Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15 July 2021.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting of the Council held on 15 July 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

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

No urgent decisions were reported.

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor reported that it remained an ongoing highlight that as the country emerged from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the mayoralty had been able to engage with community groups, new businesses, established charities and the faith sector.  The Mayor stated that since the last Council Meeting he had undertaken engagements in the Brinnington & Central, Heald Green, Bredbury Green & Romiley, Reddish North, Edgeley & Cheadle Heath, Heatons North ,Heaton South, Marple North, Cheadle Hulme North and Hazel Grove wards.

The Mayor then confirmed that the Civic Reception was due to take place on Sunday 7 November 2021 and the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast would be held on Wednesday, 17 November 2021 and that both events would be held in the ballroom at Stockport Town Hall.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they may have in any of the items on the Summons for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

To receive any questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters relevant to the Council’s activities.

Members of the public were invited to put questions to the Mayor and councillors on matters within the powers and duties of the Council.

Three public questions were submitted as follows:-

·         Relating to projected costs for the renovation of the Central Library building and how they had been arrived at.

The Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration (Councillor David Meller) responded that the figures had been prepared by an experienced cost consultant based on recognised industry base costs and compiled following a review of a range of third party reports on the building.

·         Relating to a previous statement made by the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration that “when it comes to the consultation, if the overwhelming majority want to keep things as they are, we will do that and see what else we can do with Stock Room in terms of any potential library offer” and what justification had been offered for that position.

The Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration (Councillor David Meller) responded that a report on the consultation would be brought to the Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee and then subsequently to the Cabinet in November, and that the responses to the consultation would be considered in conjunction with all of the available evidence including equality impact assessments.

·         Relating to whether there were any plans to debate the Health and Care Bill within the council and whether there would be any awareness raising activity in relation to the changes proposed within the bill.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Devolution (Councillor Elise Wilson) responded that the Health and Care Bill was currently going through parliament therefore it was the role of MPs to review scrutinise and ultimately decide the fate of the Bill.  It was stated that the Council would prepare for any outcome and that would be considered by the Health & Wellbeing Board as the plans progressed in addition to the Adult Social Care & Health Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet.

To receive petitions, and by prior arrangement, receive delegations and presentations from members of the public, community groups or partnership organisations.

No such arrangements have been made for this meeting.

Petitions

Two petitions were submitted as follows:-

·         Signed by 846 signatories in relation to maintaining the library service at Stockport Central Library.

RESOLVED - That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive.

·         Signed by 7,404 signatories in relation to saving Stockport’s historic Central Library.

RESOLVED - That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director (Place) & Deputy Chief Executive.

Presentations

There were no presentations.

(a)       Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel

Councillor Amanda Peers to answer questions, if any, on the business of the Greater Manchester Police, Fire and Crime Panel.

(b)       Greater Manchester Combined Authority

The following councillors to answer questions (if any) on the business of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority:-

Greater Manchester Combined Authority            - Councillor Elise Wilson

Greater Manchester Transport Committee          - Councillor David Meller

Greater Manchester Waste Committee               - Councillor Roy Driver

(a)       Greater Manchester Police and Crime Panel

Councillor Tom McGee responded to questions in relation to the business of the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Panel.

(b)       Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Councillor Elise Wilson responded to questions in relation to the business of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

There were no questions in relation to the business of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee or the Greater Manchester Waste & Recycling Committee.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Members for Resources, Commissioning & Governance.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning and Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the proposed Business Programme for 2022/23.

RESOLVED – That approval to the proposed Business Programme for 2022/23 subject to the amendment of the date of the Heatons & Reddish Area Committee scheduled within the draft programme for 6 March 2023 to take place on 8 March 2023.

To consider a report of the Chair of the Standards Committee.

The Chair of the Standards Committee (Mr Stephen Clarke) attended the meeting and submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated providing an update on those complaints received in relation to the conduct of members during the 2020/21 municipal year.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To receive a report from the Leader of the Council and other members of the Cabinet on the conduct of Cabinet business since the last Council Meeting.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Devolution (Councillor Elise Wilson) reported one of the priorities of the Cabinet had been to protect and provide essential services that residents relied on and creating opportunities for the people of Stockport.  It was stated that work continued at Stockport Interchange as part of a joint development between the Council, Greater Manchester and Homes England and was a crucial element in the shift towards sustainable transport while also providing homes and the greening of the town centre.

