To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 24 July 2019 (the minutes are to now attached).

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting on 24 July 2019.

Decision

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting on 24 July 2019.

The report of the Chief Executive is enclosed.

That the “Developing a More Inclusive Economy – Our Manchester Industrial Strategy” be adopted as the Council’s strategy.

A report from the Chief Executive asked that a proposed Local Industrial Strategy for the city be adopted. The report explained that the draft strategy had been developed to complement the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and also the development of the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy. Preparation of the strategy had involved extensive consultation and engagement with many stakeholders across the city. The meeting thanked the staff who had undertaken all the work involved in the development and drafting of the Strategy. 

The proposed strategy considered Manchester’s successes and challenges. It had been written so as to focus on three pillars: People, Place and Prosperity. The text on each of those pillars contained a number of themes to be prioritised to promote economic and social justice in Manchester. The strategy also included case studies that highlighted the positive work that was already underway across the city. The report also proposed that the strategy be made a part of the Council’s Policy Framework.

The strategy document was praised and welcomed.

Decision

That the “Developing a More Inclusive Economy – Our Manchester Industrial Strategy” be adopted as the Council’s strategy.

Enclosed is the report of the Strategic Director Neighbourhoods.

1.         Subject to (2) below, to authorise the City Solicitor to take all necessary steps to make the Order.

2.         If objections to the proposed order are received, to note that a further report will be brought to a future meeting setting out the objections, the Council's response thereto and the recommended course of action.

The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had requested that Manchester City Council and Salford City Council make an Anti-Terrorism Traffic Regulation Order (ATTRO) which covers the city centre, defined as all roads within the Manchester and Salford Inner Ring Road, excluding the ring road itself. If adopted, the ATTRO would authorise GMP to control the movement of pedestrians and vehicles in the city centre. The ATTRO was being proposed as part of a package of measures to improve the security of people in crowded places and preventing damage to buildings from a potential terrorist attack.

A report from the Strategic Director, Neighbourhoods explained why the Order was considered to be necessary, the process for it being approved, and the provisions of the Order. A copy of the proposed order and map showing its proposed extent were appended to the report. The order would allow the police to act quickly whenever necessary. It would be one of the measures that GMP would be able to use to protect the city centre, in particular to protect people in public spaces. The Chief Constable’s request was considered to be an appropriate measure to help secure people and buildings in the city.

Decisions

1.         Subject to (2) below, to authorise the City Solicitor to take all necessary steps to make the Order.

2.         If objections to the proposed order are received, to note that a further report will be brought to a future meeting setting out the objections, the Council's response thereto and the recommended course of action.

The report of the City Solicitor is Enclosed.

To approve the updated Manchester City Council CCTV Code of Practice.

A report submitted by the City Solicitor provided an update on developments in the Council’s use of surveillance cameras. Those developments required that the Council update its Code of Practice in relation to the use of CCTV. A copy of the proposed new Code of Practice was appended to the report.

The current Code of Practice dated back to 2008. It had been reviewed by the Council in 2013. Since then the Government’s Surveillance Camera Code of Practice (the Surveillance Code) had come into force on 12 August 2013; the Information Commissioner had issued a Data Protection Code of Practice for Surveillance Cameras; and the Surveillance Camera Commissioner had issued the National Surveillance Camera Strategy for England and Wales. The Council’s Code of Practice had therefore been subject to a full and thorough review to take all those into account. The new Code of Practice was approved.

Decision

To approve the updated Manchester City Council CCTV Code of Practice.

Enclosed is the report of the Strategic Director Children and Education Services.

1.         To approve and endorse the adoption of the House Project and support the engagement of Strategic Housing with registered housing providers to ensure sufficient ‘stock and flow’ of suitable properties.

2.         To endorse the proposal to adopt the model and associated costs to ensure financial prudence; and to support the subsequent implementation plan.

A report submitted by the Strategic Director Children and Education Services proposed that the Council become part of the House Project. The report explained that the National House Project was part of the DfE Innovation Programme. Its aim was to increase and further enhance the range and choice of accommodation for young people who have been in care. It sought to help prepare care-leavers for independence, supporting them to take ownership and responsibility for their accommodation. The evidence from other House Project sites indicated the service was improving outcomes for care-leavers and had reduced demand for supported accommodation from young people, as more were able to live independently.

The report described the role of the National House Project charity. That had developed the expertise and the tools to support the setting-up and management of Local House Projects within individual local authorities. The support provided by the charity, and the cost of obtaining that support, was set out in the appendix to the report. The report proposed how the project’s approach could be implemented in Manchester, and the running costs that were forecast to be involved. The analysis showed that the project should result in a net saving of almost £150k per year after three years, from the avoidance of supported accommodation costs.

