Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services.

This report presents the draft Support & Governance and Safe & Resilient Communities Portfolio Agreements (Appendix 1) for consideration and comment by the Scrutiny Committee. This incorporates the following service areas;

·         Support and Governance

o   Corporate and Support Services

o   Revenues and Benefits

o   Contact Centre

o   Elections

o   STAR Procurement

·         Safe and Resilient Communities

o   Community Safety

o   Neighbourhood Management

o   Youth Offending

o   Libraries

These will form the basis for regular in-year reporting. Portfolio and Corporate Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs and CPRRs) will assess progress against key objectives, priorities, outcomes and budgets, enabling Scrutiny Committees to hold the Executive to account and for the Executive to identify current and future risks to delivery.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review and comment on the proposed changes to the performance framework outlined in the report in relation to areas of responsibility set out in the draft Portfolio Agreements.

Officer contacts Peter Owston, Policy, Performance and Reform (CSS), peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk (474 3274)  Susan Wood, Strategic Accountant (CSS) susan.wood@stockport.go.uk (218 1032)

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted the draft Support & Governance and Safe & Resilient Communities Portfolio Agreements (copies of which had been circulated) for consideration and comment by the Scrutiny Committee. These incorporated the following service areas;

·         Support and Governance

o   Corporate and Support Services

o   Revenues and Benefits

o   Contact Centre

o   Elections

o   STAR Procurement

·         Safe and Resilient Communities

o   Community Safety

o   Neighbourhood Management

o   Youth Offending

o   Libraries

It was reported that the Portfolio Agreements would form the basis for regular in-year reporting and would assess progress against key objectives, priorities, outcomes and budgets, enabling the Scrutiny Committee to hold the Executive to account and for the Executive to identify current and future risks to delivery.

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio holder for Support and Governance (Councillor Iain Roberts) and the Executive Councillor for Safe and Resilient Communities (Councillor Shan Alexander) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The style and revised format be welcomed.

·         It was noted that within the Safe and Resilient Communities Portfolio, a number of community safety performance indicators  were outside the Council’s direct control, although it was important to monitor how the council was contributing in partnership with other agencies to reduce crime.

·         It was noted that the draft business cases in relation to Corporate and Support Services would be considered by the Executive on 18 August and submitted to this Scrutiny Committee on 22 September for comments.

RSOLVED (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That a report of the Safer Stockport Partnership be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee annually showing trends and how the intervention by the various partners was impacting on the performance indicators identified in the Portfolio Agreement.