Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

With the publication of the 2015/16 Council Plan, the Council agreed to focus delivery of its key priorities and spending plans on promoting sustainable growth and reforming public services in order to contribute to five key outcomes.  In line with this approach, the Plan sets out how Executive Portfolio responsibilities would be re-structured to align with these outcomes.

This report presents the draft Thriving Economy, Supporting Places and Independence & Wellbeing Portfolio Agreements for consideration and comment by the Committee. For the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee, this incorporates the following service areas: Economic Development and Regeneration, Markets, Planning and Building Control, Waste Collection, Street Cleaning, Highways Maintenance, Parks and Open Spaces, Parking, Street Lighting, Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Leisure Facilities, Museums and Arts, Transport Network Development, Cemeteries and Crematoria, and Adult Education.

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

Officer Contacts:

Overall Performance and Resources – Steve Skelton,, Head of Policy, Performance and Reform on 0161 474 3174 or email: steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk

For the Portfolio Agreements - Joe Conmee, Policy, Performance and Reform (Corporate & Support Services) on 0161 474 5396 or email joespeh.conmee@stockport.gov.uk; or Michael Cullen, Strategic Accountant (Services to Place) on 0161 474 4631 or email michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted the draft Thriving Economy, Supporting Places and Independence & Wellbeing Portfolio Agreements (copies of which had been circulated) for consideration and comment by the Scrutiny Committee. These incorporated the following service areas:-

·         Thriving Economy

o   Economic Development and Regeneration

o   Markets

o   Planning and Building Control

·         Supporting Places

o   Waste Collection

o   Street Cleaning

o   Highways Maintenance

o   Parks and Open Spaces

o   Parking

o   Street Lighting

o   Environmental Health and Trading Standards

o   Leisure Facilities

o   Museum and Arts

o   Transport Network Development

o   Cemeteries and Crematoria

·         Independence and Wellbeing

o   Adult Education

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), deputising for the Executive Councillor (Supporting Places) (Martin Candler) and the Executive Councillor (Thriving Economy) (Councillor Patrick McAuley), attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It was clarified that although there would be a new Performance Indicator regarding the % of relevant Land and Highways with Acceptable Levels of Deposits of Litter/Detritus, the same Grade B level would be used in assessing this as in the previous Performance Indicators.

·         With regard to Performance Indicator SP.02 regarding the % of relevant land and highways with acceptable levels of deposits of litter, it was confirmed that the target had been revised downwards as it was felt that the 2014/15 value was not now achievable.

·         With regard to Performance Indicators SP.04a ‘ % footway network structurally or functionally impaired’ and SP.04b ‘% of carriageway network structurally or functionally impaired’, a Member requested a breakdown of the indicator by Ward or Area Committee, and comparative figures with other local authorities.

·         With regard to the following Performance Indicators:-

-       Bus services running on time: Percentage of non-frequent services (buses/hour less than 60 on time; and

-       Bus Services running on time: Percentage of frequent services (buses/hour more than 5) on time

the Scrutiny Committee asked the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration to liaise with Transport for Greater Manchester to ascertain what data it could provide the Council.

·         A Member requested the introduction of a Performance Indicator to measure the number of car journeys, particularly into the town centre.

·         The new Performance Indicator regarding the % of Non-Car Trips into Stockport Town Centre at Peak Time (07.30 – 09.30) was supported, although a request was made for separate figures for bus and cycling usage.

·         With regard to the Performance Indicators regarding Market Occupancy levels (% indoor and outdoor capacity used), support was given for their replacement with a Performance Indicator relating to ‘Footfall in the Market Area: Change from Previous Year’.

·         Clarification was requested on the Gateway Facelifting in the Capital Programme and what the £0.064m allocation was being used for.

·         With regard to the Leisure Strategy and in particular leisure provision in the Heatons area, it was confirmed that a report on a commuted sum in relation to the former Stockport College site towards the provision of replacement sports facilities in the area would be submitted to the meeting of the Heatons and Reddish Area Committee on 13 July 2015.

·         The Corporate Director confirmed that £6,842,000 was allocated in 2015/16 for all aspects of the fourth year of the ten year leisure programme.

·         With regard to Stockport Exchange (Phase 2), the Corporate Director confirmed that contractors were due on site in the first week of August.  The car park currently used by people going to the swimming pool would be closed whilst the works were in progress. In response to a Member’s question, he confirmed that there had been strong interest from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4