It was explained that a stock and flow of suitable properties was vital to the success of these projects. Appropriate properties were expected to come from the stock of all the city’s Registered Housing Providers (RP) and the Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO). It was hoped that stock or properties would give young people some choice of where to live in the City. The choice would be subject to where suitable properties were being identified across the city that would be realistic and affordable for a young person to live in and improve. It was envisaged that the rent and utilities for a property would be paid by the Council and the tenancy management responsibilities would remain with the RP. There would need to be a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council and the RP to provide clarity on support, roles and responsibilities. The young people would occupy their property on an equitable tenancy until they were eighteen. During that time it would be important that the young people were involved in and had some responsibility for the decoration and refurbishment of their home.

Decisions

1.         To approve and endorse the adoption of the House Project and support the engagement of Strategic Housing with registered housing providers to ensure sufficient ‘stock and flow’ of suitable properties.

2.         To endorse the proposal to adopt the model and associated costs to ensure financial prudence; and to support the subsequent implementation plan.

Enclosed is the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer.

1.         To recommend that the Council approve the following changes to Manchester City Council’s capital programme:

(a)        Neighbourhoods – Manchester Regional Arena – Indoor and Outdoor Athletics Track Replacement. A capital budget increase of £1.500m is requested, funded from Waterfall Fund.

(b)        Growth and Development – Acquisition of The Courtyard at Royal Mills. A capital budget virement of £1.850m is requested, funded by a transfer from the Eastern Gateway budget.

(c)        Public Sector Housing - Fire Risk Assessment work low rise properties. A capital budget virement of £6.606m is requested, funded by a transfer from Northwards Housing Programme budget.

(d)        Children’s Services - Expansion of Dean Trust Ardwick secondary school. A capital budget virement of £3.784m is requested, funded by a transfer from Unallocated Basic Need Grant budget.

2.         To approve the following changes to the City Council’s capital programme:

(e)        Private Sector Housing – Marginal Viability Fund – New Victoria. A capital budget increase of £0.426m is requested, funded by Government Grant (Housing Infrastructure Fund).

(f)        ICT – Liquid Logic Social Care System. A capital budget virement of £0.492m is requested from the ICT Investment Plan, funded by borrowing.

3.         To note increases to the programme of £0.351m as a result of delegated officer approvals.

A report concerning requests to increase the capital programme was submitted. We agreed to recommend four changes to the Council, and to make a two further changes under delegated powers. These six changes would increase the Council’s capital budget by £1.962m across 2019/20 to 2021/22, funded from reserves, government grant, borrowing and the Housing Revenue Account.

We also noted ten smaller changes that had been approved by the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer.

Decisions

1.         To recommend that the Council approve the following changes to Manchester City Council’s capital programme:

(a)        Neighbourhoods – Manchester Regional Arena – Indoor and Outdoor Athletics Track Replacement. A capital budget increase of £1.500m is requested, funded from Waterfall Fund.

(b)        Growth and Development – Acquisition of The Courtyard at Royal Mills. A capital budget virement of £1.850m is requested, funded by a transfer from the Eastern Gateway budget.

(c)        Public Sector Housing - Fire Risk Assessment work low rise properties. A capital budget virement of £6.606m is requested, funded by a transfer from Northwards Housing Programme budget.

(d)        Children’s Services - Expansion of Dean Trust Ardwick secondary school. A capital budget virement of £3.784m is requested, funded by a transfer from Unallocated Basic Need Grant budget.

2.         To approve the following changes to the City Council’s capital programme:

(e)        Private Sector Housing – Marginal Viability Fund – New Victoria. A capital budget increase of £0.426m is requested, funded by Government Grant (Housing Infrastructure Fund).

(f)        ICT – Liquid Logic Social Care System. A capital budget virement of £0.492m is requested from the ICT Investment Plan, funded by borrowing.

3.         To note increases to the programme of £0.351m as a result of delegated officer approvals.

Enclosed is the report of Strategic Director Growth and Development.

1.         To note the increase in the forecast Residential Growth delivery target for new homes in Manchester from April 2015 to March 2025 of an additional 7,000 homes to 32,000 homes.

2.         To note the proposed increase in the delivery target between April 2015 and March 2025 from 5,000 Affordable Homes to a minimum of 6,400 Affordable Homes.

