Agenda and minutes

To invite Councillors 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  ...  view the full agenda text for item 36.

A member of the public referred to a response to a petition he received the day after the last Council meeting, yet a petition he submitted on the 15^th May, 2019, some fifteen weeks ago still had no response.  He, therefore, asked when would he get a response and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

To receive the record of proceedings of the Cabinet meeting held on 8 July 2019.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 8^th July, 2019, be agreed as true and correct record of the proceedings.

Agenda Items 15, 17, 18 and 19 have exempt appendices. Therefore, if necessary when considering those items, the Chair will move the following resolution:-

That under Section 100(A) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 38.

Resolved:-  That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the Agenda Items 15, 17, 18 and 19  on the grounds that the appendices involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Recommendations:-

1.      That the procurement of independent advocacy services be aligned to the service delivery model in preferred Option 2, described in this report.

2.      That the statutory NHS Complaints Advocacy Service be included in the scope of  ...  view the full agenda text for item 39.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the commissioning and procurement of independent advocacy services for adults, though this also included some provision for young people aged between 16 and 17 years old.

Independent Advocacy Services were necessary to meet all of the Council’s statutory requirements under the Care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Recommendations:-

1.    That approval be given to Option 2 at Section 3.2 in the report and the commencement of a tender on the open market for the procurement of a local Healthwatch Service for the period of 3  ...  view the full agenda text for item 40.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how the current contract for the provision of a local Healthwatch Service was in place until 31^st March, 2020.  The Service was due to come to the end of the contractual term and the extension clause had been exercised, thus requiring  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Recommendations:-

1.      That Cabinet note:-

·     the co-production work and re-design of a new service specification was successfully completed to enable a tender process to take place

·     a competitive tendering exercise ran from 20th February to 28th March 2019.  ...  view the full agenda text for item 41.

Further to Minute No. 69 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 17^th December, 2018, consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the conclusion of the procurement process.

The report, therefore, provided:-

·                A brief summary of Housing Related Support and the changing needs of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

Report of the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services

Recommendations:-

1.      That approval be granted to the increase in education provision by 111 places to be achieved by September 2020.

2.      That approval be granted to utilise the £1.186 million available capital funding to create the additional infrastructure  ...  view the full agenda text for item 42.

Further to Minute 147 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 20^th May, 2019, consideration was given to the Local Authority’s proposals to utilise capital funding to increase the sufficiency of school places for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Rotherham.

Consultation had now taken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1.      That the Council be recommended to amend the Members’ Allowances Scheme (Appendix 8 of the Constitution), subject to the receipt of the recommendations from the Independent Remuneration Panel

2.      That the policies to support Elected Members in respect of parental leave, disabilities,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 43.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the outcome following the establishment of a working group of Members to review carers, maternity and paternity arrangements for Councillors, with the aim encouraging the next generation of women to play their part in politics in Rotherham.

The report presented the recommendations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Service

Recommendations:-

1.      That the current General Fund Revenue Budget forecast of £4.6m overspend be noted.

2.      That it be noted that actions will continue to be taken to mitigate the forecast overspend.

3.      That the Capital Programme update be noted.  ...  view the full agenda text for item 44.

Consideration was given to the report which set out the financial position as at the end of July, 2019 and was based on actual costs and income for the first four months of 2019/20 and forecast for the remainder of the financial year.  Financial performance was a key element within  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1.      That the overall position and direction of travel in relation to the Council Plan be noted.

2.      That measures which are not achieving their targets and the actions required to improve performance, including future performance clinics, be discussed.

3.      That the performance  ...  view the full agenda text for item 45.

Consideration was given to the Council Plan, which was the core document that underpinned the Council’s overall vision. The Plan set out the headline priorities, outcomes and measures that would demonstrate delivery of the vision. The process for monitoring performance against the vision was set out in the Council’s Performance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Service

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet recommend to Council that:-

a)    The submissions made in respect of the review of polling districts and polling places for the borough of Rotherham be noted.

b)    Approval of the adoption of the polling district boundaries  ...  view the full agenda text for item 46.

