Agenda

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 21 November 2024.

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

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

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

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

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

(a)       Greater Manchester Police, Crime & Fire Panel

Councillor Jake Austin to answer questions, if any, on the business of the Greater Manchester Police, Crime & Fire Panel.

(b)       Greater Manchester Combined Authority

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

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

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

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

To give approval to appointment of Chris Read as a Co-opted Member (Parent Governor Representative) on the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee.

To move that:-

(1) Councillor Kerry Waters be invited to allow her name to be submitted to the Annual Council Meeting for election to the Office of Mayor for the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport for the year 2025/2026.

(2) Councillor Gary Lawson be invited to allow his name to be submitted to the Annual Council Meeting for the appointment to the Office of Deputy Mayor for the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport for the year 2025/26.

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.

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

To receive the Minutes of the Cabinet held on 10 December 2024 and the record of executive decisions taken since the last Council Meeting, (schedule enclosed, decisions previously circulated) and consider any recommendations they contain.

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.

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

To receive the Minutes of the following Scrutiny Committees:-

Adult Social Care & Health – 28 November 2024

Children & Families – 27 November 2024

Communities & Transport – 25 November 2024

Corporate, Resource Management & Governance – 26 November 2024

Economy, Regeneration & Climate Change – 28 November 2024

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

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

Ordinary Committees

Appointments – 15 November 2024

Audit – 20 November 2024

Health & Wellbeing Board – 27 November 2024

Licensing, Environment & Safety – 13 November and 18 December 2024

Planning & Highways Regulation – 14 November and 19 December 2024

Standards – 9 December 2024

Area Committees

Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South – 5 December 2024

Central Stockport – 5 December 2024

Cheadle – 3 December 2024

Heatons & Reddish – 2 December 2024

Marple – 4 December 2024

Stepping Hill – 3 December 2024

Werneth – 2 December 2024

Ward Committees and Area Sub-Committees

Brookfield Park Shiers Family Trust Sub-Committee – 19 November 2024

This council meeting reasserts its support for the WASPI women, as set out in a motion passed at the meeting on 5th April 2018 and regrets the decision of the Labour government to ignore an independent ombudsman’s assessment that compensation should be paid to them.

Moved by:                  Councillor Wendy Meikle

Seconded by:           Councillor Jilly Julian

This Council notes that the proposed Employment Rights Bill introduced by the Government marks an important step forward in improving conditions for working people across the country.

Key elements of the bill include:

·         Ending exploitative zero-hour contracts and ensuring all workers are paid fairly.

·         Giving workers stronger rights to join a trade union and have proper representation.

·         Bringing in better protections against unfair dismissal, so everyone has rights from their first day on the job.

·         Improving access to sick pay and making statutory parental leave more supportive for families.

·         Cracking down on exploitative practices in the gig economy to ensure fair treatment and secure work for all.

Local authorities have a duty to set the standard by championing fair employment practices in their own workforce and supporting efforts to improve workers' rights across the board.

In Stockport, working people are the backbone of our communities and local economy. Stronger employment rights will make a real difference to thousands of workers here, giving them more security, stability, and fairness at work.

The Employment Rights Bill is a vital step to ensure workplaces treat people fairly, offering the protections working people deserve while also helping to build a more productive economy.

This Council resolves to:

(1) Publicly support the Employment Rights Bill and write to all MPs representing Stockport urging them vote in favour of the bill at its final reading.

(2) Commit to continue backing the real living wage for all Stockport Council employees

(3) Work with local trade unions, businesses, and community groups to raise awareness of how this Bill can support workers and improve workplace standards in Stockport.

Moved by:                  Councillor Christine Carrigan

Seconded by:           Councillor Jon Byrne

This Council Meeting notes that

·         scams are not a minor inconvenience but a crime that can cause emotional distress, misery and in many cases financial loss. As well as the financial losses, this crime can cause severe psychological harm to victims. The best way to protect against fraud is to prevent it from happening in the first place.  There is opportunity to further advance and educate residents across the borough on scam awareness and to help residents across Stockport become the first line of defence against scammers.

·         that the council should do more to support residents in Stockport to prevent them becoming victims of fraud.

