Agenda and minutes

To consider any announcements by the Mayor in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 3(2)(ii).

The Mayor referred to with sadness the recent death of former Councillor Paul Hill. The Mayor led a minute’s silence in his honour.

The Mayor referred to the following Mayoral engagements:

·       Making in a video to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January that had been shared on the Council’s social media channels.

·       Taking part in an informal video chat with the Mayor of Zabrze, Poland, a town that the Council had formed a co-operation agreement with, in order to share experiences of how the pandemic had impacted both communities.

The Mayor noted some upcoming events including:

·       Sending flowers and good wishes to a couple in the Borough who would be celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary.  

·       The launch on 14th April of the of the “Beat the Street” initiative, a game that had been developed by a team of doctors and physical health experts, to encourage fun, physical activity across the Borough.

The Mayor also noted her congratulations to Stephen Boulton from Swinton who had been awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year’s honours list for his services to karate and the community. 

The Mayor concluded by advising that an extraordinary Council meeting had been scheduled for Friday, 19th March, to formally bestow onto Dame Julie Kenny the honour of the Freedom of the Borough and welcomed all Members and members of the public to join her online for this very special occasion.

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Ireland.

Any communication received by the Mayor or Chief Executive which relates to a recommendation of the Cabinet or a committee which was received after the relevant meeting.

The Mayor advised that since the publication of the agenda notification had been received that Councillor Ian Jones had changed political affiliation from ‘Independent’ to ‘Rotherham Democratic Party’.

As a result of the changes the political makeup of the Council was noted to be as follows

It was noted that by virtue of representing the Rotherham Democratic Party on the Improving Places Select Commission, Licensing Board and Licensing Committee there were no further seat reallocations that were required to be made.

To receive the record of proceedings of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 13th January, 2021 and to approve the accuracy thereof.

Resolved: - That the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 13th January, 2021, be approved for signature by the Mayor.   

Mover: - Councillor Read                                  Seconder: - Councillor Watson

To report on any petitions received by the Council received by the Council and receive statements in support of petitions in accordance with Petitions Scheme and Council Procedure Rule 13.

The Mayor introduced the report and confirmed the receipt of 3 petitions received since the last Council meeting which had not met the threshold for consideration by Council.

·       Containing 97 signatures calling on the Council to prevent vehicles going the wrong way down a one-way system and to enforce the Access Only Guidance.

·       Containing 21 signatures calling on the Council to request that the National Crime Agency open a line of investigation into those individuals, organisations, partners, agencies or others identified during the investigation and to determine if charges should be brought against them, without further delay. Councillor Allen Cowles the lead petitioner addressed Council as part of the presentation of the petition.

·       Containing 38 signatures requesting that the Council install residential parking only on Mortain Road and Lymister Avenue with time limits of 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Resolved: - 

1)    That the report be received.

2)    That the relevant Strategic Directors be required to respond to the lead petitioners, as detailed in the report, by 17th March, 2021.

Mover: - Councillor Read                                  Seconder: - Councillor Watson

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.

Councillor Jepson declared a Personal Interest in agenda item No. 22 (Recommendation from the Standards and Ethics Committee - Outcome of a Standards and Ethics Sub-Committee Hearing regarding the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct - Councillor Ireland).

Councillors Cowles, Ellis and M. Elliott declared a Personal Interest in agenda item No. 23 (Recommendation from the Standards and Ethics Committee - Outcome of a Standards and Ethics Sub-Committee Hearing regarding the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct - Councillor Ellis).

To receive questions from members of the public who may wish to ask a general question of the Mayor, Cabinet Member or the Chairman of a Committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.

(1)  Mr. Thirlwall asked the Leader to tell him whether the Council had an anti-nepotism policy. The Leader confirmed that there was no specific anti-nepotism policy but allegations of nepotism would be dealt with under the Officer Code of Conduct for members of staff with conflicts of interest with regards to recruitment. For Elected Members, matters regarding the Nolan Principles would fall under the Member Code of Conduct.

In his supplementary question, Mr. Thirlwall explained the definition of nepotism. He stated that the Leader had appointed his spouse, Councillor Hoddinott, to the role of Cabinet Member with an allowance of £13,000 per year. He asked whether the Leader thought he was guilty of nepotism and if the relationship should be declared on both Councillor’s Register of Interest. Mr. Thirlwall went on to state that Councillor Hoddinott had been deemed unfit to be a Cabinet Member by Louise Casey in 2015 and as such the Leader should explain why Councillor Hoddinott was the best person for this job.

