Agenda and minutes

To invite Councillors and Commissioners to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting, to confirm the nature of those interests and whether they intend to leave the meeting for the consideration of the item.

There were no Declarations of Interest to report.

To receive questions from members of the public who wish to ask a general question in respect of matters within the Council’s area of responsibility or influence.

Subject to the Chair’s discretion, members of the public may ask one question and one supplementary question, which should relate to the original question and answered received.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To receive the record of proceedings of the Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meetings held on 19 February and 12 March 2018.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meetings held on 19^th February and 12^th March, 2018, be agreed as true and correct records of the proceedings.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Hoddinott

Commissioner:         Kenny (in advisory role)

Recommendations:-

1.         That approval be given to the cessation of the free garden waste collection service with effect from 26 October 2018 and to replace with an optional, all year round, chargeable garden waste collection service from 29 October 2018.

2.         That the operating policies in paragraph 6.2 and 6.15 of this report be approved.

3.         That the fee for the garden waste collection service be set at £39 for an initial subscription period from 29 October 2018 until January 2020, with the price of future annual subscriptions subject to review each year.

4.         That approval be given to the introduction of a two-stream recycling service that includes the collection of plastic materials at the kerbside from early 2019 – Option 1(b) – with the specific date to be confirmed as part of the procurement exercise. New 180 litre residual bins will be provided to all households in time for the launch of the two-stream recycling service to enable the existing 240 litre residual bins to be used for recycling plastic, tin cans and glass thereby reducing capital expenditure.  

5.         That the Council be recommended to add the capital costs of the vehicles and bins at an estimated cost of £5.54m to the Council’s Capital Programme.

6.         That authority be delegated to the Assistant Director of Community Safety and Street Scene to make all necessary arrangements for the smooth introduction of the revised waste collection service including the purchase of bins and refuse vehicles.

7.         That officers develop a comprehensive communications and marketing plan, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, to sit alongside the implementation plan for the revised waste collection service.

Further to Minute No. 70 of the meeting of the Cabinet and Commissioners held on 13^th November, 2017, consideration was given to a report which set out details of the outcome of the waste consultation exercise and proposed the introduction of changes to the Council’s waste collection service. The proposed changes were to introduce kerbside plastic collection as soon as practicable, and introduce an all year round green waste chargeable service from October, 2018.

Details of the different options assessed by the Council, along with the potential impact on recycling and the costs of each option were highlighted.  The recommended option was 1B which would result in a replacement 180ltr residual bin with two stream recycling, the introduction of an all year round green waste chargeable service from October, 2018 and a plastic collection from the household waste stream as “Phase 2” of the implementation process which would be subject to tender and would be introduced at a later stage.

Cabinet Members were in support of the proposals and believed the enhanced recycling opportunities would work in collaboration with a smaller general waste residual bin.

However, in accepting the proposals it was suggested that clear information be provided identifying what plastic could be recycled at the kerbside, what material could be placed in which bin, preferably in pictorial format, and the introduction timescales for each phase.

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations subject to a trial being initiated for different types of households and for this to be evaluated to ensure the proposed changes were feasible and households were not adversely affected by the proposals. 

In addition it was also suggested that there be some exploration as to the feasibility of communal facilities for waste disposals and recycling particularly for high density housing and new developments and that the details of the communications and engagement strategy be provided to Improving Places Select Commission for their input and monitoring.

Councillor Hoddinott, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, agreed with the principle, but confirmed a trial could not be supported. Any opportunity for volunteers to feed back any findings on performance was welcomed and this in turn would be reported back to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in due course.

However, any further exploration of waste and recycling options in high density community housing was welcomed.  The communications and engagement strategy would be submitted to the Improving Places Select Commission as part of the work programme.

Resolved:- (1)  That the cessation of the free garden waste collection service be approved with effect from 26th October, 2018 and be replaced with an optional, all year round, chargeable garden waste collection service from 29^th October, 2018.

(2)  That the operating policies in paragraph 6.2 and 6.15 of this report be approved.

