Agenda and minutes

The meeting was adjourned from 29 January 2015 when, due to inclement weather, it was inquorate.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meetings held on 4 December 2014 (enclosed) and 14 January 2015 (to follow).

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meetings held on 4 December 2014 and 14 January 2015 were approved as a correct record.

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 interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

To consider call-in items (if any)

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during part of the consideration of the following agenda item which contains information “not for publication” by virtue of the appropriate category set out in the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information that was not for publication, the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest, would not be fair and would be in breach of Data Protection principles, the public be excluded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 Appendix A to the following item:

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

The purpose of this report is to provide the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the Leisure Facilities Business Case. The report accompanies the draft business case that was agreed by the Executive on 16 December 2014 for Leisure Facilities and seeks comments from the Scrutiny Committee prior to the approval of the 2015/16 investment business cases at the Budget Council meeting on 26 February 2015.

(Note: Appendix A to the report includes information ‘not for publication’ that has been circulated to Members of the Scrutiny Committee only).

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to consider and comment upon the Leisure Facilities Business Case.

Officer contact: Michael Cullen on 0161 474 4631 or email: michael.cullen@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the Leisure Facilities Business Case. The report accompanied the draft business case for Leisure Facilities that was agreed by the Executive on 16 December 2014 and sought comments from the Scrutiny Committee prior to the approval of the 2015/16 investment business cases at the Budget Council meeting on 26 February 2015.

(Note: the report included an appendix that was ‘not for publication’ and had been circulated to Members of the Scrutiny Committee only).

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         What would be the level of additional capital support required to address facility conditions across the whole portfolio of leisure sites.

·         Although there was support for the principles in the report, a Member expressed concern about the detail, for example whether the extension of the lease for up to 99 years was appropriate.

·         No Council employees would be affected by the proposed transfer of the dual use facilities, but it was possible that the TUPE regulations may apply to some current employees of Life Leisure in the event of a school or alternative provider taking over the operation of public leisure provision at dual use facilities.

·          Life Leisure was considering other possible means of providing facilities, such as ‘pop up’ facilities in community centres.

·         Life Leisure was keen to expand partnership initiatives, such as the PARiS (Physical Activity Referral in Stockport) GP Exercise Referral Scheme which was a joint partnership between Life Leisure and NHS Stockport.

RESOLVED – That a further report be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee later in the year with an update on progress with the negotiations regarding the dual use, the likely level of additional capital support necessary towards addressing facility conditions across the whole portfolio of leisure sites and the safeguards in the legal documents which would protect the Council’s interests.

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

The report provides information about the development of a long term twenty year rail strategy for Stockport

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report, prior to its consideration at the Executive Meeting on 10 February 2015.

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

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider a twenty years Rail Strategy for Stockport, developed in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester, that would seek to influence future changes to the rail network, services and facilities. The Strategy recognised the key strategic importance of rail to the Borough and set out a number of priorities for action.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015.

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

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Scrutiny Committee welcomed the report, although noted that it was aspirational.

·         Members expressed gratitude that a master planning exercise was being undertaken at Stockport Railway Station in order to develop a holistic approach to Stockport Station’s development and its linkages to the Town Centre/wider A6 corridor and the bus station. The consultants’ report would be submitted to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

·         A Member suggested that the report should be considered further at a session to which all councillors would be invited.

·         A Member felt that other options should be explored, such as re-opening a service between Stockport and Gatley, and reconnecting a railway service between Marple and Hazel Grove.

·         A Member raised the possibility of improving the services and railway stock at Hazel Grove railway station and of having a station at Stepping Hill.

·         What lessons would be learnt from the existing tram train system in Sheffield.

·         The Council continued to support more services being provided from Reddish South railway station.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the Rail Strategy and priorities for action contained therein.

(2) That this Scrutiny Committee recommends that a session be arranged for all Councillors to debate the issues raised in the report and that representatives from Transport for Greater Manchester and neighbouring local authorities be also invited to the session.

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

To consider a proposed joint highway coring arrangement between Salford City Council and Stockport Council.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the proposed arrangement, prior to the final decision being taken by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015.

Officer Contact: Andrew Suggett on 0161 474 2425 or email: andrew.suggett@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Scrutiny Committee to consider a proposal for the Council to enter into an arrangement with Salford City Council to undertaken highway coring activities on Stockport Council’s behalf. Coring would provide evidence of the quality of highway restatement work done by other statutory undertakers. Salford City Council had a track record of undertaking this work.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015. The Executive would be invited to authorise the Corporate Director (Place Management and Regeneration,) in consultation with the Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability), to determine the success of the trial and extend the arrangement for up to two years.

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

RESOLVED – That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the proposed joint highway coring arrangement between Salford City Council and this Council.

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

The report sets out the proposed update Contaminated Land strategy as the Council’s strategy approach to dealing with contaminated land in the Borough, in line with Statutory Guidance produced by DEFRA.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Karen Dyson on 0161 474 4295 or email: karen.dyson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider a revised Contaminated Land Strategy that had been amended in light of new Statutory Guidance, and which would set out the Council’s Strategy for dealing with contaminated land within the borough.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015.

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

RESOLVED - That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the approval of the revised Contaminated Land Strategy as the Council’s strategic approach to dealing with contaminated land in the Borough.

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

The report sets out a proposed revised Enforcement Policy and a draft Regulator’s Code which is a framework for hoe regulators should engage with those they regulate.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the report, prior to its consideration at the Executive Meeting on 10 February 2015.

Officer Contact: Karen Dyson on 0161 474 4295 or email: karen.dyson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Scrutiny Committee to consider a revised Enforcement Policy and a statement on how the Council complies with the Government’s Regulator’s Code for publication in accordance with national guidelines.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015.

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

RESOLVED – (1) That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the adoption of the revised Enforcement Policy and Statement of the Council’s Compliance Regulator’s Code.

(2) That a review of the operation of the revised policy be submitted to this Scrutiny Committee in six months’ time.

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

The report sets out the process necessary to amend the existing Highway Obstruction Policy following the approval of the Investing in Stockport Programme New Model for Regulation at the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014,

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the proposed amendments to the Highway Obstruction Policy, prior to consideration by the Executive Meeting on 10 February 2015.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to approve changes to the existing Highway Obstructions Policy to reflect changes to the model of service delivery agreed at the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014 as part of the Investing In Stockport Programme and the New Model for Regulation proposals.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015.

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

The report proposed that in light of changes previously agreed by the Executive as part of the New Model for Regulation that formed part of the Investing in Stockport Programme, the Highway Obstruction Policy be amended at point 6.1 as follows:-

·         include ‘Investigation of cases for enforcement activity will be limited to those that are a serious detriment and/or present a hazard as determined by professional officers’; and

·         remove references to a letter to be sent out where an obstruction does not present an immediate danger and reference to a copy of that letter.

It was clarified that any traffic offences were the responsibility of the Police to enforce.

RESOLVED – That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the proposed amendments to the Highway Obstruction Policy.

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 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.