In response the Leader confirmed that Cabinet Members were appointed on merit and that he was lucky to be able to choose from a selection of high quality Councillors with national experience. He gave the example of Councillor Alam who had previously worked with the Equalities and Human Rights Commission; Councillor Roche who was a former advisor to the DFE and Councillor Hoddinott who was a current national local government officer for a national political party. The Leader explained that it would be an error on his part not to use the best talent available to him to serve the Borough. The Leader also explained that at the Centre for Public Scrutiny Conference 2 or 3 years ago, Louise Casey spoke about Rotherham Council and said that there were good people at Rotherham Council, specifically mentioning Councillor Hoddinott who had been scapegoated for the failings of those that gone before her. The Leader pointed out that those that had gone before Councillor Hoddinott included people like Mr. Thirlwall. The Leader also explained that Louise Casey had described his leadership as outstanding on more than one occasion and that they had made extraordinary progress on improving the Council. The Leader stated that Councillor Hoddinott had done an excellent job for the people of Rotherham by delivering major roads improvements and transport improvements. It was confirmed that the Council had been in intervention long before Councillor Hoddinott’s appointment due to the politicisation of road improvement decisions. Councillor Hoddinott had also led a huge change in household bin collections and introduced the maternity/paternity policy. The Leader explained that the Borough was a better place for women because of the work Councillor Hoddinott had done with sex establishments. The Leader was proud of Councillor Hoddinott’s achievements as Cabinet Member and confirmed that she had not accepted any of her Special Responsibility Allowance for her work as a Cabinet Member and as such there had been no financial benefit to his household.

(2)  Mr. Felstead asked a question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 452.

Should it be necessary, in the opinion of the Mayor, to consider excluding the press and public from the meeting in relation to any items of urgent business on the grounds that private information is likely to be divulged.

There are no such items at the time of preparing this agenda.

There were no items that required the exclusion of the press or public.

To receive a statement from the Leader of the Council in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.

In welcoming everyone to the final meeting of the Municipal Year, the Leader noted that no one would ever want to experience another year like the last one.

The Leader advised that he was hopeful, however, that there was a glimmer of light on the horizon with Covid case numbers dropping nationally and locally. The Leader advised that as of 1st March there were 56 patients in hospital in Rotherham with Covid and that also there were currently no Care Home resident positive cases being reported. The Leader advised that there had been a good reduction in positive cases being reported for those aged over 60 and amongst school age children, however, there was still a way to go with working age people, with cases numbers remaining higher than would be liked.

The Leader thanked the Clinical Commissioning Group and local volunteers for the remarkable progress that they continued to make in delivering vaccinations. The Leader advised that the target to vaccinate 56,000 people during the initial 8 week period had been exceeded, with over 60,000 residents being vaccinated, with over 90% of residents in the top four priority groups having been vaccinated. The Leader noted that over 75,000 vaccinations had now been delivered with second dose vaccinations scheduled to start on 9th March.

The Leader advised that over 1,500 businesses had now been supported by the Local Restrictions Support Grant schemes, having received support totalling £17.8million. In addition, the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority had also supported over 1,300 businesses with the Additional Restrictions Grant.

The Leader noted with sorrow the loss of 776 residents during the pandemic and stated that whilst the vaccination would offer a level of protection against the Covid-19 virus, it did not mean that the risk had gone away. 

The Leader advised, however, that the situation would improve and that everyone could help by following the national restrictions, staying at home and getting tested if needed.

The Leader thanked all Members for giving their time to serve the community over the last 5 extraordinary years. The Leader reflected on the enormous progress that had been made over the previous 5 years,  most notably with regard to Children’s Services, and in bringing the intervention to a close, but also in the taking of difficult decisions around Social Care in the right way, in the trebling the number of Council homes built each year and the steps being taken to revitalise the town centre. The Leader noted that while Members may have had at times disagreed, that this had been done so with good grace, and where Members had agreed, partnership had not stood in the way of getting things done, a situation that the Leader hoped would continue into the future.

To note the minutes of the Cabinet Meetings held on 25^th January and 15^th February, 2021.

Resolved: - That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 25th January and 15th February, 2021 be received.   

Mover: - Councillor Read                                  Seconder: -  Councillor Watson

To consider the Cabinet’s recommendations in respect of the Budget and Council Tax for the 2021-22 financial year.

Further to Minute No.117 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 15th February, 2021, consideration was given to the report that proposed the Council’s Budget and Council Tax for 2021/22.  This was based on the outcome of the Council’s Final Local Government Finance Settlement, budget consultation process and consideration of Directorate budget proposals through the Council’s formal Budget and Scrutiny processes (Overview and Scrutiny Management Board), alongside a review of the financial planning assumptions within the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

In was stated in the report that in setting the proposed 2021/22 budget, Cabinet had recommended an increase of 1.99% in the Council’s basic Council Tax and an Adult Social Care precept of 1.0%. 

