Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 1 July 2013 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.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Adult Social Care).

Following the submission of the final report of the Adults & Communities Scrutiny Committee’s Review ‘Loneliness and Social Isolation’ to the Executive on 11 June 2012, a response to the recommendations of the Review has been prepared and subsequently approved by the Executive at its meeting on 16 July 2013.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note and comment on the Executive Response as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report.

Officer contact: Vincent Fraga on 474 4401 or email: vincent.fraga@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Executive’s response to the ‘Loneliness and Social Isolation’ Scrutiny Review which had been adopted by the Executive at its meeting on 16 July 2013.

The Executive Councillor (Adult Care Services) attended the meeting to answer Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was noted that there was a general drive to place more information online, however it remained important to continue to engage with older people through a variety of means.

·         There was the opportunity to explore the development of greater links between primary schools and older people.

·         There was the potential for making the language used in letters and questionnaires simpler and more readily accessible.

·         The outcome of the Review needed to be circulated widely which included the potential for it to be distributed to GP surgeries.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive’s response be noted.

(2) That the Service Director (Adult Social Care) be requested to submit a report to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee providing a breakdown of those responses received to the ‘casefinding questionnaire’.

To consider reports of the Assistant Chief Executive.

The Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee; Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee; and Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee agreed to carry out a joint scrutiny review relating to the broad theme of tackling inequalities. The following areas for review were suggested:

·         Health inequalities in the Borough, including initiatives to tackle health inequality and key challenges;

·         Inequality from a housing perspective;

·         Aspects of inequalities from the perspective of children and young people’s services.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·         Give approval to the arrangements for the conduct of the scrutiny review as set out in the report.

·         Appoint members to a Joint Scrutiny Review Panel to scope and carry out the Scrutiny Review on Tackling Inequality.

·         Appoint a Chair / or joint Chairs of the Joint Panel

·         Agree a date for the first meeting of the Joint Review Panel.

Officer contact: Gaynor Alexander on 474 3184 or email: gaynor.alexander@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the arrangements for the conduct of a joint scrutiny review between the Health and Wellbeing; Adult Care Services and Housing; and Children and Young People Scrutiny Committees relating to the broad theme of tackling inequalities.

RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to the arrangements for the conduct of the Scrutiny Review as set out in the report.

(2) That the following Councillors be nominated to participate in the Review:-

Councillor Daniel Hawthorne (Lead Councillor)

Councillor Paul Moss

Councillor Alanna Vine

The Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee; and Corporate, Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committee agreed to carry out a joint scrutiny review on the impact of Welfare Reform.

Welfare Reform is a wide ranging issue that cuts across portfolios and has implications for a range of council services and partner agencies. The decision to carry out a joint scrutiny review will enable co-ordinated and holistic consideration of the impact of welfare changes.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·         Give approval to the arrangements for the conduct of the scrutiny review as set out in the report.

·         Appoint members to a Joint Scrutiny Review Panel to scope and carry out the Scrutiny Review on Tackling Inequality.

·         Appoint a Chair / or joint Chairs of the Joint Panel

·         Agree a date for the first meeting of the Joint Review Panel.

Officer contact: Gaynor Alexander on 474 3184 or email: gaynor.alexander@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the arrangements for the conduct of a joint scrutiny review between the Adult Care Services and Housing and Corporate, Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committees on the impact of Welfare Reform. 

RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to the arrangements for the conduct of the Scrutiny Review as set out in the report.

(2) That the following Councillors be nominated to participate in the Review:-

Councillor Kevin Dowling

Councillor June Somekh

Councillor Wendy Wild

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of the Chair.

The Chair reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at her request.

The Service Director (Place Management) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the current position with regard to the utilisation of Adult Social Care Capital Resources for acquisition of a property on the Market Place with a view to encouraging the development of creative industries and specialist retail in Stockport Market Place and as match funding for a bid to the Heritage Enterprise Programme, and any other relevant funding sources, for funding to deliver the overall strategy.

It was reported that the regional launch of the Heritage Enterprise Programme took place in July 2013, which had confirmed that the proposals fit the programme criteria.  The first stage of the application process was being prepared in conjunction with the proposed occupiers of 20-22 Market Place (Arc and Pure).  However, the three-stage bid process was now expected to take approximately 18-24 months which was a longer timeframe than had originally been anticipated.

It was stated that the owners of 20-22 Market Place were aware of the Council’s proposals and are believed to be negotiating short term non-renewable leases for the building in the interim within a timeframe which would enable the Council’s proposals to be delivered.

Concern was expressed in relation to the delay in acquiring the buildings in the Market Place, with particular regard to the Adult Social Care Capital Resources which had been allocated for this purpose remaining unused for an extended period of time and the potential for this to be reallocated to the Adult Social Care budget.

It was further commented that the Scrutiny Committee would seek to re-examine the allocation of this funding during the forthcoming budget setting process to ensure that the proposed use continued to support the aim of creating learning and employment opportunities for vulnerable adults in support of Adult Social Care objectives and provide increased facilities to support vulnerable adults across the borough.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.                                                        

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.