Agenda and minutes

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

With deep regret, the Mayor referred to the death on 30 January 2015 of Councillor Mike Wilson who had served on the Council since May 1985.  It was reported that Councillor Wilson had also served as the Mayor of Stockport during 2004/2005 and as the Deputy Mayor on three occasions during 1999/2000 and 2008/2009 and 2013/14.

Each Party Group Leader then addressed the Council Meeting and paid tribute to Councillor Wilson.

Members of the Council then stood in silence as a mark of respect to the memory of Councillor Wilson.

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 Summons.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

Personal and Prejudicial Interests

All councillors declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Summons Item 3(iv) – ‘2015/16 Budget and Medium Term Financial Planning 2015/16 to 2017/18’ as recipients of an allowance payable under the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

Councillors declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Summons Item 3(iii) – ‘Education Funding Settlement & Local Formula for 2015/2016’ where they were members of the Governing Body of schools within Stockport Metropolitan Borough.

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Those councillors who were property owners or eligible to pay Council Tax declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Summons Item 3(v) – ‘Council Tax 2015/16’ for which a dispensation in respect of these matters had been granted by the Standards Committee.

It was noted that the Standards Committee had approved a wide dispensation to enable any member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or a Personal and Prejudicial interest in any item under consideration as part of the budget setting to take part and vote at the meeting.

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 any matters within the powers and duties of the Council.

Five public questions were submitted as follows:-

·         What the justification was for the spending of £13,000 of council tax payers’ money on a marketing company to come up the name ‘Redrock’ for the name of the new town centre development.

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Economic Development and Regeneration) (Councillor Iain Roberts) responded that the Council had engaged a marketing company to develop a brand and marketing strategy around the Redrock development and that critical to the development’s success was the ability to sell it to the market.

·         What specific business case could be made or market research carried out to justify the building project planned on the Grand Central site.

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Economic Development and Regeneration) (Councillor Iain Roberts) responded that a significant amount of work had been carried out into the viability of such a development which was publicly available on the Council’s website.

·         Assumptions on ‘Right to Buy’ had been predicated on 20 homes per annum being sold under the scheme, however in 2013/14 there had been 82 such sales.  How and why was this estimate to wide of the mark and what was being done to address the shortfall in available social housing?

The Executive Councillor (Economic Development & Regeneration) (Councillor Patrick McAuley) responded that the estimate of Right to Buy sales had been based on levels seen in the preceding years.  It was further stated that the Council worked with a wide range of partners on social housing and that this work continued to take place.

·         Why industry and light offices were proposed for construction on Gorsey Bank when there were empty industrial and office units elsewhere in the borough.

The Executive Councillor (Economic Development & Regeneration) (Councillor Patrick McAuley) responded that a feasibility study had been undertaken in respect of this site and that the toxicity levels in the air would not be compatible for a housing development on the site and that the best use of the land would be for employment purposes.

·         What the explanation was for the recent reduction in the number of Conservative councillors on the Council.

The Leader of the Conservative Group (Councillor Syd Lloyd) responded that there was a selection process in place for the selection of candidates representing the Conservative Party, and that one sitting member was unsuccessful in being reselected.  Councillor Lloyd stated that this member had subsequently left the Conservative Party and had joined another political party which he currently represented on the Council.

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

There were no petitions or presentations.

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council (Policy, Reform and Finance).

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Reform and Finance) (Councillor Sue Derbyshire) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) seeking approval for the draft indicative 2015/16 Council Plan.

RESOLVED – (40 for) That the Council Plan 2015/16 be approved and adopted.

To consider a report of the Executive Councillors (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) and (Economic Development & Regeneration).

The Executive Councillor (Economic Development & Regeneration) (Councillor Patrick McAuley) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Council Meeting to set the level of rent and service charges in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and approve the HRA budget for 2015/16.

