Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2022.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 21 November 2022 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 Cabinet Members for Communities & Housing; Highways, Parks & Leisure Services; and Climate Change & Environment.

Within this report and appendix we provide a further update on our strategic approach in responding to the review of the medium-term financial plan. This follows on from the report presented at the Cabinet meeting on the 28th September 2022 and scrutiny committees during October. In particular it includes updated proposals within the appendix for scrutiny comment ahead of budget council in February.

The report outlines the budget proposals being considered by the Cabinet to address financial and demand challenges, enable longer term transformation, and ensure the delivery of shared strategic partnership ambitions.

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

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

The Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the strategic approach in responding to the review of the medium-term financial plan. This followed on from the report presented at the Cabinet meeting on 28 September 2022 and scrutiny committees during October. In particular, it included updated proposals within the appendix for scrutiny comment ahead of the Budget Council Meeting in February.

The report outlined the budget proposals being considered by the Cabinet to address financial and demand challenges, enable longer term transformation, and ensure the delivery of shared strategic partnership ambitions.

The Cabinet Members for Climate Change and Environment (Councillor Mark Roberts); Communities & Housing (Councillor Helen Foster-Grime); and Highways, Parks and Leisure Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The removal of proposals relating to library services from the medium term financial plan was welcomed.

·         Further information was requested in relation to the ‘review of spend’ in museums services.  It was noted that this had been agreed past of last year’s budget and was a target for the forthcoming year.

·         It was noted that there were proposals for further targeted investment in Woodbank Park as part of a programme of investment in play equipment across Stockport.

·         In response to queries in relation to the proposed increase in charges for replacement bins, it was stated that work was taking place to finesse the waste collection service through the implementation of new technology. 

·         Concern was expressed that residents had complained that bins were not being left outside the properties they had been collected from which resulted in some of the requests for new or replacement bins. In response, it was stated that this was not a widespread problem reported to the council, and residents were encouraged to mark their bins to ensure that they were easy to identify.

·         It was commented that access to the assisted bin collection service was though online forms and many of the residents who would require such a service my not necessarily have the means or the skills to register for the service.

·         The council was investigating the development of district heat networks to assist with reducing the carbon footprint of the civic estate,

·         There was a high degree of confidence that the increase in charges levied for registrars services associated with marriages would achieve the savings target.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the proposed increase in car parking charges and it was noted that the charges were increasing by inflation since the last time each charge was reviewed.  In some locations, charges had historically been set to discourage long-term parking, particularly in district centres where it was considered important to facilitate parking associated with the use of facilities in the locality.

·         Further information was requested on the breakdown of income generated through parking by duration of stay.

·         It was noted that the response to the public consultation on the budget had not been significant and it was suggested that this might infer that there was a not a high level of opposition to the proposals in the report.  In response, it was stated that it could equally be suggested that residents may not consider there to be value in responding to consultations in the light of the response of the council to overwhelming opposition voiced in consultations in the past.

·         It was suggested that alternative options for leisure facilities at Bramhall High School should be considered, including the potential for the school to assume control of the facility.

·         An assurance was given that all responses to consultations would be considered and appropriate weight given to them.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint Report of the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Place Management.

The report provides the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget. The Cabinet will be meeting on 31 January to recommend to Council a HRA budget for 2023/24, including the level of rent and service charges.  The illustrative budget is based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report which includes income from rent and service charges, expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30 year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy, indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures, and identified investment priorities.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report and the illustrative HRA Budget for 2023/24. 

Officer contact: Michael Cullen  on 0161 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Place Management submitted a joint report of the Director and the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) & Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on an illustrative Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget.  The Cabinet will be meeting on 31 January to recommend to Council a HRA budget for 2023/24, including the level of rent and service charges. 

The illustrative budget was based on a number of key assumptions set out in the report which included income from rent and service charges, expenditure commitments contained within the HRA 30 year Business Plan and Asset Management Strategy, indicative spending requirements to support inflationary pressures, and identified investment priorities.

The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing (Councillor Helen Foster-Grime) attended the meeting to respond to councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         In response to a question regarding the application of the higher formula rent of 11.1% as social rent properties became void, it was stated that this was the starting point for new tenancies, however assessment would always be done on a case-by-case basis.

·         It was suggested that the scrutiny committee should receive a regular progress report son the maintenance of Stockport Homes properties so that assurance could be provided to members that this was being carried out appropriately.  In response, it was stated that the Member Committee did receive regular reports on this matter however there remained scope for more reporting to the scrutiny committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Place Management.

This report sets out the methodology for reporting the Council’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which will form the scientific basis for developing interventions to meet the council’s commitment to carbon neutrality and measuring progress. It also outlines the methodology for GHG emission data gathering and reporting, discusses next steps in this process, and highlights the best practice the Council will employ in order to maintain integrity and transparency in the way the Council reports its operational GHG emissions.

