Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

There were no questions from the public or the press.

Richard Poundford, Director of Rotherham Investment and Development Services to report.

John Smales, Development Team Manager, spoke to a PowerPoint presentation updating the Panel on the significant progress of the town centre renaissance.

It was pointed out that the key to the regeneration was the relocation of the Council into new accommodation, which would release significant buildings and vacate sites to facilitate the regeneration.

Reference was made to the following:-

Phase 1:-

-           Submission by Carey Jones, architects, - indicating massing, layout of buildings and internal configuration.

-           New Council building to front onto Main Street, together with a new college for RCAT, to be designed in a phased manner

-           timescales:-  Stage C submission due on 27th April;  Consultation to begin in June;  Stage D submission 28th September;  Final sign off 21st December

-           Demolition proposed to commence late April/early May followed by remediation works (scheduled to take approx 18 months/2 years)

Phase 2:-

-           Lots 2 and 3 – redevelopment of Forge Island and the Council’s remaining town centre sites.  The aim being to relocate Tesco and to develop Forge Island as a cultural quarter with a theatre, museum, leisure facilities, together with new housing and associated car parking.

-           Redevelopment of the Civic site, including Crinoline and the library/arts centre.

-           Plans for Drummond Street

The Demonstrator Project (Domine Lane) – retail and residential - completion programmed for March 2008

Market Street car park redevelopment – for restaurant and residential – completion programmed for March 2008

All Saints building – will be vacated by 31st July 2007 with demolition scheduled to commence October 2007.  Completion of new building for commercial and new office space due for completion .September 2009.

Imperial Building – marketing suite now open.  Works programmed to start in June 2007 and for completion in March 2008.

Weirside site – re-opening of the river frontage:-   work on the river wall to commence January 2008; for completion October 2009 with pubic realm works running concurrently.

Riverside Café – to be developed as part of the public realm works.

Flood Alleviation Scheme – work was currently underway on Phase 1 at Templeborough to create a balancing pond/wildlife area. Work was on programme with completion in December 2008.  It was noted that the timing of the diversion of the DOGSTAR main was critical and was scheduled for June 2007 with connection in the Corus shut down period.

Phase 2 works of the flood alleviation scheme – design works were underway.  However funding was still being investigated.

Townscape Heritage Imitative – approval by Heritage Lottery Fund of a grant of £1.1, plus funding from the Council’s capital programme, and a bid to Yorkshire Forward, for improvements to High Street.

Public Realm Works – in the Minster yard, High Street and Imperial/All Saints area.

Strategic Acquisitions – the various acquisitions made by the Council to underpin the Renaissance were listed in the report.

Railway Station – SYPTE had engaged Arup to produce outline designs for refurbishment and 3 options had been identified.  Funding was from SYPTE and Yorkshire Forward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 168.

Phil Rogers, Director of Culture and Leisure to report.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Service Development Officer, relating to the progress achieved to date in respect of the 3 recommendations made by the Audit Commission following the inspection of Rotherham’s Cultural Services in July 2006.

The Panel was reminded of the 3 recommendations as follows:-

      Implementation of the marketing strategy for Cultural Service

      Development of a comprehensive picture of usage and non-usage to enable service planning and target setting

      Identification of targeted follow-up to inform measurement of success against objectives in the Development Plan

It was pointed out that the achievement of the implementation of the marketing strategy depended on the review of the budget.  However work was on-going to develop the recommendations and details were given in the report.

Reference was made to:-

      Transport links to the South of the Borough e.g. to RVCP

      Development of the YES project

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received.

(2)  That a further six monthly progress report be submitted in respect of recommendation 1 – implementation of the marketing strategy.

Bronwen Peace, Major Applications, Minerals and Waste Manager, to report.

-  to report of performance achieved against national BVPI 109 (speed of decision) for planning applications.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Major Applications, Minerals and Waste Manager, detailing performance achieved against national BVPI 109 (speed of decision for planning applications).

Reference was made to a table within the report which set out:-

      Percentage of applications determined within Government targets for the years 2002/03; 2003/04;  2004/05;  2005/06 and current for 2006/07 in respect of;-

      Major applications determined within 13 weeks – target 60% - Rotherham currently 69.39%

      Minor applications determined within 8 weeks – target 65% - Rotherham currently 75.06%

      Other Applications determined within 8 weeks – target 80% - Rotherham currently 89.99%

It was reported that the total Number of applications was 1518.

It was pointed out that the figures showed that the Development Control team was continuing to build on its improved performance and had exceeded the key performance targets for each category of application.

Resolved:-  That the report be received and current performance noted.

Dave James, Local Transport Plan Delivery Manager to report.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Director of Rotherham Streetpride Service detailing progress made on highway capital schemes both funded from the LTP capital programme and from other funding sources.

