Issue - meetings

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Devolution

This report provides the second six monthly update on the Greater Manchester Strategy (GMS) Implementation Plan and performance dashboard.

Cabinet is asked to:

a)      note and agree the updated GMS Implementation Plan and Performance Dashboard; and

b)      consider overall progress towards the achievement of the GMS 2020 ambitions and targets, including the specific actions, updates and measures relating to Stockport.

Officer contact: Peter Owston, 0161 474 3274, peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Devolution submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Cabinet to consider the second six monthly update on the Greater Manchester Strategy Implementation Plan and performance dashboard.

Reflecting on discussion at the recent Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee, the Leader highlighted that the Greater Manchester Combined Authority had now made the performance dashboard available online.

RESOLVED – That in relation to the Greater Manchester Strategy Implementation Plan and performance dashboard:-

·         the report be noted and the updated Greater Manchester Strategy Implementation Plan and Performance Dashboard be agreed; and

·         overall progress towards the achievement of the Greater Manchester Strategy 2020 ambitions and targets, including the specific actions, updates and measures relating to Stockport, be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

This report provides the second six monthly update on the Greater Manchester Strategy (GMS) Implementation Plan and performance dashboard.

In April 2018, the GMCA agreed a two year Implementation Plan with the inclusion of ambitions to be achieved by 2020, and delivery milestones for the first six months.

The initial Implementation Plan and Performance Dashboard was considered by CRMG Scrutiny and Cabinet in July 2018, with the first update - reflecting the position at the end of October 2018 – considered by GMCA in late November 2018 and CRMG Scrutiny in January 2019.

This report presents the GMS Implementation Plan six monthly update at the end of March 2019 along with the performance dashboard. For each priority, a dashboard of agreed data is presented along with an update on the progress of each of the agreed commitments/actions, and future milestones.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review and comment on the GMS Implementation Plan and Performance Dashboard update.

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a six monthly update on the Greater Manchester Strategy (GMS) Implementation Plan and performance dashboard as at the end of March 2019.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Elise Wilson) attended the meeting to respond to questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed that the data intensive process evidenced by the report was taking capacity out of delivery of Greater Manchester (GM) projects. It was queried whether it was possible to determine what difference was being made to outcomes for residents in GM and Stockport in particular from the work of the GMCA. In response it was commented that GM scrutiny committees would be best placed to assess the impact on the GM population as a whole, and this Scrutiny Committee should be assuring itself about the value and impact of those actions. It was also commented that the metrics in the GMS had been incorporated within the local performance arrangements and were reported through the Portfolio Performance and Resources Reports (PPRR). It was also commented that caution was needed about the interpretation of the data as differing approaches to data collection and service delivery may give misleading impression, using the example of child data extraction which appeared to be poor for Stockport though was reflective of better practice.

·         In light of potential confusion about the interpretation of the data it was queried whether the measures contained in the GMS were correct. In response it was stated that some of the GMS measures were GM measures only, not reflective of practice in Stockport, and for their own purposes, but it was nevertheless important to ensure these were co-designing with GM colleagues to ensure they were appropriate and adding value. The importance of ensuring these concerns were fed back to GMCA and into the PPRR process was stressed by committee members.

·         Assurance was sought that the Council was prioritising its own measures and prioritises over those that were simply flagged as being at risk by a performance measure. In response it was stated that the Council was active in addressing local priorities and performance that was of concern locally, and this was fed into the GM process through a network of connections between the Council and the GMCA.

·         Clarification was sought on how the public might access this information. In response it was commented that the public reports to GMCA and the Council were available on both organisations’ websites as well as through the online dashboard. In response to a further question it was confirmed that the Council would also be moving toward providing real-time online performance dashboards but work was continuing to ensure appropriate contextual narrative to aid public understanding of data and measures.

·         It was commented that given the increasing demands on the Council and GMCA from Government, for example in relation to air quality, it was vital to have robust data collection capacity to provide clear evidence for planning and decision making.

·         In was commented in response to a question that the Council and GMCA strove for transparency with its data and would share data with researchers wherever appropriate to aid in public policy development, but that it was important to ensure appropriate safeguards and systems were in place.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.