RESOLVED – (40 for, 2 against, 17 abstentions) That approval be given to:-

(i)         An increase in the average social rent of 2.2% for dwelling rents;

(ii)        An increase of 2.8% for rents of shared ownership properties;

(iii)       An increase of 2.2% for garage rents;

(iv)       Service charges increasing as outlined in paragraph 3.2;

(v)        A 2.2% increase in Carecall Charges;

(vi)       A 2.2% increase in Warden Charges; and,

(vii)      The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2015/16 as set out in Appendix 1.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

The Mayor (Councillor Kevin Hogg); The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Linda Holt); Councillors Geoff Abell, Ben Alexander, Shan Alexander, Brian Bagnall, Paul Bellis, Andrew Bispham, Stuart Bodsworth, Laura Booth, Peter Burns, Martin Candler, Sue Derbyshire, Kevin Dowling, Lord Goddard, Chris Gordon, Lenny Grice, Daniel Hawthorne, Keith Holloway, Sylvia Humphreys, Sue Ingham, Oliver Johnstone, Pam King, Mags Kirkham, Hazel Lees, Syd Lloyd, Patrick McAuley, John McGahan, Wendy Meikle, Adrian Nottingham, Wendy Orrell, John Pantall, Paul Porgess, Iain Roberts, June Somekh, Alanna Vine, Lisa Walker, William Wragg, John Wright and Suzanne Wyatt.

Those councillors who voted against the resolution were:-

Councillors Brian Hendley and Paul Moss.

Those councillors who abstained were:-

Councillors Sheila Bailey, Kate Butler, Walter Brett, Richard Coaton, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Alexander Ganotis, Tom Grundy, Philip Harding, Tom McGee, Chris Murphy, Maureen Rowles, John Taylor, Andrew Verdeille, Wendy Wild, David Wilson, Elise Wilson.

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Lifelong Learning & Achievement).

The Executive Councillor (Lifelong Learning & Achievement) (Councillor Shan Alexander) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining key announcements made by the Department for Education on the education funding settlement for 2015/16 and detailing the local formula to be used to determine individual budgets for Stockport schools for 2015/16.

RESOLVED – (39 for, 1 against, 18 abstentions) That the Education Funding Settlement and Local Formula for 2015/16 be noted.

(a)      Medium Term Financial Plan – Financial Landscapes and Forecasts 2015/16 to 2018/19                                                                                    

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services).

(b)      Investing in Stockport – Executive Proposals and Response to MTFP 2015/16 and 2016/17                                                            

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council (Policy, Reform & Finance) and the Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services).

(a)       Medium Term Financial Plan – Financial Landscapes and Forecasts 2015/16 to 2018/19

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) (Councillor Iain Roberts) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts for the Council’s finances for the period 2015/16 to 2018/19 taking account of the 2015/16 final local government finance settlement published on 3 February 2015.

RESOLVED – That the updated Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts for the Council’s finances for the period 2015/16 to 2018/19 taking account of the 2015/16 final local government finance settlement published on 3 February 2015 be noted.

(b)       Investing in Stockport – Executive Proposals and Response to MTFP 2015/16 and 2016/17   

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) (Councillor Iain Roberts) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Executive’s response to the Medium Term Financial Forecasts for 2015/16 and 2016/17; describing the approach recommended by the Executive to the Council on the best use of its resources over through this period; and detailing a proposed balanced net revenue budget for 2015/16 of just over £235m, and a two year plan to bring underlying spending inline with estimated resources by 2016/17.

The Deputy Executive Leader (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) (Councillor Iain Roberts) responded to question put to him by Councillor Paul Bellis in accordance with the provisions of Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.2.

RESOLVED – (39 for, 2 against, 18 abstentions) That:-

(1) approval be given to the Budget for 2015/16 described in the report and set out in Appendix Two.

(2) approval be given to the Medium Term Financial Plan to 2016/17 as described in the report and included in Appendices Three and Seven.

(3) the financial forecasts for 2017/18 to 2018/19 (Appendix Seven), and the key issues to be addressed in formulating a response to the future financial challenges facing the Council be noted.

(4) approval be given to the appropriate Council Tax resolutions which produce a Council Tax freeze for council services as illustrated at Appendix Ten.

(5) approval be given to the 2015/16 to 2018/19 capital programme and the funding arrangements as described in the report and set out at Appendix Eight.

(6) approval be given to the prudential indicators set out in Appendix Nine.

(7) the risk assessment of the budget at Appendix Five and the report of the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services on the adequacy of proposed financial reserves and robustness of the estimates included at

Appendix Six be noted.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

The Mayor (Councillor Kevin Hogg); The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Linda Holt); Councillors Geoff Abell, Ben Alexander, Shan Alexander, Brian Bagnall, Andrew Bispham, Stuart Bodsworth, Laura Booth, Peter Burns, Martin Candler, Sue Derbyshire, Kevin Dowling, Lord Goddard, Chris Gordon, Lenny Grice, Daniel Hawthorne, Keith Holloway, Sylvia Humphreys, Sue Ingham, Oliver Johnstone, Pam King, Mags Kirkham, Hazel Lees, Syd Lloyd, Patrick McAuley, John McGahan, Wendy Meikle, Adrian Nottingham, Wendy Orrell, John Pantall, Paul Porgess, Iain Roberts, June Somekh, Alanna Vine, Lisa Walker, William Wragg, John Wright and Suzanne Wyatt.