It was then stated that when Councillor Wilson become Leader of the Council, she had stated that she would work to address health inequalities in the borough by building relationships with the NHS to tackle this issue together in partnership.  It was stated that partnership work between the Council, Stockport CCG and the Foundation Trust had recently been nominated for two Health Service Journal awards for their work in supporting people to get home from hospital.

Councillor Wilson then reported that work to rejuvenate Weir Mill had recently been approved as part of a public and private investment project which would save the Grade II listed building from dereliction and provide new homes.

Councillor Wilson then referred to her support for the Stepping Hill NHS Foundation Trust's bid to develop a new state of the art hospital in the town centre which was part of a seven-point plan to transform healthcare in the borough.

Councillor Wilson then stated that as the regulations that enabled the Council to hold its meetings remotely had expired, work had taken place to ensure that council business could be held in a way that was safe and respected the concerns of councillors and officers.  It was noted that the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee would be shortly be considering the format of future meetings of the scrutiny committees and reconfirmed the Cabinet’s commitment that it would continue to attach the same weight to the recommendations and comments of those meetings held remotely as it would face-to-face meetings.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning & Governance (Councillor Tom McGee) reported that the universal credit uplift ended on Tuesday, 5 October 2021 that had been relied upon by many members of the public during the pandemic.  It was noted that the Council had been awarded £2.16 million under the government’s Hardship Fund which would go some way to compensate for that reduction and would allow the Council to provide some support for those who were most in need.

Councillor McGee then referred to White Ribbon Day that was due to be held on 25 November 2021 and work was taking place for the Council to obtain White Ribbon Accreditation.

Finally, Councillor McGee reported on the progress towards the implementation of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone including ongoing consultations with regard to the effect of the proposals on motorhomes and Showman’s Guild vehicles.

The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Stockport (Councillor Sheila Bailey) reported that there remained issues with the green bin collection service arising from problems relating to the availability of HGV drivers.  It was stated that it was not possible to alternate the impact of these missed collections with other collection streams due to the disproportionate impact this would have on these services due to the frequency of those collections.

Councillor Bailey then stated that progress had been made with regard to the commitments in the CAN strategy for climate change with reference to trees, woodland and meadows, and specifically the planting of 11,500 trees in parks and along the highway by 2030, the creation of an orchard in every ward and the creation of one woodland each year for the next ten years in partnership with community groups.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services & Education (Councillor Colin Foster) reported that prior to the commencement of the Covid vaccination programme for 12-15 year olds, there were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.(i)

To answer questions and receive comments from Councillors addressed to the Leader of the Council or other members of the Cabinet, in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet member for Devolution; The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning & Governance; and Cabinet Members for Children, Family Services & Education, Economy & Regeneration and Sustainable Stockport answered questions and responded to comments relating to the business of the Cabinet in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

To receive the Minutes of the Cabinet held on 20 July and 21 September 2021 (pages) and the record of executive decisions taken since the last Council Meeting, (schedule enclosed, decisions previously circulated) and consider any recommendations they contain.

The Mayor declared the Minutes of the Cabinet held 20 July and 21 September 2021 (copies of which had been circulated) and the record of executive decisions taken (copies of which were circulated) since the last meeting of the Council to be duly received.

To receive a report from the Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees on the conduct of Scrutiny business.

To receive a report from the Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees on the conduct of Scrutiny business.

There were no reports from the Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees on the conduct of their business since the last Council Meeting.