3.         To note the limited capacity of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account and the Council’s Housing Affordability Fund to support new additional Affordable Homes in the city and that significant new Affordable Home delivery in the city is dependent on robust partnership relationships with Registered Providers, which currently have the financial and delivery capacity to deliver those homes.

4.         To delegate authority to the Strategic Director - Growth and Development, and the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Executive Members for Finance and Resources and Housing and Regeneration to negotiate and formalise a strategic partnership with Homes England

5.         To delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, Strategic Director - Growth and Development and Head of Development in consultation with the local ward councillors, the Leader, the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration, Executive Member for Finance and HR, and the Executive Member responsible for Corporate Property, to agree the disposal of sites in Council ownership for the provision of affordable homes as set out in the report.

6.         To delegate authority to the Strategic Director - Growth and Development and the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Executive Members for Finance and Resources and Housing and Regeneration, to establish partnership arrangements with Registered Providers together with their partners/consortium for defined areas in the North, Central, South and Wythenshawe areas of the City.

7.         To note progress against the Policy Ideas presented to Executive in the December paper by the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration

8.         To delegate authority to the City Solicitor to enter into and complete all documents and agreements necessary to give effect to the recommendations in the report.

9.         To authorise the Head of Housing to explore with local Registered Providers (RPs) the draft principles on reacquiring former right-to-buy homes as set out in Annex 1 of the report, and to report to a future meeting.

A report from the Strategic Director, Growth and Development provided an update on the further consideration of the policy ideas contained in the report “Manchester's Affordable Housing Strategy - Proposed new affordable housing policies for the Council” that had been considered in December 2018 (Minute Exe/18/109). The report also examined the predicted demand for and supply of affordable homes in the City and how the Council and its partners would seek to achieve the target of creating at least 6,400 affordable homes between April 2015 to March 2025.

The report explained that over the ten-year period of April 2015 to March 2025 the Council was now forecasting that about 32,000 homes would be completed in Manchester. The Local Plan 2012 - 2027 set the target for affordable housing as 20% of all completions, resulting in 6,400 affordable homes in that same period. Achieving that number of homes would require significant investment by Homes England and Registered Providers. Only a comparatively limited amount of investment could be funded from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account and General Fund. It was proposed and supported that officers therefore seek to develop strategic partnerships with Homes England and with Registered Providers.

The report also examined the Council’s ability to contribute development land that could be used for affordable homes. It was evident that the Council’s land holdings had the potential to provide sites for much of the target number of homes. Officers were supported in seeking to dispose of land to partner providers to facilitate the creation of new affordable homes.

Support was also given to further investigation of the mechanism whereby former right-to-buy properties could be re-acquired using public funds and made available again as affordable homes.

It was noted that at a recent meeting the Economy Scrutiny Committee had also considered the report and had endorsed its recommendations, and added that for the disposal of sites in Council ownership that the officers should also consult the local ward councillors (Minute ESC/19/38). The committee’s recommendation was accepted. It was also agreed that other Executive Members should be added as consultees for such disposals.

Decisions

1.         To note the increase in the forecast Residential Growth delivery target for new homes in Manchester from April 2015 to March 2025 of an additional 7,000 homes to 32,000 homes.

2.         To note the proposed increase in the delivery target between April 2015 and March 2025 from 5,000 Affordable Homes to a minimum of 6,400 Affordable Homes.

3.         To note the limited capacity of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account and the Council’s Housing Affordability Fund to support new additional Affordable Homes in the city and that significant new Affordable Home delivery in the city is dependent on robust partnership relationships with Registered Providers, which currently have the financial and delivery capacity to deliver those homes.

4.         To delegate authority to the Strategic Director - Growth and Development, and the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Executive Members for Finance and Resources and Housing and Regeneration to negotiate and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

Enclosed is the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer.

To approve the proposal to reduce the liability of a liable person for Council Tax under section 13 A (1) (c) of the Local Government Finance Act for people receiving payments from the Windrush Compensation Scheme.

The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer explained that the Council had the discretion to reduce Council Tax liability to people receiving payments from the government’s Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS). A report was considered that sought approval to use the Council’s discretion under section 13A (1) (c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to reduce the Council Tax liabilities for these individuals. Without the exercise of that discretion by the Council the beneficiaries of the WCS could lose some or all entitlement to Council Tax Support because of the compensation they received from government. It was agreed that it would be appropriate for the Council to use its discretion in the circumstances described in the report.

It was noted that at a recent meeting the Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee had also considered the report and had endorsed its recommendations (Minute RGSC/19/46).

