Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 December 2014

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 2 December 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 were made.

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no items to consider.

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted the draft Council Plan (copies of which had been circulated) which outlined the strategic operating context for the Council, informing all key policy decisions. The draft Plan for 2015/16 suggested changes from the approach taken in recent Council Plans. The Council Plan would be submitted for consideration to the Executive on 10 February and the Budget Council Meeting on 26 February 2015.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Sue Derbyshire) and 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:-

·         The Council Plan set out the wider ambitions of the Council over several years rather than the specific detail of what the Council would achieve during the 2015/16 financial year.

·         Clarification was provided in relation to the phrase “A safe, resilient community is one which democracy thrives and people understand the impact of their decisions on others” and “All Elected Councillors providing strong community leadership and an accountable voice for their locality”.

·         The risks associated with the ‘Locality Working’ proposals.

·         The need to review the content of the Corporate Performance and Resources Report and the Portfolio Performance and Resources reports so they were outcome based.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report and Council Plan be noted.

(2) That the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee be requested to review the content of the Corporate Performance and Resources Report and the Portfolio Performance and Resources reports so they were outcome based prior to the commencement of the 2015/16 Municipal Year.

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

The Director of the STaR Procurement Service (Sharon Robson) will be attending the Committee meeting and making a presentation on the progress to date in establishing and developing the shared service.  The presentation will outline the Service’s aims and objectives and the steps taken to meet the requirements of the three councils for effective procurement activities which make a significant contribution to the achievement of outcomes.

Members are encouraged to comment on and ask questions on the issues covered in the presentation (and in the brief report).

Officer contact Steve Houston on telephone number 0161 474 4000 or alternatively email steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) reminding the Scrutiny Committee of the arrangements put in place following the decision to create a shared service with Trafford and Rochdale Councils (STaR) for the provision of procurement activities to the three authorities.

The Director of the STaR Procurement Service (Sharon Robson) attended the meeting and made a presentation on the progress to date in establishing and developing the shared service.  The presentation outlined the service’s aims and objectives and the steps taken to meet the requirements of the three councils for effective procurement activities which had made a significant contribution to the achievement of outcomes.

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

It was commented that the Scrutiny Committee welcomed the emphasis being placed on “social value” within the procurement activity.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That Sharon Robson be thanked for her presentation.

(3) That the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services be requested to submit a further report to this Scrutiny Committee in 12 months.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides an update on the Substance Misuse payment by results pilot which ran from 1 April 2012 until 31 March 2014.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to note the report.

Officer contact Alison Leigh on telephone number 0161 474 3017 or alternatively email alison.leigh@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with an update on the Substance Misuse payment by results pilot which ran from 1 April 2012 until 31 March 2014.

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:-

·         The pilot had been funded from the Public Health Grant without any additional funding

·         There were approximately 2000 service users

·         The impact of the new treatment model from October 2015.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The purpose of the report is to communicate an update of Health and Safety across the Council and to seek approval to formally adopt a revised Health and Safety Policy and a revised Smoke Free Policy both of which has been endorsed by the Council’s Health and Safety governance arrangements and by the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team. 

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to note the content of this report and endorse the Health and Safety Policy at Appendix 2 and the revised Smoke Free Policy attached at Appendix 3.

Officer contact Sue Williams on telephone number 0161 474 2175 or alternatively email sue.williams@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with an update of Health and Safety issues across the Council. The Scrutiny Committee were invited to comment on the revised Health and Safety Policy and a revised Smoke Free Policy both of which has been endorsed by the Council’s Health and Safety governance arrangements and by the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team. 

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:-

·         The introduction of a system to scrutinise and ensure that managers and head teachers were fulfilling their Health and Safety responsibilities as part of the ‘core’ service to schools was welcomed.

·         The ability for schools to ‘buy back’ additional support was noted.

·         The importance of supporting employees’ ‘wellbeing’ within the context of Health and Safety.

RESOLVED – That the report and revised Health and Safety Policy set out in Appendix 2 and the revised Smoke Free Policy attached at Appendix 3 to the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

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 that the Council is complying with its own Code of Practice when using RIPA.

The report provides an update in relation to the third quarter of the 2014-2015 financial year.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to note this report.

Officer contact: Joy Morton on joy.morton@stockport.gov.uk or 0161 474 3219.

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update in relation to the third quarter of the 2014-2015 financial year.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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 the final report be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee on 3 March 2015 in relation to the Scrutiny Review into the Community use of Public Buildings.