To answer questions from Councillors addressed to the Scrutiny Chairs, in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

There were no questions relating to the business of the Scrutiny Committees in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

To receive the Minutes of the following Scrutiny Committees:-

Adult Social Care & Health – 17 June and 9 September 2021           

Children & Families – 16 June and 8 September 2021

Communities & Housing – 14 June, 1 July and 6 September 202

Corporate, Resource Management & Governance – 15 June and 7 September 2021

Economy & Regeneration – 17 June, 30 June, 13 July, 17 August and 9 September 2021

Scrutiny Co-ordination – 21 July and 27 September 2021      

The Mayor declared the Minutes of the following Scrutiny Committees (copies of which had been circulated with the Summons) to be duly received:-

Adult Social Care & Health – 17 June and 9 September 2021          

Children & Families – 16 June and 8 September 2021

Communities & Housing – 14 June, 1 July and 6 September 202

Corporate, Resource Management & Governance – 15 June and 7 September 2021

Economy & Regeneration – 17 June, 30 June, 13 July, 17 August and 9 September 2021

Scrutiny Co-ordination – 21 July and 27 September 2021

To consider a report of the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

The former chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee (Councillor Lisa Smart) submitted the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2020/21 (copies of which had been circulated) summarising the work of the Scrutiny Committees during the Municipal Year.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Statutory Scrutiny Officer.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee (Councillor Mark Roberts) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing scrutiny review topics which had been proposed by scrutiny committees for 2021/22.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the scrutiny review programme for 2021/22.

To receive a report from the Chairs of the Planning & Highways Regulation and Licensing, Environment & Safety Committees on the conduct of their business since the last Council Meeting.

There were no reports from the Chairs of the Planning and Highways Regulation, Licensing, Environment and Safety or Audit Committees on the conduct of their business since the last Council Meeting.

To answer questions from Councillors addressed to the Chairs of Ordinary and Area Committees, in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

There were no questions relating to the business of the Ordinary, Area and Ward Committees in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

To receive the minutes of the following Ordinary and Area Committees:-

Ordinary Committees

Audit – 14 July and 8 September 2021

Contributors – 27 July 2021

Health & Wellbeing Board – 8 September 2021

Licensing, Environment & Safety – 7 July 2021

Licensing, Environment & Safety Sub – 6 July, 29 July, 12 August , 1 September and 2 September 2021

Member – 5 July 2021

Planning & Highways Regulation – 8 July and 19 August 2021

Standards – 5 July 2021

Area Committees

Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South – 5 August and 16 September 2021

Central Stockport – 5 August and 16 September 2021

Cheadle – 3 August and 14 September 2021

Heatons & Reddish – 2 August and 13 September 2021

Marple – 4 August and 15 September 2021

Stepping Hill – 3 August and 14 September 2021

Werneth – 2 August and 13 September 2021

The Mayor declared the Minutes of the following Ordinary and Area Committees (copies of which had been circulated with the Summons) to be duly received:-

Ordinary Committees

Audit – 14 July and 8 September 2021

Contributors – 27 July 2021

Health & Wellbeing Board – 8 September 2021

Licensing, Environment & Safety – 7 July 2021

Licensing, Environment & Safety Sub – 6 July, 29 July, 12 August , 1 September and 2 September 2021

Member – 5 July 2021

Planning & Highways Regulation – 8 July and 19 August 2021

Standards – 5 July 2021

Area Committees

Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South – 5 August and 16 September 2021

Central Stockport – 5 August and 16 September 2021

Cheadle – 3 August and 14 September 2021

Heatons & Reddish – 2 August and 13 September 2021

Marple – 4 August and 15 September 2021

Stepping Hill – 3 August and 14 September 2021

Werneth – 2 August and 13 September 2021

This council meeting notes the Elections Bill currently working through parliament which, in its current form and among other provisions, would require voters to show photographic ID at polling stations.

This council meeting further notes the costs of the new measures are estimated by government to be £8.5m a year, and the cross-party Local Government Association have noted the serious capacity and resilience implications for councils, including the risk that identity checks and the possible refusal of votes may make election staff recruitment even harder than it is already.

This council meeting believes the proposals requiring photographic ID are a sledgehammer to crack a nut.  Enquiries show there have been no cases of suspected electoral fraud in Stockport which have required any form of investigation during at least the past five years, and none are known before that.  In 2019, nationally and across Local, European, Parliamentary and Mayoral elections, 58 million votes were cast.  Of these, there were 33 allegations of impersonation which resulted in one conviction and one caution for people casting votes illegally.  Most years are similar and the Electoral Reform Society have branded this “an expensive distraction”, highlighting the way this would act as a barrier to voting for already disadvantaged groups. 

