Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2017.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 25 May 2017 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have 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 Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report sets out the Local Plan Issues Paper which describes the broad framework for this phase of work, and sets out the timescales for its approval and public consultation.

The Scrutiny Committee’s comments are sought on the content of the work in progress with regard to the draft Issues Paper document and on the updated consultation plan.

Officers Contacts: Darren Pegram/Steve Johnson on 0161 474 3171/3509 or email: darren.pegram@stockport.gov.uk/steve.johnson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Local Plan Issues Paper which described the broad framework for this phase of work, and set out the timescales for its approval and public consultation.

The Local Plan Issues Paper was a work in progress that had been subject to comment from internal stakeholders and councillors prior to this point. The draft was intended to allow comment on whether the document was framed in the right way and covered all the necessary areas, having partly been framed as a result of a number of internal consultation meetings and a ‘showcase’ briefing for officers from all services. The Issues Paper was written in such a way so as to be accessible to members of the public.

The report would be considered by the Cabinet at its meeting to be held on 18 July 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• A Member enquired whether the strategic allocations for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework would be included in the Local Plan. The Corporate Director confirmed that final decisions from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework would be awaited before the implications for Stockport’s Local Plan could be assessed.
• A Member considered that the Issues Paper, as currently drafted, had too great a concentration on the town centre and reference should also be made to the district and local centres.
• The effect of the establishment of more housing sites through the Brownfield First work was raised.
• A Member enquired whether feedback from the Local Plan would be fed into the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.
• The work on the Local Plan would debate the proportion of land for businesses and that for residential development.
• The plan should examine the need for more community buildings.
• More details were required on where the additional allotments would be and how many there would be.
• There should be references to internet connections in businesses in the Issues Paper.
• A Member expressed a wish for the environmental side of the Local Plan Issues Paper to be strengthened. An eco systems approach should run through the five themes in the Issues Paper. Green corridors, sustainable urban drainage and river management should be examined. The benefits to the borough could be considerable with a reduced carbon footprint and an improvement to the physical and mental health of people in the borough.
• The Issues Paper needed to minimise the amount of technical language and provide a glossary of technical terms.
• In response to questions, the Scrutiny Committee received details about how the consultation process was to be carried out and advertised. Concern was expressed that not every resident in Stockport had access to the internet.
• A Member expressed concern that the consultation period would be concentrated into two weeks at the beginning of September and the Council’s area committee areas were too large for this purpose, for example he felt that there should be separate consultative events in Hazel Grove and Offerton.
• The approach to the Local Plan addressed one of the perceived problems of the consultation on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, namely that the outcome was pre-determined.
• A Member queried how many of the goals in the Local Plan the Council would be able to bring to fruition, given the number of issues that were outside its control.
• A Member enquired whether the investment in infrastructure would still take place if the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework did not take place.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The report provides an overview of the proposed A6 Town Centre Corridor Masterplan and the concept of the ‘Stockport Mile’ aimed at enabling the A6 to play a central role in the life, attractiveness and animation of the town centre. The Masterplan seeks to improve the quality and identity of the A6 Corridor while redressing the balance between pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles through the town centre.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the proposed draft masterplan and support its adoption to inform future development of the corridor, following consultation with key stakeholders.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of the proposed A6 Town Centre Corridor masterplan and the concept of the ‘Stockport Mile’ aimed at enabling the A6 to play a central part in the life, attractiveness and animation of the town centre. The masterplan sought to improve the quality and identity of the A6 Corridor whilst redressing the balance between pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles through the town centre.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Some Members expressed concern about the consultants’ proposal to narrow the A6 and the subsequent increase in journey times which would result.

·         A Member enquired how much the consultants had been paid to produce the masterplan.

·         A Member expressed support for making the A6 more inclusive and expressed a wish for further reports on the A6 Corridor that were not restricted to the section of the A6 in the town centre.

·         There was a lack of information in parts of the report about sustainability, for example flood management.

·         A Member expressed the view that it was too soon to consider the proposals in the report and that it should have waited until after the completion of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road, whether it was clear the A6 to M60 Relief Road would be constructed and until after the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework was finalised.

·         A Member requested to see the traffic modelling for the scheme.

It was then

MOVED AND SECONDED

That the Cabinet be recommended to support the adoption of the masterplan to inform the future development of the A6 Town Centre Corridor, following consultation with key stakeholders.

For the motion 4, against 4, abstention 1

MOTION NOT CARRIED

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report outlines a suggested process for the selection of Scrutiny Review topics for 2017/2018.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the selection of Scrutiny Review topics to be carried out during the 2017/2018 municipal year

Officer Contact: Craig Ainsworth on Tel: 474 3204 or email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Scrutiny Committee to consider the process for the identification of suitable Scrutiny Review topics and to suggest topics for inclusion within the Scrutiny Work Programme.

A Member raised the possibility of a scrutiny review on Driverless Cars and the impact of new technology on motor vehicles. However, the Scrutiny Committee wished to consider other options and it was:-

RESOLVED – That the report be considered further at the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee to be held on 3 August 2017.

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: David Clee on 0161 474 3137 or email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned agenda items for the Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.