Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration.

The report provides an update on progress with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project.

The Cabinet is recommended to:

(1) Note the progress made with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project.

(2) Approve the delegated authority for the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate and Support Services) in conjunction Cabinet Member for Citizen Focus & Engagement and the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration to utilise the monies received from the Future High Streets Fund to progress the projects to the stage of being able to enter into a construction contract and any necessary planning applications. This would also cover any early works packages such as strip out, asbestos removal and any required surveys.

(3) Approve the engagement and consultation programme set out in Section 6 of this report.

(4) Approve the delegated authority for the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate and Support Services) in conjunction Cabinet Member for Citizen Focus & Engagement and the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration and the Strategic Head Service (Legal & Democratic Governance) to take the necessary steps to implement the strategy set out in this report

Officer Contact: Paul Richards on 0161 474 2940 or email: paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning & Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on progress with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund Project.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Devolution (Councillor Elise Wilson) stated that the award of funding by the government was an example of the one of the key aims of the Council to attract investment to deliver a vibrant town that was a place where wanted to live, work and socialise.

RESOLVED - (1) That the progress made with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project be noted.

(2) That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate and Support Services) in conjunction Cabinet Member for Citizen Focus & Engagement and the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration to utilise the monies received from the Future High Streets Fund to progress the projects to the stage of being able to enter into a construction contract and any necessary planning applications. This would also cover any early works packages such as strip out, asbestos removal and any required surveys.

(3) That approval be given the engagement and consultation programme set out in Section 6 of this report.

(4) That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate and Support Services) in conjunction Cabinet Member for Citizen Focus & Engagement and the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration and the Strategic Head Service (Legal & Democratic Governance) to take the necessary steps to implement the strategy set out in this report.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive, and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services)

The report provides an update on progress with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Paul Richards on 0161 474 2940 or email: paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

Consideration was given to a report of the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) which provided an update on progress with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project.

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 queried what mechanisms were being used to gauge whether people would support a 21^st Century library offer.

·         It was felt that there was not much that could be stopped after the first stage of the engagement and consultation process. A Member enquired what level of dissent would be required from the engagement and consultation process to prevent the move of the library service to the town centre.

·         The proposal for the community hub was exciting, but it was incumbent on the Scrutiny Committee to ensure that the consultation was carried out in the proper manner.

·         The Chair enquired whether it would be possible to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Committee to examine the Phase One consultation material and a subsequent extraordinary meeting to consider the outcome of the Phase One consultation.

·         The new library in the community hub should be fit for purpose, with a full range of books and other services. The Central Library building could be part of a cultural quarter, possibly as a classical music venue.

·         A Member enquired what other services would be moved into the community hub in Merseyway.

·         Questions in the consultation with regard to support for a 21^st Century library and closing the Central Library as a library service should not be de-coupled.

·         It was clarified that there was not the ability to have the same level of investment in the Central Library building as, unlike the community hub, it could not benefit from Future High Street funding. £2-2.5 million was required on remedial work to make the Central Library building fit for use in the long term.

·         A Member enquired why the costs of archiving were particular to the Central Library building.

·         Officers were congratulated on the successful Future High Street Fund bid and on the current community hub in Merseyway. The future of town centre high streets would be about much more than just shops and businesses.

·         More information was requested on how much the new library in the community hub would cost to maintain.

RESOLVED –That the Committee recommends that an extraordinary meeting of the Committee be convened to consider the Phase One consultation material and a subsequent extraordinary meeting be also convened to consider the outcome of the Phase One consultation.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive, and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services)

The report provides an update on progress with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Paul Richards on 0161 474 2940 or email: paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

Consideration was given to a report of the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) which provided an update on progress with Stockport’s Future High Street Fund project.

The Cabinet Members for Resources, Commissioning and Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) and Citizen Focus and Engagement (Councillor David Sedgwick) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         A Member queried whether it was prudent to take legal advice on the engagement and consultation process when it was more important to listen to the views of residents.

·         People would be attracted to a community hub in Merseyway by a period of free parking on a daily basis in the town centre.

·         The Scrutiny Committee felt that the timetable for the library engagement and consultation should be reconsidered to reflect that the Government has delayed the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

·         Questions in the consultation with regard to support for a 21^st Century library and closing the Central Library building as a library service should not be de-coupled.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Cabinet be recommended to reconsider the timetable for the library engagement and consultation to reflect that the Government has delayed the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

(2) That it be recommended that the questions in the consultation with regard to support for a 21^st Century library in Merseyway and closing the Central Library as a library service be not de-coupled.