A maximum of 15 minutes will be allocated to public questions submitted in

writing to Democratic Services (democratic.services@trafford.gov.uk) by 4

p.m. on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must be relevant to

items appearing on the agenda and will be submitted in the order in which

they were received.

No questions were received.

Members to give notice of any interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

No declarations were made.

To consider any matters referred by the Council or by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Councillor Acton as Chair of the Scrutiny Committee informed the Committee that the Budget Scrutiny sessions would be held on Tuesday the 29^th of November and Thursday the 1^st December and invited all none executive members to attend the sessions.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration.

(i) That the Trafford Communities and Place Investment Plan and related projects, which have been submitted to the GMCA as part of the Communities and Place Investment Priority of the Shared Prosperity Fund application, be approved.

(ii) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place to make minor amendments to the Communities and Place Investment Plan projects as necessary, in consultation with the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration.

(iii) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Placeto deliver the Communities and Place Investment Plan projects, including engaging external resources, commissioning surveys and any other works required.

(iv) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Placein consultation with the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration to progress all matters,including submitting projects where required, in relation to the Local Business and People and Skills Investment Priorities.

(v) That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place to agree and finalise any grant agreement or other legal agreement required in relation to these funds.

(vi) That the Director of Legal and Governance be authorised to finalise and enter into all funding and legal agreements required to implement the above decisions.

The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration introduced the report and informed the Committee the total funding to Greater Manchester through the fund would be around £84M with details of £1.8M in funding for Trafford set out within the report. The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration listed the projects detailed within appendix 1 of the report which would receive funding.  The Committee were informed by the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration that a submission detailing the proposed projects had been submitted to the GMCA and to the Government. The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration shared her concerns on the lack of communication received from Government about when the funds would be made available and assured the Committee that the Council had done all they could to secure additional funding for the area.  The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration concluded the introduction by thanking the officers within the inclusive economy team who had put the proposals together.

Following the introduction Councillor Butt asked why Trafford had not received an equitable amount of the £27M of funding to be allocated for Greater Manchester for communities and place. In response the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration informed Councillor Butt that Trafford would receive additional funds the other funding allocations for Greater Manchester and that some of the funds would need to be used to cover administrative costs incurred by the GMCA. The Corporate Director of Place assured the Committee that the funding had been distributed in line with Government Guidance.

Councillor Jerrome asked whether the budget cuts the Council was facing undermined the funding received through the shared prosperity fund. The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration responded to Councillor Jerrome and told him that the funding would be for standalone projects that were separate to the Councils standard budget. 

Councillor Blackburn asked whether any follow up work was planned after the conclusion of the projects listed within the report and whether the project manager role which was to be created to deliver the projects would be a fixed term post. In response the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration stated that the project manager role did not reflect a position within the Council’s current structure and was likely to be a fixed term contract. With regards to the follow-on projects the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration assured the Committee that applications would be made for any additional funding streams which became available for investment in the local communities.

Councillor Blackburn asked the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration to provide details of the plans for Greening Trafford Park. The Corporate Director of Place gave a brief overview of the projected and agreed to arrange an in-depth briefing of that work with Councillor Blackburn after the meeting.

Councillor Blackburn asked whether any of the funding would be available to improve Kingsway Park. The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration informed Councillor Blackburn that the funding was separate to Council’s budget for parks and so would not be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration.

(i)             That the Trafford Social Value Charter be approved.

(ii)            That the draft Social Value Action Plan be approved.

The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration introduced the report by stating that by agreeing the Social Value Charter the Council would provide clarity to local businesses and the voluntary and community sector around the coordination of social value activity. Additionally, the social value action plan detailed within the report would provide the means to monitor and drive social value activity across the borough. The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration encouraged local businesses to review the charter and to use it as a guide to aid in identifying ways they could add value to the community.