This council meeting believes the Voter ID proposals will only serve to add barriers for those already least likely to vote and that the resources needed for these proposals to be implemented would be better spent promoting voter registration and encouraging voting across all communities. For this reason, in September 2018 and January 2021 the Corporate Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committee resolved not to participate in any trials.

This council meeting therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to our four local Members of Parliament, noting our opposition to the Voter ID provisions, and asking them to support any amendments to the Bill which would remove these provisions, and to focus instead on promoting voter registration and actually voting, in the interests of ensuring higher participation rates in our already safe and secure elections system.

Moved by:                  Councillor Lisa Smart

Seconded by:           Councillor Mark Hunter

RESOLVED – (48 for, 8 against) This council meeting notes the Elections Bill currently working through parliament which, in its current form and among other provisions, would require voters to show photographic ID at polling stations.

This council meeting further notes the costs of the new measures are estimated by government to be £8.5m a year, and the cross-party Local Government Association have noted the serious capacity and resilience implications for councils, including the risk that identity checks and the possible refusal of votes may make election staff recruitment even harder than it is already.

This council meeting believes the proposals requiring photographic ID are a sledgehammer to crack a nut.  Enquiries show there have been no cases of suspected electoral fraud in Stockport which have required any form of investigation during at least the past five years, and none are known before that.  In 2019, nationally and across Local, European, Parliamentary and Mayoral elections, 58 million votes were cast.  Of these, there were 33 allegations of impersonation which resulted in one conviction and one caution for people casting votes illegally.  Most years are similar and the Electoral Reform Society have branded this “an expensive distraction”, highlighting the way this would act as a barrier to voting for already disadvantaged groups.

This council meeting believes the Voter ID proposals will only serve to add barriers for those already least likely to vote and that the resources needed for these proposals to be implemented would be better spent promoting voter registration and encouraging voting across all communities. For this reason, in September 2018 and January 2021 the Corporate Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committee resolved not to participate in any trials.

This council meeting therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to write to our four local Members of Parliament, noting our opposition to the Voter ID provisions, and asking them to support any amendments to the Bill which would remove these provisions, and to focus instead on promoting voter registration and actually voting, in the interests of ensuring higher participation rates in our already safe and secure elections system.

In the month ahead of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, this council meeting recalls its declaration of a Climate Emergency through an all-party motion on 28th March 2019.

This council meeting believes progress has been slower than residents would expect and an increase in pace is needed to tackle this issue, where ambition and leadership from the council will be key to taking our community and local industry with us to reach carbon neutrality as quickly as we can.

This council meeting recognises that the past year has been heavily impacted by the pandemic and notes that we have seen how the council can effectively mobilise in an emergency in dealing with Covid19.

This council meeting regrets that this urgency has been less evident in the efforts to address the climate emergency, an issue that remains a considerable threat to the borough.  A threat clearly demonstrated by the extraordinary rain events that led to the near disaster of a breach at Toddbrook Dam which would have been devastating for Stockport as a borough and our neighbours, and of course the many homes that flooded in the days around that time from Romiley, to Cheadle and Bramhall.  There is a cost of failing to act ambitiously and without enough urgency during the first year following the Climate Emergency declaration and before the pandemic struck and it is why we must be bold moving forward. Rapid and extensive reductions in carbon early on will give us more time and buffer to deal with the more challenging aspects and areas of reaching carbon neutrality.

This council meeting welcomes the recent appointment of a climate change officer and notes some progress on the issue, albeit concerns regarding lack of ambition have been raised consistently through council meetings and at scrutiny and, while a focus on carbon reduction has been an important place to start, the declaration of a climate emergency must also consider the local effects of climate change including flooding, district centre heat issues and biodiversity loss moving forward.

