Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2020.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 26 November 2020 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors and Officers are invited to declare any interests they may have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To report any urgent action taken under the Constitution since the last meeting of the Committee.

No urgent decisions were reported.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair on any matters within the powers and duties of the Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.  (Questions must be submitted no later than prior to the commencement of the meeting on the card provided. You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions)

No public questions were submitted.

To consider whether it is in the public interest to exclude the public during consideration of agenda items 6-11 which contain information ‘not for publication’ by virtue of Category 3 ‘Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority)’ as set out in the Local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RESOLVED – That in order to prevent the disclosure of information which was not for publication relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority), the disclosure of which would not be in the public interest,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 agenda items 6-11.

The Chief Executive Officer, Totally Local Company to report at the meeting.

Officer Contact: David Hughes at email:  david.hughes@totallylocalcompany.co.uk

The Chief Executive Officer, Totally Local Company provided a verbal presentation which updated Members on Covid-19.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         A short discussion took place relating to the workforce and how staff were covering for those who were absent in order to ensure minimum disruption to services.

·         Members asked whether TLC were satisfied with the wellbeing of the workforce, i.e. general moral and mental health.  What support was available to staff?  In response, Members were advised that extensive work had been done with occupational health and the uptake had been very good.  Mental health support was available online and the feedback on this had been good.  There had been an increase in mental health issues which staff were being supported with but much of this related to issues at home.

·         Members felt it was vital that there was good communication relating to possible disruption of services and the managing of expectations.

RESOLVED – That the verbal presentation be noted.

The Chief Executive Officer, Totally Local Company to report at the meeting.

Officer Contact: David Hughes at email: david.hughes@totallylocalcompany.co.uk

The Chief Executive Officer, Totally Local Company provided a verbal presentation which updated Members on the way forward.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members asked whether their understanding could be consolidated with written reports so that progress could be followed.

·         A short discussion took place relating to the procurement process and how this worked in practice.

RESOLVED – That the verbal presentation be noted.

The Chief Executive Officer, Totally Local Company to report at the meeting.

Officer Contact: David Hughes at email: david.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

The Chief Executive Officer, Totally Local Company provided a verbal presentation which updated Members on the financial mechanism relating to the transfer of security to Stockport Homes Group.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members acknowledged that the business case and subsequent discussions were progressing well and commented that it was imperative that Totally Local Company were not made worse off as a result.

RESOLVED – That the verbal presentation be noted.

To consider a report of the Finance & Commercial Director, Totally Local Company

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Steve Jallands at steve.jallands@totallylocalcompany.co.uk

The Finance & Commercial Director, Totally Local Company submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which updated Members on the Financial Report to 31 December 2020.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members commented that this was an extremely comprehensive report.

·         Was there a way of naming and shaming the schools who had not paid the outstanding invoices from the PPN2 supplier relief initiative or would this prove counterproductive?

·         Members asked if there was a pattern among those who had not paid e.g academies and other schools, or primaries and secondaries?  In response, Members were advised that there was no pattern and that officers remained confident that the issue could be resolved.

·         A short discussion took place on how gulley cleansing was integrated with street sweeping.  Members asked if it would be helpful to use cones in order to enable gulley cleansing work to take place.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Finance & Commercial Director, Totally Local Company

The Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report, and approve TLC’s financial forecast to 31 March 2021.

Officer Contact: Steve Jallands at steve.jallands@totallylocalcompany.co.uk

The Finance & Commercial Director, Totally Local Company submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which asked Members to review and approve TLC’s Financial Forecast to 31 March 2021.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members asked what the positives and negatives of the current situation were and how the situation relating to Abney Hall had impacted.

·         Were the lower wage costs simply down to a lack of overtime?

·         Members commented that every public park has had overflowing bins, what was the plan to catch up on this?  In response, Members were advised that this was a recognised pressure point and that there was no easy solution.  It came down to a balancing of limited resources. There was also a weather dependent fluctuation with this type of issue.

·         Members thanked all employees of Totally Local Company for their hard work during this difficult time.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted, and that TLC’s financial forecast to 31 March 2021 be approved.

The Chair of the Totally Local Company Board to report on:-

(a)  Susan Webster, non-Executive Director, retiring by rotation, offering herself for re-election as a Director.

(b)  Steve Jallands, Finance Director, retiring by rotation, offering himself for re-election as a Director.

RESOLVED – That the Committee confirm the recommendation of the TLC Board as follows:

(a)  Susan Webster, non-Executive Director, retiring by rotation, offering herself for re-election as a Director.

(b)  Steve Jallands, Finance Director, retiring by rotation, offering himself for re-election as a Director.