The next Council Meeting is scheduled to include a presentation from Stockport Fairtrade Group, discussion of the Treasury Management Annual Report, and consideration of updates to the council's constitution. Councillors will also discuss motions relating to access to transport for disabled people, regeneration of Edgeley District Centre, and a plan for social housing.

Motions

The council is scheduled to consider several motions.

Councillor Liz Crix is expected to propose a motion regarding access to transport for disabled people, calling for measures to make public transport and taxis more accessible. The motion notes that 24% of the UK population are disabled, and that disabled people take fewer trips per year than non-disabled people. The motion also notes that disabled people are less satisfied with the availability of information to help them plan journeys and that disabled people with mobility difficulties use taxis and private hire vehicles more often than non-disabled people. The motion asks the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, asking them what measures they are taking to make the public transport network accessible to disabled people, and to implement regular, mandatory training for transport staff. The motion also asks that work to make railway stations step free continues, and that access for disabled people forms a key part of plans to standardise taxi licencing throughout Greater Manchester. Finally, the motion asks that information is sought from the third sector and existing bodies about disabled residents' experiences of transport accessibility across Stockport and their recommendations for improvements.

Councillor Matt Wynne is expected to propose a motion regarding the regeneration of Edgeley District Centre, noting that it is an important part of Central Stockport's local economy, but faces significant challenges. The motion also notes that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund¹ provides an opportunity for small and medium scale capital investment in local regeneration projects. The motion asks that the Deputy Chief Executive and relevant Cabinet Member prepare a Regeneration Strategy for Edgeley District Centre, to include an assessment of current conditions, proposals for public realm and environmental improvements, opportunities for Edgeley District Centre to diversify uses, and small-scale engagement with local elected Members, local residents, interested businesses, and community groups. The motion also asks that the Strategy involves Stockport County Football Club as a potential key stakeholder in the future of Edgeley District Centre, and that the draft Local Plan should include a class control policy for Edgeley District Centre to prevent excessive clustering of the same type of business.

Councillor Asa Caton is expected to propose a motion regarding enforcement in Edgeley and across Stockport, noting ongoing concern with issues such as fly-tipping, parking, planning breaches, dog fouling and anti-social behaviour. The motion also notes that match day parking around Edgeley Park is a particular problem, and that planning enforcement is also a concern. The motion asks that the relevant Cabinet Member, Chief Executive and relevant Strategic Directors undertake a review of enforcement functions and policies across all service areas, prioritise stronger enforcement of fly-tipping, parking, planning breaches, dog fouling and anti-social behaviour, explore additional or reallocated enforcement officers to provide a more proactive presence, improve collaboration with Greater Manchester Police, housing providers and local community groups to act quickly on reports, and report back within six months with clear, measurable steps to improve enforcement outcomes in Edgeley, Heald Green, Bramhall South & Woodford and across the borough.

Councillor Claire Vibert is expected to propose a motion regarding a plan for the homes that Stockport's residents need, noting that the need for housing available for social rent in the borough has never been greater, and that the cost of providing temporary accommodation is rising significantly. The motion asks that the council develop a Local Plan that meets the needs of Stockport's residents for years to come, by taking the opportunity to tackle the housing crisis, and communicate with residents in good faith as the Local Plan is consulted on.

Scrutiny Annual Report

The Scrutiny Annual Report 202425 - Final for SCC.pdf details the work undertaken by the council's scrutiny committees during the 2024/25 municipal year. The report notes that scrutiny committees act as a 'critical friend' to the Cabinet, undertaking evidence-based reviews and making recommendations. The report also notes that scrutiny committees can scrutinise and review the work and policies of the council and hold Cabinet Members and Chief Officers to account for their actions.

The report summarises the scrutiny activity undertaken during the year, including performance and resource monitoring, the budget setting process, pre-decision scrutiny, scrutiny work programmes, and scrutiny of external bodies. The report also includes data on committee meetings, the use of urgency provisions, and scrutiny review panels.

The report details the aims, methodology and recommendations of the scrutiny review panels that were undertaken during the year, including:

