Issue - meetings

To consider a report Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing)

The report sets out the proposed overarching contractual arrangements for the Council’s relationship with Solutions SK for the next 7 years with the option to extend for a further 7 years.

The Executive is invited to:-

·         agree the principles outlined in this report.

·         approve the intention to extend the council commissioning of services, as outlined, via SSK for the next 7 years with an option to extend by a further 3 years.

·         delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing), the authority to approve the finalised Overarching Agreement, including any amendment that may arise from the Contributors Committee.

·         delegate to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing), and following consultation with the appropriate scrutiny committee, the authority to approve the individual service operating contracts as listed in Annex B.

Officer contact: Ian O'Donnell, 0161-474-4175, ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider proposed overarching contractual arrangements for the Council’s relationship with Solutions SK for the next seven years.

Executive councillors welcomed the improving relationship between the Council and Solutions SK, and the wider social benefits for Stockport of the proposed contract beyond the commercial considerations.

RESOLVED – That in relation to the Solutions SK contractual arrangements:-

·           the principles outlined in the report be agreed;

·           the intention to extend the Council commissioning of services, as outlined in the report, via SSK for the next 7 years with an option to extend by a further 3 years, be approved.

·           the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing), be authorised to approve the finalised Overarching Agreement, including any amendment that may arise from the Contributors Committee.

·           the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing), and following consultation with the appropriate scrutiny committee, be authorised to approve the individual service operating contracts as listed in Annex B of the report.

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

The report sets out a proposal to enter into revised contractual arrangements for a seven year period with Solutions SK Ltd, with an option to extend for a further period of seven years.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposal to enter into revised contractual arrangements for a period of seven years commencing on 1 April 2017, with an option to extend for a further period of three years.

The Executive Councillor (Councillor Sheila Bailey) and the Managing Director of Solutions SK (Stephen Morris) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It would be useful to have a similar set of performance indicators for Life Leisure in the future to those being prepared for Solutions SK and for the Chief Executive of Life Leisure to attend this Scrutiny Committee.

·         A Member requested that the vision statement for Solutions SK which was considered by the Contributors Committee at its meeting on 26 January 2017 be forwarded to Members of this Scrutiny Committee.

·         In response to a Member’s question, the Managing Director confirmed that the terms and conditions of employees were with the aim of recruiting to ensure staff retention and avoid the use of agency staff. An increasing number of apprentices were being employed by Solutions SK with the aim, for example, of moving staff from unskilled to unskilled status, if possible

·         A considerable amount of money had been invested in ICT solutions by Solutions SK over the last three years and would continue to be invested.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive Meeting be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the proposals, subject to paragraph 10.4 in the recommendations to the Executive Meeting being amended to read:-

Delegate to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing) and following consultation with the appropriate Scrutiny Committee, the authority to approve the individual service operating contracts as listed in Annex B.

(2) That the proposed performance indicators for Solutions SK be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee for consideration.