Agenda, decisions and draft 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 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 152.

1.    Henry Marston asked a question in relation to Herringthorpe Playing Fields and the potential development of houses by Rotherham Council. He firstly thanked Councillor Allen for her correspondence on the matter following his questions at previous Cabinet meetings. He stated that the Herringthorpe Playing Fields Community Group would welcome  ...  view the full minutes text for item 152.

To receive the record of proceedings of the Cabinet meeting held on 12^th February 2024.

Resolved:-

That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 12 February 2024 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Agenda Item 14 has exempt appendices. Therefore, if necessary when considering this item, 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 item of business on the grounds that it involve  ...  view the full agenda text for item 154.

The Chair advised that appendices to agenda item 14 contained exempt information, however, the meeting remained open to the public and press throughout.

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

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the activity undertaken and progress to date on SEND Sufficiency Phase 4.

2.    Note the key outcomes for SEND Sufficiency Phase 5 as included in the Safety Valve Agreement and agree for an additional  ...  view the full agenda text for item 155.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update in respect of Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) Sufficiency following the update received by Cabinet in June 2023. The report also detailed the key activities undertaken in implementing Phase 4 of the SEND Sufficiency programme focusing on resource provision  ...  view the full minutes text for item 155.

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

Recommendations

That Cabinet:-

1.    Endorse the Early Help Strategy: Family Help in Rotherham 2024-2029.

2.    Approves the Local Authority involvement in the development and implementation of the Strategy Delivery Plan with the oversight and delivery of progress by the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 156.

Consideration was given to the report which set out the Early Help Strategy: Family Help in Rotherham 2024-2029. The Strategy had been developed in response to revised government guidance, including the Department for Education (DfE) new edition ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children December 2023’. The statutory guidance outlined what organisations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 156.

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

Recommendations

That Cabinet:-

1.    Endorse the Fostering Rotherham Plan 2023-2028 as a working document, to proceed with ongoing developments in the service.

2.    Endorse the recommendations from the Fostering Elected Members Working Group.

3.    Agree to the proposals in  ...  view the full agenda text for item 157.

Consideration was given to the report which had been presented to update Cabinet in respect of the Fostering Rotherham Plan 2023-2028, the Fostering Elected Members Working Group, the Fostering and Adoption Panel and One Adoption South Yorkshire.

The Fostering Rotherham Plan 2023-2028 set out what has been achieved so far  ...  view the full minutes text for item 157.

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations

1.    That Cabinet approves the Home to School Policy that is attached to this report as Appendix 1. 

Consideration was given to the report which outlined the findings of the review into the Home to School Transport Policy and subsequent consultation and recommended that Cabinet approves the revised Policy. Following a review by Council officers of the existing Policy and the new DfE guidelines published 29 June 2023,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 158.

Report from the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services.

Recommendations

1.    That Cabinet approve the applications for Discretionary Business Rate Relief for 46^th Rotherham Scout Group and Rotherham Unit 287 of the Sea Cadets Corps in accordance with the details set out in Section 6 to this report  ...  view the full agenda text for item 159.

Consideration was given to the report which set out the application for the award of Discretionary Business Rate Relief for the 46^th Rotherham Scout Group and Rotherham Unit 287 of the Sea Cadet Corps.

The 46^th Rotherham Scout Group provided activities for the benefit of young people’s learning,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 159.

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:-

1.    Notethe progressmade todate.

2.    Approve the Modern Slavery Transparency Statement 2024/25 and it is published on the Council’s website.

Consideration was given to the report which provided the annual update in relation to the activities of the Council and its partners, in seeking to both address and prevent modern slavery. The report focussed on actions following the resolution passed by Council to adopt the Co-operative Party Charter against Modern  ...  view the full minutes text for item 160.

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

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves development of the Grayson Road and Tenter Street sites, to build an estimated 31 new Council homes.

2.    Delegates authority to the Assistant Director of Housing, in consultation with the Cabinet Member  ...  view the full agenda text for item 161.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval from Cabinet to develop the Council-owned sites at Grayson Road (Greasbrough) and Tenter Street (Thornhill). Together, it was projected that the sites would deliver an estimated 31 new homes. Appendix 2 identified the specific areas of land to be appropriated from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 161.

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

Recommendations

1.    That Cabinet approves entering into a Grant Funding Agreement with the Homes and Communities Agency (trading as ‘Homes England’) in relation to the Affordable Homes Programme (2021-26).

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval for the Council to enter into an Affordable Homes Programme Grant Funding Agreement with Homes England. This would provide the framework for the Council to access essential grant funding which would support the delivery of new Council homes by March 2026.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162.

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:-

1.    Approves the final cost plan for Templeborough Business Zone as shown in Appendix 1 (exempt).

2.    Approves the final cost plan for the Markets and Library as shown in Appendix 4 (exempt).

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the Templeborough Business Zone and Markets and Library Projects. Following the Stage 1 design phase of the Templeborough Business Zoe (of a 2-stage design and build) in December 2023 final contract prices were made available by the preferred contractor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 163.

Report from the Assistant Chief Executive.

Recommendations

1.    That the annual report is received noting the increased social value commitments along with outcomes delivered.

2.    That the updated Social Value Policy 2024 – 2027 be approved.

3.    That the key priorities for 2024 include:

a)    Community wealth building by growing  ...  view the full agenda text for item 164.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the progress towards the priorities set out in the Council’s Social Value Policy. Since the last annual report in March 2023, positive progress had continued to be made in realising the ambitions of the Council’s policy. In the intervening  ...  view the full minutes text for item 164.

Report from the Assistant Chief Executive.

Recommendations

1.    That Cabinet note and endorse the observations made by the Corporate Peer Challenge team to the Council.

Consideration was given to the report which provided details on the progress review that took place on 21 December 2023 following the Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) that took place in June 2023.

The CPC had concluded that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council served the town well and was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 165.

Report from the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services.

Recommendations

1.    That Cabinet approve the Rotherham Council Public Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy which can be found at Appendix 1 of this report.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the Rotherham Council Public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Strategy for approval. The Strategy, attached to the report at Appendix 1, had been prepared to ensure a transparent approach to delivery of the Council’s public charging network and it covered commitments with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 166.

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves the schemes and allocations of funding outlined in section 2 and Appendices 1, 2 and 3. 

2.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to modify  ...  view the full agenda text for item 167.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the Transport Capital Programme for the upcoming 2024-25 financial year, including the funding sources and programme areas. The report also explained how the project would be managed, including:

·       Local Neighbourhood Transport Programme (Table 1)

·       Local Neighbourhood & Road Safety Programme Tranche 2

(Appendix  ...  view the full minutes text for item 167.

Report from the Stategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:-

1. Note the strategic approach to the management and maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways.
2. Note the decision of the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment to approve the indicative Highway Repair Programme for 2024/2025.
3. Note any additional in year  ...  view the full agenda text for item 168.

Consideration was given to the report which explained how Rotherham’s highways were strategically managed and maintained in accordance with the agreed Highway Asset Management Policy, Strategy and Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP.) The report also reviewed current strategy for the management and maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways and the impact the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 168.

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 13 March 2024.

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

Following Cabinet’s receipt of the report and recommendations at its meeting in June 2023, a response had been received by the Director of Public Health relating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 169.

The next meeting of the Cabinet will be held on Monday 10 June 2024 commencing at 10.00am in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved:-

The next meeting of the Cabinet would be held on Monday 10 June 2024, commencing at 10.00am, in Rotherham Town Hall.

The Leader wished to place on record his thanks to Paul Woodcock, Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment who was attending his final Cabinet meeting before leaving the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 170.