Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2016.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 12 April 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair subject under the item headed ‘Councillor Peter Burns’ to the deletion of the word ‘she’ and the insertion therefor of ‘he’.

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 whether it is in the public to exclude the public during consideration of the Agenda Item 8 ‘Land at Former St Thomas' Hospital Site, Stockport’ an appendix to which contains information “not for publication” by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority).

RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information that was ‘not for publication’ by virtue of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) in that it contained ‘information relating to the financial or business affairs of an individual (including the Council)’, the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest and would breach Data Protection principals, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the appendix to Agenda Item 8 - ‘Land at Former St Thomas' Hospital Site, Stockport’.

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 Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs) for the Support and Governance, and Safe and Resilient Communities Portfolios are presented for consideration by the Committee. These provide an update on key activity during the fourth and final quarter of the year, with a summary of progress in delivering portfolio priority outcomes through the Investing in Stockport programme and other key projects since the mid-year report. They include out-turn performance and financial data for the Portfolios, along with an update on the portfolio savings programmes.

Recommendations

·         Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

·         Consider the Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports;  

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

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

·         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Executive alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

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

Officer contact officers for accessing background papers and discussing the report;  Peter Owston, Policy, Performance and Reform (CSS), peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk (474 3274)  Susan Wood, Head of Management Accounting susan.wood@stockport.go.uk (218 1032)

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Annual Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports for the Support and Governance and Safe and Resilient Communities Portfolios.  The report provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during 2015/16, and included out-turn performance and financial data for the Portfolio. The report also included a progress report and updated risk assessment of the portfolio savings programmes.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         In response to an enquiry in relation to a contract that had been awarded to KPMG, it was stated that this was in relation to the provision of support to develop the infrastructure around a traded services offer for Corporate and Support Services.  It was further reported that the contract was valued at £89,000 with the flexibility to extend to £100,000.

·         With reference to the transition to electronic based transaction mechanisms within HR, it was asked what efforts were being made the eliminate the remaining 1,400 paper transactions that were still taking place.  In response, it was stated that there were a number of areas of the Council where employees were unable to routinely access online services, however work was taking place to identify and address this.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The purpose of this report is to provide an end of year update to the Committee on the position of the Health and Safety function across the Council and School establishment.

The Corporate, Resource Management and Governance Committee are requested to note the content of this report.

Officer contact  Ann- Marie McCullough on telephone number 0161 474 4290 or alternatively email ann-marie.mccullough@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an end of year update to the Committee on the position of the Health and Safety function across the Council and School establishment.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It was commented that the Council examined all reported incidents to identify if there were any trends occurring that needed further investigation.

·         Training was provided to staff and managers on various aspects of health and safety which was reflective of the service area in which they worked and the associated level of risk.

·         The Council worked collaboratively with trade union health and safety representatives which had included the introduction of joint inspections.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report provides an update on the 2015/16, (1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016) year-end position in terms of sickness absence. The report outlines performance during the year and the plans to continue focusing on this area of activity.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to note and comment upon:

·         A year end outturn of an average of 10.8 days per current FTE which exceeds the Council target of 9.5 to 10.5 days and the associated activity being undertaken to manage absence.

Officer contact: Sue Williams, on telephone no. 0161 474 2175 or by email at sue.williams@stockport.gov.uk  

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the 2015/16 ) year-end position in terms of sickness absence, outlining performance during the year and detailing plans to continue to focus on this area of activity.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         In response to comments about the level of sickness absence a significant amount of work had been done to provide appropriate training.

·         Further work could be done to publicise the therapy and physiotherapy offer to staff.

·         Staff had been under significant pressure due to changes in service delivery and management culture.

·         It was asked whether there were learning opportunities for the Council from better performing local authorities.  In response, it was commented that it was difficult to compare like for like where some services may be outsourced or provided in different ways by different teams.

·         Sickness absence was higher within the People Directorate which may be reflective of the nature of work which involves close contact with vulnerable service users.

·         Concern was expressed in relation to the number of managers that had attended training in relation to sickness absence and it was discussed how improvements could be made in this area.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report outlines the proposed acquisition of a site from NHS Property Services via Seddon Regeneration to facilitate a residential development. Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the report and appendices and to agree to seek Executive approval as outlined in the report.

NOTE: This report contains a confidential appendix which has been circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee only.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

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

Item ‘Not for PublicatioA representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposed acquisition of a site from NHS Property Services via Seddon Regeneration to facilitate a residential development on land at the former St Thomas' Hospital Site, Stockport.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         An explanation was provided in relation to the process of the land acquisition.

·         It was reported that the cost of site acquisition was just one component of the overall cost of the scheme.

·         A member commented that it was his understanding that an element of the grant was time limited.  In response, it was stated that the requirement was that work on site needed to have commenced by August 2016 and the scheme was on target to achieve that.

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.

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

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.