Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 6 March 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 of interest were made.

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

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

The report provides an update on employment and skills data and issues in Stockport, covering the current key data on Stockport’s labour market and benefit claimants, outlines local context and provides information on employment and skills initiatives in Stockport.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to consider the data and issues in the report.

Officer Contact: Richard Mortimer on 0161 474 3864 or email: richard.mortimer@stockpirt.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on employment and skills data and issues in Stockport, covering the current key data and issues in Stockport’s labour market and benefit claimants, outlining local context, and providing information on employment and skills initiatives in Stockport.

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

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         In response to the poor performance of the Work Programme providers with Employment Support Allowance claimants, Members were advised that a new pilot scheme had been created by the Combined Authority for Greater Manchester in the form of the Work Programme Leavers initiative, aimed at tackling persistently high levels of worklessness across Greater Manchester.

·         For the latest period that data was available for, Stockport had a higher percentage of residents aged 16 to 64 in employment compared to Greater Manchester, the North West region and the United Kingdom.

·         The success of the Council’s initiative to start 100 apprentices in local businesses in 100 days in helping to reduce the percentage of 16-18 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) was highlighted.

·         Although the Neighbourhood Management areas showed a significant decrease in Job Seeker Allowance claimants year on year, the claimant rates in these areas remained significantly above the rate for Stockport as a whole. Members requested a more detailed breakdown of Job Seekers’ Allowance Claimants by Council Wards.

·         Members highlighted the Council’s work in partnership with Jobcentre Plus through the Supporting Families Programme  to provide targeted support for those families most in need of a range of services, including employability support.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee incorporating a more detailed breakdown of Job Seekers’ Allowance Claimants by Council Wards; and more information on the outcome of the Employment Incentive Scheme and the work of the Construction Skills Centre.

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

The report considers a proposed ‘Joint Environment and Climate Change Agreement’ between Stockport UNISON and Stockport Council.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the Joint Environment and Climate Change Agreement.

Officer Contact: Darren Pegram on 0161 474 3171 or email: darren.pegram@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) regarding a proposed ‘Joint Environment and Climate Change Agreement’ between Stockport UNISON and Stockport Council. The draft Agreement identified a number of proposed areas of shared activity, namely energy use, recycling and resource use; food; transport; carbon literacy and a greener workplace.

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

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the Joint Environment and Climate Change Agreement.

(2) That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee in twelve months’ time.

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

The A6 Corridor Study considers the impact on the A6 of potential traffic generated by proposed housing developments in Derbyshire and Cheshire East and recommends an action plan to encourage more sustainable forms of transport along the corridor. The report provides information on the context of the study and an overview of its outcomes and requests comments on the attached Final Draft Summary Report.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the A6 Corridor Study Final Draft Summary Report in Appendix 1.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: 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) regarding the impact on the A6 of potential traffic generated by proposed housing developments in Derbyshire and Cheshire East and recommending an action plan to encourage more sustainable forms of transport along the corridor. The report provided information on the context of the study and an overview of its outcomes, and requested comments on the Final Draft Summary Report.

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

The report had previously being considered by the Marple and Stepping Hill Area Committees and their comments were included in the report.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         It was intended that these measures would take place before the completion of the SEMMMS A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road.

·         The proposed measures formed part of a Local Transport Plan to ease traffic congestion on the A6.

·         Concern was expressed about the proposed re-routing of the 199 bus service.

·         A Member supported the proposed improvements to bus services (via the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road) and the proposed increase in the rail service frequency between Manchester and New Mills Newtown railway stations and Manchester and Buxton railway stations.

The proposed improvements to the parking provision at Disley and Buxton railway stations were also supported.

·         A Member expressed concern that the proposals indicated a lack of choice for motorists as they would be forced not to use their cars as there would not be enough capacity on the A6 and he expressed concern about the cost for people of using public transport.

·         The potential traffic problems which may be caused by having a bus-based park and ride service in the vicinity of the Rising Sun public house on the A6 in Hazel Grove were highlighted.

·         A Member expressed concern regarding the potential increase in traffic on the A6 in High Lane at peak periods after the completion of the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road and he requested that this be examined further.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Councillor (Economic Development and Regeneration) be advised of the Scrutiny Committee’s comments on the A6 Corridor Study Final Draft Summary Report.

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

The report provides an update on the Stockport Portas Pilot initiative and the Stockport Town Centre Business and Retail Forum.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Nicola Turner on 0161 218 1635 or email: nicola.turner@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the Stockport Portas Pilot initiative and the Stockport Town Centre Business and Retail Forum.

The 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 attempts being made to attract residents into the ‘old town’ of Stockport on Sunday afternoons through events such as the Vintage Market and the Teenage Market, and the attempts to improve the night time economy through initiatives such as ‘Foodie Friday’ were supported.

·         The Portas Pilot would not change people’s shopping patterns. The growth of the internet and out of town shopping centres, for example, had meant that the situation was very different than in past years  when the footfall in Stockport Market had been significantly higher.

·         The membership of the Portas Pilot Project Delivery Group had changed significantly since it was originally established.

·         There was no time limit for the Portas Pilot Project Delivery Group to spend the budgets allocated to the group.

·         The variety of organisations who had been funded by the Portas Pilot Project Delivery Group was supported.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

The report provides the Scrutiny Committee with an update on the delivery of the Greater Manchester Digital Growth Strategy and the Rural Broadband Programme of which Stockport is the Lead Authority on behalf of Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Sharon Mayo on 0161 474 3733 or email: sharon.mayo@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with an update on the delivery of the Greater Manchester Digital Growth Strategy and the Rural Broadband Programme of which Stockport was the Lead Authority on behalf of Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

Members noted that the role of Councils was to ensure that the implementation of the programme was not delayed as a result of any planning or highways issues. Transport for Greater Manchester and the other local authorities in Greater Manchester who were involved needed to ensure that any such issues were resolved at the earliest possible stage. BT/BT Openreach were required to sustain regular dialogue with the lead representatives from each Council in order to ensure that delivery was not delayed unnecessarily.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To note the resume of the meeting held on 19 February 2014.

Officer contact: Aarty Seera on 0161 474 3300 or email: aarty.seera@stockport.gov.uk

The Scrutiny Committee considered a resume (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting of the Stockport Economic Alliance held on 19 February 2014.

RESOLVED – That the resume of the meeting held on 19 February 2014 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 on 0161 474 3137 or email: 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 well fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.