• Understanding Inequalities in Health Outcomes across Stockport: This review aimed to understand inequalities in health outcomes for specific cohorts of people affected by deprivation, disability, and ethnic minority status. The review made recommendations relating to services understanding residents better, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, enhancing social connections, supporting education and early childhood, improving housing support, increasing accessibility to services, addressing poverty and digital inclusion, and promoting employment and training.
• Prevention – Support in the Early Years (-9 months to 5 years): This review aimed to understand the offer of support to children in their early years and their families. The review made recommendations relating to improving communication and partnership working, better informing families about available support, focusing on outcomes to address inequality, and strengthening the role of the health visitor.
• Stockport Cycling Strategic Review: This review aimed to review how Stockport Council approached and delivered cycling schemes within the borough. The review made recommendations relating to developing a fully mapped active travel network plan, prioritising protected cycleways infrastructure along main arterial routes, further integrating cycling provision into the council's core strategy, improving the safety and accessibility for women in active travel, improving consultation and stakeholder engagement, accelerating efforts to remove non-compliant access control measures, establishing a regular tour of outcomes for active travel infrastructure, and expanding the implementation of 20mph zones to support safer active travel.
• STAR Procurement and Social Value: This review aimed to explore the impact of social value on the council's borough plan and council plan ambitions, including the role that STAR procurement played in this. The review made recommendations relating to mandating suppliers to sign up to and complete projects on Match My Project in all council contracts, exploring options around developing a social value policy via the local plan, improving social value monitoring arrangements, cultivating opportunities to grow and develop social value opportunities through a broad ranging engagement programme, and providing a briefing for all Members to ensure successes around social value were communicated and understood.
• The accountability of Social Housing providers to the Council and the residents of Stockport (2023): This review aimed to gain an understanding of where social housing providers are accountable and the current mechanisms for this accountability for each of the different types of social housing providers in Stockport. The review made recommendations relating to retaining and strengthening the housing association partnership model, increasing oversight of Stockport's housing management arrangements, implementing a scrutiny model of governance arrangements for business relating to Stockport Homes Group, compiling a good-practice guide for tenant engagement, improving engagement and accountability mechanisms, and considering reinstating councillor membership to the Board of Stockport Homes Group.
• District and Local Centres – best practice and building upon it (2024): This review aimed to gain an understanding of best practice used to support the vibrancy of Stockport's district centres and assess how this could be applied to other district and local centres. The review made recommendations relating to supporting the development of a dedicated online information portal, agreeing to a communications plan to promote the information portal, endorsing the introduction of a councillor 'playbook' or guide as part of the information portal and the introduction of a session on supporting District and Local Centres as part of the Member Induction Programme, supporting a review of the structure and format of local vision meetings for each District Centre, supporting the continued delivery of events and projects in District and Local Centres, supporting proactive engagement with landlords of vacant units in District and Local Centres, writing to the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to the financial and other support needed to support the vibrancy of District and Local Centres, and ensuring that Stockport Local Plan contains policies which help to create strong and vibrant District and Local Centres along with sympathetic and appropriate design principles.

The report also notes that during 2024/25, two executive decisions were subject to the call-in arrangements: CMDHPL166 - Discretionary Grit Bin Report, and CMDHPL171 - Electric Vehicle Chargers in Public Car Parks - Parking Places Order 2025.

Allocation of Places on Committees

The PoliticalBalance2.pdf report concerns the allocation of seats to Political Groups on Committees and Sub Committees to ensure political balance, as required by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The council is under a duty to review the allocation of seats to political groups following any change in the overall balance of the council. Councillors Joe Barratt and Rosemary Barratt have resigned from the Labour Group and now constitute a new political group on the Council (the 'Bredbury & Woodley Independents'). The report sets out the proposed changes to the allocation of seats on committees as a result of this change.

Contract Procedure Rules

The 2025.08.22 Amends to Constitution - Report to CRMG.pdf and CPRsStarLegalupdate05062025Finalcleancopy.pdf reports concern proposed amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules (CPRs) to reflect new procurement legislation, in particular the Procurement Act 2023. The CPRs are standing orders made pursuant to s135 of Local Government Act 1972. The proposed amendments have been approved by the STaR Joint Committee on 19 June 2025. Since the establishment of STAR, it has been considered essential that all partner authorities have a single set of CPRs in order to harmonise procurement processes and enable the shared service vehicle to deliver an effective and consistent procurement processes. The overarching theme of the review has been to update them to reflect requirements of the Procurement Act 2023.

Treasury Management

The Treasury Management Annual Report 202425 Main Report.pdf report reviews treasury management activities and the actual prudential and treasury indicators for 2024/25, as required by regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2003. The report meets the requirements of both the CIPFA² Code of Practice on Treasury Management (the Code) and the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities (the Prudential Code). The report summarises capital activity during the year, the impact of this activity on the council's underlying indebtedness, the actual prudential and treasury indicators, the overall treasury position, interest rate movements in the year, and detailed debt and investment activity.

Leader's Report and Cabinet Question Time

Councillor Mark Roberts, Leader of the Council, and other members of the Cabinet are expected to report on the conduct of Cabinet business since the last Council Meeting. Councillors will then have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 16 September 2025 and the Cabinet (Housing) Committee meeting held on 17 September 2025 will be received, along with the record of executive decisions taken since the last Council Meeting.

Scrutiny Business

The Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees are expected to report on the conduct of Scrutiny business. Councillors will then have the opportunity to ask questions. The minutes of the following Scrutiny Committees will be received:

• Adult Social Care & Health – 4 September 2025
• Children & Families – 7 August and 3 September 2025
• Communities & Transport – 24 July and 1 September 2025
• Corporate, Resource Management & Governance – 2 September 2025
• Housing, Economy & Environment – 4 September 2025
• Scrutiny Co-ordination – 22 September 2025

Ordinary and Area Committees

The Chairs of the Planning & Highways Regulation; Licensing, Environment & Safety; and Audit Committees are expected to report on the conduct of their business since the last Council Meeting. Councillors will then have the opportunity to ask questions. The minutes of the following Ordinary and Area Committees will be received:

Ordinary Committees

• Appointments – 21 July 2025
• Audit – 16 July and 17 September 2025
• Employment Appeals – 25 July 2025
• Licensing, Environment & Safety – 2 July, 13 August and 24 September 2025
• Planning & Highways Regulation – 3 July, 14 August and 25 September 2025

Area Committees

• Bramhall & Cheadle Hulme South – 31 July and 11 September 2025
• Central Stockport – 31 July and 11 September 2025
• Cheadle – 29 July and 9 September 2025
• Heatons & Reddish – 28 July and 8 September 2025
• Marple – 30 July and 10 September 2025
• Stepping Hill – 29 July and 9 September 2025
• Werneth – 28 July and 8 September 2025