Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 August 2015

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 4 August 2015 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 they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Disclosable Pecuniary Interest

Personal and Prejudicial Interest

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive

The report presents an updated Corporate Business Continuity Plan (CBCP) which is the culmination of a belt and braces review of the approach and arrangements across all services and activities.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer contact Claire Grindlay on x 4191email claire.grindlay@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an updated Corporate Business Continuity Plan (CBCP) which was the culmination of a belt and braces review of the approach and arrangements across all services and activities.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That an update in relation to the Council’s Business Continuity Planning be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee on an annual basis.

To consider a joint report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration and Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services.

The report seeks authority to proceed with the acquisition, if necessary by compulsory purchase, and subsequent disposal of the former Tatton Cinema site, Gatley.

The report requests the Executive to:

·         authorise the making of a Compulsory Purchase Order pursuant to Section 226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and Section 1 of the Localism Act 2011 and all other relevant powers to acquire all outstanding land and interests for the purpose of development, redevelopment or improvement in respect of the land needed to facilitate the proposed redevelopment of land comprising the former Tatton Cinema site, Gatley as shown edged red on the plan appended hereto (Appendix 3) and now displayed with the objective of promoting and improving the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the local and wider community of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport.

·         authorise that if the Compulsory Purchase Order is confirmed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and brought into operation, that the Executive agrees to the acquisition of the land contained in the Compulsory Purchase Order, subject to there being no material change in circumstances that would mean that the Council could not properly pursue the Compulsory Purchase Order.

·         authorise the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services and Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Councillors (Support and Governance) and (Thriving Economy) to take such action as is necessary, including the disposal of the former Tatton Cinema site so as to return the former Tatton Cinema site to beneficial use.

·         authorise that the acquisition be funded by the disposal proceeds and any shortfall from capital reserves.

·         authorise that if deemed to be necessary, that the Executive agrees to carry out and enter into arrangements to secure the appropriation for planning purposes of the land required for the proposed redevelopment of the former Tatton Cinema site in order to utilise the power contained in Section 237 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the recommendations to the Executive.

Officer contact George Perrin on Tel. 0161 474 4510 or by email on george.perrin@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report (copies of which had been circulated) of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration and Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services was submitted relating to the acquisition, if necessary by compulsory purchase, and subsequent disposal of the former Tatton Cinema site, Gatley.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services, Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report concerns land in Brinnington which is the subject of regeneration proposals under the Brinnington Master Plan which was approved by the Executive at its meeting on 14 March 2011. The plots of land in question are shown in the plans enclosed with this report and are summarised as follows:

Site A: Land at Blackberry Lane, Brinnington

This site comprises 1.9 hectares (4.7 acres) of open space which currently forms part of Reddish Vale Country Park and is within the Green Belt.

Site B: Former Castle Hill School and Lapwing Life Leisure, Brinnington

This site comprises 1.6 hectares (4.1 acres) and is currently occupied by the vacant buildings remaining in situ after Castle Hill School was relocated to a new site in Offerton in July 2014. In addition, part of the site is also occupied by the Lapwing Life Leisure sports facility. This site lies within the Green Belt.

Site C: Lapwing Playing Fields, Brinnington

This site comprises 2.9 hectares (7.2 acres) and is open space. This site also lies within the Green Belt.

Site D: Lapwing Lane, Brinnington

This site comprises 0.29 hectares (0.72 acres) and is partly previously developed land and open space.

Site E: Former Tame Valley Primary School Playing Fields

This site comprises 0.66 hectares (1.63 acres) and is open space which was formerly the playing fields associated with the former Tame Valley Primary School, the footprint of which has since been developed for housing. This site lies within the Green Belt.

Site F: Truro Avenue

This site comprises 0.22 hectares (0.55 acres) and is previously developed land having been occupied by a council depot in the past. This site was previously supported for disposal at Central Area Committee on 30 August 2012.

The report requests the Executive to:

·         Note and has regard to the representations received and summarised in Appendix A relating to the intention to dispose of parcels of open space for development;

·         The land identified in sites A and C be declared surplus to requirements for community use;

·         The land identified in sites A, B, C, D, E and F be appropriated to planning purposes pursuant to S.122 (2A) of the Local Government Act 1972;

·         Reaffirms its intention of the 2 April 2013 and agrees to dispose of the land shown in sites A, B, C and E to Countryside Properties and sites D and F to Stockport Homes Ltd for the purpose set out in the report, subject to 5.5;

·         Agrees to the disposal of the open space land within Site E, subject to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration being satisfied that the Council has the capacity to dispose of and appropriate to planning purposes the open space land.

·         Agrees to the inclusion of Stockport Homes Limited in the partnership Development Agreement with Countryside Properties Limited for the disposal and development of land at Brinnington

Officer contacts Murray Carr, Andy Kippax   on Tel: 0161-474-3019, Tel: 0161 474 4319 or by email on murray.carr@stockport.gov.uk, andy.kippax@stockport.gov.uk

A joint report (copies of which had been circulated) of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services, Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration was submitted concerning land in Brinnington which is the subject of regeneration proposals under the Brinnington Master Plan which was approved by the Executive at its meeting on 14 March 2011.

