Issue - meetings

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

The report details the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report for the Communities and Housing Portfolio. This provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects during the third quarter of the financial year (October to December 2017). It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

This report is based on the 2017/18 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement which was considered by the Committee on 22 May 2017 and approved by Cabinet on 13 June 2017.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to asked to:

(a)       Consider the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

(b)       Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2017/18;

(c)       Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

(d)       Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

(e)       Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Alan Lawson on 0161 474 5397 or email: alan.lawson@stockport.gov.uk

Officer contact: Kora Yohannan on 0161 474 4032 or email: kora.yohannan@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report for the Communities and Housing Portfolio providing a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects during the third quarter of the financial year (October to December 2017). The report included forecast performance and financial data for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The Council had worked effectively to reduce the impact of homelessness, however there remained challenges with those individuals who chose not to engage with the range of support options open to them; however, continued offers of support were made to those people who were rough sleeping.

·         The homelessness prevention service offered a coordinated package of support with the police, mental health services and the voluntary sector.

·         Some local authorities had used enforcement measures as a means of tackling rough sleeping, however this was not an approach that Stockport was intending to pursue at present.

·         The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government had confirmed an allocation of up to £1.8m to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to deliver a Social Impact Bond for Entrenched Rough Sleepers across Greater Manchester.

·         A publicity campaign in relation to dog fouling was about to commence, which would be followed up by enforcement against those that allowed their dogs to foul in public spaces.

·         Councillors had been asked to forward details of those areas within their wards which were significantly affected by dog fouling for inclusion in the publicity campaign.

·         In response to a question about incidents of youths engaged in anti-social behaviour in Hazel Grove, it was stated that the police no longer had the resources available to maintain large numbers of high-visibility patrols in a single area for any sustained period of time.  It was further commented that this approach rarely provided a long-term solution to the underlying problem.

·         The Council continued to pursue the installation of sprinklers in its high-rise residential towers, however it wasn’t yet possible to identify a timescale for this work due to the limited number of specialist contractors.

·         An update was requested in relation to the progress of the £1.5 million of fire safety works on high rise buildings following the Grenfell Tower fire.

·         The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing expressed her support for a mandatory registration scheme for private sector landlords, and work was taking place at a Greater Manchester level to pursue this matter further.

·         The 66 additional homes built by Viaduct Housing and housing associations in Stockport was welcomed, however concern was expressed in relation to the increasing rate of Right to Buy applications which continued to deplete the available number of homes for affordable rent.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.