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 125.

There were no members of the public present.

To receive the record of proceedings of the Cabinet meeting held on 17 February 2020.

Resolved:-

That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet held on 17^th February, 2020 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings, subject to a clerical correction at:-

Agenda Items 11, 13 and 17 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 grounds  ...  view the full agenda text for item 127.

Resolved:-

That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the Agenda Items 11, 13 and 17 on the grounds that the appendices of the reports involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 127.

Report of the Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1.    To delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Monitoring Officer, authority to take forward and conclude the legal steps necessary to implement the devolution agreement.  This will include consenting on behalf of the Council to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 128.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how the Government in 2015 agreed the devolution deal which was later endorsed by RMBC by Council in March, 2016. 

This economic deal involved the establishment of a directly Elected Mayor to chair the Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA), working alongside Local Authority  ...  view the full minutes text for item 128.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1.    That the progress to date following the declaration of the climate emergency be noted

2.    That the continuation of the work of the Climate Emergency Member Working Group be agreed

3.    That approval be given to set the following targets:

a          RMBC:  ...  view the full agenda text for item 129.

Consideration was given to a report which detailed how the Council declared a Climate Emergency at its meeting on 30thOctober, 2019. Following the declaration work had been undertaken to produce a draft policy document “Rotherham Council Responding to the Climate Emergency”, setting out the Council’s commitment to tackle climate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 129.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1. That the outcome of the bidding process and co-design under the provisions of the Rotherham Compact, following the Cabinet decision of 21 October 2019, be received.

2. That approval be given to enter into a Service Level Agreement with, and make grants to, Voluntary  ...  view the full agenda text for item 130.

Further to Minute No. 63 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 21^st October, 2019, consideration was given to a report which detailed the decision to seek a lead organisation and co-design for Crisis Provision for the years 2020/21; 2021/22; and 2022/23, under the provisions of the Rotherham  ...  view the full minutes text for item 130.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1. That the overall position and direction of travel in relation to the Council Plan performance 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 reporting timetable  ...  view the full agenda text for item 131.

Consideration was given to the latest Council Plan updated underpinning the Council’s overall vision and set out the headline priorities, outcomes and measures that would demonstrate its delivery.

The Council Plan for the period 2017-2020 was approved by Elected Members at the Council meeting on 12^th July, 2017. Refreshed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 131.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations:-

1.    That the current General Fund Revenue Budget forecast of £3.1m 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 132.

Consideration was given to the report which set out the financial position as at the end of January, 2020 and was based on actual costs and income for the first ten 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 132.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations:-

1.    That the application for hardship relief be refused.

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

Resolved:-

That the application for hardship relief be refused.

Report of the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services

Recommendations:-

1.    That 20% top up discretionary relief is awarded to Rotherham United Community Sports Trust for the period 10 September 2019 to 31 March 2021.

Consideration was given to an application for the award of a business rate discretionary relief for Rotherham United Community Sports Trust. This was in accordance with the Council’s Discretionary Business Rates Relief Policy (approved by Cabinet on 12^th December 2016).

Resolved:-

That 20% top up discretionary relief be awarded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That approval be given to acquire the leasehold interest of the former Higher Education Hub, Eastwood Lane up to the value of the worst case scenario in Appendix 3.

2.    That the Assistant Director (Planning, Regeneration and Transport), in  ...  view the full agenda text for item 135.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to acquire the leasehold interest of the former Higher Education Hub, Eastwood Lane.

The Council owned the Freehold interest in the Higher Education Hub (formally known as the Charter Arms Public House) located on Eastwood Lane, overlooking the Markets Complex.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 135.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That Cabinet recommend to Council that the proposed Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-2023 be adopted.

2.    That officers work with colleagues in Public Health, alongside Licensing Committee and Health and Wellbeing Board, to produce a Local  ...  view the full agenda text for item 136.

Consideration was given to a report which detailed how under Section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005 a licensing authority was required to prepare and publish a statement of its licensing policy at least every three years. 

The Council’s Gambling Act Statement of Licensing Policy was last due for review  ...  view the full minutes text for item 136.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That Cabinet recommend to Council that the proposed Licensing Act 2003: Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-2025 be adopted.

2.    That Cabinet approve the Cumulative Impact Policy which details a Cumulative Impact Assessment for a specific area in Wickersley.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how Section 5 of the Licensing Act 2003 required a licensing authority to prepare and publish a statement of its licensing policy at least every five years. 

The Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy was last published in 2011.

In December 2019, Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That the revised Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy 2020-2023 be adopted.

2.    That approval be given to further public consultation regarding changes to the issuing of vehicle plates, as described in Section 2.11.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how in July 2015, the Council introduced a revised Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy.  This policy was now widely seen to be setting the standard for other Local Authorities to benchmark against in relation to Taxi and Private Hire licensing.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 138.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That approval be given to the proposal to insource Fleet Maintenance from 7th September 2020 at the latest.

2.    That the findings of the ongoing review, and recommendations for the future of the service, be brought back to Cabinet  ...  view the full agenda text for item 139.

The report relates to the options available for maintaining the Council’s in-house vehicles and grounds maintenance machinery. 

The Council currently contracts this service to a national supplier. This contract is due to end in September 2020. This presents an opportunity for the Council to consider its options for the future  ...  view the full minutes text for item 139.

Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment

Recommendations:-

1.    That Cabinet approve the response to the recommendations as detailed in Appendix 2.

2.    That an update report is brought back to Improving Places Select Commission in six months time.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how on 30th October, 2019, the Council received a petition from the Droppingwell Action Group calling on the Authority to take enforcement action in respect of the Grange Landfill Site.

As the petition met the threshold for consideration by the Overview and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 140.

To receive a report detailing the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in respect of items above that were subject to pre-decision scrutiny on 18 March 2020.

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 be held on Monday 15 June 2020 commencing at 10.00 a.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved:-

That the next meeting of the Cabinet be held on Monday 15 June 2020 commencing at 10.00 a.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.