Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 April 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 3 April 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

No declarations of interest were made.

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides for comment tehAnnual Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs) for the Children and Families and Education Portfolios are presented for consideration by the Committee. Following positive feedback across all Scrutiny and Cabinet Members to the streamlined format of the Third Update Reports, these reports follow a similar approach.  

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

Officer Contact: Thomas Plant on Tel: 215 1358 or email: thomas.plant@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted the Annual Reports for 2018/2019 for the Children and Families and Education Portfolio’s. The Cabinet Member for Children and Families attended the meeting and answered Councillors questions in relation to the reports.

The following comments were made/issues made:-

·         Further information was sought in respect to the time taken to diagnose autism and ADHD. It was agreed that a detailed report would be brought to a future meeting of the Committee relating to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

·         The Committee discussed the actions that had been taken in response to the Ofsted ‘focused visit’ that had taken in place in February 2019 and the findings/recommendations of the Inspector.

·         How the Council interacted with schools when addressing the issue of childhood obesity.

·         Problems experienced by parents during the 2019/2020 admissions round in respect to the Council’s online parent portal.

·         The project being undertaken by Dr Carl Emery at the University of Manchester in respect to primary school effectiveness – eight of the borough’s primary school were working collectively to inform the project.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Cabinet Member be thanked for his attendance and report.

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

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing information relating to the ‘Greater Manchester Model Whitepaper on Unified Public Services for the People of Greater Manchester’ and ‘Taking Charge: The next 5 years.’

·         The Committee welcomed the report and the proposals to increase opportunities for residents to influence and have a say on the services that affect them. However, concerns were expressed at the lack of information contained within the document.

·         A Councillor commented that the proposals relating to early intervention strategies (particularly in respect to mental health support) was welcomed but there was a lack of information as to how this would be implemented.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

In April 2018, Cabinet approved the development of a proposal for an expanded and re-built Lisburne School on an alternative site.

The proposed expansion to the School requires formal consultation and publication of a statutory notice under The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 and consultation proposal was undertaken from 11 March 2019 to 3 May 2019. Overall there was a good response to the consultation with 176 responses received of which 146 support the proposal.

Approval is now sought to publish a statutory notice for the proposed change and for the final determination to be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive, subject to there being no significant objections.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report prior to its consideration by the Cabinet.

Officer Contact:- Charlotte Cordingley on Tel: 0161 474 4240 or by email: Charlotte.cordingley@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Scrutiny Committee to give consideration to the proposed expansion and relocation of Lisburne School following the end of the consultation period which had concluded on 3 May 2019. It was reported that there had been 176 responses to the consultation with 146 of the respondents supporting the proposals.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Cabinet be informed that the Scrutiny Committee supports the proposals contained within it.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

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 and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Stephen Fox on Tel: 0161 474 3206 or email: stephen.fox@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.

Councillors discussed the recommendations of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee in respect to work programming and Scrutiny Review topic selection. It was reported that a detailed report would be submitted to the next meeting and the Chair, in anticipation of the next meeting, encouraged members of the Committee to give consideration to possible review topics.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.