Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2012.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 24 January 2012 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 whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during consideration of agenda item 9 ‘Manchester Airport Group Strategic Review’ which contains information marked “not for publication” by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority), the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest,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 9 –‘Manchester Airport Strategic Review’ (see Minute 5 below).

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

Item Not for Publication

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

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider a draft report which to the Executive which recommending approval of the Manchester Airport Group’s (MAG) proposed Strategy for growth and agree in principle to the re-structuring and the governance arrangements proposed to accommodate the Strategy

Officer contact: Steve Houston on telephone number 474 4000, or email: steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report (copies of which had been circulated) of the Chief Executive and Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services was submitted, inviting the Scrutiny Committee to consider a draft report to the Executive recommending approval of the Manchester Airport Group’s (MAG) proposed Strategy for growth and agree in principle to the re-structuring and the governance arrangements proposed to accommodate the Strategy.

The Chief Executive reported that to date seven of the ten local authority shareholders had agreed in principle to the re-structuring and the governance arrangements proposed to accommodate the Strategy.

RESOLVED – That the comments of this Scrutiny Committee be referred to the Executive for consideration.

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

The Corporate Performance and Resource Report was approved by the Executive on 6 February 2012. It provides an update on the mid-year position, reported in December, in delivering the Council’s priorities, budget and capital programme for 2011/12.

The report is based on the 2011/12 Council Plan and Budget, and has been used to inform the priorities contained within the 2012/13 Council Plan and Budget which were approved by the Council Meeting on 23 February 2012.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:

a)    Consider the corporate report. 

b)   Review the current and forecast levels of performance and resources.

Officer contacts Andrea Stewart, Head of Performance & Information Services andreaj.stewart@stockport.gov.uk telephone number 474 3243, Christine Buxton, Head of Financial Management christine.buxton@stockport.gov.uk telephone number 474 4124

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) based on the 2011/12 Council Plan and Budget, and has been used to inform the priorities contained within the 2012/13 Council Plan and Budget which were approved by the Council Meeting on 23 February 2012.

The Corporate Performance and Resource Report had been approved by the Executive on 6 February 2012 and provided an update on the mid-year position, reported in December, in delivering the Council’s priorities, budget and capital programme for 2011/12.

RESOLVED – That the current and forecast levels of performance and resources be noted.

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

The Performance and Resource Reports for the Customer Focus and Finance Portfolios, which fall within the remit of this Scrutiny Committee, are presented for consideration. These provide an update on the mid-year position, reported in December, in delivering the Council’s priorities, budget and capital programme for 2011/12.

These reports are based on the 2011/12 Council Plan and Budget, and have been used to inform the priorities contained within the 2012/13 Council Plan and Budget which were approved by the Council Meeting on 23 February 2012.

The annual Performance, Resource and Financial Outturn Reports for the Customer Focus and Finance Portfolios will be presented to this Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting in June. These will be accompanied by draft Portfolio Agreements for Customer Focus and Finance, which will set out the priority outcomes, measures, budgets, projects and risks that will form the basis of these reports for 2012/13.        

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to:

a)    Consider the relevant portfolio reports.

b)   Review the current and forecast levels of performance and resources.

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

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

Officer contacts Paul James, Business Services Manager paul.james@stockport.gov.uk telephone number 474 5430, Susan Wood, Strategic Accountant susan.wood@stockport.go.uk  telephone number 218 1032.

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) in relation to the performance and resource position for the Customer Focus and Finance Portfolios. The reports provided an update on the mid-year position, reported in December, in delivering the Council’s priorities, budget and capital programme for 2011/12.

The reports were based on the 2011/12 Council Plan and Budget, and have been used to inform the priorities contained within the 2012/13 Council Plan and Budget which were approved by the Council Meeting on 23 February 2012.

The Scrutiny Committee raised the following issues:-

·         Confirmation that the targets established for sickness absence and complaints handling were improving.

·         The reasons behind the spatial area review pilot based in Reddish and the need to involve Ward Councillors and Area Committees in any discussions as part of the pilot.

·         The need (where appropriate) to include figures as well as percentages within the report to provide a clearer view of changes

·         Details of why a different approach was proposed to the next full employee survey and how the results would be measured against previous surveys.

·         An update on joint collaboration with other local authorities was provided.

·         The number of Debt Advisors and the time taken to arrange an appointment.

·         Details of the Department for Work and Pensions funded scheme linking AGMA authorities to support private sector tenants affected by benefit caps to re-negotiate rents or re-locate.

·         An update in relation to the Accommodation Strategy was provided.

·         The impact on the total Council Tax liability of the Single person discount review

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That a report in relation to the results of the next Employee Survey be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee.

(3) That the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services be requested to submit a report to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Committee in relation to the Department for Work and Pensions funded scheme linking AGMA authorities to support private sector tenants affected by benefit caps to re-negotiate rents or re-locate.

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

The report informs the Scrutiny Committee on quarter three performance and activity of the Council's Treasury Management function for 2011/2012.

Investment performance has been sustained throughout the third quarter of the financial year and the Council continues to make a respectable investment return despite prevailing low interest rates.

The Executive at its meeting on 6 February 2012, noted the report and received it in line with best practice guidelines.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to receive this report in line with best practice guidelines.

Officer contact: Lorna Salvage, telephone number 474 4026, lorna.salvage@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Scrutiny Committee to consider third quarter performance and activity of the Council's Treasury Management function for 2011/12. Investment performance had been sustained throughout the third quarter of the financial year and the Council continued to make a respectable investment return despite prevailing low interest rates.

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services reported that Grant Thornton had been awarded the contract to provide outsourced audit services to local authorities and the NHS in the North West. The award was part of a new national framework of outsourced audit contracts which would replace the District Audit Service. The contracts would run for five-year terms from September 2012 and a meeting with senior representatives of Grant Thornton would take place as soon as possible.

RESOLVED – (1) That the reported be noted and received in line with best practice guidelines.

(2) That the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services be requested to provide further information in relation to the Prime Rate Money Market Fund.

(3) That the Treasury Management Team be congratulated in ensuring the Council’s investments/ borrowing requirements are safeguarded in recent years during a difficult economic period.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Legal & Democratic Services)

The Council’s Code of Practice for carrying out surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) specifies that quarterly reports will be taken to this Scrutiny Committee to demonstrate to elected members that the Council is complying with its own Code of Practice when using RIPA. This report covers the fourth quarter of the financial year 2010/11.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to note this report.

Officer contact: Claire Naven , Data Protection and Freedom of Information Officer; telephone number 474 4048; email claire.naven@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Legal and Democratic Services) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) reminding the Scrutiny Committee that the Council’s Code of Practice for carrying out surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) specified that quarterly reports would be taken to this Scrutiny Committee to demonstrate to elected members that the Council was complying with its own Code of Practice when using RIPA. There had been no authorisations during the third quarter of the financial year 2011/12.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted

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.