Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report gives an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact of COVID-19 has had on these inequalities.

The report also summarises some of the main national and Greater Manchester reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities responds to these recommendations.

Finally the report also sets out the outputs from work that is being taken forward to develop our Fair and Inclusive Framework and delivery plans.

The Cabinet is recommended to note the approach of the council and partners to tackling inequalities in Stockport including the council’s response to the recommendations of the GM Build Back Fairer Report and the GM Independent Inequalities Commission.

Officer contact: Kirsteen Roe on 0161 474 3376 or email:  kirsteen.roe@stockport.gov.uk or Jennifer Connolly on 0161 474 2442  or email: jennifer.connolly@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods (Councillor Amanda Peers) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality; and the outputs from work that was being taken forward to develop the Fair and Inclusive Framework and delivery plans. 

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The report highlighted the significant amount of work that needed to be done to address inequalities across the borough.

·         The recent equalities summit was a welcome start to addressing some of these issues and brought together people from different walks of life.

·         The council had recently appointed a Head of Fair and Inclusive Stockport who would be working to reduce some of the inequalities identified.

·         A cross-party working group had been formed on this issue which had met on a number of occasions.

·         The council had invested a significant amount of resources over many years to try and reverse some of the inequalities identified in the report, and it was concerning that in some cases, notwithstanding this investment, those inequalities had widened further.

·         Previous government interventions had been time-limited and once they had withdrawn, any progress made had often been reversed.

RESOLVED – That the proposed approach of the council and partners to tackling inequalities in Stockport including the council’s response to the recommendations of the GM Build Back Fairer Report and the GM Independent Inequalities Commission be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Director of Public Health and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report gives an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact of COVID-19 has had on these inequalities. 

The report also summarises some of the main national and Greater Manchester reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities responds to these recommendations.

Finally the report also sets out the outputs from work that is being taken forward to develop our Fair and Inclusive Framework and delivery plans.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Kirsteen Roe on 0161 474 3376 or email:  kirsteen.roe@stockport.gov.uk or Jennifer Connolly on 0161 474 2442  or email: jennifer.connolly@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report gave an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact that COVID-19 had on these inequalities. The report also summarised some of the main national and Greater Manchester reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities had responded to these recommendations. The report also set out the outputs from work that was being taken forward to develop our Fair and Inclusive Framework and delivery plans.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Health (Councillor Jude Wells) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·      Expressed concern in relation to the level of inequality in Stockport despite this having been a priority for the Council for a number of years.

·      Commented on the importance of having additional resources for the most deprived areas as part of the governments Levelling Up agenda.

·      Requested information in relation the availability of social movement for families who lived in the most deprived areas within the borough.

·      In response members were advised that data in relation to social mobility was not collected at this time, however the Council was identifying areas of further exploration in terms of data and members suggestions were welcomed.

·      Noted the link between austerity and inequality.

·      Requested information in relation to the changes in demographics across the most deprived areas in Stockport.

·      In response it was stated that this was in part explained by the age structure of Stockport’s Black, Asian or minority ethnic populations which was a younger profile than the average in Stockport. Members were advised that the population of Stockport was therefore likely to continue to become more diverse as families grew.

·      Welcomed the report including the plan to tackle inequality across the borough and the level of data provided.

·      Raised concerns in relation to the difference in life expectancy within Stockport neighbourhoods, with men in the most affluent areas living 9.1 years longer than those in the most deprived areas and 8.5 years for females.

·      Welcomed the focus on the polarisation as part of the actions being taken to tackle inequality and noted the consequences of polarisation for those living in the most deprived areas.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Public Health and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) and Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report gives an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact of COVID-19 has had on these inequalities. The report also summarises some of the main national and Greater Manchester (GM) reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities responds to these recommendations.

The Board is requested to note and comment on the approach of the council and partners to tackling inequalities in Stockport including the council’s response to the recommendations of the GM Build Back Fairer Report and the GM Independent Inequalities Commission.

Officer contact: Kirsteen Roe, Kirsteen.roe@stockport.gov.uk or Jennifer Connolly, Jennifer.connolly@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report provided an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact of COVID-19 on these inequalities. The report also summarised some of the main national and Greater Manchester (GM) reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities had responded to these recommendations.

The following comments were made/issues raised: -

·         Welcomed the report and plan to tackle inequality across the borough.

·         Noted the importance of up to date, reflective data as the number of children in the borough living in poverty had increased with as many of 25% of Stockport children falling within the bracket of poverty.

·         Advised that videos from the Summit would be made available and circulated to Board Members for those who were unable to attend.

·         Raised concerns in respect of the increase in the number of children entitled to Free School Meal vouchers.

·         Welcomed the focus on the polarisation as part of the actions being taken to tackle inequality and noted that a consequence of polarisation was that it masked Stockport as an average.

·         Commented on the importance of wrap around services to provide tailored care on an individual need basis.

·         Noted the difference in life expectancy within Stockport neighbourhoods, with men in the most affluent areas living 9.1 years longer than those in the most deprived areas and 8.5 years for females.

·         Commented on the lessons learnt from the inequalities based approach to the vaccine roll and how this could be translated to future service delivery.

·         Recognised that to tackle inequality of access, services were required to be inequal through prioritising access on a need basis.  

·         Noted the opportunities provided by the ICS to deliver creative solutions and a personalised approach across the whole system through partnership work.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Director of Public Health and Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report gives an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact of COVID-19 has had on these inequalities. 

The report also summarises some of the main national and Greater Manchester reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities responds to these recommendations.

Finally the report also sets out the outputs from work that is being taken forward to develop our Fair and Inclusive Framework and delivery plans.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Kirsteen Roe on 0161 474 3376 or email:  kirsteen.roe@stockport.gov.uk or Jennifer Connolly on 0161 474 2442  or email: jennifer.connolly@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Public Health submitted a joint report of the Director and the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive providing an overview of the actions being taken by Stockport Council and partners to tackle inequality. The report gave an overview of the inequalities picture in Stockport and the impact of COVID-19 has had on these inequalities along with a summary of some of the main national and Greater Manchester reviews of inequality, the recommendations made by these reviews and how Stockport’s approach to tackling inequalities responds to these recommendations.

The Cabinet Member for inclusive Neighbourhoods (Councillor Amanda Peers) also attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The report highlighted the huge amount of work that needed to be undertaken to reduce the gaps between the most polarised wards in the borough.

·         It was commented that it would be useful if maps included within reports were overlain with ward boundaries so that locations could more readily be identified.

·         Concern was expressed that problem gambling was not specifically identified in the report.  It was clarified that this issue was within the scope of a number of other areas of council activity.

·         It was stated that it was incredibly disappointing that notwithstanding significant levels of investment and intervention by the council over many years, there deprivation gap had increased.

·         The Inequality Summit and the work of the cross-party working group was seeking to make long-term changes.

·         It was suggested that there should be more regular reporting to the scrutiny committee on progress in addressing the issues raised in the report.

·         It was further suggested that all members should be provided with a briefing on this issue.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.