Agenda item

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

The First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio is presented for consideration by the Committee. This provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first quarter of the year (April to June). It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

This is the first report to be based on the 2017/18 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement (PPRA). It was considered by the Committee on 25 May 2017 and approved by Cabinet on 13 June 2017.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to:-

·         Consider the First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

·         Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2017/18;

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

·         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

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

Officer contact: Alan Lawson on 0161 474 5397 or email: alan.lawson@stockport.gov.uk / Kora Yohannan on 0161 474 4032 or email: kora.yohannan@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting the First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Economy and Regeneration Portfolio for consideration by the Committee. It provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first quarter of the year (April to June). It also included forecast performance and financial data (where this was available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

This was the first report to be based on the 2017/18 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement (PPRA) which had been considered by the Scrutiny Committee on 25 May 2017 and approved by the Cabinet on 13 June 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised

• As part of the Redrock development, the Light cinema would be offering a mixture of full-time and part-time jobs. A jobs fair at the Town Hall in September would be dedicated to jobs at the Redrock development.
• A Member highlighted the reduction in unemployment for those people aged under 24.
• With regard to performance indicator E&R 01 relating to the percentage of occupied managed workspace and incubator floor space actively managed for start-up/micro-businesses, a Member enquired how many workspaces were being referred to and queried the status level indicated. The Corporate Director advised that proposals to let one of the larger units were being drawn up.
• With regard to performance indicator E&R 02 relating to footfall in the market area, the indicator predicted an increase from +0.2% in the first quarter of 2017/18 to +2.5% as a result of the work being undertaken to manage the market positively, as set out in paragraph 1.1.3 of the report. The issue of car parking in the vicinity of the market was being addressed as part of the car parking review.
• With regard to performance indicator E & R 13 relating to the square feet of office, retail and industrial space let or sold to new occupiers and performance indicator E &R 13a relating to the square feet of office, retail and industrial space let or sold to new occupiers in Stockport Town Centre, it was reported that the first quarter of the financial year was generally quite low with regard to letting units and tended to accelerate towards the end of the financial year.
• With regard to performance indicator E & R 16 relating to the number of FTE jobs created in relation to floor space let or sold to new occupiers, a Member queried what the actual forecasts were based upon and felt that the target would be difficult to reach despite the number of businesses moving into Stockport Exchange.
• A Member asked for more details regarding the Compulsory Purchase Order at Swann Lane, Cheadle Hulme.
• The £1.3m allocated in the current year’s capital programme for Brownfield Site Schemes included an allowance for the Compulsory Purchase Order costs of the Coach House, Swann Lane, Cheadle Hulme and the potential Compulsory Purchase Order costs of the Tatton Cinema, Gatley, in the event that the current developers did not proceed. It also included an allocation for Castle Yard, Market Place which was under review as the original scheme was not proceeding.
• There was a great deal of debate nationally with regard to whether the removal of speed humps would help to improve air quality.
• With regard to portfolio risk E & R 08, ‘Delays occurred in the planning process’, a Member enquired whether the delayed implementation of the uplift in planning fees could be raised with the local Members of Parliament.
• The potential approach to the development of an Inclusive Growth Framework for Stockport was discussed. The view was expressed that this should include the district centres, not just the town centre.
• The further work on road safety near to schools would be the subject of reports to the appropriate area committees.
• it was clarified that the TCAP works in Princes Street were drawing to a close and those in Bridgefield Street had commenced in July.
• Under the Section 278 schemes, clarification was sought on what design work was taking place on Hibbert Lane, Marple.
• Under the Growth and Reform Programme Update – Museums and Cultural Attractions, clarification was sought on how much income was generated by each visitor to the attractions.
• With regard to new measure E &R 03 relating to the number of planning enforcement cases which resulted in successful prosecutions, a Member expressed the view that the Council should be aiming to reduce the number of planning enforcements needed and try to be more pro-active.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.