Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2017.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 6 March 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

No urgent decisions were reported.

To receive any announcements from the Chair about local community events or issues.

No announcements were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Area Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Area Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice (Questions must be submitted prior to the commencement of the meeting on the cards provided. These are available the meeting.  You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

No questions were submitted.

The local Public Realm Inspector will attend the meeting to provide an update on matters raised at previous committee meetings. Councillors and Members of the public are invited to raise issues in relation to environmental and highways issues within the area represented by the Werneth Area Committee.

Robin Boardman (Public Realm Inspector) attended the meeting to report on current issues and to answer questions from Councillors and members of the public in relation to environmental and highways issues within the area represented by the Werneth Area Committee.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Highway safety inspections were scheduled to take place in June in the area of Woodley north of Hyde Road between Mill Lane and Poleacre Lane in the estate roads in Romiley north of the B6104 between Ruskin Gardens and Sandy Lane.

·         Community Payback were due to clear the grassed area of land between Red Hill Drive and Dell Side on Osborne Street, Bredbury and a section of land adjacent to 39 Guywood Lane, Romiley at its junction with Underhill.

·         Micro-asphalt surface treatment of a large number of highways within the Bredbury Green and Romiley ward had commenced.

·         Carriageway resurfacing works were due to be carried out from 18 April 2017 on Kinder Grove, Waterloo Road and Windsor Grove and resurfacing works had been completed on Werneth Road between Greave and Oxford Drive. 

·         Additional patch repairs had been carried out on the section of Werneth Road between Smithy Green and Pennine Road however further condition surveys were due to take place on this section of highway with a view to its inclusion in a future resurfacing programme.

·         It was commented that Pollitt Croft, Romiley was one of the estate roads which was not included in the programme of micro-asphalt works, and a request had been made for when the condition of this road was last assessed.

·         Concern was expressed that in certain locations the micro-asphalt surfacing was not fully adhering to the old road and was coming away from the surface causing patches to appear.

·         The criteria for the inclusion of roads on the micro-asphalt programme was queried as some roads which appeared to be in good condition had been surfaced.

·         It was reported that the section of Ashton Road, Bredbury adjacent to the borough boundary had been resurfaced and the non-slip surfacing had not been replaced as part of these works.

RESOLVED – That Robin Boardman be thanked for his attendance.

To receive petitions from members of the public and community groups.

No petitions were submitted.

Iain O’Donnell (Head of Public Protection, Stockport Council) will attend the meeting to provide an update to members on the delivery of community safety and public protection services by the Council.

Ian O’Donnell (Head of Public Protection, Stockport Council) will attend the meeting to provide an update to members on the delivery of community safety and public protection services by the Council.

It was reported that the former Community Safety Team had been part of a service restructure which meant that its staff were absorbed into different parts of the Council including the transfer of eight members of staff into Public Protection with the aim to remove duplication in service provision.  It was commented that the Neighbourhoods Team within Public Protection dealt with complaints in relation to noise nuisance, domestic disturbance and anti-social behaviour.

RESOLVED – That Ian O’Donnell be thanked for his attendance.

To consider any applications for Area Flexibility Funding or to receive feedback from organisations who have received funding.

There were no applications to consider.

There are no development applications to consider.

There were no development applications to consider.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report summarises recent appeal decisions; lists current planning appeals and dates for local enquiries; informal hearings for planning appeals, and enforcement action within the Werneth Area Committee area.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Joy Morton on 0161 474 3217 or email: joy.morton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) listing any outstanding or recently determined planning appeals and enforcements within the area represented by the Werneth Area Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report requests the Area Committee to give consideration to proposals for alternative arrangements for the funding of those ward flexibility fund applications for boroughwide events.

The Area Committee is recommended to comment on the proposed arrangements.

Officer contact: Craig Ainsworth on 0161 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) detailing proposals for alternative arrangements for the funding of those ward flexibility fund application for boroughwide events.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The creation of any boroughwide fund should not have a consequent impact on the ability of local area committees to continue to fund local projects.

·         It was suggested that an appropriate top-slice from the Area Committee’s 2017/18 ward flexibility budget allocation to fund any boroughwide fund would be 5% rather than the 10% proposed within the report.

·         The Democratic Services Manager should make arrangements for the appropriate advertisement of the ward flexibility fund to encourage local organisations to make applications.

·         Concern was expressed that the proposed governance arrangements for the boroughwide fund were democratically deficient in that decisions would be taken behind closed doors by a single member which compared unfavourably with the open, accountable and transparent way applications were currently considered by the Area Committee.

·         It was suggested that a cross-party panel may be a more suitable vehicle for the making of decisions on boroughwide applications.

·         Any new arrangements for a boroughwide fund should be subject to a one-year trial period and that a report should be circulated to all area committees providing an evaluation of the trial.

·         Members expressed their opposition to any proposal to clawback current underspends within the ward flexibility budget to fund the boroughwide grant scheme and suggested that this would not be a sustainable way of providing recurrent annual funding for the scheme.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Councillor (Reform & Governance) be recommended to give consideration to the comments of the Area Committee in formulating any policy on the creation of a fund to support boroughwide applications for ward flexibility funding.

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

During the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework consultation events held over November and December 2016 and through dialogue with communities and local members following these events, it is clear that there is a desire for communities to become more actively involved in the process of identifying sites.  Therefore, it has been decided that in advance of the start of any formal wider ‘call for sites’ exercise which will take place as part of the Issues and Options consultation on the Local Plan, that a specific ‘brownfield call for sites’ should be opened.  This will help to provide further information and evidence which will allow the Council to update data and provide further evidence to inform the GMSF and the Local Plan.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report and put forward suggested sites.

Officer contact: Emma Curle on 0161-474-3542 or email: emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration (copies of which had been circulated) providing members with information and the opportunity to comment on the policy for using Brownfield sites for development where possible.

It was commented that the brownfield policy should have been brought forward in advance of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.   

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

The report details a parks event application received from the Friends of Romiley Park to hold a community fun Day at Romiley Park on 24 June 2017.

The Area Committee is recommended to grant the application.

Officer contact: Jacky Budd on 0161 474 3332 or email: jacky.budd@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration (copies of which had been circulated) detailing an application from theFriends of Romiley Park to hold a community fun Day at Romiley Park on 24 June 2017.

RESOLVED – That the application be granted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report provides an update on progress since the last meeting on decisions taken by the Area Committee and details the current position on area flexibility funding. The report also includes the current position on the highway and traffic management delegated budget.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton, 0161 474 damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating the Area Committee on progress on decisions taken by the Area Committee since the last meeting and the current position on the Area Flexibility and Ward Delegated budgets.

It was commented that the detailed note tabled at the meeting in respect of the progress on the traffic schemes contained within the progress report was a welcome development and should form the basis of future such reports to the Area Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.