Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2011.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 15 September 2011 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers to declare any interest which they may have in any of the items on the agenda for this meeting (including whipping declarations).

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 interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

To consider any call-in items.

There were no items to consider.

To consider a report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships & Transformation)   

The report sets out the proposed process for developing the 2012-13 Council Plan which is focused around four key priorities aimed at creating a borough that is:-

•           Safe and Strong – a place that promotes respect for all its citizens

•           Thriving – building on a strong and sustainable economy and high levels of educational attainment and skills.

•           Green – leading the way in creating a sustainable future for our environment and our economy

•           Healthy – increasing choice, control, independence and the adoption of healthy lifestyles as well as excellent services that offer value for money.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

(1)   Note the process and timetable for developing the 2010-13 Council Plan as set out in the report.

(2) Review the 2011-12 Council Plan and put forward suggestions for priorities for 2012-13.

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

A representative of the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy, Strategy, Partnerships & Transformation) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the proposed process for developing the 2012-13 Council Plan. The 2011-12 Council Plan was focused around four key priorities aimed at creating a borough that is Safe and Strong, Thriving, Green and Healthy.

The Scrutiny Committee was requested to give consideration to the current priorities, prior to consideration of the initial proposals of the Executive portfolio holders at the next meeting of the Committee.

Whilst Members were generally supportive of the broad priorities contained in the Plan,

the following comments were made/issues raised:-

•           It would be helpful to have performance information in order to consider the priorities of each Executive portfolio and how the priorities would be achieved. More detail was, therefore, required.

•           How the Plan would help the borough reach its potential by identifying where improvements could be made and by being responsive to changing needs.

•           The difficulties in starting any major regeneration scheme in the current economic climate.

•           The installation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels on Council properties would contribute greatly to the carbon reduction in the borough.

•           Although the recycling targets achieved by the Council were excellent, there were occasions when the recycling policies needed to be more flexible.

•           With regard to the Regeneration Portfolio, assistance had been given to residents who lived in the Priority One areas, for example Officers from the Economic Development Team had assisted in the development of training to help residents compete for jobs at various companies.

Specifically, the following suggestions were put forward for the Council’s priorities for 2012-13:-

•           Next year’s priorities for the Regeneration portfolio should include a focus on employment, business and skills training, given the increase in Job Seekers Allowance claims in the borough. There was a gap between residents’ aspirations and jobs available which needed to be addressed.

•           The number of women supported into business by the Council had reduced by about a half over the last two years and a greater emphasis therefore needed to be given on assisting female entrepreneurs.

•           Although the primacy of the Local Development Framework would continue, there should be reference to the proposed changes in planning regulations when the Localism Bill is enacted.

•           The priorities for the Transportation portfolio should include reference to achieving best value for highway works, ensuring they were of a high quality, addressing changes and delivering savings, and the co-ordination of works with partners such as United Utilities.

•           It was suggested that more of the priorities should be specifically targeted at people who lived in the Priority One areas. For example, the aim of the Leisure portfolio of developing and maintaining parks, play and countryside facilities and facilitating adults to participate in sport and active recreation should be specifically targeted at residents who lived in those areas.

•           The polarisation in the borough with regard to levels of deprivation needed to be included in the Plan.

•           Greater emphasis should be made in the Plan to the increased sport and physical activity that young people were undertaking in schools.

RESOLVED – (1) That the process and timetable for developing the 2012-13 Council Council Plan, as set out in the report, be noted.

(2)That consideration be given to the suggestions put forward by Members for the Council’s priorities for 2012-13.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager

During this cycle of meetings each scrutiny committee was given the opportunity to examine the savings proposals put forward by the Executive at its meeting on 5 September 2011, together with the report from the corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services on the financial landscape and forecasts for the period 2012/13 to 2014/15. Furthermore, a seminar was held for all members on 7 September at which the basis and make-up of the financial forecasts were outlined.