Tables appended to the report set out in detail all LTP funded schemes and all non-LTP funded schemes.

The Chairman thanked the Director for this very useful report which helped elected members to track schemes from conception to completion.

Resolved:-  That the progress made on the schemes be noted.

Consideration was given to the Forward Plan for the period 1st April to 31st July, 2007.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the Forward Plan be noted.

Minute No. 257 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Development Services held on 2^nd April, 2007 refers.

Further to Minute No. 257 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Development Services held on 2nd April, 2007, consideration was given to attendance at the following:-

LGC – Strengthening the role of Councillors – Developing Strong and Successful Communities through effective leadership – 7th June, 2007 – London

Resolved:-  That the conference be not attended.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council)):-

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) – (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council))

Adam Wilkinson, Director of Environment and Development Services and Adrian Gabriel, Waste Strategy Manager to report.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Director of Rotherham Streetpride Service, outlining the work being undertaken to deliver the Council’s Waste Strategy in the short, medium and long term.

It was pointed out that this would involve the development of contracts in partnership with Barnsley and Doncaster Council’s and the procurement of a major sub-regional waste processing facility as part of the development of a PFI project. 

It was reported that it had been determined that each Council would lead on specific elements of work to secure medium and long term options on waste facilities and maintain future service provision.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation the Director outlined how the Council would input into the waste procurement plan.

The presentation covered the following topics were explained:-

Service developments from the customer view point – 2000-2007:- 

-                      customer focussed refuse collection; 

-                      4 Household waste recycling facilities;

-                      60 bring sites; blue bag and box scheme;

-                      green waste collection; 

-                      bulky items collection.

Developments from the Council’s point of view – 2020:-

-                      development of a Municipal Waste Strategy to acknowledge changes in legislation

-                      to deliver high recycling rates;

-                      reduce landfill;

-                      to deliver a waste processing option

Reference was made to LATS and how they would be operated and to the substantial fines if Councils did not meet the EU target for reducing waste to landfill. A graph illustrated the projected growth rate in the amount of waste which would be produced in Rotherham, together with the limit that the Government had set.

It was noted that the trend initially showed a steady decline due to the implementation and impact of current measures and initiatives.  However in the longer term the Council, on current growth rate, would incur substantial penalties by 2020.  Reference was made to the control years of 2011, 2014 and 2020 when the LATS would all be set back to zero.

For the longer term the Council was, therefore, looking with Barnsley and Doncaster to construct, through a PFI project, a sub-regional facility to deal with waste by creating energy from waste plant.  It was hoped that this facility could be on stream by 2015.

There was however a need to address the period between 2008 and 2015.

Appendix 1 to the report illustrated Rotherham’s Procurement Plan in respect of:-

-                      Waste collection – to be on an individual Council basis

-                      Treament of waste – project to be lead by Rotherham

-                      PFI procurement – project to be lead by Barnsley

-                      HWRC’s – project to be lead by Doncaster

-                      Composting – project to be lead by  Barnsley

The Director gave a detailed account of the above projects.

Appendix 2 to the report illustrated the three local authorities’ involvement in the PFI project to create energy from waste.

It was stressed that decisions made now would have an effect on future generations

Questions and comments from Panel members:-

-           existing staff were praised for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 175.

The Scrutiny Officer asked members of the Panel to let her know if they had any topics they wished the Panel to work on in the next Municipal Year.

A proposed programme would be submitted to the June 2007 meeting for the Panel to consider.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting of the Scrutiny Panel held on 30th March, 2007.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the above meeting be approved as a correct record.

-           23^rd March, 2007  (copy attached)

Consideration was given to the minutes of a meeting of the above Committee held on 23rd March, 2007.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

-           19^th March, 2007  (copy attached)

-           2^nd April, 2007  (copy attached)

Consideration was given to the minutes of meetings of the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Development Services held as follows:-

-                      19th March, 2007

-                      2nd April, 2007

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Finance and Accountancy Manager, Environment and Development Services, detailing the performance against budget for the Environment and Development Services Directorate Revenue, Fee Billing and Trading resources for the period April 2006 to February, 2007.

It was noted that the Directorate was currently forecasting a balanced budget by the end of the financial year.

Resolved:-  That the report be received.

-           20^th March, 2007  (copy attached)

-           3^rd April, 2007  (copy attached)

-           17^th April, 2007.  (copy attached)

Consideration was given to the minutes of meetings of the Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held as follows:-

-                      20th March, 2007

-                      3rd April, 2007

-                      17th April, 2007

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

Consideration was given to the minutes of a meeting of the Leisure/Joint Service Centre Project Board held on 30th March, 2007.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.