Agenda and minutes

Councillors Kate Butler, Stuart Corris, Dean Fitzpatrick and Suzanne Wyatt.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2013.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 16 September 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.

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 Interests

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during consideration of Agenda Item 6 – ‘Stockport Homes Head Quarters’ which contains information ‘not for publication’ in the Appendix by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ by virtue of Category 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended) the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest, would not be fair and would be in breach of Data Protection principles, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 6 - ‘Stockport Homes Headquarters’ (see Minute 7 below).

At the 15 October 2012 meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, it was resolved to invite representatives of Borough Care to attend again after 12 months to provide a further update on the work of Borough Care, with specific regard to the impact of the ‘Living Wage’ on staffing arrangements; recent changes to employee contracts and the current pressures facing the organisation.

Kathy Farmer (Chief Executive of Borough Care will attend the meeting to answer councillors’ questions.

The Chair reported that at the 15 October 2012 meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, it had been requested that an item be placed on the agenda for this meeting in relation to Borough Care to enable members of the Scrutiny Committee to review the position of the organisation 12 months since representatives of Borough Care last attended.  The Scrutiny Committee wished to have particular regard to the potential impact of the ‘Living Wage’ on staffing arrangements; recent changes to employee contracts and the current pressures facing the organisation.

Kathy Farmer (Chief Executive of Borough Care) and Steve Normansell (Vice Chair of the Board of Borough Care) attended the meeting to answer councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Borough Care continued to move towards a specialism in dementia care.

·         Care homes were operating at an average 97% occupancy rate.

·         Whilst Borough Care was operationally independent of Stockport Council, it was recognised that their care homes were leased from the Council and that 80% of their service users were reliant on local authority funding.

·         The past 12 months had been challenging, particularly in relation to changes to staff terms and conditions which had recently been completed in August 2013. 

·         £400,000 of funding had been allocated towards upgrading dementia services.

·         In response to a question relating to the condition of the care home buildings, it was stated that a detailed stock condition survey had been carried out which had identified that a substantial sum of money needed to be spent to raise the standard of the care home stock with works ranging from resurfacing of footways and car parks and creating additional en suite accommodation.

·         The impact of the Council’s care home price freeze on Borough Care was discussed.  It was stated that this had impacted on the ability of Borough Care to make a staff pay award and invest in the building stock.

·         Borough Care benchmarked its staff terms and conditions against other private care home operators to ensure that it remained competitive.  It was noted that the hourly rate of pay for care staff was above the regional benchmark.

RESOLVED – That Kathy Farmer and Steve Normansell be thanked for their attendance.

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

This report has been prepared following a request made at the last meeting of the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee on 16 September 2013 for information on the Council’s approach to winter preparedness for Adult Care Services.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Paul Hayes on 474 3824 or email: paul.hayes@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Council’s approach to winter preparedness for Adult Care Services.

The Chair reported that this item had been placed on the agenda following a request made at the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on 16 September 2013.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Care Services (Councillor Keith Holloway) attended the meeting to answer Councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The report alluded to pressures which continued beyond the 2012/13 winter period and it was asked what those pressures were.  In response, it was stated that the level of hospital discharges had exceeded expectations which meant that intermediate care services had to allocate additional resources into ‘step down’ services to assist those people who needed additional support before they could return to their own homes.

·         It was requested that copies of the wider communication plan pertaining to winter preparedness which detailed the way in which the Council and its partners would raise awareness around hypothermia, loneliness and preventing hospital admissions be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services and the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report details a proposal from Stockport Homes to seek a loan of £9.2m from the Council to support the acquisition and redevelopment costs of a new headquarters.

(NOTE: the report includes exempt information ‘not for publication’ contained in a confidential appendix which has been circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee only).

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report.

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal from Stockport Homes to seek a loan of £9.2m from the Council to support the acquisition and redevelopment costs of a new headquarters.

The Chair reported that members of the Corporate, Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committee had also been invited to attend the meeting of the Scrutiny Committee as there were a number of areas of overlap between the remit of both committees in relation to this item.  The Chair invited members of the Corporate, Resource Management and Governance Scrutiny Committee to participate in the discussion on this item.

The Executive Councillor for Communities and Sustainability (Councillor Stuart Bodsworth) and Helen McHale (Chief Executive, Stockport Homes) attended the meeting to answer Councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         A discussion took place in relation to the element of risk that would be assumed by the Council associated with any variances from the modelled interest rate detailed in the report.

·         It was stated that Stockport Homes would not seek an increase in the management fee paid by the Council to support the loan for the any new head office building.

·         A councillor raised the issue of the proposed loan decreasing the latitude of the Council to secure finances for other developments in the borough.  In response it was stated that the Council was able to determine the limit at which it borrowed based on sustainability and affordability, and further that the Council was currently well within those limits.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the potential for the cost of the development to rise after the contract had been awarded.  In response, it was stated that Stockport Homes had a history of successfully managing significant capital projects in the past which had all come in within budgetary constraints.

·         It was stated that in the light of the costs associated with remaining within the current accommodation, it was anticipated that the provision of a new headquarters building would be cost neutral over the 30 year loan term.

·         A councillor asked whether it was the intention of Stockport Homes to centralise services within the new headquarters development.  It was subsequently stated that no services would be centralised as a result of this development and any district based offices would remain in place and Stockport Homes’ staff would aim to visit tenants in their homes rather than expect them to come to the town centre.

·         It was noted that the development would consolidate staffing resources in one location which would assist with a more co-ordinated approach to service delivery.

·         The potential for consideration to be given to other locations for a new headquarters building was discussed.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the apparent juxtaposition of the significant demand for new social housing in the Borough against the expenditure outlay for the construction of a new headquarters building.

MOVED AND SECONDED - That the Executive be recommended to not give approval to the making of a loan to from the Council to Stockport Homes to support the acquisition and redevelopment costs of a new headquarters.

For the motion 3, against 5, abstentions 1.

MOTION NOT CARRIED

A named vote was requested in relation to the voting on this motion.

Those councillors who voted for the motion were Councillors Sheila Bailey, Paul Moss and Wendy Wild.

Those councillors who voted against the motion were Councillors Kevin Dowling, Daniel Hawthorne, Sue Ingham, Syd Lloyd and June Somekh.

Councillor Ben Alexander abstained.

It was then

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 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.