To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2025.

Decision: That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods).

This report highlights the annual (January to December 2024) progress that has been made by Manchester Active in the development and delivery of Manchester’s Sport and Physical Activity Strategy. This report also provides an overview how sport and physical activity has enabled Manchester residents to be healthier and happier.

The committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that highlighted the annual progress made by Manchester Active in the development and delivery of Manchester’s Sport and Physical Activity Strategy and provided an overview of how sport and physical activity enabled Manchester residents to be healthier and happier. 

Key themes and points within the report included: 

• Manchester hosted 24 major sporting events in 2024 with a total investment of £1.2m and an estimated cumulative economic impact of over £11.24m; 

• The leisure capital programme invested c.£60m, with 3 facilities receiving UK Sport’s inaugural Elite Training Centre accreditation.  

• Local leisure centres experienced a record attendance increase by 25% to over 3.5 million; 

• The introduction of a new GP gateway referral system which guided over 8,500 residents through a Physical Activity Referral Service (PARS) and lowered referral rate times to 2-4 weeks; 

• Activity levels and participation, particularly amongst children and young people;  

• Manchester continued to demonstrate strong progress in reducing inactivity levels and increasing participation compared to other English Core Cities; 

• The vision, objectives and priorities of the Sport and Physical Activity Strategy; 

• Activities and achievements against these priorities;  

• Engagement with schools; 

• During the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, 52 medals were ‘Made in Manchester’, with athletes hailing from or training in the city earning 23 golds, 16 silvers, and 13 bronzes; 

• The use of digital and data methods to communicate leisure opportunities to the public in innovative ways; 

• Manchester Active remained committed to fairness and equity in access but the challenge of addressing health inequalities in Manchester remained significant; and  

• A physical activity ‘Kick Starter’ would be delivered in 2025 as part of the City’s strategic priorities that will make physical activity accessible regardless of economic status.  

Some of the key points and queries that arose from the committee’s discussion included: 

• Recognising the success of basketball courts in Hulme and investments in Chorlton Park; 

• How it was decided where further investment was to be made; 

• How Manchester Active was encouraging schools to participate in the swimming lessons programme, rather than “pool in the school” schemes;  

• How sport, activity and healthy living were promoted in areas with health inequalities and low participation; 

• Noting the success of the Active Streets initiative, and querying how this could be rolled out elsewhere in the city;  

• Specialist activities for those with learning difficulties;  

• How the offer of free activity would be enhanced in the next 12 months; and 

• Capacity at Ghyll Head Outdoor Education Centre and how greater participation of schools could be achieved.  

The Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure stated that Manchester Active offered distinctive and extensive activities that were not replicated across the country and that Manchester was a leading city in this regard. The committee also considered a video which provided a comprehensive overview of the work of Manchester Active through its partnership with the Council.  

In response to members’ queries, the Interim Chief Executive, Manchester Active noted that Manchester was unique in its ability to make investments in leisure and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods).

This report provides an overview of Manchester’s year as the inaugural European Capital of Cycling in 2024.

The committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an overview of Manchester’s year as the inaugural European Capital of Cycling in 2024. Following a bid submission, Manchester was officially awarded the title of ACES European Capital of Cycling for 2024 in December 2023 at the European Parliament in Brussels. 

Key themes and points within the report included: 

• Notable achievements, including the completion of new cycling infrastructure schemes; training 49 new Ride Leaders and Community Activators with the skills to lead rides within their local communities; and Manchester Active awarding 47 grants to community groups and organisations to support with delivery across schools, groups and the community; 

• Cycle trips by Manchester residents were estimated to have increased by 28,000 to 82,000 during the period which the bid was developed and announced; 

• The bid consortium was established on behalf of the city with representatives from Manchester City Council, British Cycling, TfGM, Manchester Active, Marketing Manchester, and Cycling UK. Other partners, including Manchester Metropolitan University and Bee Pedal Ready have since joined; 

• The work undertaken with established groups, organisations and individuals to overcome barriers to participation in different communities; 

• Programmes such as Holiday Activity Fund (HAF), Active Streets, Manchester Bike Kitchen and UK Cycling’s 100 Women in Cycling, of which 10 entries were involved in developing cycling in Manchester; 

• Cycle facilities and infrastructure across the city; 

• The School Streets scheme, which aimed to help create a pleasant, child friendly environment to enable more children to walk, wheel or cycle to school, whilst ensuring residents, local businesses and blue badge holders can still maintain access to the streets; 

• The Council was investigating funding opportunities to use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to enforce School Streets and to expand the programme; 

• Knowledge sharing with other European cities; and 

• Long-term opportunities and continued promotion of cycling in Manchester. 

Some of the key points and queries that arose from the committee’s discussion included: 

• How the success of Manchester’s year as European Capital of Cycling would help to increase participation in physical activity; 

• Changes in attitudes towards cycling and cyclists; 

• What improvements had been or would be made to commuter cycling infrastructure;  

• That there had been a reduction in the number of Beryl bikes available in Fallowfield; 

• Addressing issues of antisocial behaviour around cycle hire docking stations;  

• Plans for more cycling infrastructure in North Manchester and Wythenshawe; 

• How cycle hire schemes were promoted, particularly to students; and 

• Plans for electric scooter schemes to be rolled out, similar to that in Salford. 

