Agenda

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4 October 2023.

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

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they may have in any of the items on the Summons for the meeting.

To receive any questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters relevant to the Council’s activities.

To receive petitions, and by prior arrangement, receive delegations and presentations from members of the public, community groups or partnership organisations.

Greater Manchester Police

Chief Superintendent John Webster (Stockport District Commander) will attend the meeting and make a presentation and respond to questions in relation to policing issues within the Stockport area.

(a)       Greater Manchester Police, Crime & Fire Panel

Councillor Tom Morrison to answer questions, if any, on the business of the Greater Manchester Police, Crime & Fire Panel.

(b)       Greater Manchester Combined Authority

The following councillors to answer questions (if any) on the business of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority:-

To consider a report of the Chair of the Standards Committee.

To appoint the following members to the Joint Scrutiny Panel for Pennine Care NHS Trust:-

Councillor Angie Clark

Councillor Gary Lawson

To receive a report from the Leader of the Council and other members of the Cabinet on the conduct of Cabinet business since the last Council Meeting.

To answer questions from Councillors addressed to the Leader of the Council or other members of the Cabinet, in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

To receive the Minutes of the Cabinet held on 31 October 2023 and the record of executive decisions taken since the last Council Meeting, (schedule enclosed, decisions previously circulated) and consider any recommendations they contain.

To receive a report from the Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees on the conduct of Scrutiny business.

To receive a report from the Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees on the conduct of Scrutiny business.

To answer questions from Councillors addressed to the Scrutiny Chairs, in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

To receive the Minutes of the following Scrutiny Committees:-

Adult Social Care & Health – 12 October 2023

Children & Families – 11 October 2023

Communities & Transport – 9 October 2023

Corporate, Resource Management & Governance – 10 October 2023

Economy, Regeneration & Climate Change – 12 October 2023

To answer questions from Councillors addressed to the Chairs of Ordinary and Area Committees, in accordance with Council Meeting Procedure Rule 11.

To receive the minutes of the following Ordinary and Area Committees:-

Ordinary Committees

Employment Appeals – 4 October 2023

Licensing, Environment & Safety – 27 September 2023

Licensing, Environment & Safety Sub – 31 October 2023

Member – 9 October 2023

Planning & Highways Regulation – 28 September 2023

Area Committees

Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South – 19 October 2023

Central Stockport – 19 October 2023      

Cheadle – 17 October 2023

Heatons & Reddish – 16 October 2023

Marple – 18 October 2023

Stepping Hill – 17 October 2023

Werneth – 16 October 2023

Councils are facing ongoing inflationary and pay pressures alongside a spike in demand in areas such as children’s and adult’s social care.

The Local Government Association has estimated that the collective Local Government deficit will be £3.6bn by 2024/25. 

Without national government intervention there will be a marked decline in local service provision across the country and a failure of many councils to meet their statutory obligations.

This council meeting therefore calls on the Chancellor the Exchequer to:

·         fund the current deficit in Local Government finances as part of the Autumn 2023 budget statement; and

·         provide a new multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement that fully funds the vital work councils do.

Moved by:                  Cllr Alex Wynne

Seconded by:            Cllr Jilly Julian

Source

LGA - Autumn Statement Submission

https://www.local.gov.uk/parliament/briefings-and-responses/autumn-statement-2023-lga-submission

This council notes:

·         The 2022/23 and 2023/24 UKSPF Community and Place funding allocation for Stockport were rolled together so that £1,580,500 is to be used by 31/03/2024.

·         With the agreement of the Economy and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee in March 2023, the council decided to call for project bids. 37 bids were received, and 27 of these were successful.

·         Figures brought to the Economy, Regeneration and Climate Change Committee in October 2023 showed that the successful bids amounted to £972,760. A further £200,000 was allocated to Stockport’s year as Town of Culture; and £40,000 has been allocated to the eight district centres (£5,000 per centre). There remains £367,513 unallocated from this fund.

·         Making our streets and night time economy safer is part of Greater Manchester’s priorities in the Combined Authority’s Standing Together plan for policing, community safety and criminal justice (under Priority 3 - Strengthening Communities and Places). Public safety and protection is a priority under the One Stockport Safety Partnership Plan, which also highlights how residents in some locations and belonging to certain demographic groups feel less safe.

This council believes:

·         Safety in our communities is of the utmost importance, particularly the safety of women and girls who often feel excluded from public spaces due to perceived lack of safety.

·         Safe communities are prosperous communities, and investment in safety will therefore help our town centre, district, and local neighbourhood centres to thrive.

·         The work done to date by the District Centre Managers has been commendable and should be further supported.

This council requests the Cabinet to approve the following:

(1) To use the remaining almost £370,000 UKSPF funding for 2023/24 for the benefit of our communities in both the eight district centres and across our local and neighbourhood centres by:

(a) Further investing in our district centres, to rocket-boost the excellent work to date; prioritising the district centres that serve communities experiencing the most deprivation.

(b) Investing in community safety in neighbourhoods across our borough, recognising that many parts of the borough are not served by one of the eight designated district centres. This should have a focus on the safety of women and girls, and other vulnerable groups. This should also have a focus on the areas of the borough that need it most.

·         The funding could be used to make these centres more attractive, safe and sustainable, and may include measures such as CCTV and better lighting; and should be done in collaboration with local councillors, groups and residents.

·         The funding could also incorporate training and awareness campaigns across the borough, so that all members of our communities feel safe to use public spaces.

(2) To review the way that the third tranche of UKSPF funding is used, so that it benefits communities across Stockport with a focus on getting the basics of community safety right, so that our neighbourhoods and communities can thrive.

Moved by:                 Councillor Claire Vibert

Seconded by:            Councillor Joe Barratt