Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 26 January 2015 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 a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report sets out the strategic direction for the next twelve months and explains how Stockport Homes will contribute to the wider objectives of Stockport Council. 

This plan has been developed during a period of significant change.  During 2014 the Council considered its options for the future management of its housing stock and decided to extend our contract.  This has provided Stockport Homs with the scope for longer term planning but means that 2015/16 will be a year of change, with a new Management Agreement and the recruitment of a new Board.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to consider and comment on the Stockport Homes Delivery Plan 2014-15 and note the report.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 474 4319 or email: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the strategic direction for the next twelve months and explaining how

Stockport Homes would contribute to the wider objectives of Stockport Council.

The Plan had been developed during a period of significant change.  During 2014 the Council had given consideration to the options for the future management of its housing stock and had given approval to a further management agreement being offered to Stockport Homes which had provided the scope for longer term planning but which had meant that 2015/16 would be a year of change.

The Executive Councillor for Economic Development & Regeneration (Councillor Patrick McAuley) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was anticipated that following the award of a new management agreement to Stockport Homes, future Delivery Plans would be produced on the basis of three years rather than annual plans which had been the pattern in the past.

·         It was noted that the Delivery Plan suggested that Stockport Homes was considering the establishment of a charitable subsidiary.  In response, it was stated that this was an avenue that was being considered as a means of taking advantage of tax advantages available to charities and which would form part of ongoing discussions with the Council over the next 12 months.

·         The 30% reduction in strategic housing resources for 2015/16 was highlighted and the impact this would have on the homelessness and housing options services was queried.  In response, it was stated that the Council and Stockport Homes were working to attract external funding to mitigate against the budget reduction and realigning some services so as to ensure that there would be no impact on the delivery of front line services.

·         It was requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee with regard to installation of solar photovoltaic panels and biomass boilers which would include details of those works that had already been completed; those planned to be undertaken in the future; the projected benefits for tenants; and how ‘income’ from these works had been able to be reinvested in the housing stock in the light of the ongoing subsidy being paid against fuel costs.

·         With regard to Carecall and Concierge services a detailed breakdown of the figures relating to the ongoing deficit reduction in these service areas was requested.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be requested to submit a report to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee with regard to installation of solar photovoltaic panels and biomass boilers which would include details of those works that had already been completed; those planned to be undertaken in the future; the projected benefits for tenants; and how ‘income’ from these works had been able to be reinvested in the housing stock in the light of the ongoing subsidy being paid against fuel costs.

To consider a joint report of the Corporate Director for Services to People and Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report details the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports for the Adult Care Services, and Economic Development and Regeneration Portfolios.  These provide a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during the third quarter of 2014/15, and include full-year forecast performance and financial data for the Portfolio. The reports also include a progress report and updated risk assessment of the portfolio savings programmes. 

In addition to the Adult Care Services Portfolio Report, the Committee is also asked to review the housing elements of the Economic Development and Regeneration Portfolio Report, with the remainder of this being considered separately by the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee.   

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

(i)            Consider the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports,  

(ii)          Review the progress against priorities, performance, budgets and savings targets for 2014/15;

(iii)         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues.

(iv)         Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contacts: Adult Care Services (Gaynor Alexander/ Simon Finch on 474 3186/ 4019 or email: gaynor.alexander@stockport.gov.uk / simon.finch@stockport.gov.uk

Economic Development and Regeneration (Joe Conmee/ Michael Cullen on 474 5396/ 4631 or email: joseph.conmee@stockport.gov.uk / michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) and the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a detailed overview of performance which related to the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee.

Information was provided in the form of the Final Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports for each of the Portfolios having functions within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee namely, Adult Care Services and the housing element of the Economic Development and Regeneration portfolio.

The Executive Councillors for Adult Care Services (Councillor Keith Holloway) and Economic Development & Regeneration (Councillor Patrick McAuley) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

Adult Care Services

·         With regard to the allocation of funding towards Stockport’s Better Care Fund plan, it was enquired what proportion of funding had been allocated to (i) the six schemes identified in the report; and (ii) the protection of existing health and social care services.

·         It was requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee relating to the Deprivation of Liberty Standards and the increase in the number of applications that had progressed to ‘action first’ and the ability of the service to respond to those numbers.

·         The report referred to the proposed development of creative industries in the Market Place in the town centre and it was stated that the £400,000 allocated for this project had been returned to the Adult Care Services budget as unallocated.  It was queried whether this was the case as members were aware of proposals for a similar scheme taking place using these monies in Castle Yard.

Economic Development and Regeneration (Housing)

·         It was not anticipated that there would be a need to draw down on contingencies to support the Disabled Facilities Grant as demand had fallen within Quarter Three and there was sufficient funding to support the current level of applications.

·         It was requested that copy of the draft Stockport Homes Older Persons Housing Strategy be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report details the Council’s preparation for the implementation of Part 1 of the Care Act which has included identifying a number of existing policies that require amendment and where there are policy gaps where new policies are therefore required.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to:-

(1) Consider and comment on the report and appendices.

(2) Recommend that the Executive endorses the recommendations outlined in section 4.2 and summarised below:

·         Charging carers for care and support

·         Approach to charging in residential care

·         The rate of interest charged in relation to Deferred Payment Agreements

·         The administration fee charged in relation to Deferred Payment Agreements

·         Alternative means of deferring payments outside of formal arrangements

(3) Note the open consultation on Part 2 of the Care Act.

Officer contact: Jenny Rollinson on 0161 218 1064 or email: jenny.rollinson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Council’s preparation for the implementation of Part 1 of the Care Act which had included identifying a number of existing policies that require amendment and where there were policy gaps where new policies were therefore required.

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

It was queried whether Stockport’s comparator local authorities also charged the nationally-set maximum interest rate for deferred payment agreements and what methodology the Council had used to arrive at this interest rate.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive be recommended to give approval to the recommendations detailed in Section 4.2 of the report.

(2) That it be noted that Part 2 of the Care Act 2014 was currently open to public consultation.

Report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services.

In June 14 the Executive response to the Welfare Reform Scrutiny review was presented to the Scrutiny Committee.  This report sets out progress on the actions outlined in that report.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Alison Blount on 0161 474 5107 or email: alison.blount@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing progress towards the actions that had been outlined in the Executive’s response to the Welfare Reform Scrutiny review which had been submitted to the Scrutiny Committee in June 2014.

RESOVLED - 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.