Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 April 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 1 April 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.

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 following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The active of use of CCTV to identify those responsible for fly-tipping and the resultant increase successful prosecutions was welcomed.

·         The action being taken to reduce the number of empty properties was welcomed.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the number of food businesses that failed to achieve 4 or 5 stars in food hygiene inspections.

·         The delivery of affordable housing had fallen short of its target and it was requested that a report be brought forward to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee detailing the action being taken by the Council in this area.

·         The delivery of high density housing in Stockport needed to be sensitive to its location and whether it contributed to the development of a viable balance of density

·         It was commented that the number of failed bin collections was an increasing concern and was an issue which frequently attracted complaints to elected members.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

In 2016 AECOM undertook for Stockport Council a “Reactive Maintenance Review”.  The Final Report identified a number of issues that the Council has been addressing over the last 3 years. The report provides an update on the progress of the Council to deliver the recommendations in the AECOM report and related Highways Investment Programme.

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

Officer contact: Mark Glynn or Sue Stevenson on telephone number Tel: 0161-474-3700 /  0161-474-4351 or alternatively email mark.glynn@stockport.gov.uk or sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the progress of the Council to deliver the recommendations in the AECOM ‘Reactive Maintenance Review’ report and the related Highways Investment Programme.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was noted that while there had been a focus on the quality of repairs, there had been a number of occasions where contractors had to repeatedly attend the same defect before a permanent repair was implemented.

·         There was an increasing move away from minor reactive repairs towards larger patching of the highway.

·         While harsh weather may impact on the cost of highway maintenance, the highway network was in a better condition that it had been for many years, and as such provided a solid base from which to work.

·         There was scope to improve the communication with residents who had reported road defects once repairs had been completed.

·         Work was taking place to improve the mapping system on the Council’s website to allow residents to more easily identify and report pot holes.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The Scrutiny Committee will be invited to consider the content of the white paper and provide comments that will inform the Council’s response.

Officer contact: Lisa Wright on 0161 474 3030 or email: lisa.wright@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) providing details of the ‘GM Model - White Paper on Unified Public Services’ and ‘GM ‘Taking Charge’ - the next five years: our prospectus’ that had recently been developed and endorsed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the GM Health and Social Care Partnership.

The GM White Paper sought to link up work taking place across Greater Manchester to reform public services and to provide a reference point for public service organisations across GM for how to progress joined up place-based public service reform.

The GM Taking Charge paper set out the core characteristics of Greater Manchester’s system that would respond to and demonstrate progress against the NHS long term plan with a specific focus on population health; integrated health and care systems; and contribution to economic development.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the democratic accountability in pursuing this approach.

·         It was stated that due to the timing of the all-member briefing, many members had been unable to attend.

·         The report raised many unanswered questions about the future direction of public services in Stockport.

·         The driving principles behind the GM White Paper were very positive, but the practical impact on Stockport residents was not yet clear.

·         Some of the principles in the White Paper, and specifically those that related to place-based working had been in place for some time in Stockport and had derived not just financial benefits, but also for those accessing services in terms of better coordination amongst various service providers.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the potential for local authority powers and functions to be subsumed into the Combined Authority and other conurbation-wide authorities, and serious consideration needed to be given to the impact of any progression of these proposals on Stockport’s on the accountability of decision-making.

·         It was noted that members had the opportunity to feed back any comments they might have on the reports outside of the Scrutiny Committee via each Group’s political assistant.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration and Director of Public Health

Between the 10 January and 15 February 2019 the Council undertook a public consultation on the proposed Active Communities Strategy (ACS) and the Walking and Cycling Plan. The attached documents appendices 1, 4, and 4a present the response to the consultation from both the ACS and Walking & Cycling Plan.

Amendments have been made to the ACS and Walking and Cycling Plan to reflect these comments as identified in the consultation reports and the amended documents are attached in appendices 2, 5, and 6.

Equality Impact Assessments were carried out for both the ACS and Walking and Cycling Plan and are attached in appendices 3 and 7.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:

·         Note the key areas of feedback received during the consultation period on the draft Stockport's Active Communities Strategy, and Cycling and Walking Plan

·         Support that Cabinet adopted the revised Stockport's Active Communities Strategy, and Cycling and Walking Plan

·         Support the recommendation that Cabinet delegate the approval of the revised GM Bee Network Map to the Corporate Director of Place Management and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration.

Officer contact: Dr Donna Sager / Caroline Simpson, 0161-474-3928, donna.sager@stockport.gov.uk/ caroline.simpson@stockport.gov.uk   

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a joint report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration and Director of Public Health (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the responses to public consultations held with regard to the proposed Active Communities Strategy and the Walking and Cycling Plan, and detailing amendments made to those plans resulting from the comments made in those consultations.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The Active Community Strategy and Walking and Cycling Plan were broadly welcomed as a means of improving mental and physical health and increasing activity.

·         Consideration needed to be given to street furniture such as benches, which allowed people to take a natural break and encouraged people to be out in their community rather than be isolated.

·         The provision of safe walking and cycling routes were fundamental to the success of these plans.

RESOLVED – That the reports 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’s next meeting and relevant Forward Plan items.

It was requested that details of those reviews previously be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.