(3)  That the fee for the garden waste collection service be set at £39 for an initial subscription period  ...  view the full minutes text for item 133.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Hoddinott

Commissioner:         Kenny (in advisory role)

Recommendations:

1.         That the Home to School Transport Policy 2018-19 be approved.

2.         That the Home to School Transport Assessment Matrix be approved.

3.         That approval be given to the introduction of a formal annual review of transport provision, which includes engagement with families.

4.         That an assessment of existing service users be conducted to review their circumstances to enable participation on a voluntary basis ahead of the introduction of the formal annual review;

5.         That approval be given to the introduction of a personal travel budget scheme to provide transport support to families of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

6.         That post-16 transport travel arrangements be revised to replace direct transport as a first option with personal travel budgets for those students with special educational needs and disabilities.

7.         That approval be given to the consideration of alternative methods of support for particular groups or individuals such as walking bus, cycle or moped schemes, when appropriate.

8.         That approval be given to the introduction of independent travel training as a central resource in Rotherham to support arrangements currently delivered by Special Schools for children from the age of 14+ to enable independence and that travel training commence from June 2018 for appropriate young people.

9.         That personal travel budgets for all students making new applications for post-16 travel be instigated from 1 July 2018, and existing users of the post-16 service are permitted to apply on a voluntary basis from 1 May 2018.

10.      That a transition period to validate the Transport Assessment Matrix be effective from 1 May 2018, with the full implementation of the policy for all new applicants with effect from 1 July 2018.

11.      That children and young people in need of home to school transport, and including transport operators, be engaged as part of the transition and implementation process.

12.      That any amendments to the Transport Assessment Matrix, resulting from the transition period, to be delegated to the Assistant Director for Community Safety and Street Scene.

Further to Minute No. 42 of the meeting of the Cabinet and Commissioners held on 11^th September, 2017, consideration was given to the report which provided the outcome of the consultation on the Home to School Transport Policy for Rotherham, including post-16 students and children with Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) and provides recommendations for the service provision.

The revised Home to School Transport Policy (Appendix 1) provided advice and guidance for families regarding the support available to them relating to a range of transport options for young people in Rotherham and would seek to develop and promote independent travel training as a central service in Rotherham and apply it particularly at transitional stages.

Any changes proposed to these services would ensure the continuation of suitable, safe, home to school travel assistance for eligible children in accordance with the Council’s statutory duties, taking into account an individual’s assessed needs. The policy must also contribute to the Council’s priority of ensuring every child had the best start in life.

Cabinet Members welcomed the proposed Policy, especially the transition to  independent travel training whilst complying with the statutory duty to transport children to and from school.

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations, subject to further investigation into the the cost/benefit feasibility of operating an in-house service for those requiring home to school transport rather than reliance on taxis and for a further report on the policy’s implementation being submitted to Improving Places Select Commission in six months’ time.

Councillor Hoddinott, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, was happy to initiate an investigation into operating an in-house home to school service as an operational alternative and where possible initiate efficiencies.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Home to School Transport Policy 2018-19 be approved.

(2)  That the Home to School Transport Assessment Matrix be approved.

(3)  That approval be given to the introduction of a formal annual review of transport provision, which includes engagement with families.

(4)  That an assessment of existing service users be conducted to review their circumstances to enable participation on a voluntary basis ahead of the introduction of the formal annual review;

(5) That approval be given to the introduction of a personal travel budget scheme to provide transport support to families of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

(6)  That post-16 transport travel arrangements be revised to replace direct transport as a first option with personal travel budgets for those students with special educational needs and disabilities.

(7)  That approval be given to the consideration of alternative methods of support for particular groups or individuals such as walking bus, cycle or moped schemes, when appropriate.

(8)  That approval be given to the introduction of independent travel training as a central resource in Rotherham to support arrangements currently delivered by Special Schools for children from the age of 14+ to enable independence and that travel training  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134.

To receive a report detailing the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in respect of the following items that were subject to pre-decision scrutiny on 11 April 2018:

·         Waste Collections Service Review

·         Home to School Transport Policy

Consideration was given to the circulated report, the contents of which were included as part of the relevant items and the details included accordingly.

To note that the date and time of the next Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meeting will be Monday 21 May 2018 at 10.00 a.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved:-  That the next Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meeting would take place on Monday, 21st May, 2018 at 10.00 a.m. at the Town Hall.