Councillor Jerrome welcomed the report and asked whether the charter could be broadened to include the reduction of carbon emissions within contracts with providers. In response the Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration stated that the Council already had carbon reduction targets listed within all contracts. The Corporate Director of Place informed the Committee that the council were looking to improve upon the carbon reduction elements within contracts to align with the Council’s carbon neutral action plan.

Councillor Blackburn asked how the Council would influence social value within schools and when most all but one of the schools within the borough were academies. The Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration clarified that the element of the charter which referred to schools was in relation to encouraging local businesses to be involved with Schools and the Council would support that engagement through the utilisation of the Council’s relationships with both parties.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the Trafford Social Value Charter be approved.

3)    That the outline draft Social Value Action Plan be approved.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Governance.

(i)             That the implementation of the Council Tax Discretionary Scheme changes on the discretionary Empty Property Charges, detailed in this report from April 2023, be approved.

(ii)            That the introduction of the maximum charge on long term empty properties, subject to the outcome of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, be approved.

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance introduced the report by informing the Committee that the proposals set out within the report had been to the committee previously and had since been the subject of a public consultation and an equality impact assessment. The Executive Member for Finance and Governance reported there had been no significant changes made to the proposals following the feedback received from the consultation or the outcomes of the equality impact assessment.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the implementation of the Council Tax Discretionary Scheme changes on the discretionary Empty Property Charges detailed within the report from April 2023 be approved.

3)    That the introduction of the maximum charge on long term empty properties be approved, subject to the outcome of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Governance.

(i)        That the 2023/26 proposed budget strategy, including the 2023/24 draft revenue budget and the 2023/27 MTFS, be approved.

(ii)       That the proposal to increase Council Tax by 2.99% in 2023/24 (comprising 1.0% adult social care precept and 1.99% general increase) and by similar levels for the remaining years of the MTFS 2023/26 be noted.

(iii)     That the assumptions made in setting the MTFP in section 3.2 and the degree of uncertainty be noted.

(iv)     That the remaining budget gap for the years 2023/24 to 2025/26 be noted.

(v)      That the commentary of the Director of Finance and Systems, the Council’s statutory S151 officer, regarding the financial sustainability of the Council in Section 1.6 be noted.

(vi)     It was noted that the draft proposals are subject to various consultation exercises, further analysis of reserves, savings and income including impact assessments, potential future movements in core funding and specific grants, revised costings and robustness assessments.

(vii)    It was noted that the review of the Capital Programme which is ongoing and agreed that no further contractual commitments are made on capital projects which are financed from either capital receipts or borrowing until the current review of the capital programme is completed.

(viii)   That the flexible use of capital receipts to support in part the cost of the Modernisation Team in developing the Council’s Finance and Change Programme for the next two years be noted.

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance introduced the report which contained the draft budget proposals for 2023/24.  The Executive Member for Finance and Governance informed the Committee that the gross budget gap for 2023/24 was estimated at £25.82M and the report set out how the Council planned to reduce that gap to £8.52M as of the draft stage. 

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance then went through the draft budget informing Members of what each section contained and drawing Members’ attention to key elements. Members were informed that section 1 contained the approach to the budget and section 2 set out the financial background. Members’ attention was drawn to section 2.2 which set out the impact of austerity measures since 2010 and section 3.2.3 which related to the governments mini budget announced 23^rd September 2022. Section 4 of the report set out the measures the Council had identified to reduce the budget gap and sections 5, 6, and 7 set out the robustness and risks associated with school budgets and the capital strategy programme for the years ahead. The Executive Member for Finance and Governance finished the introduction by assuring the Committee that the Council would deliver a balanced budget for 2022/23 and thanked all the staff members who had been involved in the work on the budget.

Following the introduction Councillor Morgan asked for details to be provided as to what the £3.85M saving listed as realignment of the treasury budget meant. The Head of Financial Management replied to Councillor Morgan informing him that the line in question referred to a bundle of measures related to the Councils debt and investment profile as well as funds held by the Council, which had been impacted by the increase in interest rates. Councillor Morgan was assured that the review of the plans would come back to the Executive later and the measures were in line with the CIPFA prudential code.