The report proposed the revenue budget for 2021/22, an updated capital programme to 2023/24 and the updated Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to 2022/23.

In moving the recommendations, the Leader thanked everyone who had contributed to the process of pulling the budget proposals together, in particular the Strategic Director – Finance and Customer Services and her team, the Cabinet Member - Corporate Services and Finance, and Cabinet colleagues.

The Leader stated that after 11 years of austerity, and in the face of a global pandemic, it was unsurprising that councils across the country were under unprecedented financial pressure, with 12 councils being reportedly in discussion with the Government about additional support. The Leader stated that this was the same Government that had told councils that they needed to be more entrepreneurial, who were now saying that councils should not take risks.

The Leader noted that the 2019 Conservative manifesto had praised the virtue of low Council Tax, but that in the Spending Review, where an extra £2.2bn for councils had been announced, it had not been mentioned that 85% of this increase in available funding would come from higher Council Tax bills, and not from the Government directly. The Leader noted that as a consequence it was not surprising that three quarters of councils with social care responsibilities were expecting to increase bills by the full 4.99% allowed in 2021. The Leader stated that while this showed that public services could not be run on fresh air, the Conservative Government were cutting the funding for road repairs in Rotherham by £2.6million, withdrawing half a million pounds of annual contributions to support the Council with Operation Stovewood and cutting regional economic growth funding to South Yorkshire by at least a third.

The Leader stated that according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, the most deprived parts of the country had seen their council budgets cut by nearly twice as much as the most affluent by the current Government, and that this showed that the Government did not understand communities like Rotherham

The Leader stated that the Council had not taken commercial risks, but instead had trusted public servants to deliver public services and that these decisions had been taken as they had been the right, rather than the easy thing to do. The Leader stated that because  ...  view the full minutes text for item 456.

To approve a calendar of meetings for the Council and its committees for the 2021-22 municipal year.

Consideration was given to a report, submitted in accordance with the rules of procedure as detailed in the Council’s Constitution, that set out the proposed Calendar of Meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

Resolved: - That the Calendar of Meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year be approved.

Mover: - Councillor Alam                        Seconder: - Councillor Watson

To receive an update on the activities of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny bodies in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14 the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board presented a report that provided Council with an update of overview and scrutiny activity since the last update had been received in November 2020.

Mover: Councillor Steele                                   Seconder: Councillor Napper

To receive for information recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in respect of a scrutiny review of building use.

A report was submitted to inform Council of the findings of the findings and recommendations from the Working Group on Building Use which was established by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board. 

Councillor Mallinder, who had led the Working Group thanked all the Members who had taken part in the review for their contribution.

Resolved: -

That the briefing be noted, and the following recommendations be submitted to Cabinet for consideration:-

a)    That the principle be agreed that the future usage of buildings be determined in accordance with the needs of services located therein. 

b)    That, prior to buildings being brought back into use by staff or the public, consultation take place with Trade Unions and staff following completion of risk assessments in respect of the building or location concerned.

c)    That any decision to return employees to Council buildings beyond the minimal number that have been required to be present throughout the pandemic be made having regard to advice from the Corporate Health and Safety Team and Human Resources, as well as being subject to Government guidance around the safe use of Council buildings. 

d)    That Members be notified when main operational buildings are to be brought back into use, specifically the Town Hall as the civic hub of the Borough.

e)    That, having regard to the positive implications associated with virtual meetings in respect of the Council’s carbon footprint, the Leader of the Council lobby the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to legislate for the ongoing provision of virtual meetings beyond 7th May, 2021. 

f)      That Asset Management and Digital Services work together to identify the necessary changes or solutions required in Riverside House and Rotherham Town Hall, as well as any changes required to equipment or software for Members and officers, to enable continued use of remote working whilst permitting physical presence in a Council building. 

g)    That the Head of Democratic Services prepare guidance and training on the procedures and operation of hybrid meetings. 

Mover: Councillor Mallinder                                   Seconder: Councillor Steele

To receive for information recommendations from Improving Places Select Commission in respect of a scrutiny review of the Homes Allocations Policy.

A report was submitted to inform Council of the findings of the findings and recommendations from the Working Group that had been established to review the proposed amendments to the Council’s Homes Allocation Policy.  

Councillor Mallinder, who had led the Working Group thanked all the Members who had taken part in the review for their contribution.

