Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

Policy priorities for 2020/21 were set out within the Council Plan, which was adopted at the Budget Council Meeting ibn February. This incorporates the shared outcomes from the Borough Plan alongside specific priorities of the Cabinet.

These priorities, re-shaped to take account of One Stockport and Building Back Better (building on Covid-19) are articulated within the Portfolio Agreements, which form the basis for regular in-year reporting. Portfolio and corporate Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRS and CPRRs) will assess progress against key objectives, priorities, outcomes and budgets, enabling Scrutiny Committees to hold the Cabinet to account and for the Cabinet to identify current and future risks to delivery.

The report presents the draft 2020/21 agreements for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio for consideration and comment by the Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to review and comment on the draft Portfolio Agreement.

Officer Contact: Alan Lawson on 0161 474 5397 or email: alan.lawson@stockport.gov.uk or Lisa Joy on 0161 474 4044 or email: lisa.joy@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive (Place) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting the draft 2020/21 Agreement for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio for consideration and comment by the Committee.

The policy priorities, re-shaped to take account of One Stockport and Building Back Better (building on Covid-19) were articulated within the Portfolio Agreements, which formed the basis for regular in-year reporting. Portfolio and Corporate Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs and CPRRs) would assess progress against key objectives, priorities, outcomes and budgets, enabling Scrutiny Committees to hold the Cabinet to account and for the Cabinet to identify current and future risks to delivery.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor David Meller) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         A Member enquired what the financial benefits of staying in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) would be and how would Brownfield Land funding be affected if the Council withdrew, which would particularly affect investment in the town centre.

·         A section of the report on GMSF and the Local Plan referred to the need to develop strategic and local policy to ensure that a strong emphasis was placed on the need to prioritise the regeneration of the borough, with a specific focus on the wider community benefits that could be delivered. The Local Plan had to be complement the GMSF.

·         A Member enquired on progress on the One Stockport initiative and requested information on the cost of the initiative, and in particular the cost of the marketing and communications..

·         Officers working on the approvals process for the Stockport Council Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund were thanked.

·         Concern was expressed regarding the lack of consultation with Members on the ‘Safe Streets, Save Lives’ initiative. The Cabinet Member advised that Members would be consulted first in the future, but that it was emergency funding allocated at short notice often for temporary measures such as traffic calming.

·         At a time when emergency funding was becoming more prevalent, it was important for schemes in local areas to prepared with residents and Officers, including surveys being carried out, awaiting a time when funding may become available.

·         In response to a question from a Member regarding the announcement that Sainsbury’s was to close its store in Stockport town centre, it was clarified that it had been a commercial decision by Sainsbury’s and that the Council had been in ongoing discussions with the company since the announcement had been made. The Council would do all that it could to assist those employees threatened with redundancy.

·         The view was expressed that in an enclosed area such as the Merseyway Shopping Centre the wearing of face masks should be compulsory during the Covid-19 pandemic, not just in the shops. The Cabinet Member agreed to raise the issue with the management of the centre. In addition, the possibility of the narrow walkway to the Market Place being one-way during the pandemic was raised.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.