Issue - meetings

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

Policy priorities for 2021/22 were set out within the Council Plan, which was adopted at the Budget Council Meeting in 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 Covid19), 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.

This report presents the draft 2021/22 Agreement 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 Contacts: 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 Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting the draft 2021/22 Agreement for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio for consideration by the Scrutiny Committee.

The agreement articulated the policy priorities for 2021/22 that were set out within the adopted Council Plan, incorporating 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), were articulated within the Portfolio Agreement which formed the basis for regular in-year reporting.

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:-

·         In response to a Member’s question, the Cabinet Member expanded on the proposals to develop a Stockport Local Approach, backing Stockport enterprises to retain spend within the Stockport economy – ‘The Local Pound’.

·         Despite the aim for Metrolink to be expanded to Stockport, there was still not a rail network to all areas of Stockport that required one.

·         There were down sides to on-line shopping such as the amount of clothes that were returned and the consequential effect on the environment.

·         With regard to the priority to support local business through One Stockport, there was nothing quantifiable in the report and a Member requested that this be included in the future.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.