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee considered the comments made by the scrutiny committees at its meeting on 4 October 2011 and determined that each committee’s comments be summarised and referred back to Members of the Committee at the earliest opportunity, together with a note of some cross cutting themes identified by the Co-ordination Committee. Members are asked to make any further comments on the financial position and the Executive’s savings proposals at the November round of Scrutiny Committees.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to make any further comments at this stage in relation to the savings proposals prior to consideration by the Executive at the meeting on 16 December 2011.

Officer contact: Craig Ainsworth, Tel: 0161 474 3201, email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which set out the comments made by the Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting, as well as further information provided by the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services following consideration of the report by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee. The Committee was requested to make any further comments in relation to the savings proposals prior to their consideration by the Executive at the meeting on 16 December 2011.

Further detail was requested by Members of the Committee with regard to the following issues raised at the last meeting of the Committee:-

•           What the changes were to the tariffs for the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels to Council properties and the timescale for the completion of the works.

•           Detail was requested on the investigation of measures undertaken by other authorities such as the street lighting initiatives undertaken by Suffolk County Council.

•           The Service Level Agreement between the Council and Solutions SK for grounds maintenance.

•           The effect of the reduction in the grant to Stockport Sports Trust on the draft Strategy for meeting the physical needs of the people of Stockport through the provision of leisure facilities.

•           The reduction in the number of posts in the Services to Place Directorate.

Councillor Syd Lloyd advised the Committee that the Conservative Group would be putting forward its suggestions for savings by the Executive separately.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Place Management)

The Council is reviewing the way it runs its car parks and as part of this has developed a draft strategy for parking.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the draft strategy.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson, Tel: 474 4351, email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Place Management) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Committee’s comments on the draft strategy for parking which had been developed as part of the review of the way the Council ran its car parks. The document was a high level consultation document, not a vision for the future, and had been subject to consultation with other bodies such as the village partnerships.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

•           the advantages of having limited parking bays outside businesses in the district and local centres.

•           The need for the parking scheme on first team match days and events at Edgeley Park Stadium to be re-examined.

•           Officers were thanked for a walkabout with local traders in Hazel Grove.

•           It was suggested that maybe the document could be submitted to the Area Committees as part of the consultation process.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a presentation by the Service Director (Major Projects)

This presentation will update the Committee on the South East Manchester Multi Modal Study (SEMMMS) A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road scheme.

Officer contact: Jim McMahon, Tel: 474 4800, email: jim.mcmahon@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Major Projects) made a presentation updating the Committee on the South East Manchester Multi Modal Study (SEMMMS) A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road scheme. A briefing paper had been circulated to Members of the Committee prior to the meeting.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

•           A Member asked for more detail on the process if the Council was asked to submit a business case and how this related to the period of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review. The Council would only submit a planning application if it received support from the Department for Transport to submit the business case.

•           A Member asked how much had been contributed by the Council to the Greater Manchester Transport Fund and expressed concern that this fund from which the Council drew funds for the project was time limited.

•           The SEMMMS project team had been working closely with Transport for Greater Manchester and the Manchester Airport Group with regard to the interfaces with the Metrolink Airport Extension Line and Airport City proposals, respectively. This would ensure that the works delivered with the Metrolink Airport Extension Line and Airport City were not disrupted in the future.

RESOLVED – That the Service Director (Major Projects) be thanked for the presentation and the update on the South East Manchester Multi Modal Study (SEMMMS) A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road scheme be noted.

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Environment)

This report reviews the level of charges made by the Council for replacement bins.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report, prior to its consideration by the Executive.

Officer contact: Megan Black, Tel: 218 1410, email: megan.black@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Environment) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) reviewing the level of charges made by the Council for replacement bins.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

•           It currently cost the Council £120,000 to meet the requests for replacement bins throughout the borough.

•           Residents may have to request a new bin on more than one occasion because anti-social behaviour was prevalent in the area in which they lived and bins were more likely to be damaged or stolen.

•           Whether the charges for replacement bins could be reduced as the Council had a less than expected waste disposal bill as a result of the increase in recycling.

•           It was unfair for the new occupier of a property to be financially responsible for replacement bins if they had been lost by the previous occupier.

