Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 30 January 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.

Councillors and Officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in

any of the agenda items for the meeting.

The following interest was declared:-

Personal Interest

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider whether it is in the public to exclude the public during consideration of agenda item 9 ‘The future provision of the Council’s Greenspace, Waste Collection, Street Cleansing (including Grounds Maintenance) and Highways Maintenance functions’ which contains information “not for publication by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest, would not be fair and would be in breach of Data Protection principles, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the ‘not for publication’ Appendix Two to Agenda Item 9 ‘The Future Provision of the Council’s Greenspace, Waste Collection, Street Cleansing (including Grounds Maintenance) and Highways Maintenance Functions should the content of this appendix need to be discussed.

To consider the final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – The Effectiveness of Stockport’s current Planning System in the light of changed Government policy and market conditions

This report is the draft final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – The Effectiveness of Stockport's current Planning System in the light of changed Government policy and market conditions. 

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment upon the draft Final Report prior to its submission to the Executive.

Officer contact: Holly Rae/Emma Curle on 0161 474 3186/3542 or email: holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk/emma.curle@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration and Councillor David Sedgwick (Chair of the Scrutiny Review Panel) submitted the final report of the Scrutiny Review Panel – ‘The Effectiveness of Stockport’s Current Planning System in the light of changed Government Policy and Market Conditions’ (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the findings of the Scrutiny Review and proposing a series of recommendations.

RESOLVED – That the Final Report and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel – ‘The Effectiveness of Stockport’s Current Planning System in the light of changed Government Policy and Market Conditions’ be endorsed and referred to the Executive for consideration.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report provides a detailed overview of performance which relates to this Scrutiny Committee. The information is provided in the form of the final update Portfolio Performance and Resources Reports for the Economic Development & Regeneration and Communities & Sustainability Portfolios. These provide an update on progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during 2013/14, and include performance and financial projections for the year.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·       Consider the final update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports;

·       Review the progress against priorities, performance and budgets for 2013/14;

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

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

Officer contacts: Gill Lawton/Michael Cullen on 0161 474 3686/4631 or e mail: gill.lawton@stockport.gov.uk/michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a detailed overview of performance which related to this Scrutiny Committee. The information was provided in the form of the final update Portfolio Performance and Resources Reports for the Communities and Sustainability, and Economic Development and Regeneration portfolios. These provided an update on progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during 2013/2014, and included performance and financial projections for the year.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability) (Councillor Stuart Bodsworth) and Executive Councillor (Economic Development and Regeneration) (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The completion of the first phase of a face-lifting scheme for 85 properties in the Belmont Street area of Heaton Norris was welcomed.

·         Members congratulated Life Leisure Avondale in being named the best rehabilitation facility of the year at the National Fitness Awards. The facility was the first of its kind in the North West dedicated to rehabilitation and health improvement.

·         There had been significant investments in the borough in this quarter, including Wilkinsons Furniture, UK Point of Sale and European Glass.

·         It was noted that the Christmas lights switch on event had attracted the highest recorded footfall compared to previous years.

·         Staircase House had been awarded the prestigious Sandford Award for excellence in heritage education and the Hat Works museum had received positive media coverage.

·         The new Aldi store had opened in Offerton earlier in the day and had been well received by local people.

·         A Member asked for figures on usage of the new car park at Stockport Exchange. It was reported that these would be circulated to Members when they were available.

·         It was noted that the Greater Manchester Road Activity Permit Scheme (GMRAPS) had a ‘red’ risk rating.

·         A Member praised the work of Blue Orchid which was delivering the Government funded New Enterprise Allowance programme (for people on Job Seekers’ Allowance) which had achieved 38 new starts during the quarter. The current agreement with Blue Orchid which expired later this year had been extended.

·         A Member highlighted that the number of visitors to Stockport’s museums was not reaching its target.

·         Members requested that an update report on the Portas Pilot be submitted to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration be requested to submit an update report on the Portas Pilot to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report describes the proposed Transportation Capital Programme for 2014/15 and identifies the various funding sources that contribute to this programme and requests that the Committee comments on the proposed programme.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the detailed 2014/15 Transportation Capital Programme prior to it being submitted for approval by the Executive Councillors (Communities & Sustainability) and (Economic Development & Regeneration).

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or e mail: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the proposed Transportation Capital Programme for 2014/15 and identifying the various funding sources that contributed to the programme.

It was reported that the Transportation Capital Programme for 2014/15 had been funded from a variety of sources including the Greater Manchester Local Transport Plan, additional maintenance funding from the Government, various successful bids (including some as part of Greater Manchester bids for example the Cycle City Ambition Grant and the Local Sustainable Transport Fund) and individual bids for the Pinchpoint Fund, drainage schemes etc. The maintenance related programmes had been developed using a needs based approach incorporating the outcome of detailed condition surveys. Other elements had been focused on supporting corporate priorities and the detailed criteria required by individual funding sources.

The Executive had previously approved a Highways Investment Programme as part of its budget considerations and a separate report would be developed relating to this programme. The work undertaken to determine this investment programme had informed the prioritisation of schemes for this programme.

The Executive Councillor (Economic Development & Regeneration) (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report sets out the outcome of the independent assessment of the Council’s greenspace, waste collection and street cleansing (including grounds maintenance) functions so that a decision on whether or not to renew these agreements by 31st March 2014 can be taken.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the proposal in advance of consideration by the Executive.

Officer contact: Megan Black, 0161 218 1410, megan.black@stockport.gov.uk

(NOTE: The Chair was of the opinion that this item, although not included on the agenda, should be considered as a matter of urgency in accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 in order to allow the Scrutiny Committee to consider this matter in advance of its consideration by the Executive Meeting on 18 March 2014).

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) reviewing the outcome of an independent assessment of the Council’s Greenspace, Waste Collection and Street Cleansing (including Grounds Maintenance) functions as the Executive had to make a decision on whether to renew these agreements by 31 March 2014.

(Note: the report included exempt information ‘Not for Publication’ contained in Appendix Two that had been circulated to Members of the Scrutiny Committee only).

The Executive Meeting would be recommended to:-

·         Agree to utilise the planned programme ‘Investing in Stockport’ to formulate the scope of any extension to the contracts beyond 31 March 2017;

·         Agree that the Council should determine whether or not to renew these agreements with regard to the provision of the Council’s Greenspace, Waste Collection and Street Cleansing (including Grounds Maintenance) no later than 31 March 2015;

·         Agree to an extension to the Highway and Street Lighting Maintenance Contract for a further twelve months to 31 March 2015, with a clear and binding agreement for Solutions SK to implement new ways of working by 1 May 2014.

·         Agree, in the event that Solutions SK do not implement new ways of working, that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability), to determine whether or not to review the Council’s options with regard to the provision of the Highway and Street Lighting Maintenance in Quarter 2 in 2014/15.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability) (Councillor Stuart Bodsworth) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

Members were generally supportive of the report and the consultants’ report on which it was based and it was:-

RESOLVED – That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the recommendations in the report to be submitted to the meeting on 18 March 2014.

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 on 0161 474 3137 or e mail: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had 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 a report on the Portas Pilot being submitted to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.