Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2012

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 6 December 2011 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Service Director, Place Management.

The report provides an update on the progress of the Customer Contact – Street Lighting and Highways Business Improvement, Transformation and Efficiency (BITE) Review which was initiated by this Scrutiny Committee. Since the last report in June 2011, areas identified for improvement in the Street Lighting and Highways review have continued to be addressed and the improvement work will continue over the coming months.

The Scrutiny Committee are recommended to note the positive changes and progress made following the BITE reviews.

Officer contact Andrew Suggett or Martin Rigby in Engineering Services on telephone number 0161 474 5694 / 4832.

Representatives of the Service Director (Place Management) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with an update on the progress of the Customer Contact – Street Lighting and Highways Business Improvement, Transformation and Efficiency (BITE) Review, which was initiated by this Scrutiny Committee. Since the last report in June 2011, areas identified for improvement in the Street Lighting and Highways review had continued to be addressed and the improvement work would continue over the coming months.

The Executive Councillor (Transportation), Councillor Iain Roberts also attended the meeting in relation to this item.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         There was a need to ensure that the automated acknowledgements included a reporting reference number and that residents were informed of progress in relation to the issue they have raised.

·         There was a need to ensure that identification numbers were added to lighting columns following repairs carried out or as part of cyclical maintenance visits.

·         There was a need to ensure that if a problem relating a lighting column is reported more than once by different residents, the same reporting reference number was allocated.

·         Members asked questions in relation to the various options being explored to improve the lighting network as part of 'Invest to Save’.

RESOLVED – (1) That the positive changes and progress made following the BITE review be noted and that a further report be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee in six months.

(2) That the number of street lighting enquiries received since October 2011 be circulated to members of this Scrutiny Committee.

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

The report provides a further update on progress being made regarding the action plan to implement the agreed recommendations and also to provide information for the key performance indicators critical to controlling the cost of public liability claims.

The Scrutiny Committee are requested to note the progress being made and that a further report be provided in 12 months

Officer contact Andrew Pollard – Head of Financial Support Services on 0161 474 4018 or andrew.pollard@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with a further update on progress being made regarding the action plan to implement the agreed recommendations and also to provide information for the key performance indicators critical to controlling the cost of public liability claims.

The Executive Councillor (Transportation), Councillor Iain Roberts also attended the meeting in relation to this item.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The need to recruit to the vacant post of ‘Insurance Claim Handler’ as soon as possible.

·         In future reports it would be helpful to include the number of outstanding claims.

RESOLVED – (1) That the progress being made be noted and that a further report be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee in six months.

(2) That details of the claim settled at £87,000 be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee

To consider a Joint report of the Corporate Director, for Corporate and Support Services and the Service Director, Place Development.

The report provides details of the current offer made by government to Stockport to self-finance its housing service and seeks the comments of the Scrutiny Committee on the work completed to date and the key assumptions to be used in preparing a 30 year Business Plan for the HRA.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the report and comment on the draft Asset Management Strategy and Business Plan provided alongside this report.

The Asset Management Strategy is included within the electronic agenda and is also available in each of the Group Offices. Members are encouraged to provide details of questions to officers in advance of the meeting to ensure they can be satisfactorily answered at the meeting.

Officer contact – Michael Cullen, Strategic Accountant (Adults) Telephone 4674 4631 email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report (copies of which had been circulated) of the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services and the Service Director, Place Development was submitted providing the Scrutiny Committee with details of the current offer made by government to Stockport to self-finance its housing service and seeks the comments of the Scrutiny Committee on the work completed to date and the key assumptions to be used in preparing a 30 year Business Plan for the HRA.

The Executive Councillor (Communities), Councillor Mark Weldon attended the meeting and introduced the report.

RESOLVED – That the report and draft Asset Management Strategy and Business Plan be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services (To follow)

The report outlines the outcomes of the recently undertaken review of the current arrangements for property services taking into account the strategic context for the transformation of local authority estates.  The report sets out the options available for the future provision of property services to the Council.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to comment on the report and to determine whether it wishes to make any specific observations to the Executive meeting.

Officer contact Murray Carr on telephone number 0161 474 3649 or alternatively email murray.carr@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Legal & Democratic Services) submitted a report of the  Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the outcomes of the recently undertaken review of the current arrangements for property services taking into account the strategic context for the transformation of local authority estates.  The report set out the options available for the future provision of property services to the Council.

The Executive Councillor (Finance), Councillor Sue Derbyshire attended the meeting in relation to this item.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Scrutiny Committee welcomed the opportunity to review the existing arrangements with Norfolk Property Services.

·         The Scrutiny Committee explored the cost of terminating the current agreement.

·         Welcomed the discussions taking place within AGMA and other partners to explore collaboration opportunities to deliver future property services.

·         The Scrutiny Committee supported the four options set out in paragraph 5.1 of the report being explored further.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted and the Executive be recommended to explore the four options set out in paragraph 5.1 of the report.

(2) That a further report be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee before a final decision is made by the Executive.

To consider a report of the Partnership & Policy Manager

To note the resume of the meeting held on 5 December 2011.

Officer contact: Steve Skelton, Policy & Partnership Manager Tel 474 3174; email steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk

The Scrutiny Committee considered a résumé (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting of the Stockport Partnership held on 5 December 2011.

RESOLVED – (1) That the résumé of the meeting of the Stockport Partnership held on 5 December 2011 be noted.

(2) That the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships & Transformation) be requested to provide details to members of this Scrutiny Committee in relation to participatory budgeting  within the business community together with audit arrangements once this had been agreed by the Stockport Economic Alliance Partnership.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.               

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

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

Officer contact: Craig Ainsworth, Democratic Services Manager, Tel: 474 3204, email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

The Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for the Committee’s next meeting, Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee and progress with resolutions made by the Scrutiny Committee at previous meetings.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.