Agenda and minutes

RESOVLED – That, in the absence of the Chair, Councillor Colin Foster be elected Chair of the Committee for the duration of the meeting.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 July 2022.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 4 July 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda 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.

No declarations were made.

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a joint report of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) and the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

The report outlines the work undertaken by Scrutiny Committees during the 2021/2022 municipal year and looks to the challenges and opportunities in the forthcoming year.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report prior to its submission to the Council Meeting.

Officer Contact: Vicki Bates on Tel: 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal & Democratic Governance) submitted the draft Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22 (copies of which had been circulated).

RESOLVED – That the report be approved for submission to the next ordinary meeting of the Council Meeting.

To consider a report of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance).

The composition of the new Cabinet and the relevant portfolio holders was approved by the Leader of the Council on 24 May 2022.

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee has requested a report which sets out the current reporting arrangements of those Portfolio Holders in terms of which Scrutiny Committee they report to so that the Committee can make proposed amendments and recommendations as it sees fit.

Members considered this item at their last meeting on 4 July 2022, and it was agreed to place this item on the agenda for this meeting in order that further consideration could be given to the matter in the light of the experience of the first cycles of scrutiny committees.

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee is asked to note the report and make recommendations as to the distribution of portfolios to Scrutiny committees, following which such recommendations will be taken to the Council Meeting to be ultimately decided upon.

Officer contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the current scrutiny reporting arrangements for the new Cabinet portfolios following the reallocation of executive functions by the Leader of the Council on 24 May 2022.

The Scrutiny Committee considered this item at its last meeting on 4 July 2022, and it was agreed to place this item on the agenda for this meeting in order that further consideration could be given to the matter in the light of the experience of the first cycles of scrutiny committees.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         There were only four cycles of committees remaining in the current municipal year, and making amendments to the reporting arrangements at this stage may result in more issues than it resolved.

·         The imbalance in the number of portfolios reporting to the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee was acknowledged.

·         It would be more appropriate to consider the alignment of cabinet portfolios to scrutiny committees prior to the first round of scrutiny committees in 2023/24.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.