Decision

To approve the proposal to reduce the liability of a liable person for Council Tax under section 13 A (1) (c) of the Local Government Finance Act for people receiving payments from the Windrush Compensation Scheme.

The report of the City Solicitor and the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer is enclosed.

That Manchester City Council enter into an agreement with the DWP to implement the Tell Us Once initiative in the city.

A report from the City Solicitor and the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer explained that ‘Tell Us Once’ is a service which is offered by local authorities on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The service allows the person who is registering a death the opportunity, in one interaction with the Council, to inform over 30 relevant central and local government services of a death. That saves them from having to write or telephone or visit each service individually. The Tell Us Once service is free to use and can save bereaved residents a great deal of time and effort.

The report explained how the service benefits the person who is registering a death and the Council, and also the steps the Council would need to take to make the services available in Manchester. The implementation would involve the Council entering into a Service Level Agreement with the DWP. The proposals was supported.

Decision

That Manchester City Council enter into an agreement with the DWP to implement the Tell Us Once initiative in the city.

Enclosed is the report of the Strategic Director Growth and Development.

1.         To note the outcome of the public consultation on the draft updated Strategic Regeneration Framework for Manchester Science Park.

2.         To approve the draft updated Strategic Regeneration Framework for Manchester Science Park, and request that the Planning and Highways Committee take the Framework into account as a material consideration when considering planning applications for the site.

The Science Park was formed by the City Council and the Victoria University of Manchester in 1978 to capture benefits that could be gained through the creativity and knowledge available at the universities. The first building was completed in 1984 followed by a second in 1989. Since then it had expended and developed and was now home to a range of domestic and international companies operating in a range of business sectors. In March 2014 we had welcomed the preparation of a draft Regeneration Framework for Manchester Science Park (MSP) and asked the Chief Executive to undertake a public consultation exercise on that draft (Minute Exe/14/032). In September 2014 we had considered the responses to those consultations and approved the adoption of the Framework as a material planning consideration for new development proposals within the Park (minute Exe/14/086).

In December 2018 it had been proposed that new draft Framework was needed to set out a refreshed strategy which would recognised an increasing demand for additional floorspace to support the growth in science-based economic activity. It had been suggested that there needed to be an ambitious expansion of MSP in order to ensure that the unique opportunity to capture that demand was not lost. Therefore, a draft of an updated Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) had been proposed and it was agreed that draft should be subject to public consultation (Minute Exe/18/104).

The Strategic Director, Growth and Development now submitted a report on the outcome of that consultation.  In March 2019 over 2,300 consultation letters had been sent to local residents, landowners, businesses and stakeholders. The letters had explained how to participate and engage in the consultation process and where to see the SRF document. The draft framework was made available on the Council’s website from 20 March 2019, and comments were invited on this. The formal consultations had then closed on 3 May 2019. As well as the consultation activities of the Council, Manchester Science Partnerships had also organised meetings and a site visit for residents and other stakeholders.

There had been nine responses to the consultation; six from individual residents; one from a higher education institution and one each from TfGM and Historic England North West. The report examined the issues that had been raised by residents, and went into detail on the responses from three public bodies. In each case the report examined the matter and set out a response on behalf of the Council. Having looked at all the matters that consultees had raised, no amendments to the draft updated SRF were proposed. Having considered the matters that respondents had raised, and the responses to those, it was agreed that the SRF should be adopted.

Decisions

1.         To note the outcome of the public consultation on the draft updated Strategic Regeneration Framework for Manchester Science Park.

2.         To approve the updated Strategic Regeneration Framework for Manchester Science Park, and request that the Planning and Highways Committee take the Framework into account as a material consideration when considering  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

Enclosed is the report of the Strategic Director Growth and Development.

1.         To note the outcome of the public consultation on the draft Strategic Regeneration Framework Guidance for the Oxford Road Corridor area.

2.         To approve the draft Strategic Regeneration Framework Guidance including proposed amendments in response to the consultation and request that the Planning and Highways Committee take the Framework into account as a material consideration when considering planning applications for the four sites covered by the SRFG.

