To receive any questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters relevant to the Council’s activities.
Minutes:
Members of the public were invited to put questions to the Mayor and councillors on matters within the powers and duties of the Council.
Five public questions were submitted as follows:-
· Relating to whether Councillor McGee would retract a statement he’d made at the last meeting of the Council Meeting in relation to the number of people that presented themselves to the accident and emergency department that were consequently admitted to hospital as a result of a risk averse system.
The Cabinet Member for Health (Councillor Tom McGee) responded that Dr Agnelo Fernandes who was then the Royal College of GPs lead on urgent and emergency care on the NHS England's Urgent and Emergency Care Reviewi said in a personal capacity that accident and emergency attendance figures had remained flat over the decade and the reason for an apparent increase in attendance is due to a change in recording and risk-averse junior doctors. It was further stated that the NHS Interim Management Support Group had hypothesised that the phenomena of increased admissions was partly the result of increased risk aversion amongst usually junior doctors compounded by a less experienced junior doctors managing admissions.
Councillor McGee said that his personal view on this matter was neither casual nor ill-informed but more importantly as the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board he had a legitimacy in commenting on the wider heath system.
· Relating to the closure of seven care homes in Stockport over the last three years with the loss of 151 beds and whether it was expected that there would be any further closures in the near future or whether any further units would be provided.
The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care (Councillor Wendy Wild) responded that the Council did not anticipate any further closures in the near future but that it remained vigilant to any providers that may be vulnerable. It was stated that there were plans for new provision of care homes within Stockport but these discussions were at an early stage.
· Relating to the alternative provision that would be offered should the Stockport Local Assistance Scheme be removed.
The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care (Councillor Wendy Wild) responded that a consultation was ongoing in relation to the Stockport Local Assistance Scheme and the Council was committed to this being a meaningful process.
· Relating to why no councillor or senior officers of the Council had attended carbon literacy training offered by the Cooler Project and how the public could trust the people in charge of the future of Stockport when they may lack the knowledge needed to help make appropriate decisions with regard to climate breakdown.
The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Policy, Finance and Devolution (Councillor Alex Ganotis) responded that the carbon literacy training offered by Cooler Project was a very specific example of a training course that was available and it was not the case that the Council had taken no action with regard to staff training and awareness relating to climate change and carbon reduction.
Councillor Ganotis stated that it was also important to note that in all of the work being undertaken on climate change and carbon reduction advice was being taken from experts to ensure that it was being led by the science and had science-based targets.
· Relating to whether the Leader of the Council agreed that ending the Stockport Local Assistance Scheme would compound the suffering that had been inflicted upon some of the poorest people in the borough and whether he would recommend that the Cabinet drop the proposal.
The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Policy, Finance and Devolution (Councillor Alex Ganotis) responded that the Council needed to come up with a sustainable solution to help people in the fairest possible way and in a way that was affordable. Councillor Ganotis stated that it was important for people to engage with the consultation that was currently ongoing so that the Council would understand the usage of the local assistance scheme, how it benefits people and what the impact would be if it was removed without a replacement. It was stated that it was not intended that the Council would leave residents without a safety net, but that it was appropriate to look at other ways of providing this support.