Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 September 2023.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 19 September 2023 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

To report any urgent action taken under the Constitution since the last meeting of the Cabinet.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair and Cabinet Members on any matters within the powers and duties of the Cabinet, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.  (Questions must be submitted no later than 3 hours prior to the commencement of the meeting via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions)

Members of the public were invited to submit questions to the Cabinet on any matters within its powers and duties, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.

No public questions were submitted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education.

This report puts forward a proposal that individuals with care experience are treated as if it were a Protected Characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.  The Government have not yet made this a legal requirement but that does not prevent the council adopting this approach.

The Cabinet is recommended:-

(1) To agree to Care Leavers / Care Experience being treated by the council as a Protected Characteristic.

(2) To note that once approved by Cabinet, officers will work with the Care Leavers Forum to produce an action plan for the implementation of this change which will be presented to Cabinet in Spring 2024.

Officer contact: Jeanette Warburton on 0161 475 6843 or email: jeanette.warburton@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal for the Council to treat those individuals with care experience as if it were a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

RESOLVED - (1) That approval be given to Care Leavers / Care Experience being treated by the council as a Protected Characteristic.

(2) That it be noted that once approved by Cabinet, officers will work with the Care Leavers Forum to produce an action plan for the implementation of this change which will be presented to Cabinet in Spring 2024.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services.

This report sets out the work undertaken to date to develop the design for the replacement Greek Street and Stockholm Road Bridges; a summary overview of highway network considerations following the closure of the bridge during Network Rail’s bridge renewal and replacement works; and a proposed way forward and timescales for the works.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

(1) Authorise the Director of Place Management to continue to work with Network Rail and TfGM on the proposed replacement of the Greek Street Bridge on basis of the proposal detailed at Section 3.2 of the report including authority to develop and consult on a new highway layout over the Greek Street bridge.

(2) Authorise the Director of Place Management to work with Network Rail and TfGM to develop the design for the Stockholm Road bridge within on the basis of the ‘Option 2’ proposal detailed at Section 3.5 of the report.

(3) Request that the Director of Place Management work with Network Rail and their contactor to manage and mitigate the highway and rail impacts of the bridge replacements during construction as detailed in Section 5 of the report.

(4) Give approval to the development, consultation and submission of the associated package of highway, cycle, and pedestrian improvements as part of CRSTS process following appropriate engagement and approvals from the Central Stockport Area Committee and Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services.

(5) Give approval to the use of £1.9m of CRSTS strategic maintenance funding to pay the council’s required contribution to the replacement of both structures and the £4.1m contribution of CRSTS funding towards the enhancements at Stockholm Road bridge.

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

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the work undertaken to date to develop the design for the replacement Greek Street and Stockholm Road Bridges; a summary overview of highway network considerations following the closure of the bridge during Network Rail’s bridge renewal and replacement works; and a proposed way forward and timescales for the works.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was noted that the scale of the proposed works meant that it was likely that there would be some disruption to traffic, however officers were working to put in place as much mitigation as possible to minimise this.

·         The proposal to include passive provision for Metrolink within the proposed design of the new bridges was welcomed.

RESOLVED - (1) That the Director of Place Management be authorised to continue to work with Network Rail and TfGM on the proposed replacement of the Greek Street Bridge on basis of the proposal detailed at Section 3.2 of the report including authority to develop and consult on a new highway layout over the Greek Street bridge.

(2) That the Director of Place Management be authorised to work with Network Rail and TfGM to develop the design for the Stockholm Road bridge within on the basis of the ‘Option 2’ proposal detailed at Section 3.5 of the report.

(3) That the Director of Place Management be requested work with Network Rail and their contactor to manage and mitigate the highway and rail impacts of the bridge replacements during construction as detailed in Section 5 of the report.

(4) That approval be given to the development, consultation and submission of the associated package of highway, cycle, and pedestrian improvements as part of CRSTS process following appropriate engagement and approvals from the Central Stockport Area Committee and Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services.

(5) That approval be given to the use of £1.9m of CRSTS strategic maintenance funding to pay the council’s required contribution to the replacement of both structures and the £4.1m contribution of CRSTS funding towards the enhancements at Stockholm Road bridge.

 To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services.