Those councillors who voted against the resolution were:-

Councillors Brian Hendley and Paul Moss.

Those councillors who abstained were:-

Councillors Sheila Bailey, Paul Bellis, Kate Butler, Walter Brett, Richard Coaton, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Alexander Ganotis, Tom Grundy, Philip Harding, Tom McGee, Chris Murphy, Maureen Rowles, John Taylor, Andrew Verdeille, Wendy Wild, David Wilson and Elise Wilson.

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer and Community Services) and to pass the appropriate resolutions setting the Council Tax for 2015/16.     

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) (Councillor Iain Roberts) submitted a report (copies of which were circulated) setting out the Council Tax for 2015/16 and the level of precepts for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority.

RESOLVED – (57 for, 1 against)

(1) That it be noted that on 16 December 2014, the following amount was approved by the Executive as the Council’s Tax Base for the financial year 2015/16:-

·         89,500.5 for the whole Council area [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")]

(2) That the Council Meeting approve the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2015/16 as being £125,036,674

(3) That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2015/16 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a) £611,626,591 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act (Appendix Two).

(b) £486,589,917 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(3) of the Act (Appendix Two).

(c) £125,036,674 being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax Requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act). (Appendix Two).

(d) £1,397.05 being the amount at 3(c) above, all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

(e) £0.00 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in section 34(1) of the Act.

(f) £1,397.05 being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by the amount by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates.

(4) That it be noted that for the year 2015/16 the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each category of dwellings in the Council's area as indicated in the table below.

(5) That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2014/15 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

(6) That the Council, in accordance with section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 hereby determines that the Council’s relevant basic amount of council tax for 2015/16 is not excessive in accordance with the principles determined by the Secretary of State under section 52ZC of the Act.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

The Mayor (Councillor Kevin Hogg); The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Linda Holt); Councillors Geoff Abell, Ben Alexander, Shan Alexander,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.(v)

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services).

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) (Councillor Iain Roberts) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Council Meeting to consider the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, the Annual Investment Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy 2015/16.

RESOLVED – (58 for, 1 abstention) That approval be given to:-

·         The Minimum Revenue Provision Policy for 2015/16;

·         The Capital Expenditure Forecasts and Capital Financing Requirement projections;

·         The Treasury Management Strategy 2015/16;

·         The Treasury and Prudential Indicators and limits 2015/16-2017/18;

·         The Annual Investment Strategy 2015/16.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

The Mayor (Councillor Kevin Hogg); The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Linda Holt); Councillors Geoff Abell, Ben Alexander, Shan Alexander, Brian Bagnall, Sheila Bailey, Paul Bellis, Andrew Bispham, Stuart Bodsworth, Laura Booth, Walter Brett, Peter Burns, Kate Butler, Martin Candler, Richard Coaton, Sue Derbyshire, Kevin Dowling, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Alexander Ganotis, Lord Goddard, Chris Gordon, Lenny Grice, Tom Grundy, Philip Harding, Daniel Hawthorne, Brian Hendley, Keith Holloway, Sylvia Humphreys, Sue Ingham, Oliver Johnstone, Pam King, Mags Kirkham, Hazel Lees, Syd Lloyd, Patrick McAuley, John McGahan, Tom McGee, Wendy Meikle, Chris Murphy,  Adrian Nottingham, Wendy Orrell, John Pantall, Paul Porgess, Iain Roberts, Maureen Rowles, June Somekh, John Taylor, Andrew Verdeille, Alanna Vine, Lisa Walker, Wendy Wild, David Wilson, Elise Wilson William Wragg, John Wright and Suzanne Wyatt.

The Councillor who abstained was Councillor Paul Moss.

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services).

The Deputy Leader of the Council (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) (Councillor Iain Roberts) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Council’s approach to pay policy in accordance with the requirements of Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011.

RESOLVED – That the Annual Pay Policy Statement be confirmed and published in accordance with the Localism Act 2011.