Agenda and minutes

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

The Mayor reported that the Chief Executive, in consultation with him, had taken urgent action under the constitution to appoint Melanie Hay to the Admission Appeals Panel as a member with Educational Experience in order that she could determine in-year appeals from parents in advance of this meeting of the Council Meeting.

The Mayor further announced that he had recently attended the annual memorial service for the SS Stockport which served as a convoy rescue ship during the Second World War and which was torpedoed on 23 February 2017 with the loss of all crew and survivors that the SS Stockport had rescued from other vessels.  The Mayor reported that the Royal Naval Association of Havel Grove had been fundraising to buy a tree in the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to commemorate the loss of the SS Stockport and requested that members make a contribution to the fund.

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 Interest

Personal and Prejudicial Interests

All councillors declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Summons Item 3(iv) – ‘2017/18 Executive Revenue Budget and Capital Programme’ as recipients of an allowance payable under the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

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 2017/18’ 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.

Eight public questions were submitted as follows:-

·         Relating to the King’s Fund Report of 21 February 2017 which warned against the closure of hospital beds before new community care arrangements had been shown to reduce pressure on hospital beds; how the Council proposed to evaluate the impact of MCPs and other changes; and if there was no reduction in demand would the Council postpone cuts in hospital beds.

The Executive Councillor (Health) (Councillor Tom McGee) responded that the King’s Fund Report also stated that local plans needed to be considered on their merits, but where there was a convincing case for change, Ministers and local politicians should back NHS leaders in implementing essential and often long overdue changes to services.  The report also stated that in order for certain proposals to be successful there needed to be upfront investment in community services before any cuts in hospital beds.  Councillor McGee reiterated his position that once community services were up and running, there would be disinvestment in some of the hospital beds and that money would be redirected into the community provision.

·         Relating to which of the two proposals for taking the A6-M60 Relief Road across the Goyt Valley would in the opinion of the Leader of the Council be most devastating to valley.

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) responded that did not know and was not prepared to give an uniformed opinion.  It was stated that it was not possible at this stage to give an informed response to many of the questions about the environmental impact of the scheme as significant work still remained to be including an assessment of whether there was a business case for the scheme to be further developed.

·         Relating to whether the Leader of the Council recognised that the proposed A6-M60 Relief Road would have damaging impacts on many streets in the Borough and whether he agreed that the Council should meet and engage with people from these communities.

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) responded that the business case would consider many different factors and the Council will receive a report on the outcome of the business case including whether the scheme should proceed.  It was confirmed that the business case would include public consultation, and there would be further consultation should the scheme be progressed to the planning stage.

·         Relating to the inefficiency of community nurses being required to attend to patients from outside their own district because those patients had a GP in the nurse’s district.

The Executive Councillor (Health) (Councillor Tom McGee) responded that part of the work of Stockport Together had been to pull community nursing and social services together around GP practices to provide holistic care and support to those groups of patients.  Although GP practices had notional boundaries, patients for many reasons such as a change of address, may not live near to their GP which may result in some longer journeys for community nurses. 

·         Relating to a ‘Plan B’ should the plan for the integration of health and social care fail; what the criteria for assessing ‘Plan A’ would be; and the implications of moving to a ‘Plan B’.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Councillor (Adult Social Care) (Councillor Wendy Wild) responded that the reference to ‘Plan B’ within the report to the Executive in August 2015 related to the Council’s budget reduction options for the year 2016/17 and not the creation of an integrated health and care service.

·         Relating to whether in the light of financial problems experienced by other integrated care organisations, Stockport Together represented a massive risk to the Council and its accountability to the people of Stockport.

The Executive Councillor (Health) (Councillor Tom  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.(i)

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, Finance & Devolution).

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) seeking approval for the draft 2017/18 Council Plan.

RESOLVED –That the Council Plan 2017/18 be approved and adopted.

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) and the Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing).

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing) (Councillor Sheila Bailey) 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 2017/18.

RESOLVED – (57 for) That approval be given to:-

(i)         A reduction in the average social rent of 1% for dwelling rents;

(ii)        An increase of 2.5% for rents of shared ownership properties;

(iii)       Service charge changes and increases as outlined in Section 3;

(iv)      A 2.0% increase in Carecall Charges;

(v)       A 2.0% increase in Sheltered Warden and Laundry charges;

(vi)      The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2017/18 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 Chris Gordon) in the chair; Deputy Mayor (Councillor Lisa Walker); Councillors Geoff Abell, Malcolm Allan, Brian Bagnall, Sheila Bailey, Stuart Bodsworth, Laura Booth, Walter Brett, Anna Charles-Jones, Richard Coaton, Christine Corris, Stuart Corris, Dickie Davies, Tom Dowse, Roy Driver, Annette Finnie, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Alex Ganotis, Graham Greenhalgh, Tom Grundy, Yvonne Guariento, Paul Hadfield, Philip Harding, Daniel Hawthorne, Keith Holloway, Linda Holt, Sylvia Humphreys, Mark Hunter, Mike Hurleston, Susan Ingham, Oliver Johnstone, Mags Kirkham, Julian Lewis-Booth, Syd Lloyd, John McGahan, Tom McGee, Wendy Meikle, Chris Murphy, Adrian Nottingham, John Pantall, Paul Porgess, Iain Roberts, David Sedgwick, Lisa Smart, June Somekh, Andy Sorton, Charlie Stewart, John Taylor, Jon Twigge, Alanna Vine, Mark Weldon, Wendy Wild, David Wilson, Elise Wilson and John Wright.