Councillor Morgan noted a number of assumptions around income and savings to be achieved within the report and the Councillor asked what the main areas of risk were. Councillor Ross stated that there were individual assumptions which would be picked up within the Scrutiny Process. In response the Executive Member for Finance and Governance informed the Committee that he was particularly concerned about the wide range of impacts caused by inflation, the cost of energy, and the amount the Council would receive through the government settlement. The Executive Member for Finance and Governance assured Members that the Council were looking at measures to close the remaining budget gap but added that he hoped some of the gap would be addressed through additional funding from the government.

Councillor Morgan asked the Executive Member for Finance and Governance whether the decisions being made within the budget would have any impacts upon public safety. The Executive Member for Finance and Governance provided a response stating that the risks which related to the cuts proposed within the budget had been noted but  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Adult Social Care.

(i)             That the content of the report be noted.

The Executive Member for Adult Social Care introduced the report which detailed the Council’s recent activity around the fair price for care programme and the fair cost of care. The Executive Member for Adult Social Care informed the Committee that the Council were to revert to the inflationary uplift for prices in line with the outcomes of the fair cost of care exercise. The Committee were assured that the proposed uplift was in keeping with the Council’s commitment to the ethical care charter. The Executive Member for Adult Social Care gave a brief overview of the consultation exercise to be carried out as part of the fair price for care work and informed the Committee that a further report on the outcomes of the consolation would be provided in December. The Executive Member for Adult Social Care ended the introduction by outlining the next steps in the fair cost of care work which would be presented to the Committee alongside the provisional Market Stability Plan.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

To consider a report from the Chief Executive of Trafford Council and Place Based Lead for Health and Care Integration, NHS GM Trafford.

(i)             That the proposal to establish the GM Integrated Care Partnership as a joint committee of the ICB and ten local authorities be approved.

(ii)            That the appointment of a member and a substitute member of the authority as members of the GM ICP be approved.

(iii)          The authority be delegated to that member and substitute member of the GM ICP, to discharge jointly the functions of the ICP, such functions include the doing of anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the discharge of any of those functions.

(iv)          That the proposed Terms of Reference of the GM ICP be noted.

The Chief Executive introduced the report and provided the Committee with a brief overview of its contents. The Chief Executive noted that the report contained a recommendation for the Executive Member for Health Wellbeing and Equalities to be the Council’s lead Member on the Integrated Care Partnership with the Leader being appointed as the substitute Member. The Chief Executive provided a summary of the structural changes where the NHS moved from the Clinical Commissioning Groups to a Greater Manchester Integrated Care System. The structural changes which had taken place had necessitated the creation of new governance arrangements, which included the creation of the integrated care partnership.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the proposal to establish the GM Integrated Care Partnership as a joint committee of the ICB and ten local authorities be approved.

3)    That the appointment of a member and a substitute member of the authority as members of the GM ICP be approved.

4)    The authority be delegated to that member and substitute member of the GM ICP, to discharge jointly the functions of the ICP, such functions include the doing of anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the discharge of any of those functions.

5)    That the proposed Terms of Reference of the GM ICP be noted.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport Strategy.

(i)    That the establishment of a GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee be agreed.

(ii)   That the Terms of Reference of the GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee as set out in Appendix A be agreed.

(iii)That a member and a substitute be appointed to the GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee.

(iv)That authority be delegated to that member and substitute member of the GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee, to discharge jointly the functions of the GM Clean Air Scrutiny Committee, such functions as detailed in the report which includes the doing of anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the discharge of any of those functions.

The Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport Strategy gave a brief introduction to the report that had been submitted as part of the agenda. The Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport Strategy informed the Committee of the work that had been undertaken across GM in relation the Clean Air plan and the request within the report which asked for the approval to delegate the Council’s Scrutiny function to the joint committee and the Member appointed to the Committee.

