Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2018.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 6 December 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration

The Cabinet has developed a four year medium term strategy based around five cross-cutting themes. These frame the choices the Council need to make about its budget both next year and in future years, the five themes are:

·          Getting the most out of our spending;

·          Improving Customer Experience;

·          Making sure we have the right property in the right places;

·          Sharing services with other organisations;

·          An organisation fit for the future.

A suite of proposals have been developed by Cabinet which forms the first phase of this programme for 2019/20. Scrutiny has since received a series of updates on the development of these proposals. This report forms the latest update and in line with the update provided to committees in November, in particular includes consideration of proposals for 2019/20, prior to Cabinet decision-making in February.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment upon the proposals appended to this report.

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

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a suite of proposals that had been developed by the Cabinet as part of a four year medium term strategy based around five cross - cutting themes which framed the choices the Council needed to make about its budget both next year and in future years. The report included the results of consultation exercises or interim feedback where those consultations were ongoing, as well as Equality Impact Assessments.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

Town Centre Shuttle Bus

·         A Member felt that the proposal to cease funding for the free Metroshuttle service after the current contract ended on 27 April 2019 could potentially mean that motorists made an increasing number of small car journeys around the town centre with the consequential effect on air quality. He also queried the validity of a consultation exercise where there was approximately 300 responses from the 4,000 passengers who used the service per week.

·         Information was requested on the discussions which were being held with local transport providers regarding the potential to run new routes and therefore increase connectivity in the town centre and also the discussions which were being held with community transport services such as Ring and Ride and also local supermarkets and the owners of the Peel Centre.

·         Concern was expressed with regard to the effect that the proposal would have on the Council’s aspiration to increase town centre living.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the comments of the Scrutiny Committee be forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration.

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

The Third Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio is presented for consideration by the Committee. This report is shorter, and more data-driven, providing highlights and exceptions reflecting progress in delivering the portfolio priorities and budgets since the Mid-Year report. It includes forecast performance and financial data for the Portfolio, where new data is available, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The report is based on the 2018/19 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement. This was considered by the Scrutiny Committee on 5 July 2018 and approved by the Cabinet on 17 July 2018.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·         Consider the Third Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

·         Comment on the new approach and format as outlined in the report;

·         Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2018/19;

·         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

·         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

·         Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Alan Lawson on 0161 474 5397 or email: alan.lawson@stockport.gov.uk / Kora Yohannan on 0161 474 4032 or email: kora.yohannan@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the third update Portfolio and Performance Report for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio, providing highlights and exceptions reflecting progress in delivering the portfolio priorities and budgets since the Mid-Year Report. The report included forecast performance and financial data for the Portfolio, where new data was available, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

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:

·         With regard to Performance Indicator E&R 1.1 regarding the number of breaches of planning control discovered as a % of complaints received, it was reported that the number of breaches were reducing but was still higher than they should be.

·         With regard to Performance Indicator E&R 1.8 regarding the number of full time equivalent jobs created in relation to floor space let or sold to new occupiers, the target appeared under-estimated as a result of the substantial developments at Stockport Exchange, Aurora and Redrock. As there were no new targets until the next phase of Stockport Exchange, it was suggested that the target would need to be revised downwards in the future.

·         A Member requested whether the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework allocation in High Lane was sustainable or not and requested information on the site selection criteria.

·         The report needed to emphasise to a greater extent that Stockport was one of the best borough’s in which to undertake business.

·         Reference was made to the Council’s bid for funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to develop digital arts spaces, primarily in the Market and Underbanks area, and more details were requested on the successful bids.

·         The pothole fund programme was ‘live’ on the Council’s website as required by the funding.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Director of Public Health and Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

This report presents The Active Communities Strategy (ACS) which has recently been developed to promote physical activity in Stockport. There are a number of supporting plans to the ACS. This report also presents the recently revised Walking and Cycling Plan.

The intention is to consult widely on these two specific strategies/ plans before they are finalised and presented to Cabinet for endorsement.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider and comment on the proposed approaches.

Officer contact: Dr Donna Sager on 0161 474 3928 or email: donna.sager@stockport.gov.uk or Caroline Simpson on 0161 218 1940 or email: caroline.simpson@stockport.gov.uk

Consideration was given to a joint report of the Director of Public Health and Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Active Communities Strategy which had recently been developed to promote physical activity in Stockport alongside the recently revised Walking and Cycling Plan.

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 idea of introducing 20mph zones in residential areas would be helpful to the Active Community Strategy, but were not always supported by the Police.

·           A Member felt that the significant promotion of cycling in this country had not significantly increased the proportion of the population who undertook cycling.

·           There was a presumption that facilities that were good for cyclists were also good for walkers and this was not necessarily the case. There was therefore the possibility of a conflict between pedestrians and cyclists, and also, in certain areas, between pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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 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 Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out 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.