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 – That the report be noted.

At 6.50pm it was

RESOLVED –That the meeting be adjourned until Wednesday 30 September 2015 at 6pm.

At 6.00pm on 30 September 2015, the meeting reconvened.

PRESENT

Councillor Kate Butler (Chair) in the chair; Councillors Walter Brett, Peter Burns, Alex Ganotis, Julian Lewis-Booth and June Somekh.

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

This item covers two reports as follows;

·         First Update Corporate Performance and Resources Report (CPRR) 2015/16

·         First Update Leader’s Report 2015/16

The First Update Corporate Performance and Resource Report (CPRR) provides an overview of progress in delivering the Council’s Priority Outcomes and budget during the first quarter of 2015/16. It is the first report based on the new Council Plan 2015/16 and the Medium Term Financial Plan 2015/18, and is presented in a new format.  Project updates are largely focused around the Investing in Stockport programme, and the report also includes forecast budget and performance data where this is available, along with a Treasury Management Review and an update on the refreshed Corporate Risk Register. It is supported by seven Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports which were considered by the last Scrutiny cycle.

The Leader’s Report highlights a number of the Council’s achievements over the last quarter, including significant decisions at GM level.

Both reports were considered and recommendations (set out in Section 6 of the report) were approved by the Executive Meeting at its meeting on 18 August.

Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

·         Consider the First Update Reports;  

·         Review the progress against delivering corporate objectives, key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2015/16;

·         Review Treasury Management activity during the first quarter of the year;

·         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

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

Officer contacts; Steve Skelton, Head of Policy, Performance and Reform (CSS), steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk (474 3174)

Andrew Moran, Strategic Accountant (Technical, CSS), andrew.moran@stockport.gov.uk (474 4086)

The First Update Corporate Performance and Resource Report (CPRR) provides an overview of progress in delivering the Council’s Priority Outcomes and budget during the first quarter of 2015/16. It is the first report based on the new Council Plan 2015/16 and the Medium Term Financial Plan 2015/18, and is presented in a new format.  Project updates are largely focused around the Investing in Stockport programme, and the report also includes forecast budget and performance data where this is available, along with a Treasury Management Review and an update on the refreshed Corporate Risk Register. It is supported by seven Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports which were considered by the last Scrutiny cycle.

The Director of Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an overview of progress in delivering the Council’s Priority Outcomes and budget during the first quarter of 2015/16.

It was the first report based on the new Council Plan 2015/16 and the Medium Term Financial Plan 2015/18, and is presented in a new format.  Project updates were largely focused around the Investing in Stockport programme, and the report also included forecast budget and performance data where this was available, along with a Treasury Management Review and an update on the refreshed Corporate Risk Register. It was supported by seven Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports which were considered by the last Scrutiny cycle.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Sue Derbyshire) and the Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio holder for Support and Governance (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It was noted that the implications of implementing the Government’s announcement regarding the National Living Wage to contracted social care workers in particular were being considered and the costs are reflected in future years budget proposals.

·         Following the current consultation, an updated position in relation to the ‘Public Health Grant’ would be included in the next Corporate Performance and Resources Report.

·         The Government’s intention to reduce rents paid by tenants in social housing by 1% a year for four years from 2016 was a serious issue and would impact on the Housing Revenue Account by approximately £19m for the period 2016/17 – 2020/21. The Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committees had received a report in relation to this issue.

·         The IIS Programme Staffing was made up of employees either on secondment or on fixed term contracts. It was expected that proposals to commit the remaining balance of £3.11m earmarked to support the Investing in Stockport Programme were in development and would be included in further financial updates.

·         The Scrutiny Committee noted there was a forecast deficit of £0.524m in respect of the individual pooled budgets and that the Council would bear the majority of this deficit.

·         The Scrutiny Committee noted that a detailed report in relation to the forecast deficit of £0.273m in respect of the Social Care Placements budget would be submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee.

·         In relation to the ring-fenced DSG and School Balances, approximately £12 m of this related to balances held by schools and the remaining £5m were balances retained by the Council but there were restrictions on what these balances could be used for.

·         It was noted that the provision of £2.670m for ‘Price Inflation’ included within the 2015/16 Forecast Outturn as at 30 June 2015 related to items such as, utilities and residential care price inflation etc.

RSOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the report considered by the Adult Care Services and Housing Scrutiny Committee in relation to the impact of the reduce rents paid by tenants in social housing by 1% a year for four years from 2016 be circulated to members of this Scrutiny Committee for information.

(3) That the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services be requested to write to members of the Scrutiny Committee explaining the deficit of £8,177 predicted in 2017/18 in relation to ‘Revenue Contributions (RCCO)’ within the Capital Programme.