3.         To agree land in Council ownership will be used to support the SRFG as opportunities are brought forward.

In June 2017 we had endorsed in principle the draft Strategic Spatial Framework for the Oxford Road Corridor and requested that the Chief Executive undertake public consultation on the draft (Minute Exe/17/082). In March 2018 we had considered the outcome of the consultations that had been undertaken and had endorsed and approved the principles in the Corridor Manchester Strategic Spatial Framework (Minute Exe/18/030). In November 2018 approval had been sought and given for public consultation on a new Strategic Regeneration Framework Guidance (SRFG) for the Oxford Road Corridor area.  The purpose of that draft framework guidance was to help to guide the development of four specific sites in a consistent way that recognised the Oxford Road Corridor’s physical and locational characteristics. The proposed SRFG was being brought forward by the Oxford Road Corridor Partners in relation to four development sites that were part of the overall Oxford Road Corridor Strategy: Upper Brook Street; the Former Elizabeth Gaskell Campus; Wilmott Street (the former Salvation Army site); and Birchall Way (Minute Exe/18/105).

The Strategic Director, Growth & Development now submitted a report on the outcome of a public consultation exercise with local residents, landowners, businesses and other stakeholders. Due to the large area covered by the Oxford Road Corridor area local residents, landowners, businesses and stakeholders were informed about the consultation online and via social media. The public consultation began on 22 March and closed on 3 May 2019. The online information had providing details about how readers could participate and engage in the process, and where to access the SRFG document. The draft Framework was also made available on the Council’s website and comments were invited on this. Social media posts were used on the Council’s Facebook and Twitter feeds throughout the consultation period to provide users with the link to the consultation documents. There had been five responses to the consultation: from two landowners (along with a joint statement), a higher education institution and a local charitable organisation.

For each of the sites encompassed within the revised guidance the report set out in detail the issues that had been raised by the respondents. It then proposed responses to those on a site-by-site basis, and set out changes that would be made to the draft to take into account the outcome of the consultation. Those changes were all agreed. It was also agreed that land within the ownership of the Council would be used to support the SRFG as opportunities came forward to do so. Having considered the matters that respondents had raised, the responses to those, and the proposed changes to the SRFG document, it was agreed that the SRFG should be adopted.

Decisions

1.         To note the outcome of the public consultation on the draft Strategic Regeneration Framework Guidance for the Oxford Road Corridor area.

2.         To approve the Strategic Regeneration Framework Guidance including proposed amendments in response to the consultation and request that the Planning and Highways Committee take the Framework into account as a material consideration when considering  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.

Enclosed is the report of the Strategic Director Growth and Development.

1.         To note the proposed refinements in Manchester in the HS2 Design Refinement Consultation.

2.         To note the City Council’s submission of a response to the consultation.

In December 2018 we had considered a consultation on the plans for the construction of the HS2 rail line as it came through Manchester, past the airport, and into Piccadilly Station (Minute Exe/18/112). We had at that time delegated authority to respond to HS2 the consultation to the then Strategic Director (Development), now referred to as the Strategic Director, Growth and Development.

HS2 Ltd had now refined the plans and had invited the Council to again comment on those revisions. A report submitted by the Strategic Director, Growth and Development explained the key differences between the 2018 proposals and what HS2 Ltd was now contemplating.

In examining the Council’s response to the consultation, the report described the Council’s continuing overall commitment to the HS2 project and explained the on-going concerns of the Council about some of the detail in the scheme, and the site-specific issues that required a response. There remained significant issues with the proposed locations and size of the tunnel ventilation shafts, as well as with the potential for significant disruption to residents and to traffic flows from the vehicle movements needed to remove waste rock excavated during the tunnel boring.

Councillor Lovecy, a ward councillor for the Rusholme Ward, addressed the meeting. She explained that there was much local concern about the proposal to have one of the ventilation shafts in the Fallowfield Retail Park on Birchfield’s Road. That site was not appropriate for a number of reasons:

·         it would be directly adjacent to Birchfields Primary School and close to Manchester Enterprise Academy Central, disturbing the learning at those schools for many years, and creating more air pollution for the children to be exposed to long-term;

·         it would eliminate three large shops on the retail park, and the jobs of the local residents who worked in those shops; and

·         it would reduce the space available for the ‘park and stride’ schemes that the local schools used to help reduce traffic congestion in the streets around the schools.

It was noted that in its response the Council had proposed two alternative sites where this vent could be located. It was hoped that HS2 Ltd would acknowledge the concerns about the retail park site, and then engage with the community to identify what alternative would be more suitable.

The deadline for responses had been 6 September 2019 and it was therefore noted that the director had again provided a response to the consultation on behalf of the Council.

Decision

1.         To note the proposed refinements in Manchester in the HS2 Design Refinement Consultation.

2.         To note the City Council’s submission of a response to the consultation.

The Decision Notice from the GMCA meeting on 26 July is enclosed.

To note the decisions made by the GMCA at its meeting on 26 July 2019.

Decision

To note the decisions made by the GMCA at its meeting on 26 July 2019.