Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 16 September 2014 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.

(NOTE: The Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda, should be considered as an item of urgent business in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 to enable the Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services to inform the Scrutiny Committee of a proposal which would be considered at the next meeting of the Executive.)

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services (Councillor Iain Roberts) reported that officers were proposing a substantial investment in the Council's IT infrastructure forecast to save £500k over five years. To meet the end of life on existing IT contract there was a need to submit a report to the Executive in November but this did not provide an opportunity to present the proposals to this Scrutiny Committee in advance of the Executive. He stated that the report would include details of the financial investment required in order to deliver the savings.

Councillor Roberts stated that the report would be circulated to members of this Scrutiny Committee at the same time the report to the Executive was published to enable members to ask questions and comment informally.  A report would also be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee on 2 December 2014.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides an update on progress made since the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration (IER) on 10 June 2014 andoutlines plans for ongoing activity for the remainder of the first part of the transitional phase which ends on 1 December 2014 when the revised electoral register is published.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to note the progress made to date in relation to the transition to Individual Electoral Registration and comments on the outcome of the confirmation exercise and arrangements to ensure registration rates are maximised.

Officer contact Steve Callender on telephone number Tel: 0161 474 3184 or alternatively email steve.callender@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with an update on progress made since the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration on 10 June 2014 and outlining plans for ongoing activity for the remainder of the first part of the transitional phase which would end on 1 December 2014 when the revised electoral register was published.

The response rates in relation to Individual Electoral Registration as at 28 October 2014 were circulated at the meeting in relation to ‘Household Enquiry Forms’ and ‘Invitation to Register’.

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to answer members questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         How the response rates compared to what the Council had forecast.

·         Whether sufficient resources were available to support the process.

·         Information in relation to new properties was provided by Building Control.

RESOLVED – That the progress made to date in relation to the transition to Individual Electoral Registration be noted.

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

The report sets out the progress of the Stockport Property Alliance (formally the Stockport Strategic Property Partnership) and provides a summary of the SPA Business Plan, including its focus on the delivery of significant property savings to the Council.   The report also outlines the achievements of the SPA and Carillion Stockport Property Service, since its formation in February 2014.  One of the key strategic objectives of the SPA is to prepare the Stockport Asset Management Plan and this is also set out in the report.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider the contents of the report and provide any comments.

Officer contact Murray Carr   on Tel: 0161-474-3019 or by email on murray.carr@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out progress in relation to the Stockport Property Alliance (SPA) (formally the Stockport Strategic Property Partnership) and providing the Scrutiny Committee with a summary of the SPA Business Plan, including its focus on the delivery of significant property savings to the Council.   The report also outlined the achievements of the SPA and Carillion Stockport Property Service, since its formation in February 2014.  One of the key strategic objectives of the SPA was to prepare the Stockport Asset Management Plan and this was also set out in the report.

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services (Councillor Iain Roberts) together with Paul Kelly (SPA Partnership Director) attended the meeting to answer members questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         While the three school building projects being delivered by Carillion have not progressed as quickly as expected, they are confident that the overall project delivery would not be delayed. The number of school contracts remained the same as under NPS.

·         In relation to services to schools, the SPA should make working with the Council’s associated bodies a priority to reach a ‘one-stop-shop’ service for schools to ensure they are receiving value for money, consistent and appropriate levels of service.

·         While the intention was to rationalise the corporate estate through property disposal, this should only be done where an asset has been identified as surplus following careful consideration through the Investing in Stockport programme. There was a need to deliver the following priorities rather than simply delivering savings:

·         Contributing towards the savings required by the Council

·         Focussing on  growth – contributing to the Council’s regeneration programme

·         Increasing income to the Council.

·         A structure chart showing the governance arrangements would be helpful.

·         The Strategic Asset Management Plan (Section 3) should clarify that the “total net internal area of 104,300m2” did not include schools.

·         The Alliance Board included senior managers within the Council which was positive and was not replicated by other Council’s.

