Agenda and minutes

There were no questions from members of the public.

There were no declarations of interest to report.

-        Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods and Adult Services to report.

Councillor McNeely, Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods and Adult Services setting out the revised Housing Strategy, which required some revision in order to take account of public spending cuts and national policy changes.  A new draft Housing Strategy was produced in May, and shared with the Directorate Leadership Team and Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods prior to the comprehensive programme of consultation which took place between June and August, 2012.  The draft had now been updated to take account of feedback from Members, staff, partner agencies, the voluntary and community sector and Rotherham residents, and was now undergoing the required process for final sign off and endorsement.

The draft Strategy had been presented to Improving Places Select Commission on 17th October, who endorsed the draft and made a number of comments which were presented in a report to the Cabinet Member on 29th October, 2012.  Cabinet Member approved the draft, subject to minor amendments, and the final draft was now presented for formal approval.

(1)  Recommended:-  That the Housing Strategy 2013-43 be approved.

(2)  Resolved:-  That the Improving Places Select Commission monitor the Strategy on an agreed basis.

-        Strategic Director of Resources to report.

Councillor Wyatt, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Resources which set out the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Rotherham

Rotherham’s Strategy set out the key priorities that the Health and Wellbeing Board would deliver over the next three years to improve the health and wellbeing of Rotherham people.  It presented a shared commitment to reduce health inequalities locally between the Council, Public Health and the NHS and would be used to guide all agencies in Rotherham in developing commissioning priorities and plans.

The strategy demonstrated how the life stages map across the six strategic priorities, which was presented in a matrix showing the lead and supporting agency for each area.

The implementation phase of the strategy was now underway, with a Strategy Steering Group in place to co-ordinate and provide strategic overview to the delivery plan. Each of the six strategy priorities had been allocated a lead officer, which were a combination of Council, public health and NHS.

Cabinet Members were also informed that the borough was facing many challenges with health inequalities and the Health and Wellbeing Strategy would help in making a difference to the health and wellbeing and the future prospects of Rotherham’s citizens.  The format of the strategy was concise and understandable, which would make it more deliverable and had been praised in a number of forums.

Recommended:-  That the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2012-15 be approved.

-        Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services to report.

Further to Minute No. 21 of the Cabinet held on 20^th June, 2012, Councillor Rushforth, Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services, setting out the proposed service model for the Library and Information Service.

Consultation had been undertaken from June until the end of August, 2012 with a total of 1,760 feedback forms having been received together with e-mails and letters. 

Details of the new proposed Service Model were set out in detail as part of the report, but it was noted that this had changed significantly to ensure the areas of greatest need and the wider benefits of the service were protected.

The proposed Service Model would deliver savings of £500,000 and result in the library and customer services staff merging to give the libraries a greater range of services to the public.

Cabinet Members welcomed this review and asked that the Ward Members of the areas most affected be kept fully informed.

Resolved:-  That the new Service Model for the Library and Information Service be approved.

-        Strategic Director of Resources to report.

Further to Minute No. 56 of the Cabinet held on 5th September, 2012, Councillor Akhtar, Deputy Leader, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Resources which outlined the proposed response by the Strategic Leadership Team to the Scrutiny Review of the Council’s Budget Setting Process with proposals for dealing with each of the recommendations of the review. 

The recommendations made by Members of the Self Regulation Select Commission were all accepted.  Progress was already being made towards responding to the findings of the review and would provide a tighter control framework for challenging how resources were allocated and used, provided a means to test whether the Council was directing its resources effectively to deliver its priorities and was achieving value for money. 

Resolved:-  (1)  That the response to the Scrutiny Review of the Council’s Budget Setting process be approved.

(2)  That all those involved in the review be thanked for their input.

-        Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services to report.

Further to Minute No. 55 of the Cabinet held on 5^th September, 2012, the Leader introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services which outlined the proposed response by the Strategic Leadership Team to the Scrutiny Review of the Role of School Governors with proposals for dealing with each of the recommendations of the review. 

The recommendations made by the Improving Lives Select Commission Review Sub-Group had been forwarded to all Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Governing Bodies in September, 2012, as well as consideration at a meeting of the Chairs and Vice-Chairs Forum on 3^rd October, 2012.

There were a total of sixteen recommendations, of which twelve were accepted in full, three accepted in part and one was rejected.

The recommendations accepted in part and their reasons were;-

·              Recommendation 5 - The Local Authority could not pay expenses to school governors. The Regulations covering expenses for school governors (The Education (Governors’ Allowances) Regulations 2003) specified that, for schools with delegated budgets, only the governing body of a school could establish a scheme for recompensing governors’ legitimate expenses and a decision to implement a scheme would be at its discretion.

·              Recommendation 13 -- The Governor Development Service aimed to raise the profile of online training as part of the Governance Leadership Development programme.

·              Recommendation 14 – Whilst it was noted that this was felt in principle to be a good idea, in practice this would be difficult to implement especially in the current financial climate.

Recommendation 12 was rejected as it was impractical for a Personal Development Review (PDR) to be undertaken.

Resolved:-  That the response to the Scrutiny Review of the Role of School Governors be approved.

The following items are 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 relates to finance and business affairs).

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act (as amended March, 2006) (information relating to financial and business affairs).

-        Strategic Director of Resources to report.

Councillor Akhtar, Deputy Leader, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Resources which listed ten organisations currently in receipt of Section 43 Mandatory Relief which have applied for 20% Discretionary Relief top up.

The financial information and risks and uncertainties associated with this relief were set out in detail as part of the report.

Resolved:-  (1)  That 20% top up be granted to the four applications 7577052, 7574771, 7579830 and 7566917 for one year only

(2)  That all other six applications be refused.

-        Strategic Director of Resources to report.

Councillor Akhtar, Deputy Leader, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Resources which listed details of applications from two organisations for Section 47 Discretionary Rate Relief.

The financial information and risks and uncertainties associated with this relief were set out in detail as part of the report.

Resolved:-  That the relief in respect of both applications, in line with previous decisions in respect of similar training organisations and leisure/sports facilities claiming to operate as a social enterprise, be refused.