This council meeting further welcomes the council’s forthcoming Climate Summit, which has been billed as a transformative opportunity to engage with residents and other local stakeholders to create a new and ambitious approach to the Climate Emergency we all face. This council meeting looks forward to measuring the success of this endeavour and encourages all members to do what they can to help promote the work within their networks and wards so that the event is representative of our communities. Young people will be disproportionately more affected by climate change in their lives, it is important we act for them and with them on this issue and they must be a key focus as the work moves forward.

This Climate Emergency needs to be treated as such and adequate priority now given to it by this administration.

This council meeting therefore resolves to:

·         call on the cabinet member whose wide-ranging responsibilities include Climate Change for a step change in activity in line with the council’s leadership role in our community and to drive forward more ambitious proposals to ensure that Stockport can meet its carbon neutrality target by 2038; setting interim, achievable but ambitious targets for carbon reduction;

·         to accelerate provision of EV charging points across the borough as called for by this council in December 2018 by the Liberal Democrats, taking an open attitude to new technology;

·         take steps to ensure young people are given an effective voice beyond the Climate Summit through consultation with schools and the Youth Council;

·         Call on the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to use the power it has, including its influence as one of the UK’s largest pension funds, to take more of a leadership role to tackle climate change and to accelerate its ambition from being carbon neutral by 2050 to achieving this by 2038, in line with the ambition expressed by all ten local authorities  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.(ii)

MOVED AND SECONDED - In the month ahead of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, this council meeting recalls its declaration of a Climate Emergency through an all-party motion on 28th March 2019.

This council meeting believes progress has been slower than residents would expect and an increase in pace is needed to tackle this issue, where ambition and leadership from the council will be key to taking our community and local industry with us to reach carbon neutrality as quickly as we can.

This council meeting recognises that the past year has been heavily impacted by the pandemic and notes that we have seen how the council can effectively mobilise in an emergency in dealing with Covid19.

This council meeting regrets that this urgency has been less evident in the efforts to address the climate emergency, an issue that remains a considerable threat to the borough.  A threat clearly demonstrated by the extraordinary rain events that led to the near disaster of a breach at Toddbrook Dam which would have been devastating for Stockport as a borough and our neighbours, and of course the many homes that flooded in the days around that time from Romiley, to Cheadle and Bramhall.  There is a cost of failing to act ambitiously and without enough urgency during the first year following the Climate Emergency declaration and before the pandemic struck and it is why we must be bold moving forward. Rapid and extensive reductions in carbon early on will give us more time and buffer to deal with the more challenging aspects and areas of reaching carbon neutrality.

This council meeting welcomes the recent appointment of a climate change officer and notes some progress on the issue, albeit concerns regarding lack of ambition have been raised consistently through council meetings and at scrutiny and, while a focus on carbon reduction has been an important place to start, the declaration of a climate emergency must also consider the local effects of climate change including flooding, district centre heat issues and biodiversity loss moving forward.

This council meeting further welcomes the council’s forthcoming Climate Summit, which has been billed as a transformative opportunity to engage with residents and other local stakeholders to create a new and ambitious approach to the Climate Emergency we all face. This council meeting looks forward to measuring the success of this endeavour and encourages all members to do what they can to help promote the work within their networks and wards so that the event is representative of our communities. Young people will be disproportionately more affected by climate change in their lives, it is important we act for them and with them on this issue and they must be a key focus as the work moves forward.

This Climate Emergency needs to be treated as such and adequate priority now given to it by this administration.

This council meeting therefore resolves to:

·         call on the cabinet member whose wide-ranging responsibilities include Climate Change for a step change in activity in line with the council’s leadership role in our community and to drive forward more ambitious proposals to ensure that Stockport can meet its carbon neutrality target by 2038; setting interim, achievable but ambitious targets for carbon reduction;

·         to accelerate provision of EV charging points across the borough as called for by this council in December 2018 by the Liberal Democrats, taking an open attitude to new technology;

·         take steps to ensure young people are given an effective voice beyond the Climate Summit through consultation with schools and the Youth Council;

·         Call on the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to use the power it has, including its influence as one of the UK’s largest pension funds, to take more of a leadership role to tackle climate change and to accelerate its ambition from being carbon neutral by 2050 to achieving this by 2038, in line with the ambition expressed by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.(ii)

At this stage in the proceedings (10.00 pm) the Mayor informed the Council Meeting that the provisions of Council Meeting Procedure Rule 9.1 (Duration of Meeting) would be invoked unless the Council Meeting wished the meeting to continue.

