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.
Minutes:
The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Policy, Finance & Devolution (Councillor Alex Ganotis) reported that the merger of Stockport College and Trafford College had been completed which represented part of the ongoing reform of further education in Greater Manchester to ensure that there was a sustainable way forward financially and in terms of location of provision and the curriculum offer.
Councillor Ganotis further reported that Stockport had held its first Town Centre Living summit which was attended by the Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham. It was stated that the aim of the Council was to increase the number of housing units in the town centre and doing it in a way that was sustainable and created new communities that people wanted to live in.
It was then stated that the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority had been disbanded with effect from 1 April 2018 and its functions had been moved to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. It was further commented that the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee would also cease to exist and that this would be replaced with a new committee. Finally, it was reported that following the disestablishment of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, a new Fire Advisory Committee would be created. Councillor Ganotis stated that it was hoped that the Council would be in a position to appoint to these bodies at the Annual Council Meeting in May 2018.
Councillor Ganotis then referred to the launch of the Stockport Investment Fund which constituted £1m of funding for community groups over the next two years. Interested parties were being encouraged to come forward and apply for funding.
The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing (Councillor Sheila Bailey) expressed her thanks to staff from Solutions SK who had worked hard in recent months to collect waste and grit roads in appalling weather conditions.
Councillor Bailey then reported that on 26 February 2018, the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee had considered an update on the ongoing Environmental Campaign which included a proposal to remove the ‘bring’ waste recycling sites. Following a review of these sites it has been ascertained that they were being used by traders to dispose of their waste, most of which suffered from contamination, and many also suffered from fly-tipping. The removal of the sites would allow Solutions SK to reduce collection costs and would also result in reductions in disposal costs. It was commented that the Scrutiny Committee had raised no objections to the proposals. Councillor Bailey stated that there remained three household waste recycling centres in the Borough and that there were a number of ‘bring sites’ operated by local supermarkets which meant that residents still had the option to dispose of their waste other than by way of the kerbside collection service. However, Councillor Bailey expressed her regret that local councillors had not been notified in advance of the ‘bring sites’ being removed, and that the site removals had been paused as soon as this oversight had been identified to allow for such notifications to be issued.
Councillor Bailey then reported that officers in the Green Space service had done an excellent job over several months in drawing together the various Section 106 payments into one fund and in the process had identified further funding that had previously not been included in the overall total which had resulted in a pot of over £4m now being available. It was stated that a programme of improvements to play areas would now take place over the next few years. It was further stated that work was taking place to significantly expedite outstanding tree replacement works.
Finally, Councillor Bailey reported that the Council was in
discussions with Cheshire Beekeepers Association in relation to the
provision of a beehive on Fred Perry House.
The Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) reported on progress on Stockport’s major infrastructure projects including Stockport Exchange and the new transport interchange which would incorporate a three acre green park and the opening up of the River Mersey. It was further reported that Aurora was now 85% let and that terms were being discussed in relation to the last two units.
Councillor Butler also reported on the success of the Stockport Work and Skills Commission Priorities Event which was held on 8 March 2018. A number of priority areas emerged from the workshops that were held which would form a central plank of the emerging inclusive growth framework which would form the basis of a permanent Work and Skills Board.
It was further reported that the Council had been successful in its first stage bid for funding from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to develop a business case for the creation of a new rapid transit bus scheme between Stockport and Manchester Airport.
The Cabinet Member for Education (Councillor Dean Fitzpatrick) stated that he would be presenting a report to the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee the following week outlining the current position with regard to the provision of special schools in Stockport and describing the financial challenges faced by the Council as the general population and the special educational needs and disabilities population increased. It was stated that the proposal was to build a larger replacement Lisburne School which would cost in the region of £10-£15m.
The Cabinet Member for Children & Family Services (Councillor Colin Foster) reported that he had been a co-signatory of a letter that was sent to Philip Hammond asking that additional money be put into the budget in acknowledgement of the quite serious situation across all local authorities in relation to the increasing number of children that are having to be taken into care.
It was further reported that Stockport had been successful under the Partners in Practice programme organised by the Department for Education, the aim of which was to share strong practice, deliver hands-on peer support to other councils and ultimately improve outcomes for more children and families across the country.
The Cabinet Member for Health (Councillor Tom McGee) reported that the poor weather conditions which had affected the region since before Christmas had affected, in particular, the more elderly of the population and in some cases quite severely. Councillor McGee commented that he had previously spoken about the importance of flu vaccinations, and that they were the most effective and cheapest wat of ensuring as much as possible that you avoid getting flu altogether or at the very least did not suffer from its worst effects. Councillor McGee stated that Stockport had been very successful in ensuring that its target groups were appropriately inoculated and he extended his thanks to GPs and their staff and the work of the midwives at Stepping Hill Hospital for their work in achieving this outcome.
The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care (Councillor Wendy Wild) reported that the Care Quality Commission was currently undertaking a review in respect of the Council’s adult social care and health services which would examine how adult social care and health work together to provide seamless care for people aged 65 and over. The review would focus on three key areas, which were maintaining people in their own homes; care and support in a crisis; and step down from hospital.