financial & Governance Sustainability.

The Deputy Chief Executive (Section 151 Officer) informed the Panel that the objective was to provide assurance that the processes and systems in place in Stockport were robust and would provide assurance and mitigation against the recent examples of financial and governance failures in local government. This would be achieved by discussing and exploring the key causes of recent failures in financial and governance arrangements in local government, testing the arrangements that were in place within Stockport considering the recent high-profile reports on financial and governance arrangements in certain local councils and discussing and exploring any learnings that should be applied within Stockport.

Members welcomed the report and thanked the officers for the details in the report.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Education.

The report outlines the proposed scope and brief for the review.

The Panel is requested to determine the scope of the review and outline any areas they wish to scrutinise further.

Officer contact: Tim Bowman, email: tim.bowman@tameside.gov.uk

The Director of Education submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which aimed to assist the Panel to scope the review and determine the areas which they wish to explore and scrutinise further as part of the review of the Growth in Free School Meals.

The Director of Education informed the Panel that the scoping report outlined the aim of the review which was to understand the growth in children eligible for free school meals in Stockport and to assess its impact. He also explained that the three objectives identified in the report would be covered in all three sessions.

The following comments were made/issues raised: -

·       Members requested that further information be included in the objectives relating to early years and 16-18 year olds.

·       It was also requested that a cost benefit analysis be explored including how much it would cost to administer across Stockport.

The Director of Education confirmed that the requests for further information would be included in the scrutiny review at a future meeting.

Members welcomed the report and thanked the officers for the details in the report.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That further information be included in the scrutiny review as follows: -

·       Early years and 16-18 year olds data relating to free school meals.

·       A cost benefit analysis including how much it would cost the Council to administer across Stockport.