Issue - meetings

This update, along with a series of proposals around service change, form the Cabinet response to the medium term pressures presented within the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) Summer Review and the need to ensure financial sustainability for the future in line with our move to become self-financing from 2020. Key to this response is our ambitious work to embed Inclusive Growth as one of our core partnership delivery programmes, sitting alongside Stockport Family and Stockport Together aimed to deliver better outcomes through sustainable growth for our communities. Alongside this, the report provides the latest update on progress in developing and embedding our approach to growth and reform, including our cross-cutting working papers on the principles which underpin this. In particular it describes how we are bringing forward a programme of work, including service reforms, new ways of working and targeted investments in key priorities, that is in line with our Growth and Reform framework and with our ambition and the principles we have previously set out.

The Cabinet is recommended to discuss the progress outlined within this report and in particular consider the proposals and issues presented within sections 3, 4 and 5 as well as the suggested next steps.

The report, along with a series of proposals around service change, formed the Cabinet response to the medium term pressures presented within the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) Summer Review and the need to ensure financial sustainability for the future in line with the Council becoming self-financing from 2020.

In relation to the Early Years Grant proposal relating to Central Services (para 4.8 of the report) it was reported that to deliver the proposed saving of £0.350m would require a 3.7% application to be applied not 2% as indicated in the report and that the service delivery proposals “Waste Environmental Campaign” fell within the Communities & Housing Portfolio and therefore should be submitted to the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Committee not the Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee.

Key to this response was the ambitious work to embed Inclusive Growth as one of the Cabinet’s core partnership delivery programmes, sitting alongside Stockport Family and Stockport Together aimed at delivering better outcomes through sustainable growth for our communities. Alongside this, the report provided the latest update on progress in developing and embedding the approach to growth and reform, including the cross-cutting working papers on the principles which underpinned this.

In particular it described how the Cabinet was bringing forward a programme of work, including service reforms, new ways of working and targeted investments in key priorities, that was in line with our Growth and Reform framework and ambition and the principles previously set out.

The Leader referred to the launch of two thematic workstreams:

·         A Work Skills Commission to create a skills system that could address the challenges of a changing economic landscape.

·         Poverty Insight and Financial Resilience to undertake an initial and robust public exploration of lived experiences of poverty.

Draft proposals had either already been or would be considered by Scrutiny Committees with a further set of proposals being presented by Cabinet in October as part of a set of clear proposals in relation to service reform and a recommendation in respect of the level of Council Tax. There would also be an opportunity for partners, residents and service users to engage as part of the consultation in relation to the proposals before final proposals were considered by the Cabinet.

RESOLVED – That the progress outlined within the Medium Term Financial Plan Cabinet Response report be noted and that the amendments relating to paragraph 4.8 and Communities & Housing Scrutiny committee be updated within the reports to Scrutiny Committees.