The Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday 09 June 2026 to review the council's financial performance and resource allocation for the 2025/26 year-end. Key discussions included the Corporate Performance and Resources Report, portfolio performance, and proposed amendments to the council's constitution. The committee also considered the draft Portfolio Performance and Resources Agreement for the Finance & Resources portfolio for the upcoming year and reviewed the annual report of the Totally Local Company.

2025/26 Year-End Corporate Performance and Resources Report

The committee reviewed the 2025/26 Year-End Corporate Performance and Resource Report (CPRR), which summarised the council's progress in delivering its priority outcomes and provided a detailed financial update. The report highlighted that the council had a revenue budget outturn deficit of £8.910m, which was balanced using one-off resources and reserves. Significant pressures were noted in the Children, Families and Education portfolio (£7.738m deficit) and Health and Adult Social Care portfolio (£5.907m deficit), largely due to increased demand and complexity of need. Conversely, the Finance and Resources portfolio reported a surplus of £0.591m. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) outturn position showed a deficit of £24.984m, which will be carried forward as part of a cumulative DSG deficit. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) reported a surplus of £2.156m, and the Collection Fund had a deficit of £1.799m. The report also detailed the council's capital programme for 2025/26, which had an outturn expenditure of £119.374m. The committee was recommended to note the performance highlights, key delivery and performance issues, and financial outturn positions.

Portfolio Performance and Resources Year-End Report 2025/26

The committee considered the Year-End Portfolio Performance and Resource Report for the Finance and Resources Portfolio. This report summarised the portfolio's performance and financial data for the period October 2025 to March 2026. The committee was asked to review progress against key projects, priority outcomes, targets, and budgets, and to highlight any areas requiring corrective action or significant issues to be fed back to the Cabinet. The report indicated that the Finance and Resources portfolio had a revenue budget surplus of £0.591m.

Draft Portfolio Performance and Resources Agreement (PPRA) for the Finance & Resources Portfolio 2026/27

The committee reviewed the draft 2026/27 Portfolio Performance and Resources Agreement (PPRA) for the Finance, Resources and Innovation portfolio. This agreement sets out the portfolio's priorities, objectives, and performance measures for the upcoming year, aligning with the refreshed Council Plan 2026-29. The portfolio's areas of responsibility include schools capital, finance, council budget, transformation, IT and digital transformation, elections, STAR, revenue and benefits, HR and OD, legal and democratic services, and business support. The committee was invited to comment on the draft agreement.

Totally Local Company Annual Report 2025/26

The committee received the Totally Local Company (TLC) – Annual Report 2025/26. TLC, a wholly-owned company of Stockport Council, delivers public realm and environmental services. The report covered TLC's performance for the year ending 31 March 2026, providing assurance on its service delivery, financial discipline, trading position, and employment practices. TLC reported a turnover of £33.951m and a profit before tax of £34,000. The report highlighted strong workforce retention rates above 97% and a significant local employment footprint, with 66% of the workforce living within Stockport. The committee was recommended to note and comment upon the report.

Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) – Delivery Plan Proposal

The committee considered a report outlining the proposed Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) delivery programme for 2026/27 to 2028/29. The CRF, which replaces the Household Support Fund, aims to provide a safety net for low-income households facing financial shocks and build long-term financial resilience. Stockport's provisional annual allocation for the CRF is £3.5m. The proposed delivery plan is structured around four investment areas: Crisis Payments, Housing Payments, Resilience Services, and Community Coordination, with associated administration costs. The committee was asked to note the report and provide comments.

Proposed Amendments to the Constitution – Review of Article 14 – Decision-Making

The committee reviewed a report proposing an amendment to Article 14.03(b)(i) of the council's constitution. The amendment seeks to introduce a financial threshold of £500,000 to define 'significant' expenditure or savings, thereby clarifying what constitutes a Key Decision. This aligns Stockport with the practice of several other Greater Manchester authorities and existing financial thresholds within the council's constitution. The committee was recommended to comment on and note the report, and to recommend that the Council Meeting approve the amendment.

Proposed Amendments to the Constitution – Review of CP4 of the Constitution - Confidential Reporting Policy (Whistleblowing)

The committee considered proposed amendments to the Confidential Reporting Policy, also known as the Whistleblowing Policy. These amendments aim to clarify and strengthen the policy, including adding more senior officers as points of contact, clarifying consultation processes, and ensuring reasonable adjustments are made for individuals raising concerns. The committee was asked to note the report and provide any comments.

Proposed Amendments to the Constitution – Review of the Council Meeting Procedure Rules (PR1)

The committee reviewed a report analysing the current operation of the Council Meeting Procedure Rules, highlighting areas of pressure and proposing options for mitigation to ensure democratic accountability is maintained. The report noted that council meetings frequently exceeded their four-hour time limit, leading to items being decided without debate. Recommendations included aligning Joint Authority Business questions with Cabinet Member Question Time arrangements, reducing the duration of Cabinet Member Statements and Questions, and limiting general speech durations to five minutes. The committee was recommended to comment on and note the conclusions of the Constitution Working Party and recommend the proposed schedule of amendments to the Council Meeting Procedure Rules for adoption.

Scrutiny Review Topic Selection 2026/27

The committee was presented with a report outlining the scrutiny review process and providing a framework for selecting scrutiny review topics for the 2026/27 municipal year. The report detailed the importance of timely and relevant topic selection, potential pitfalls to avoid, and a 10-question approach for testing possible scrutiny work areas. Members were invited to consider selecting a topic and nominating members for the proposed Scrutiny Review Panel.

Scrutiny Work Programme

The committee reviewed the planned agenda items for its future meetings and Forward Plan items within its remit. Members requested that the Bus Franchising report and a Transport for Greater Manchester report on late-running buses be included on the work programme for the October 2026 meeting. The Chief Governance Officer and Monitoring Officer was also requested to arrange dates for the 2026/27 Scrutiny Review Panel meetings.

Urgent Business: Blue Bin Collection

An urgent item concerning changes to blue bin collection arrangements was discussed. It was reported that a return to fortnightly blue bin collections from December 2026 had been enabled by a forecast surplus in the Housing and Environment Portfolio. The estimated in-year cost of this change from December 2026 was £185,000, reducing the forecast surplus to £90,000. The recurring annual cost from 2027/28 was estimated at up to £430,000 and would be considered during the 2027/28 budget-setting process. The committee noted the briefing note and the recurring financial implications.