This council therefore resolves to:

(1) Recommend that all councillors undertake the certified ‘Friend against Scams’ training run by National Trading Standards.  This will ensure all councillors are equipped to support our residents on the front line of fighting back against the scammers and educating people on how to avoid being scammed.  The training is available to everyone and educates people on how to protect themselves and their loved ones against scams and most of all to raise awareness throughout their community. 

(2) Because of the magnitude of the problem and the need to do more to protect local people, it is agreed that the council sets up an all-party working group to develop a set of Stockport Scam Safe standards.  This could involve certification standards and a voluntary scheme for administrators of social media groups to register when they have undertaken the Friends Against Scams training, providing assurance for users and ensuring administrators are committed to working to prevent fraud.

Moved by:                 Councillor Peter Crossen

Seconded by:           Councillor Catherine Stuart

Notes:

·         UK Finance reports that in the first half of 2024 just over £570 million was stolen in payment fraud.

·         UK Finance reports that nearly 80% of all APP (Authorised Push Payment) fraud begins online.

·         In a Home Affairs Committee meeting on Fraud in Parliament earlier this year, it was reported by Lloyds banking group that 80% of frauds start on social media with 68% of reported scams originating on Meta group platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

·         A Nationwide report suggests that more than 1 in 3 people agree 16-34 have lost money to fake ticket scams. This could be more with around 24% of people suggesting they did not report a scam if they had lost less than £100 and estimates suggesting 27% of victims did not report their loss due to embarrassment or believing they would not have the money refunded.

·         This builds upon excellent work the council has already undertaken, especially recently with the events such as the Scam Safe Week event held at Merseyway Shopping centre on Friday 29th November.

·         The Friends Against Scams training is available here:

https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/become-a-friend

https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/interactive-version

This Council notes:

·         The catastrophic flooding that occurred in several Stockport locations earlier this month 

·         Increasing rainfall levels and the limitations of the existing drainage system and other infrastructure

·         The likelihood of similar or heavier rainfall in the future and the need to prepare for this through robust resilience and adaptation measures.

In Stockport, 2025 began with unprecedented flooding. Homes and business fittings were ruined, a Reddish Vale bridge and brand-new gyms were destroyed, people had to be evacuated from their homes, parked cars were submerged, the Trans Pennine Trail was impassable, and major roads were cut off. All this was caused by heavy rainfall and resulted in water courses and grids overflowing onto surrounding land.

This was not an isolated occurrence, and we owe it to our residents, businesses, and investors to do what we can to avoid similar or worse occurrences in the future.

The Climate Centre UK cites flooding as a consequence of our failure to reach net zero and states that we now need to adapt and prepare. The Government recognised this when, in September it set up a Floods Resilience Taskforce to speed up preparation and resilience and improve coordination between central and local government and emergency services.

·         Having declared a climate emergency this council has taken some action to offset or mitigate the effects of climate change. However, recent events demonstrate that stronger and targeted resilience measures are needed.

·         Under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 Stockport Council has a duty to investigate flood events that occur within its area. The most recent flood investigation report was published in 2020. The borough wide and location focussed recommendations made then, assuming we have adhered to them, are obviously not adequate for today, and need to be more robust.

·         This council has been set an ambitious home building target by the government and is currently working on a Stockport Plan for the next 15 years. Development sites in possible future flood risk areas, have implications for new and existing buildings.

·         The Council needs to plan for worsening weather and recognise that areas not previously identified as at risk may well be in the future. Current rainfall levels cannot be used as indicators.

To this end, this council resolves to request the Chief Executive to ensure that:

·         The council recognises the increased flooding threats and takes more radical steps to adapt and become better prepared, taking into account predictions for future weather patterns. This may involve innovative or natural solutions (for example, deliberately leaving some areas undeveloped, or creating basins, that floodwater can flow into).

·         Stockport’s possible risk areas are identified and shown in the emerging Stockport Plan, and that no development takes place on “at risk” sites until resilience work has been completed, to protect new and existing buildings

Moved by:                  Councillor Liz Crix

Seconded by:           Councillor Gary Lawson