Following the introduction Councillor Chalkin asked the Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport Strategy how the party the Council’s representative upon the Joint Scrutiny Committee would be decided. The Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport Strategy replied to Councillor Chalkin and explained that it would be decided by GM according to the political proportionality across the Conurbation. The Executive Member for Climate Change and Transport Strategy added that the decision had not yet been reached but that he was attending the Quality Administration Committee the following Wednesday where he would raise the question and provide feedback to Councillor Chalkin.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the establishment of a GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee be agreed.

3)    That the Terms of Reference of the GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee as set out in Appendix A be agreed.

4)    That a member and a substitute be appointed to the GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee.

5)    That authority be delegated to that member and substitute member of the GM Clean Air Joint Scrutiny Committee, to discharge jointly the functions of the GM Clean Air Scrutiny Committee, such functions as detailed in the report which includes the doing of anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the discharge of any of those functions.

To receive a report of the   Executive Member for Culture, Leisure, and Strategic Partnerships and the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Equalities.

(i)             That the content of the Trafford Council Modern Slavery statement outlined in the body of the report, so that Trafford complies with the requirements implemented in 2021, be approved.

(ii)            That the intention to implement the ‘minimum’ recommendations (no 1 to 14 in appendix) and work towards the medium and long-term activity over time with the relevant services be noted.

The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure, and Strategic Partnerships began the introduction of the report, which was a joint submission with the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Equality. The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure, and Strategic Partnerships informed the Committee that the government were introducing new measures to ensure public bodies tackled the risks of modern slavery and part of those measures was that local authorities would be required to publish a modern slavery statement. The report contained a draft of the Council’s modern slavery statement which the Committee were being asked to agree. The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure, and Strategic Partnerships spoke about the issue of modern slavery which included slavery, forced servitude, compulsory labour, and human trafficking and disproportionately impacted the more vulnerable people within society. The Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Equalities added that she welcomed the Council’s decision to move forward with the publication of the modern slavery statement during the times of economic decline when vulnerable people were being preyed upon.

Councillor Butt noted number 19 in appendix 1 mentioned including the modern slavery statement within the taxi statement of policy and asked the Executive Members whether this was going to be done within the finalising of the taxi policy statement which was underway or if it would be done later.  The Executive Member for Culture, Leisure, and Strategic Partnerships thanked Councillor Butt For his question and stated that she would need to speak to the Licensing team and provide a response to Councillor Butt afterwards.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted

2)    That the content of the Trafford Council Modern Slavery statement outlined in the body of the report be approved so that Trafford complies with the requirements implemented in 2021.

3)    That the intention to implement the ‘minimum’ recommendations (no 1 to 14 in appendix) and work towards the medium and long-term activity over time with the relevant services be noted.

Motion   (Which may be amended as Members think fit):

            That the public be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the remaining items on the agenda, because of the likelihood of disclosure of “exempt information” which falls within one or more descriptive category or categories of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, as amended by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, and specified on the agenda item or report relating to each such item respectively.

RESOLVED - That the public be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the remaining items on the agenda, because of the likelihood of disclosure of “exempt information” which falls within one or more descriptive category or categories of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, as amended by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 and specified on the agenda item or report relating to each such item respectively.

To consider a report from the Executive Member for Finance and Governance.

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance presented the report which related to councils work in Stretford Mall and the surrounding area.  The Executive Member for Finance and Governance Informed the Committee of the budgetary position and further updates would be delivered to the Executive on a six-monthly basis.

Councillor Morgan welcomed the report and the related strategy before asking a question regarding the village and leases that had been agreed. The Corporate Director provided a response at the meeting and agreed to provide a more in-depth response in writing following the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the trading positions of the three LLP’s and the impact this will have on Council resources over the course of the next three years during redevelopment be noted.