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

Officer contact: Nick Leslie by email at: nick.leslie@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the methodology for reporting the Council’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which would form the scientific basis for developing interventions to meet the council’s commitment to carbon neutrality and measuring progress.

It also outlined the methodology for GHG emission data gathering and reporting, discussed next steps in this process, and highlighted the best practice the Council would employ in order to maintain integrity and transparency in the way the Council reported its operational GHG emissions.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment (Councillor Mark Roberts) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the scrutiny committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Training on greenhouse gas emissions and carbon literacy would be provided to all members as part of the members induction programme being held from May 2023.

·         It was noted that there had been a significant downward trend in greenhouse gas emissions across the council estate in recent years, but that further reductions would be increasingly difficult to achieve as the ‘easy wins’ had already been identified.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Place Management.

The report provides an update on the delivery of the Walking and Cycling Strategy and the wider commitment to active travel.

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

Officer contact: Mark Glynn on 0161 474 3700 or email: mark.glynn@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the delivery of the Walking and Cycling Strategy and the wider commitment to active travel.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment (Councillor Mark Roberts) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the scrutiny committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The proposal to develop a 5.6km pedestrian and cycle route along the A34 corridor as part of the A34 Major Roads Network (MRN) Corridor Improvement Plan was welcomed.  It was stated that following the announcement of £33.6m of government investment in the scheme, work was now taking place to develop a project plan.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the long-term sustainability of some schemes that were being implemented with recent controversy over the Cheadle Active Neighbourhood proposals and the School Street trial being highlighted as recent examples.  In response, it was stated that it was key that local communities were involved in the design of schemes from the outset and that the advantages were clearly highlighted.

·         It was important that there was a focus on being more ambitious as a council to achieve behavioural change that will increase the transition to active travel and that level of cultural shift could only happen through working with the community.

·         Further consideration needed to be given to the approach of the council in mitigating the unforeseen consequences of introducing new walking and cycling schemes, such as generating congestion at specific junctions.

·         There needed to be better publicity for the existing cycle routes around the borough.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted,

To consider a report of the Director of Strategy.

This report contains the proposed Equality Objectives for 2023-2027.

Through consultation with the groups and individuals listed below we have identified four objectives:

·         Stockport is a Fair and Inclusive Borough

·         To support all staff to achieve their full potential and ensure that our workforce reflects the communities we serve

·         To understand our diverse communities and their specific needs

·         To address inequality in our services

The report details the actions and measures required by each objective.

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

Officer contact: Julie Jarman by email at: julie.jarman@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Strategy submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the council’s proposed equality objectives for 2023-2027.

The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing (Councillor Helen Foster-Grime) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the scrutiny committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The proposed introduction of inclusion passports was welcomed as a means of quickly sharing information with line managers in relation to an employee’s disability and need for reasonable adjustments and which would negate the need to explain these every time they entered a new role.

·         The difficulties around benchmarking with other authorities was discussed, however examples of best practice were routinely shared between authorities.

RESOLVD – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Director of Place Management and the Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Governance.

The report details a proposal to establish a Greater Manchester Joint Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise decisions of the Clean Air Charging Authorities Committee and the Clean Air Administration Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report as appropriate and to:-

(1) Note the request to Cabinet to the establishment of a GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee.

(2) Note the request to Cabinet to agree the Terms of Reference of the Committee as set out in Appendix A.

(3) Note the request to Cabinet to agree to appoint a member and substitute to the Committee.

Officer contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Governance submitted a joint report of the Assistant Director and the Director of Place Management (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal to establish a Greater Manchester Joint Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise decisions of the Clean Air Charging Authorities Committee and the Clean Air Administration Committee.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Environment (Councillor Mark Roberts) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the scrutiny committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was important that the scrutiny committee was able to exercise independence from those making the decisions.  Concern was expressed that the political composition of the committee may inhibit effective scrutiny.

·         Work had taken place at a GM level to improve the robustness of the existing scrutiny arrangements.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Scrutiny Committee has the opportunity to consider the portfolio dashboards for the Climate Change & Environment; Communities & Housing; and Highways Parks & Leisure Services portfolios and raise any issues with regard to performance.

Members can view the portfolio dashboards on the Portfolio Performance Dashboard website.

The Scrutiny Committee had the opportunity to consider the portfolio dashboards for the Inclusive Neighbourhoods and Sustainable Stockport portfolios and raise any issues with regard to performance.

The Cabinet Members for Climate Change and Environment (Councillor Mark Roberts); Communities & Housing (Councillor Helen Foster-Grime); and Highways, Parks and Leisure Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

There were no issues raised.

To consider a report of the Assistant Director for Legal and Democratic Governance.                                                       

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 Assistant Director - Legal & Democratic Governance 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.