Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 23 March 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 declarations were made:-

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 & Regeneration.

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

The report outlines the details of Executive’s decision to enter into a Deed of Indemnity in relation to the establishment of the Greater Manchester Housing Investment Fund

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Andy Kippax on 0161 474 4319, or email: andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

RESOLVED – That consideration of this item be deferred until the next meeting of the scrutiny committee.

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

The document is the Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Adult Care Services, and Economic Development and Regeneration Portfolios for 2014/15. This provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities and budgets over the year and specifically during the fourth quarter of 2014/15. It includes full-year out-turn performance and financial data for the Portfolio, or forecast / provisional data where this is not yet available. The report also includes the final position for the 2014/15 portfolio savings programme.

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:

(a)       Consider the Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Report; 

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

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

(d)       Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Executive alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

(e)       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 Corporate Director for Services to People and the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a joint report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports for the Adult Care Services, and Economic Development and Regeneration Portfolios.  The report provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during 2014/15, and included out-turn performance and financial data for the Portfolio. The report also included a progress report and updated risk assessment of the portfolio savings programmes.

The Executive Councillor (Supporting Adults) attended the meeting to answer Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

Adult Care Services

·         A discussion took place with regard to any difficulties there had been with the implementation of the provisions Care Act.  In response it was stated that the first year had not been particularly onerous for the Authority; however it was anticipated that the next year would pose a greater challenge with work continuing to take place to ensure that capacity was in place to meet anticipated levels of demand.

·         The Council worked closely with Stockport CCG to ensure the quality of service provided by private home care providers.

·         Work was currently taking place to assess the suitability of the price paid by the Council for the provision of care which would involve examination of the business models of private providers and access to their accounts.  Members requested that an update be provided to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee in respect of this work.

·         It was noted that the recruitment and retention of staff within care providers was notoriously difficult and a root and branch examination of this would be taking place.

·         Further clarity was requested around why there had been a decline in overall satisfaction from adults with mental health problems in settled accommodation.  In response it was stated that this statistic did not correlate with the Council’s anecdotal understanding of the situation and further work was taking place to assess the data to identify what was taking place.

Economic Development and Regeneration (Housing)

Further information was requested on the implications for Stockport on the recently announced changes to the Right to Buy scheme which would extend the provisions of the scheme to those properties managed by housing associations.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of Councillor Stuart Bodsworth, Scrutiny Review Panel Lead Councillor.

The report sets out the findings and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel – Stockport Homes Private Rented Service.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and approve the final report for submission to the Executive.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted the draft final report of the Scrutiny Committee’s Review of the Stockport Homes Private Rented Service (copies of which had been circulated) that contained the findings and recommendations from the Review.  The Scrutiny Committee was invited to make amendments to the report prior to its submission to the Executive on 16 June 2015.

RESOLVED – (1) That the draft Stockport Homes Private Rented Service Review Final Report be approved and adopted

(2) That the thanks of the Scrutiny Committee be extended to all those who took part in the Scrutiny Review.

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.