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution).

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) 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 2017/18 to 2021/22 taking account of the 2017/18 final local government finance settlement published on 22 February 2017.

RESOLVED – That the updated Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts for the Council’s finances for the period 2017/18 to 2021/22 taking account of the 2017/18 final local government finance settlement published on 22 February 2017 be noted.

To consider a report of Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution).

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Executive’s Revenue Budget Proposals for 2017/18 and Capital Programme Investment Plans and outlines the Council’s financial outlook and challenges across the medium term period 2017/18 to 2021/22.

MOVED AND SECONDED – That:-

(1) approval be given to the Budget for 2017/18 described in the report and set out in Appendix 2 and 3.

(2) the risk assessment of the Budget at Appendix 5 and the report of the

Borough Treasurer on the adequacy of proposed financial reserves and

robustness of the estimates included at Appendix 5 be noted.

(3) the financial forecasts for 2017/18 to 2021/22 (Appendix 6), 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 2017/18 to 2019/20 Capital Programme and the funding arrangements as described in the report and set out at Appendix 7.

(5) approval be given to the prudential indicators set out in Appendix 8.

(6) approval be given to the passing of the appropriate Council Tax resolutions which produce a Council Tax increase of 4.99% (inclusive of a 3% increase in relation to the Adult Social Care Precept) for Council services as illustrated in Appendix 9.

AMENDMENT MOVED AND SECONDED - That approval be given to the amendment of paragraphs 4.7 and 4.9 of the 2017/18 Executive Revenue Budget and Capital Programme Report put forward by the Liberal Democrat Group and as set out in its proposals and summarised in the document entitled ‘Proposal One and Two - Education and Publicity to Increase Recycling Rates and Improving Road Safety Around Schools’ circulated in advance of the meeting and which would result in consequential revisions to Appendices 2, 3 and 6 to the report.

For the amendment 57.

AMENDMENT CARRIED

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

Those councillors who voted for the amendment were:-

The Mayor (Councillor Chris Gordon) in the chair; Deputy Mayor (Councillor Lisa Walker); Councillors Geoff Abell, Malcolm Allan, Brian Bagnall, Sheila Bailey, Stuart Bodsworth, Laura Booth, Walter Brett, Anna Charles-Jones, Richard Coaton, Christine Corris, Stuart Corris, Dickie Davies, Tom Dowse, Roy Driver, Annette Finnie, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Alex Ganotis, Graham Greenhalgh, Tom Grundy, Yvonne Guariento, Paul Hadfield, Philip Harding, Daniel Hawthorne, Keith Holloway, Linda Holt, Sylvia Humphreys, Mark Hunter, Mike Hurleston, Susan Ingham, Oliver Johnstone, Mags Kirkham, Julian Lewis-Booth, Syd Lloyd, John McGahan, Tom McGee, Wendy Meikle, Chris Murphy, Adrian Nottingham, John Pantall, Paul Porgess, Iain Roberts, David Sedgwick, Lisa Smart, June Somekh, Andy Sorton, Charlie Stewart, John Taylor, Jon Twigge, Alanna Vine, Mark Weldon, Wendy Wild, David Wilson, Elise Wilson and John Wright.

The amendment was then put as the substantive motion and it was

RESOLVED – (57 for) That:-

(1) approval be given to the Budget for 2017/18 described in the amended report and set out in the amended Appendix 2 and 3.

(2) the risk assessment of the Budget at Appendix 5 and the report of the

Borough Treasurer on the adequacy of proposed financial reserves and

robustness of the estimates included at Appendix 5 be noted.

(3) the financial forecasts for 2017/18 to 2021/22 (amended Appendix 6), 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 2017/18 to 2019/20 Capital Programme and the funding arrangements as described in the report and set out at Appendix 7.

(5) approval be given to the prudential indicators set out in Appendix 8.

(6) approval be given to the passing of the appropriate Council Tax resolutions which produce a Council Tax increase of 4.99% (inclusive of a 3% increase in relation to the Adult Social Care Precept)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.(iv)

To consider a report of Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) and to pass the appropriate resolutions setting the Council Tax for 2017/18.     

(Draft Report and Resolutions enclosed)

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) submitted a report (copies of which were circulated) setting out the Council Tax for 2017/18 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) That it be noted that on 19 January 2017, the Council has calculated the Council Tax Base for the financial year 2017/18 as

·         92,587.3 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 2017/18 as being £140,896,576

(3) That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2017/18 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a)          £621,131,918 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)          £480,235,342 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)          £140,896,576 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)          £1,521.77 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)           £1,521.77 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 2017/18 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 2017/18 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 Chris Gordon) in the chair; Deputy Mayor (Councillor Lisa Walker); Councillors Geoff  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.(v)

To consider a report of Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution).

The Leader of the Council (Policy, Finance & Devolution) (Councillor Alex Ganotis) 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 2017/18.

RESOLVED (57 for) – That approval be given to:-

·         The Minimum Revenue Provision Policy for 2017/18;

·         The Capital Expenditure forecasts and Capital Financing Requirement projections;

·         The Treasury Management Strategy 2017/18;

·         The Treasury and Prudential Indicators and limits 2017/18-2019/20; and

·         The Annual Investment Strategy 2017/18.