Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2018.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 1 March 2018 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.

The following interest was declared:-

Personal Interest

There were no call-in items to consider.

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

The report provides an update on the Stockport Portas Pilot with a particular emphasis on what the money was spent on and how the precise regeneration, as distinct from the public relations, benefits were assessed.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to consider and comment upon the report.

Officer Contact: Nicola Turner on 0161 218 1635 or email: nicola.turner@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the Stockport Portas Pilot with a particular emphasis on what the money had been spent on and how the precise regeneration, as distinct from the public relations, benefits had been assessed.

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

With the agreement of the Chair, Mr Joe Barratt, Chair of the Portas Pilot Delivery Group, submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) and made a presentation on the impact and outcomes of the priorities, objectives and specific projects contained in the Stockport Portas Pilot application.

RESOLVED – That the reports be noted.

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

The report sets out a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in relation to a number of development opportunities to the west of the town centre including Weir Mill and sites within the Rail Station Masterplan.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer contact: Paul Richards on 0161 474 2940 or email: paul.richards@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposal to accelerate Brownfield First delivery in relation to a number of development opportunities to the west of the town centre including Weir Mill and sites within the Rail Station Masterplan. The report had been submitted in advance of a report on the ongoing Town Centre Living Development Framework which would be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

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:-

·         The aims and objectives in the report were generally welcomed, albeit they were felt to be ambitious, and updates on the scheme were requested.

·         A Member enquired what the Council was doing to ensure that there were adequate parking facilities, a good mix of people living in the area and adequate infrastructure, such as schools and doctors, which were essential to families. In order to attract younger professionals to Stockport the development of the evening, leisure economy was also important.

·         Communities had to be developed, but this could be problematic because developers could have viability issues given the nature of some of the sites. The Scrutiny Review on Town Centre Living had considered how it could be ensured that the existing population had the necessary infrastructure.

·         Information infrastructure (with super fast broadband) and green and blue infrastructure were important factors to be considered.

·         The River Mersey could be used as a base for a ‘blue corridor’ which would help to make properties more marketable, as well as improving the wellbeing of residents. A Member suggested that development could take place on both sides of the River Mersey.

·         The quality of the accommodation was of paramount importance,

·         Support was given in principle to the compulsory purchase process, but it was acknowledged that this could be a lengthy process.

·         There was also the opportunity to have residential development on retail sites which had been vacated.

·         An important question in connection with the strategy was how people could be persuaded to use public transport.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet be advised that the Scrutiny Committee supports the strategy in principle.

The Chair advised that this would be the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee that Councillor Stuart Bodsworth would be attending as he was not seeking re-election in the forthcoming local elections.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Stuart Bodsworth be thanked for his services to the Council and this Scrutiny Committee, and offered Members best wishes for the future.