RESOLVED –That the provisions of Council Meeting Procedure Rule 9.1 relating to the duration of (Council) meetings be duly invoked.

This Council Meeting:

·         Welcomes Government investment in the biggest hospital building programme in a generation backed by an initial £3.7bn of funding for new hospitals; and

·         Recognises that competition will be fierce in the latest round of bids submitted.

This Council Meeting notes that:

·         Stepping Hill Hospital first opened 116 years ago in 1905 and has provided valuable service since then, including as a military hospital in the First World War;

·         Stepping Hill Hospital serves the populations of Stockport, East Cheshire and the High Peak in North Derbyshire and currently sees around 500,000 patients a year;

·         As an estate, the Hospital has a number of challenges, partly resulting from its age and the growth in population it serves, including maintenance, layout and accessibility;

·         These challenges mean the hospital does not represent the optimum for delivering 21st century services to the residents of Stockport and beyond;

·         The growth of the hospital has also led to long standing problems for local residents with parking issues on the local streets around the site; and

·         The Government has awarded Stockport NHS Foundation Trust £30.6M to fund an emergency care and pathology campus at Stepping Hill Hospital.

This Council Meeting therefore:

·         Supports Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in their bid for a new hospital located in the Town Centre where it could be more accessible, close to public transport interchanges, and potentially contribute to levelling up and regenerating the Town Centre;

·         Requests, that should the Foundation Trust secure funding, that the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration takes action to ensure that the Stepping Hill Hospital site be considered a strategic site in the Borough and work with partners at the Foundation Trust to consider how any vacated buildings and land could best serve the Borough’s future; and

·         Requests the Chief Executive write to Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to ask that all efforts are made to expedite the delivery of the new emergency campus in recognition of the increased calls on emergency care and to ensure that Stockport residents benefit from this as soon as possible, acknowledging that the journey from initial bid to any potential delivery would be likely to span a number of years.

Moved by:                  Councillor John Wright

Seconded by:           Councillor John McGahan

RESOLVED - This Council Meeting:

·         Welcomes Government investment in the biggest hospital building programme in a generation backed by an initial £3.7bn of funding for new hospitals; and

·         Recognises that competition will be fierce in the latest round of bids submitted.

This Council Meeting notes that:

·         Stepping Hill Hospital first opened 116 years ago in 1905 and has provided valuable service since then, including as a military hospital in the First World War;

·         Stepping Hill Hospital serves the populations of Stockport, East Cheshire and the High Peak in North Derbyshire and currently sees around 500,000 patients a year;

·         As an estate, the Hospital has a number of challenges, partly resulting from its age and the growth in population it serves, including maintenance, layout and accessibility;

·         These challenges mean the hospital does not represent the optimum for delivering 21st century services to the residents of Stockport and beyond;

·         The growth of the hospital has also led to long standing problems for local residents with parking issues on the local streets around the site; and

·         The Government has awarded Stockport NHS Foundation Trust £30.6M to fund an emergency care and pathology campus at Stepping Hill Hospital.

This Council Meeting therefore:

·         Supports Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in their bid for a new hospital located in the Town Centre where it could be more accessible, close to public transport interchanges, and potentially contribute to levelling up and regenerating the Town Centre;

·         Requests, that should the Foundation Trust secure funding, that the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration takes action to ensure that the Stepping Hill Hospital site be considered a strategic site in the Borough and work with partners at the Foundation Trust to consider how any vacated buildings and land could best serve the Borough’s future; and

·         Requests the Chief Executive write to Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to ask that all efforts are made to expedite the delivery of the new emergency campus in recognition of the increased calls on emergency care and to ensure that Stockport residents benefit from this as soon as possible, acknowledging that the journey from initial bid to any potential delivery would be likely to span a number of years.