Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Communities and Transport Scrutiny Review Panel 2023/24.

The report details the review carried out by the Communities and Transport Scrutiny Review Panel into Stockport’s Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity.

That the Director of Place Management be requested to prepare a response to the Stockport's Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity scrutiny review and the recommendations contained therein for consideration by the Cabinet at a future meeting.

Officer contact: Jacqueline Kramer on 0161 474 2978 or email jacqueline.kramer@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet received the final report of the Scrutiny Review into Stockport's Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity (copies of which had been circulated).

It was commented that while the Scrutiny Review Panel was broadly supportive of the actions that the council was undertaking with regard to alleyway greening and gully cleaning, a number of comments had been made in relation to potential improvements in communications in these areas of activity.

RESOLVED - (1) The Director of Place Management be requested to prepare a response to the ‘Stockport's Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity’ scrutiny review and the recommendations contained therein for consideration by the Cabinet at a future meeting.

(2) The gratitude of the Cabinet be recorded for the excellent work undertaken by the Scrutiny Review Panel ‘Stockport's Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity’ and others involved in the Review.’

To consider a report of the Communities and Transport Scrutiny Review Panel 2023/24.

The report details the review carried out by the Communities and Transport Scrutiny Review Panel into Stockport’s Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to request Cabinet to consider the recommendations set out in the report.

Officer contact: Jacqueline Kramer on 0161 474 2978 or email jacqueline.kramer@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated)) detailing the findings of the review carried out by the Scrutiny Review Panel into Stockport’s Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity.

The Scrutiny Committee was invited to make amendments to the report prior to its submission to the Cabinet.

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·       Many of the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review panel centred around communications; it was always good to improve communications wherever possible and officers could incorporate updates about gully cleansing at ward briefings.

·       The suggestion that residents be provided with information about how to green local spaces was welcomed.

·       Members requested that the council educates residents about the harm caused by putting concrete down gullies.

·       Members also requested further guidance for residents on the subject of unadopted highways; what that meant for rights of way and what services the council would provide. Clarity would also help residents to take ownership of those spaces.

·       A report on the three-year gully cleansing programme was expected to come to this Scrutiny Committee in the Autumn of 2025.

·       When the three year programme came to an end the gully cleansing work, particularly gullies which were known flood points, was planned to continue.

·       It was reported that the three year programme had highlighted the extent of damage to some of the borough’s gullies and consideration must be given to the repair and replacement of gullies as well as the cleansing programme.

RESOLVED – (1) That the draft ‘Stockport’s Communal Corridors: Securing the Safety, Cleanliness and Biodiversity’ be approved and adopted.

(2) That the thanks of the Scrutiny Committee be extended to all those who took part in the Scrutiny Review.