The Executive Member for Employment, Skills and Leisure stated that, in its capacity as European Capital of Cycling, Manchester’s ambition was for 2024 to be a year when cycling provisions grew and communities increased their cycling activities. He stated that this had proven to be a success and had exceeded expectations, and thanked partners and groups who embraced the year and continued to be a part of the Council’s plans for cycling in Manchester, particularly the Greater Manchester Bicycle Mayor. He highlighted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the City Treasurer

This report provides a high-level overview of the updated budget position. Each scrutiny committee is invited to consider the proposed changes which are within its remit and to make recommendations to the Executive before it agrees the final budget proposals on 19 February 2025. 

The Committee considered the report of the City Treasurer that provided a high-level overview of the updated budget position.?? 

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Key points and themes in the report included:? 

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• Providing an introduction and background;? 

• Reporting that when the Council set its 2024/25 budget in February 2024, it was forecasting a budget shortfall of £29m in 2025/26 increasing to £41m in 2026/27 and £77m by 2027/28;? 

• It was now expected that, subject to the outcome of the budget consultation, a balanced budget could be set for 2025/26 after the application of savings approved in previous budget rounds of £10.6m, new proposed savings of £18.2m, and the use of c£18m smoothing reserves, alongside grant increases announced in the provisional settlement on 18 December 2024; and??? 

• At the time of writing the report the final settlement had not yet been released, any changes between the provisional and final settlement would be reported to the Executive alongside any changes to the proposals outlined as a consequence.? 

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Some of the key points and queries that arose from the Committee’s discussions included:?? 

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• That the Council had received one-year Finance Settlements for many years;? 

• Welcoming the positive investment in local government by the current government; and?? 

• Recognising the pressures and demand in social care and homelessness, and the impact of 14 years of austerity and budget cuts imposed by previous governments.? 

? 

The Executive Member for Finance and Resources stated that the Council was now expected to deliver a balanced budget for 2025/26 after the application of savings approved in the previous budget, new proposed efficiency savings of £18.2m that had been considered at the December meeting, the use of c£18m smoothing reserves, alongside grant increases announced in the provisional settlement on 18 December 2024 and an increase in Council Tax of 4.99%. He commented that whilst there would be a requirement to replenish an appropriate level of reserves for the city and pressures still existed, particularly in relation to demand across Adult Social Care and Children’s Services, Manchester was in a much more financially stable position when compared to many other local authorities. He also commented that it was anticipated that the planned government Spending Review would result in multiple year settlements for local authorities which he welcomed.? 

? 

In response to a query, the Executive Member for Finance and Resources confirmed that the Council had received one-year Finance Settlements for the past seven years and welcomed the new government’s commitment to multi-year settlements, which he stated would provide the Council with a greater ability to plan future budgets and manage demand and pressures.? 

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Decision:? 

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That the report be noted.?? 

Report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods)

This report provides a further update to members on the priorities for the services in the remit of this committee and details the proposed changes to the budget. Each scrutiny committee is invited to consider the proposed budget changes that are within its remit and to make recommendations to the Executive before it agrees to the final budget proposals on 19 February 2025.

The committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Neighbourhoods) that provided an overview of the services and their key priorities under the remit of this scrutiny committee and included details of the already approved savings and investments, along with details of further savings proposals for consideration as part of the budget process to help ensure an overall balanced budget.? 

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Key points and themes within the report included:? 

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• An overview of the Neighbourhoods services within the remit of this committee and their priorities, which included community safety; leisure, events and contracts; libraries and galleries; and homelessness;? 

• The gross 2024/25 budget was c.£120m and the net budget of c.£55m? 

• Savings of £1.332m had already been approved for 2025/26 as part of prior year budget approvals, through an ongoing programme to reduce the costs of temporary accommodation and emergency placement costs, and further savings were proposed through a combination of efficiencies, transformation and income generation;?? 

• The Council had withdrawn a proposal to reduce funding for events in libraries by £20k and would retain the same level of support for events;?? 

• One budgeted post that had been vacant for 12 months or longer would be deleted and the associated budget banked for savings;? 

• Government grants and other income, which were forecast to increase to £15.2m in 2025/26; and?? 

• Future opportunities and risks.? 

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Some of the key points and themes that arose from the committee’s discussion included:? 

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• Welcoming the steps taken by the Homelessness Service to reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation;?? 

• How savings would be achieved by offering families accommodation in apartments, and the impact of a family declining an offer of an apartment on the proposed savings;?? 

• Noting that the proposal to allow families with children aged 12 or over to move into apartments did not forecast any savings for 2027/28, and querying whether this was because the Council could not yet predict the potential savings;? 

• Progress with repurposing Council-owned buildings to use as temporary accommodation;? 

• The proposed saving of £34k through reduced staffing budgets for Galleries;? 

• How the Vulnerable Renters Fund and the Empty Homes project contributed to the reduction of B&B placements and how this would be built upon;? 

• How the Council could build on its investment of £1.3m to top-up Discretionary Housing Payments;? 

• How the partnerships created through Cultural Partnerships Grant programme could be further leveraged to enhance cultural access across the city;? 

• Further opportunities to develop libraries as community hubs; and??? 

• Recognising the importance of Equality Impact Assessments and requesting that future Budget reports include these.?? 

? 

In response to member’s queries regarding the proposed savings for the Homelessness Service, the Statutory Deputy Leader explained that there were statistics to support the forecasted £200k saving from amending the housing allocations policy in certain circumstances to allow families with children to access apartments at height, however the demand for this type of accommodation was largely unknown until offered. She noted that there would be a saving to the Council for every person moved out of temporary accommodation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit.

The monthly report includes the recommendations monitor, relevant key decisions, the Committee’s work programme and any items for information.

The committee received a report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit which provided responses to previous recommendations, details of key decisions that fell within the Committee’s remit and any items for information previously requested by the Committee.  

Decision:  

That the report be noted and the work programme approved.