The Leader’s Report highlights a number of the Council’s achievements over the last quarter, including significant decisions at GM level.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) highlighting a number of the Council’s achievements over the last quarter, including significant decisions at Greater Manchester level.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Sue Derbyshire) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Leader of the Council provided an update in relation to the review of the AGMA Scrutiny arrangements and in particular how decisions affecting Stockport can be considered by the Council’s Scrutiny Committees prior to decisions being taken. It was hoped that proposals will be considered at the next informal leaders meeting and she undertook to report back to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Committee.

·         The current AGMA Scrutiny arrangements provided an opportunity to share information across the ten local authorities but didn’t undertake ‘scrutiny’ effectively.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council and Deputy Leader.

At its meeting on 18 August 2015, the Executive received a report which included a Medium Term Financial Forecast for the period 2016/17 to 2020/21. That report illustrated the level of resources likely to be available in 2016/17 and the resulting budget position should the previously identified level of cash limit reductions be achieved.

In response to those forecasts, and in line with its previous proposals and statements of intent, the Executive brought forward a set of proposals for 2016/17. These have been informed by the strategic framework and are designed to address the budget reduction requirement.  At the meeting on 18 August Executive Councillors agreed to present to each scrutiny committee the relevant proposals relating to each committee’s remit, including the specific detailed business cases.

The Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee is therefore receiving the following:

• Medium Term Financial Plan – Financial Landscape and Forecasts 2016/17 to 2020/21
• Investing in Stockport Executive Proposals
• Stockport Together – Integrating Health and Social Care
• New Model for Regulation and Community Safety
• Libraries
• Neighbourhood Management
• Public Realm and SSK Operating Model
• Information, Advice and Guidance
• CSS
• Digital by Design (enabler)
• Locality Working (enabler)

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to comment on:

(a)   the business cases and project updates appended to the report.

(b)   the overall approach being taken to the development of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan and Budget for 2016/17as outlined within the Executive reports,

(c)  the proposed approach to pooling Health and Social Care budgets as outlined within the specific Health and Social Care (Stockport Together) report.

Officer contact Steve Houston or Laureen Donnan on 0161 474 4000 or 0161 474 3180

The Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) relating to the Executive proposals I relation to the ‘Investing in Stockport Programme’.

At its meeting on 18 August 2015, the Executive had received a report which included a Medium Term Financial Forecast for the period 2016/17 to 2020/21. That report illustrated the level of resources likely to be available in 2016/17 and the resulting budget position should the previously identified level of cash limit reductions be achieved.

In response to those forecasts, and in line with its previous proposals and statements of intent, the Executive was now bringing forward a set of proposals for 2016/17. These had been informed by the strategic framework and were designed to address the budget reduction requirement.  At the meeting on 18 August Executive Councillors agreed to present to each scrutiny committee the relevant proposals relating to each committee’s remit, including the specific detailed business cases.

The Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee received the following:

·         Medium Term Financial Plan – Financial Landscape and Forecasts 2016/17 to 2020/21

·         Investing in Stockport Executive Proposals

·         Stockport Together – Integrating Health and Social Care

·         New Model for Regulation and Community Safety

·         Libraries

·         Neighbourhood Management

·         Public Realm and SSK Operating Model

·         Information, Advice and Guidance

·         CSS

·         Digital by Design (enabler)

·         Locality Working (enabler)

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Sue Derbyshire) and the Deputy Executive Leader and Portfolio holder for Support and Governance (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The ‘Digital by Design’ proposals would provide an alternative means of residents accessing council services and information for those residents unable to access the Council website.

·         In relation to the proposed savings (£0.7m - £1m) in relation to the ‘Digital by Design’ proposals this would be achieved through savings in respect of current IT spend (hardware, electricity, accommodation and staffing). It was expected that there wold be additional savings across the Council in respect of ‘Business Transformation’ in future years as a result of the proposals and the project provided the platform to support further achievement of reductions in resources in the future.

·         A discussion took place in relation to the Council’s provision of independent and impartial advice currently provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau, Stockport Credit Union and as part of the Targeted Prevention Alliance.

·         It was noted that the £6m savings in Corporate and Support Services had been achieved through improved productivity and self-service rather than simply ceasing the provision of services or “cost shunting”. There have however been changes to how services are delivered.

·         The Scrutiny Committee commented upon the proposals within the CSS Business Case to identify and develop further opportunities to trade in future years and concern was expressed regarding this approach especially in relation to schools.

·         In respect of the ‘Stockport Together – Integrated Health and Social Care’ Business Case, there was a need to ensure that robust governance arrangements were in place and review the current Section 75 Agreement to improve the scrutiny arrangements. It was proposed to report progress towards the new  arrangements to scrutiny in the December cycle together with a further report to the February cycle  prior to the Executive approving the new Section 75 Agreement on 22 March 2016

RSOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the draft implementation plan in respect of the ‘Digital by Design’ Programme and the detailed response in relation to the Scrutiny Review “Understanding the accessibility of Digital Services Across the Borough” be submitted to the next meeting of this Scrutiny Committee.

(3) That an update report in relation to the Locality Working project is provided at the next meeting, in particular feedback from communities in the two pilot areas.