Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Scrutiny Committee will be invited to consider the content of the white paper and provide comments that will inform the Council’s response.

Officer Contact: Holly Rae, 0161 474 3014, holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) providing details of the ‘GM Model - White Paper on Unified Public Services’ and ‘GM ‘Taking Charge’ - the next five years: our prospectus’ that had recently been developed and endorsed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the GM Health and Social Care Partnership.

The GM White Paper sought to link up work taking place across Greater Manchester to reform public services and to provide a reference point for public service organisations across GM for how to progress joined up place-based public service reform.

The GM Taking Charge paper set out the core characteristics of Greater Manchester’s system that would respond to and demonstrate progress against the NHS long term plan with a specific focus on population health; integrated health and care systems; and contribution to economic development.

Members had the opportunity to feed back any comments they might have on the reports outside of the Scrutiny Committee via each Group’s political assistant.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         A Member expressed concern about the terminology used in the White Paper and whether the features contained within it would make Stockport’s Council’s Plan subservient to the proposed Greater Manchester Model of Unified Public Services. The report raised many unanswered questions about the future direction of public services in Stockport.

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RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Scrutiny Committee will be invited to consider the content of the white paper and provide comments that will inform the Council’s response.

Officer contact: Holly Rae, 0161 474 3014, holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health submitted a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) providing details of the ‘GM Model - White Paper on Unified Public Services’ and ‘GM ‘Taking Charge’ - the next five years: our prospectus’ that had recently been developed and endorsed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the GM Health and Social Care Partnership.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Care & Health (Councillor Jude Wells) attended the meeting to respond to questions.

The GM White Paper sought to link up work taking place across Greater Manchester to reform public services and to provide a reference point for public service organisations across GM for how to progress joined up place-based public service reform.

The GM Taking Charge paper set out the core characteristics of Greater Manchester’s system that would respond to and demonstrate progress against the NHS long term plan with a specific focus on population health; integrated health and care systems; and contribution to economic development.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·           Given the Council’s experience of Stockport Together and the difficulties with integrating commissioning and delivery, were the aspirations set out in the White Paper over ambitious and was there confidence that the same difficulties would not be encountered.

·         The context the White Paper was in was very complex, with lots of competing interests. There would need to be a strong system of governance and of scrutiny underpinning the implementation of these proposals.

·         The issues identified in this report were of great significance and warranted greater scrutiny and prominence on the agenda.

·         It was clear there were no easy answers to challenges identified in the White Paper, but it was a basis for conversations between GM Mayor and Government Departments about further devolution of resources and responsibilities from Whitehall, albeit with some examples that were ‘over-egged’.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Scrutiny Committee will be invited to consider the content of the white paper and provide comments that will inform the Council’s response.

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing information relating to the ‘Greater Manchester Model Whitepaper on Unified Public Services for the People of Greater Manchester’ and ‘Taking Charge: The next 5 years.’

·         The Committee welcomed the report and the proposals to increase opportunities for residents to influence and have a say on the services that affect them. However, concerns were expressed at the lack of information contained within the document.

·         A Councillor commented that the proposals relating to early intervention strategies (particularly in respect to mental health support) was welcomed but there was a lack of information as to how this would be implemented.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Scrutiny Committee will be invited to consider the content of the white paper and provide comments that will inform the Council’s response.

Officer contact: Holly Rae, 0161 474 3014, holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing details of the ‘GM Model - White Paper on Unified Public Services’ and ‘GM ‘Taking Charge’ - the next five years: our prospectus’ that had recently been developed and endorsed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the GM Health and Social Care Partnership.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Elise Wilson) and the Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning & Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) attended the meeting to respond to questions.

The GM White Paper sought to link up work taking place across Greater Manchester to reform public services and to provide a reference point for public service organisations across GM for how to progress joined up place-based public service reform.

The GM Taking Charge paper set out the core characteristics of Greater Manchester’s system that would respond to and demonstrate progress against the NHS long term plan with a specific focus on population health; integrated health and care systems; and contribution to economic development.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The vision set out in the White Paper was brave and ambitious, that had the potential to have a big impact on Greater Manchester.

·         The White Paper gave rise to concerns about governance and accountability and whether these issues had been given sufficient consideration in the development of the proposals. They also deviated from the original intention and vision behind the GMCA and moved toward a county-council model.

·         Much of the thrust of the White Paper was related to health, and NHS and local authority governance were very different and caution was need in this regard.

·         Interest from Government in devolution was likely to be at a low ebb and may wane further. It was important to bear this in mind when prioritising the use of resources.

·         The Council needed to be clear and comfortable with the proposals so as not to be caught out by changes that we had not been clear were being signed up to.

·         The examples used in the White Paper did not always rely on useful comparisons. Comparing the GMCA to other combined authorities without health devolution and using this to measure improvement would be more informative.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The Scrutiny Committee will be invited to consider the content of the white paper and provide comments that will inform the Council’s response.

Officer contact: Lisa Wright on 0161 474 3030 or email: lisa.wright@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) providing details of the ‘GM Model - White Paper on Unified Public Services’ and ‘GM ‘Taking Charge’ - the next five years: our prospectus’ that had recently been developed and endorsed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the GM Health and Social Care Partnership.

The GM White Paper sought to link up work taking place across Greater Manchester to reform public services and to provide a reference point for public service organisations across GM for how to progress joined up place-based public service reform.

The GM Taking Charge paper set out the core characteristics of Greater Manchester’s system that would respond to and demonstrate progress against the NHS long term plan with a specific focus on population health; integrated health and care systems; and contribution to economic development.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the democratic accountability in pursuing this approach.

·         It was stated that due to the timing of the all-member briefing, many members had been unable to attend.

·         The report raised many unanswered questions about the future direction of public services in Stockport.

·         The driving principles behind the GM White Paper were very positive, but the practical impact on Stockport residents was not yet clear.

·         Some of the principles in the White Paper, and specifically those that related to place-based working had been in place for some time in Stockport and had derived not just financial benefits, but also for those accessing services in terms of better coordination amongst various service providers.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the potential for local authority powers and functions to be subsumed into the Combined Authority and other conurbation-wide authorities, and serious consideration needed to be given to the impact of any progression of these proposals on Stockport’s on the accountability of decision-making.

·         It was noted that members had the opportunity to feed back any comments they might have on the reports outside of the Scrutiny Committee via each Group’s political assistant.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.