In April 2021, the first Stockport Council Annual Flood Resilience Plan was produced. It described the various roles and responsibilities of the Council with regard to flooding and flood resilience including its roles as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), Highway Authority (HA) and landowner both of greenspace and working with Stockport Homes with its significant housing assets.  This report updates on progress.

The Cabinet is recommended to note the work undertaken to improve flood resilience in Stockport and support the continued partnership working and investment in these areas.

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

The Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways & Transport Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing progress with regard to the Stockport Council Annual Flood Resilience Plan and describing the various roles and responsibilities of the Council with regard to flooding and flood resilience including its roles as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), Highway Authority and landowner both of greenspace and, working with Stockport Homes, its significant housing assets.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Proposals to plant more trees as a means of slowing the flow of water into drainage systems was welcomed.

·         It was stated that councillors needed to be provided with contact information for use during flooding events to ensure that they could obtain and cascade information to residents promptly.

·         It was noted that much of the drainage infrastructure owned and operated by the water companies across the country was designed to accommodate far lower levels of wastewater than was currently being generated and much of it was past the point that it should have been replaced.

RESOLVED - That the work undertaken to improve flood resilience in Stockport be noted and that the continued partnership working and investment in these areas be supported.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education.

The report details a proposal that the Council adopt a policy which enables it to recover the costs incurred through the conversion of a school into an academy trust.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

(1) Give approval be given to the proposed cost recovery policy as detailed in the report.

(2) Delegate authority to the Director of Education, Work and Skills, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education, to determine what works and costs may be charged to the school, indicated in Section 4 of the report.

(3) Delegate authority to the Director for Education, Work and Skills to determine whether a school may be charged for a delayed or deferred conversion.

Officer Contact: Chris Harland on 0161 474 3694 or email: christopher.harland@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal for the Council to adopt a policy which enables it to recover the costs incurred through the conversion of a school into an academy trust.

RESOLVED - (1) That approval be given to the proposed cost recovery policy as detailed in the report.

(2) That authority be delegated to the Director of Education, Work and Skills, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education, to determine what works and costs may be charged to the school, indicated in Section 4 of the report.

(3) That authority be delegated to the Director for Education, Work and Skills to determine whether a school may be charged for a delayed or deferred conversion.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Sport

The report outlines the purpose of the Armed Forces Covenant and provides an overview of key achievements against the identified priorities during 2022-2023; the second year of the three-year programme of priorities. The report also provides an update on The Armed Forces Act 2021 which has been introduced as a new requirement for some public bodies, including local authorities.

The Cabinet is recommended to comment on and endorse the report.

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

The Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Sport (Councillor Frankie Singleton) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the purpose of the Armed Forces Covenant and providing an overview of key achievements against the identified priorities during 2022-2023 and an update on the Armed Forces Act 2021.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and endorsed.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The purpose of the report is update the Council on the number of complaints made against councillors during the 2022/23 Municipal Year and whether they were upheld, partially upheld or not upheld.

The Cabinet is recommended to comment on and endorse the report and request that the Council Meeting formally receive the report at its forthcoming meeting.

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

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the 2022/23 Annual Report regarding Councillor Conduct.

RESOLVED - That the Council Meeting be recommended to note and formally receive the report.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The reports sets out the draft Cabinet Response to the recommendation contained in the Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee’s scrutiny review with regard to Local Government Financial and Governance Sustainability’.

The Cabinet is invited to endorse and adopt the response set out in the report.

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 07866 999 917 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Jilly Julian) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Cabinet to agree its response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review with regard to Local Government Financial and Governance Sustainability.

RESOLVED – (1) That the response to the recommendations contained in the ‘Local Government Financial and Governance Sustainability’ scrutiny review carried out by the Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee be approved.

(2) That the Cabinet’s gratitude and appreciation be recorded for the excellent work undertaken the Scrutiny Review Panel and its contributors.

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council.

The Cabinet is invited to note the decisions of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) held on 29 September 2023.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mark Hunter) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out decisions taken by the GMCA at its meeting on 29 September 2023.

RESOLVED – That the decisions be noted.

On:-

(a)  Matters (if any) referred to the Cabinet Meeting

(b)  Any called-in Cabinet Executive Decisions

There were no recommendations to consider.