Further to Minute No. 75 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 17^th December, 2018 and Minute No. 133 of Council held on 23^rd January, 2019, consideration was given to the report following the proposed review of polling places.  This involved a public consultation on the current  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations:-

1.    That 20% top up discretionary relief be awarded to Rotherham Rise, for the period 15^th  January 2019 to 31^st  March 2020 and to the Sea Cadets Core, Falding Street, Rotherham, S61 1JB and Off Doncaster Road,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 47.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed two applications for the award of a business rate discretionary relief. This was in accordance with the Council’s Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy (approved by Cabinet on 12^th December, 2016).

In terms of the first organisation it was considered to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations:-

1.    That the application for hardship relief be refused.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed an application for business rates hardship relief. This was in accordance with the Council’s Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy (approved by Cabinet on 12^th December, 2016).

The application for the award of hardship relief did not meet the Council’s qualifying criteria  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.      That approval be given to public consultation on the draft Supplementary Planning Documents at Appendices 2 to 7.

2.      That following consultation a further report be submitted regarding adoption of the Supplementary Planning Documents.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to undertake public consultation on the following draft Supplementary Planning Documents:-

·            Householder Design Guide.

·            Development in the Green Belt.

·            Equal and Healthy Communities.

·            Town Centre Uses and Developments.

·            Air Quality and Emissions.

·            Shop Front Design Guide.

Rotherham’s Local Plan provides the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.      That the development of a community energy switching scheme in partnership with bidder B be approved. 

Further to Minute No. 79 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 17^th December, 2018, approval was given to identify a partner through the OJEU procurement process to develop a community energy switching scheme.   This report recommended the acceptance of a tender to set up a Community Energy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.      That approval be given to the disposal of the Council’s freehold interest in the following properties:-

a)      Former Kiveton Youth and Community Centre

b)      Former Keepers Cottage Ulley Reservoir

c)      Former Copeland Lodge and adjacent land

2.      That approval  ...  view the full agenda text for item 51.

Consideration was given to a report which sought approval to dispose of the Council’s freehold interest in the following surplus properties:-

a)         Former Kiveton Youth and Community Centre.

b)         Former Keepers Cottage Ulley Reservoir.

c)          The site of the former Copeland Lodge and adjacent land.

All the properties have all  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.      That approval be given to invoke a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for the acquisition of the remaining leasehold interest at Unit 1 Riverside Precinct Rotherham.

2.      That the Assistant Director Planning Regeneration and Transport, in conjunction with The Assistant  ...  view the full agenda text for item 52.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to invoke a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for the acquisition of the remaining leasehold interest at Unit 1, Riverside Precinct, Corporation Street, Rotherham, should a purchase by agreement not be forthcoming.

Acquisition of the remaining leasehold interest would facilitate the development  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.      That the strategic approach to the Management and Maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways be endorsed.

2.      That the impact of the additional Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council capital investment to improve the local (unclassified) road network be noted.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how the Council had a statutory duty to maintain its highways through Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 and described how Rotherham’s highways were strategically managed and maintained in accordance with the Highway Asset Management Policy, Strategy and Highway Asset Management  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.      That the outcome of the consultation be noted and the revised General Enforcement Policy be adopted.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the outcome of the public consultation carried out to seek views on an amendment to the Council’s General Enforcement Policy to include surveillance of social media in particular in relation to fly-tippers and rogue traders, as an investigatory tool.

A significant majority  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

To receive a report detailing the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in respect of the above items that were subject to pre-decision scrutiny on 11 September 2019.

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

The next meeting of the Cabinet will take place on Monday 21 October 2019 commencing at 10.00 a.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Cabinet take place on Monday, 21^st October, 2019 at 10.00 a.m.