Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 25 February 2019 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.

In February 2019 the Council launched the All Age Living prospectus for healthy, happy homes. This prospectus demonstrates the great opportunity to truly bring together housing, health, social care and our workforce challenges into a single vision and programme for change that will co-design the future for all age living in Stockport with a goal for all residents to look forward to a positive older age. It will be defined by a comprehensive partnership approach to drive change over an ambitious strategy that will be developed over the next 15 years.

This is an ambitious strategy with a vision to transform Stockport into a place where people can learn, play, work and look forward to a positive older age. This means there will be a wider choice of places and ways to live, providing the right homes and underpinned by the right support. This prospectus is the first step in the journey to bring this vision into a reality in the Borough.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report and presentation.

Officer contact Vincent Fraga on 0161-474-4401 or email: vincent.fraga@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the All Age Living prospectus for healthy, happy homes. The prospectus demonstrated the great opportunity to truly bring together housing, health, social care and workforce challenges into a single vision and programme for change that would co-design the future for all age living in Stockport with a goal for all residents to look forward to a positive older age. It would be defined by a comprehensive partnership approach to drive change over an ambitious strategy that will be developed over the next 15 years.

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

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was important that standards for all-age living were applied equally across the whole housing market including both social and private housing providers.

·         The use of smart technology as means of monitoring vulnerable adults was becoming more ubiquitous and accessible.

·         Integrational living was an important way of normalising interactions between young and older people which had been successfully achieved in other countries.

·         A significant challenge was the ability to attract and retain a social care workforce which needed to include career development and an attractive remuneration package.

·         The prospectus was ambitious against a backdrop of increasingly strained resources, however it was necessary to start thinking earlier in terms of prevention and earlier interventions rather than at the point of crisis.

·         The Local Plan needed to be reflective of not only the number of new houses required but also the housing types that were needed to meet the demographic need in Stockport.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the potential for a greater involvement of co-operatives drawing on the experience of other local authorities who have introduced co-operative based care services.

·         There needed to be greater co-ordination between the various care providers including the sharing of resources such as training facilities and back-office systems.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The December meeting of the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Committee received an update on homelessness within the Borough.  As well as providing an outline of the situation within Stockport, it detailed a number of initiatives in place to address the issue. This included the Greater Manchester ‘A Bed Every Night’ (ABEN) commitment towards rough sleepers and bids submitted by Stockport Homes and the Greater Manchester Housing Providers Group (GMHPG) to deliver a ‘Housing First’ programme and a sub-regional scheme to improve access to the private rented sector.

This briefing provides an update on these areas of work, which form a key strand of the Council’s approach towards reducing homelessness.

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

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 0161 474 4319 or email: andy.kippax@stockport.

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on homelessness within the Borough including those initiatives in place to address the issue.

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

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         There were a number of people who had declined the offer of assistance, however the Council and its partners continued to approach those people to provide support.

·         With regard to a comment that Shelter were not part of the Housing First initiative, it was stated that this had been commissioned at a Greater Manchester level and Shelter had been part of a losing bid, however the third sector would nonetheless be key to its success.

·         The number of ‘Section 21’ evictions were having an impact on the number of people presenting themselves as homeless.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

This report provides an update on the outcome of the GM Mayor’s consultation on creating a Mayoral Development Corporation in Stockport and the GM Mayor’s intention to formally resolve at the March 29th GMCA to notify the Secretary of State of his intention to establish the Mayoral Development Corporation.

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

Officer Contact: Joe Conmee on 0161 474 5396 or email: joseph.conmee@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the outcome of the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s consultation on creating a Mayoral Development Corporation in Stockport and his intention to formally resolve at the 29 March 2019 meeting of the Combined Authority to notify the Secretary of State of his intention to establish the Mayoral Development Corporation.

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

It was reported that since the publication of the report, the Combined Authority had given their approval to the recommendations contained within the report.

Members of the Scrutiny Committee endorsed the proposals.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

The report sets outs the findings and recommendations of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee following their review of scrutiny activity in Stockport. It draws on good practice from elsewhere in the country and makes a series of recommendations for consideration by each of Stockport’s scrutiny committees.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the report and recommendations.

Officer contact: Stephen Fox on 0161 474 3206 or email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

The Chair submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Scrutiny Committee to consider the final report of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee’s review into the discharging of scrutiny functions at the Council. The report identified a number of strengths in how the Council and its members undertook these duties and also identified a number of opportunities to enhance and maximise its effectiveness.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Concern was raised that a reduction in the number of scrutiny committees would result in meetings becoming increasingly busy and as a result, reduce the ability of members to effectively scrutinise.

·         It was commented that the report proposed to supplement a reduced committee cycle with the potential for ad hoc meetings; however unprogrammed meetings would invariably result in scheduling difficulties and obviates the purported benefits of reducing the number of meetings.

·         It was important that the role of Statutory Scrutiny Officer was appointed to.

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 Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee next meeting and relevant Forward Plan items.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.