Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 August 2016.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 1 August 2016 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 Corporate Director for People.

The report provides an update on the procurement for the Multi-speciality Community Provider for health and social care.  The commissioning of this new type of organisation will enable the new models of integrated health and social care that have been developed by the Programme over the last 12 months to be most effectively implemented across the Borough.

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

Officer contact: Andrew Webb on 0161 474 3808 or email: andrew.webb@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the procurement for the Multi-speciality Community Provider for health and social care.  It was reported that the commissioning of this new type of organisation would enable the new models of integrated health and social care that have been developed by the Programme over the last twelve months to be most effectively implemented across the Borough.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Social Care (Councillor Wendy Wild) attended the meeting to answer councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was confirmed that the project was on target to meet the timetable for stakeholder engagement detailed within the report.

·         There was no template which could be picked up from elsewhere and adopted wholesale due to the complex and comprehensive set of services that were within the scope of the Multi-Speciality Community Provider.

·         There were benefits and pitfalls associated with each of the organisational form options proposed within the report.

·         A further report would be submitted to a future meeting of the scrutiny committee detailing the outcome of an options appraisal undertaken in respect of the options contained within the report.

·         In response to a suggestion that the roles currently undertaken by individuals within the various organisations should not significantly change as a result of this process, it was stated that there was areas of overlap in staff undertaking similar roles in different organisations which could be rationalised as a result of this process.

·         It was stated that work had been done to strengthen project management although there had been resource and time difficulties within the workforce and IT.

·         It was important to empower members of staff and to enable front line workers.

·         An element of the transition fund would be used to increase resources at a GP level to improve care within neighbourhoods and to avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital.

·         Greater recognition needed to be made of the importance of understanding and managing population change when planning health care provision within localities.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report details a proposal for the creation of a council owned Housing Delivery Company through Stockport Homes to meet the current housing challenge in Stockport and providing employment and training opportunities for local people.  

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

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

The Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal for the creation of a council owned Housing Delivery Company through Stockport Homes to meet the current housing challenge in Stockport and providing employment and training opportunities for local people.

The Executive Councillor for Communities & Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) also attended the meeting to answer councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Consideration was being given to possible mechanisms that could be put in place to prevent properties built by the housing delivery company from subsequently being sold under the Right to Buy scheme.

·         The initial development target was relatively modest, however Council owned land was being used initially as a means of expediting development.

·         The use of a rolling loan facility and a strict assessment of each scheme against viability and feasibility meant that the risk to the Council was minimised.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and that the Executive be recommended to give approval to the recommendations contained within the report.

To consider a report of the Borough Treasurer.

The Medium Term Financial Plan Update provides two reports. The first report proposes a realignment and consolidation of the Council’s reserves and the development of a Reserves Policy which will align the reserves to the Council’s corporate and strategic priorities over the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). The report also outlines the principles of a summer review of the Council’s MTFP considering the current key assumptions underpinning the financial forecasts and whether these are still appropriate.

The second report outlines the principles that will frame how the Executive engages with residents and businesses to inform how it proposes to address the severe financial challenges being imposed on Stockport by central Government.

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

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 0161 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Borough Treasurer submitted the Medium Term Financial Plan Update (copies of which had been circulated) which included two reports.  The first of these proposed a realignment and consolidation of the Council’s reserves and the development of a Reserves Policy which would align the reserves to the Council’s corporate and strategic policies over the term of the Medium Term Financial Plan.  The second report outlined the principles that framed how the Executive engaged with residents and businesses to inform how it proposed to address the severe financial challenges being imposed on Stockport by central Government.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Social Care (Councillor Wendy Wild) attended the meeting to answer councillors’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The development of a two year budget in conjunction with the four year settlement announced by government in 2015 allowed the Council greater financial certainty in the period to 2020.

·         Notwithstanding any budgetary reductions that would need to be made, there were additional pressures on the current budget that would need to be accommodated such increases to the national minimum wage.

·         It was proposed to consolidate the number of categories of earmarked reserves to four risk based earmarked reserves.

·         The review of the earmarked reserves had confirmed that the level of reserves was appropriate but had identified that the way in which they were held and the approval process could be strengthened.

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 on 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.