•           Any bins not being returned to the relevant property after being emptied by operatives from Solutions SK should be reported to Environmental Services.

•           There was the discretion for senior officers in Environmental Services to replace bins free of charge if there was photographic evidence that they had been damaged or vandalised.

•           There were occasions when the policies needed to be more flexible, for example when the occupier of a property did not have the space to store a green recycling bin and wished to offer a kitchen caddy for collection.

•           Some local authorities had put micro chips on their bins so there could be no doubt as to the property to which they belonged.

•           Where a resident had a bin stolen and a crime identification number had been received from the police, then a bin would be replaced free of charge. A Member suggested that there should be a period of at least one collection cycle before the bin was replaced to see if it was returned.

•           A Member felt that the principle identified in the report that householders should take responsibility for the care of the Council’s containers that had been issued to them should not be supported, as for a period of time they were out of their control once they had been placed on the public highway.

It was then

MOVED AND SECONDED

That the Executive be requested to consider proposals for the replacement of bins free of charge when they had been lost, damaged, vandalised or stolen, and a report submitted back to this Committee

For the motion 5, against 5.

The Chair exercised her casting vote against the motion and it was not carried.

MOTION NOT CARRIED

A named vote was requested in relation to the voting on this motion and the voting was recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the motion were as follows:-

Councillors Richard Coaton, Syd Lloyd, Patrick McAuley, David White and William Wragg

Those councillors who voted against the motion were as follows:-

Councillors Andrew Bispham, Mags Kirkham, Wendy Meikle (and casting vote), Craig Wright and Suzanne Wyatt.

It was then:-

RESOLVED - That the Committee’s comments on the review of charges for replacement bins be forwarded to the Executive for consideration at its meeting on 7 November 2011.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Place Development).

This report updates Members of the Committee with regard to Stockport Business Incubaor and the Council’s portfolio of incubation and managed workspace units.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer contact: Sharon Mayo Tel: 474 3733, email: sharon.mayo@stockport.gov.uk.

The Service Director (Place Development) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating Members of the Committee with regard to the Stockport Business Incubator and the Council’s portfolio of incubation and managed workspace units. The report had been requested by Members of the Committee following consideration of a ‘call-in’ item on 9 March 2011.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

•           why the occupancy at Stockport Business Incubator had declined to 43.27% in September 2011 when the initial forecast had been 65%.

•           The decline in the number of self employed women in Stockport and the need for this issue to be addressed further.

•           How the low occupancy rate at the Stockport Business Incubator was being addressed and the strategy for the future.

•           More work need to be carried out on the marketing and publicity on the Stockport Business Incubator, and the relevant section of the Council’s website needed to be updated.

•           The process for reviewing the contract with Evans Easyspace in favour of appointing a specialist incubation company who would provide combined tenant management and incubation support.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That a further report be submitted to the Committee in six months’ time.

This item has been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor David White.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that this item had been placed on the agenda at the request of Councillor David White.

Councillor White referred to a report which had been submitted to the Hope Valley Railway Users Group which related to the frequency of services on the Stockport to Buxton train line, particularly affecting the stations at Davenport and Woodsmoor.

RESOLVED – That a report be submitted to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

To note the résumé of the meeting held on 13 June 2011.                   

Officer contact: Leah Shallaker Tel: 474 3203, email: leah.shallaker@stockport.gov.uk

The Committee considered a résumé (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting of the Environment Partnership held on 13 June 2011.

RESOLVED – That the résumé of the meeting held on 13 June 2011 be noted. 

To note the résumé of the meeting held on 30 June 2011.                   

Officer contact: Leah Shallaker Tel: 474 3203, email: leah.shallaker@stockport.gov.uk

The Committee considered a résumé (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting of the Stockport Economic Alliance held on 30 June 2011.

RESOLVED – That the résumé of the meeting held on 30 June 2011 be noted. 

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: David Clee Tel: 474 3137 email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk.

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

RESOLVED – That the report be noted, subject to reports on the Stockport Market Strategy and Train Services on the Stockport to Buxton line being submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.