·         The Partnership Director had now been included in the Alliance Board membership.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council and the Deputy Leader (Executive Councillor for Corporate, Customer and Community Services)

In September, Scrutiny Committees received a report on the Investing in Stockport business case working papers brought forward at the August Executive. At its meeting on 30 September the Executive brought forward a set of Draft Business Cases for those proposals with implications for the Council’s budget in 2015/16. A number of Draft Business Cases contain only minor changes to those original business case working papers.

The Executive agreed that there should be a further report to all scrutiny committees in the October cycle, sharing the Draft Business Cases, and providing scrutiny committees with an opportunity to provide final comments on those proposals relating to their committee’s remit.  The Draft Business Cases that were made available to the Executive Councillors therefore accompany this report. Confirmation of which proposals fall within the remit of which Committee is provided at Appendix 1.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to provide final comments upon the specific Draft Business Cases in the accompanying papers.

Officer contact: Steve Skelton, 0161 474 3174, steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report of the Leader of the Council and the Executive Councillor (Corporate, Customer & Community Services) was submitted (copies of which had been circulated) containing the Investing in Stockport 2015/16 Draft Business Cases approved for consultation by the Executive on 30 September 2014 and providing the Scrutiny Committee with an opportunity to make further comment on the proposals.

It was reported that the proposed extension to the pooled budget with the Clinical Commissioning Group was now unlikely to be implemented within the original timescales and, therefore, that the required savings for adults care services in 2015/16 would have to be achieved in a different manner as indicated in the revised business case.

The Committee requested that the business case in respect of the ‘Locality Operating Model’ be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee for consideration in due course.

The Committee also asked for regular reports on the impact of the CSS redesign on other business areas of the Council, and on the expectations being placed on CSS and the ability to meet the demands.

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to answer members questions.

RESOLVED – That report and Draft Business Cases be noted.

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

The report provides a summary of performance for repudiation of claims and received claim numbers for 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 (to date), including comparisons to the baseline values identified during the scrutiny review and details of the costs where  liability was admitted for highway public liability injury claims in the policy years 2011/12 and 2012/13.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to note and comments upon the contents of this report.

Officer contact John Pearsall – Internal Audit, Risk and Insurance on 0161 474 4033 or john.pearsall@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with a summary of performance for repudiation of claims and received claim numbers for 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 (to date), including comparisons to the baseline values identified during the scrutiny review and details of the costs where liability had been admitted for highway public liability injury claims in the policy years 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 (to date).

It was reported that the Insurance team has developed a closer working relationship with the Highways team, this includes holding more regular meetings to share data and discuss the prioritisation of resources in relation to the highways maintenance programme.

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to answer members questions.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That this Scrutiny Committee welcomes the progress made in reducing the number of claims, rebutting a higher proportion of them and therefore paying out less per claim which had saved the Council over £1m a year.

(3) That the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services be requested to include more information in relation to Public Liability Insurance Claims within the quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports and submit an Annual Report to this Scrutiny Committee.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer.

The report sets out the recommendations of the Constitution Working Party in relation to changes required to the Constitution in relation to the:-

·         Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulation 2014 – Publication of Officer Decisions

·         Audit Committee Terms of Reference

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the various proposed changes to the Constitution as detailed in the report and its appendices.

Officer contact David Clee  on tel: 0161-474-3137 or by email on david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the recommendations of the Constitution Working Party in relation to changes required to the Constitution as a consequence of the:-

·         Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulation 2014 – Publication of Officer Decisions

·         Audit Committee Terms of Reference

The Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Customer and Community Services (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

RESOLVED – That the Council Meeting be recommended to approve the proposed changes to the Constitution as detailed in the report and its appendices.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.               

The report sets out planned agenda items for future meetings 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, telephone number 474 3204, email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk.

The Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned items for the Scrutiny Committee’s future meetings and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That a report updating the Scrutiny Committee in relation to the implementation of the recommendations following the ‘Welfare Reform Scrutiny Review’ be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee on 27 January 2015 not 2 December 2014.