Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 April 2018.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 9 April 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects since the final update report, with a focus on the fourth quarter of the year (January to March). It includes out-turn performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with updates on the portfolio savings programme.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·         Consider the Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

·         Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2017/18;

·         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

·         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

·         Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Alan Lawson on 0161 474 5397 or email: alan.lawson@stockport.gov.uk

Officer contact: Kora Yohannan on 0161 474 4032 or email: kora.yohannan@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects since the final update report, with a focus on the fourth quarter of the year (January to March).  The report included out-turn performance and financial data (where this was available) for the Portfolio, along with updates on the portfolio savings programme.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The action by the police and council to address issues of anti-social behaviour in the Hazel Grove area was welcomed.

·         It was noted that Islington Council had won a case in the High Court in relation to the challenge of a viability assessment which had been used to justify a level of affordable housing in a proposed development which fell below the Council’s target. 

·         In response to a comment that that physical measures to prevent the spread of fire within tower blocks, such as compartmentalisation, should be addressed prior to the installation of expensive sprinkler systems, it was stated that works such as compartmentalisation, testing of cladding and the fitting of new fire doors had already been completed.  It was further stated that while it was expensive to fit sprinklers all of the available evidence suggested that sprinklers were the single most valuable safety feature in the event of a fire and that the associated cost was insignificant when balanced against the potential for them to save lives.

·         In relation to the information provided on the level of dog fouling in the Borough, it was commented that it would be useful to provide additional information on the level of associated prosecutions.

·         The increased take up of the Disabled Facilities Grant was welcomed as it represented more people receiving adaptations to be able to live in their own homes for longer periods of time.

·         It was commented that the work of former councillor Maureen Rowles to secure a new leisure facility for Brinnington had been recognised through the naming of the community room at the new Brinnington Park Leisure Complex the ‘Maureen Rowles Community Room’.  It was stated that the facility had contributed significantly to the regeneration of Brinnington.

·         Councillors were encouraged to report incidents of nuisance caused by the use of off-road bikes as this would allow the Council to build a case for the allocation of resources from Greater Manchester Police’s off-road bike unit.

·         Further information was requested in relation to the response of the Council to those food retailers who secured fewer than three stars on the Food Standards Agency’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

·         It was commented that an unforeseen consequence of the removal of the waste recycling ‘bring’ sites had been that there were now a number of residents that didn’t have ready access to recycling facilities.  In response it was stated that people living in houses should have access to the kerbside recycling service through the provision of wheelie bins and flats had alternative provision.  However, if there were specific issues with the service, then these could be raised with the local recycling officer who would visit residents to discuss options with them.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director Place Management and Regeneration.

The report details a proposal to market for potential future sale the former Ritz Cinema site between Piccadilly and Fletcher Street for residential development in line with the Council’s Town Centre Living and Brownfield First priorities.

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

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

The Corporate Director Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal to market for potential future sale the former Ritz Cinema site between Piccadilly and Fletcher Street for residential development in line with the Council’s Town Centre Living and Brownfield First priorities.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was important that the Council retained control over the site to ensure that any development that took place was appropriately aligned with the Council’s wider interests.

·         Any scheme that was developed on the site would need to fit in with the Council’s emerging Town Centre Living Development Framework.

·         The loss of parking associated with the development of the former Ritz Cinema site could be readily absorbed by unused capacity elsewhere in the Town Centre.  It was stated that average space occupancy in Merseyway was 45%.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

This report, and the detailed Development Framework document included as an Annex, outlines the scale of the opportunity for Stockport’s residential market in light of the momentum generated by ongoing regeneration and transport infrastructure programmes, and assesses the barriers to bringing forward residential growth.

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

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

The Corporate Director Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the scale of the opportunity for Stockport’s residential market in light of the momentum generated by ongoing regeneration and transport infrastructure programmes, and assessing the barriers to bringing forward residential growth.  The detailed Town Centre Living Development Framework document was included as an annex to the report.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was important that it was recognised that there were existing communities living within the Town Centre, and that any development needed to be complementary and enhance the range of opportunities and amenities available to them.

·         The Town Centre Living Development Framework would provide an opportunity to unlock the potential of a number of vacant buildings and sites within the area.

·         The work of the joint Scrutiny Review Panel in respect of Town Centre Living was discussed with regard to the invaluable impact it had in guiding the development of the Framework.

·         It was stated that the creation of a town centre design guide had moved closer following the award of funding from the GMCA. 

·         The value of the Stockport Metroshuttle bus in providing links between key transport nodes and local amenities in the town centre was identified as being a significant asset by residents who were interviewed as part of the work of the Town Centre Living scrutiny review.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director Place Management and Regeneration.

This report seeks Member approval to progress with the development of an iconic regeneration scheme in Stockport town centre that will deliver a new state-of-the-art transport Interchange on the site of the existing bus station, combining a new green park, and high quality residential development with at-grade access from Wellington Road South.  The development will provide a link to the railway station and a new bridge over the Mersey which will take advantage of the opening up of the river planned as part of the scheme. 

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

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

The Corporate Director Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal to progress with the development of an iconic regeneration scheme in Stockport town centre that would deliver a new state-of-the-art transport interchange on the site of the existing bus station, combining a new green park, and high quality residential development with at-grade access from Wellington Road South. 

The development would provide a link to the railway station and a new bridge over the Mersey which would take advantage of the opening up of the river planned as part of the scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to present the report and respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The proposed interchange would be fully accessible.

·         Passive provision would be made for a future Metrolink service in the design of the interchange.

·         The latest artists’ impressions appeared to show a reduction in the level of greenspace provided through the development.  In response, it was stated that the images in the report were early conceptual drawings, whereas the latest images had been drawn up as part of the Stage 2 design work and more closely indicated what could be achieved.

·         The new green park on the roof of the interchange would represent a significant boost in the level of high quality open amenity space in the town centre.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.                                                       

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and any relevant Forward Plan items.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.