Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 August 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 5 August 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 Deputy Chief Executive.

This item provides Scrutiny Committee with an update on the key achievements of partnership working and across partner organisations against SSP Themes and Priorities during 2018/19 and to date. These are based on the 3-year SSP Plan published in April 2018.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Consider the SSP Annual Review and Partnership Update 2018/19 presentation;

(b)  Note the progress made in relation to delivering against the priority themes of the SSP Plan

(c)  Note the decision to move from a formal report to a presentation;

(d)  Provide any comments or reflections on the issues covered in the presentation.

Officer contact: Katy Forde at katy.forde@stockport.gov.uk

Kathryn Rees (Service Director for Strategy & Commissioning, Stockport Council) and Superintendent Marcus Noden (Greater Manchester Police) attended the meeting and made a presentation on the key achievements of partnership working across partner organisations against the Safer Stockport Partnership Themes and Priorities during 2018/19 and to date.

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods (Amanda Peers) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The uptake level for restorative justice was comparatively high in Stockport a result of the longstanding and strong history of a robust voluntary sector and developed partnership working arrangements around restorative justice programmes that had been in place for a number of years

·         A discussion took place in relation to the type of crimes for which restorative justice might be suitable.  In response, it was stated that restorative justice was primarily used for low value crimes involving theft or criminal damage.

·         It was stated that there needed to be a degree of caution in relation to reported incidents of knife crime, as the number of incidents where a knife was reported to have been present was far higher than those where a knife was found.  It was stated that the myth or rumour of knife possession was particularly prevalent amongst high school age children.

·         Additional police officers were being allocated to Stockport which included four neighbourhood beat officers, ten which had been split across five response teams, and a further four dedicated to work tackling child sexual exploitation.

·         There was a need to bolster the number of special constables.

·         It was commented that there had been difficulties in securing police attendance during recent traveller incursions in the Cheadle Hulme and Hazel Grove areas that had resulted in additional delays in moving them on from the site.

RESOLVED – That Kathryn Rees and Superintendent Marcus Noden be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

To consider a joint report of the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport and the Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods.

The report sets out the response of the Cabinet to the ongoing financial challenges facing the Council and seeks the views of the Scrutiny Committee on budget proposals related to communities and housing.

The Committee is invited to comment on the report and the proposals presented within the report relevant to the remit of this committee.

Officer contact: Holly Rae on 0161 474 3014 or email: holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport (Councillor Sheila Bailey) and the Cabinet Member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods (Amanda Peers) submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the response of the Cabinet to the ongoing financial challenges facing the Council and seeking the views of the Scrutiny Committee on budget proposals related to communities and housing.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The report identified a commitment on the part of the Cabinet to ensuring that inclusion ran through the design of services, however this appeared at odds with the proposal to make a budgetary reduction of £315,000 from within the proposal for the Stockport Local Assistance Scheme that would impact some of the most vulnerable residents in Stockport.

·         It was suggested that the Cabinet should look to make savings in areas other than those such as the Stockport Local Assistance Scheme.

·         It was stated that at this stage the Cabinet’s preferred model for the reconfiguration of the approach to delivering crisis support in Stockport would be based around the ‘support focussed model’ identified as Model 2 within the report, however, this remained subject to full consultation.

·         There had been constructive discussions with TLC in relation to the proposed budgetary reduction of £1m.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the impact of the proposals that affected in TLC on the winter maintenance programme.  In response, it was stated that this had been evaluated on the basis of the relatively mild winters in recent years, although it would be subject to a degree of  contingency to allow the service to cope in the eventuality of harsher conditions.

·         It was stated that there could be no guarantees in relation to the impact of the savings proposals for Life leisure on the programmes that they were able to deliver.

·         Further work needed to take place to support those residents who were unable to use digital media to access Council services.

·         Notwithstanding the proposed reductions in the budget for street cleansing, it was stated that residents should not see a change in the quality of the service being currently experienced as the saving was being achieved by not filling existing vacancies.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet be recommended to give consideration to the comments of the Scrutiny Committee in the formulation of its proposals for presentation to the Scrutiny Committee on 28 October 2019.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides an update on Stockport’s preparations for the UK’s departure from the European Union.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Holly Rae on 0161 474 3014 or email: holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the Council’s preparation for the UK’s departure from the European Union.  The report builds on those previously presented to the Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee in January and April 2019 that provided the latest update at the time on the Council’s preparations for Brexit.

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         In response to a query about the work that had taken place to ensure that those members of staff that were EU nationals had applied for the EU Settlement Scheme, it was stated that the Council had commenced a communications programme targeting al EU nationals in Stockport that also included the Council’s own staff.

·         Work was taking place across Greater Manchester to ensure that a consistent and co-ordinated approach was being taking across the conurbation.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the late circulation of the report for presentation at this committee meeting.

RESLVED – 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 the planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and any relevant Forward Plan items.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.