Councillor Beck, the Cabinet Member for Housing, welcomed the review that had taken place, noting that due to the importance of the policy that any proposed changes had been thoroughly considered and reviewed.

Resolved: -

That the briefing be noted, and the following recommendations be submitted to Cabinet for consideration: -

a)    That the briefing be noted.

b)    That sustained funding for staff on the homelessness prevention and temporary accommodation teams be safeguarded.

c)    That revisions to the Policy be undertaken to ensure clarity and readability throughout the document, especially as regards application processes and shortlisting criteria.

d)    That notation about prolific offenders be included in the information provided to the Housing Assessment Panel.

e)    That quality standards regarding the proper completion of housing forms be reaffirmed to officers.

f)      That rent arrears be added to the scrutiny work programme for 2021-22.

g)    That single occupants of larger homes owned by the Council be given the opportunity to downsize. 

Mover: Councillor Mallinder                                   Seconder: Councillor Steele

To receive for information recommendations from Improving Places Select Commission in respect of a scrutiny review of Call Centre Communications.

A report was submitted to inform Council of the findings of the findings and recommendations from the Working Group on Call Centre Communications that had been established by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board. 

Councillor Steele, who had led the Working Group, thanked all the Members who had taken part in the review for their contribution.

Resolved: -

That the briefing be noted, and the following recommendations be submitted to Cabinet for consideration:-

a)    That the Council further promotes a digital-first route for customers to access Council services.

b)    That regular data updates be provided to the Leader and Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on a six-monthly basis. 

c)    That the Customer Service Standards of the Council be reaffirmed to officers, particularly in respect of written communication with customers. 

Mover: - Councillor Steele                                     Seconder Councillor Napper

To receive updates from ward councillors from Brinsworth and Catcliffe, Hoober and Keppel on the activities supporting Thriving Neighbourhoods across the Borough.

Councillors Buckley, Carter and Simpson, on behalf of the Brinsworth and Catcliffe Ward, gave an update on their Ward priorities as follows:-

-               Funding received by The Centre, Brinsworth, to run the Hot Food Projects serving 2 course meals twice a week to elderly and vulnerable residents.

-               Purchase of gazebos and portable equipment by the Brinsworth Arts Group to allow the Group to meet outside safely

-               ‘Brighten up Brinsworth’ at Christmas with funding provided to install Christmas lights, hold virtual Christmas events, donate prizes and support the illumination of the life-size nativity scene in Catcliffe Kiln

-               In conjunction with the Housing Hub, funding provided to install security lighting outside several ground floor flats at Fortway Road and Roman Crescent

-               Replacement of fence panel on Victoria Street had helped to reduce incident of anti-social behaviour

-               Parking buddies provided at Waverley Junior Academy to help promote road safety outside schools

-               In partnership with Catcliffe Parish Council match funding provided for a fly-tipping camera which would be monitored by the Council.  Deployment of the camera would be decided by the Parish Council and local residents

-               Casting Innovations commissioned to work with Neighbourhood staff and local schools to provide 30 bird boxes and 20 bat boxes to encourage wildlife across the Ward and 2 apple trees to be planted in Catcliffe which will hopefully be the start of a planting programme

-               Funding provided to Friends of St George’s Churchyard to clean and clear the graveyard

-               Community Chest grants to Catcliffe and Brinsworth Parish Councils to help refurbish play areas and purchase an inclusive swing and a Cobra swing

-               Community Chest funding for new outdoor shelters/equipment to maintain the bowling greens at Catcliffe and Brinsworth Bowling Clubs

-               Friends of Howarth supported with an outdoor classroom and play equipment providing additional space for pupils to safely learn and play outside

-               Funding provided to Crafty Talk to make 70 ‘craftolation’ packs and given to those shielding/isolating during lockdown helping their mental health and wellbeing

-               RUCST, misconception of youth, was a virtual Journalism programme that taught young people skills and equip them with the tools to become keen journalists 

-               Friends of Brinsworth Manor purchased two outdoor clocks for the playground to help with outdoor play and education

Councillors Lelliott, Steele and Roche, on behalf of the Hoober Ward, gave an update on its Ward priorities as follows:-

-               Tackled social isolation amongst the elderly by working with the communities and Neighbourhood Team to reach out to as many groups as possible

-               Supported the newly formed Brampton Community Gardeners by providing funding for plants and gardening equipment

-               A celebration event held to thank all the local groups who worked tirelessly to make the area a better place to live

-               West Melton Park had received additional equipment including a MUGA area, exercise equipment, benches and tables and the planting of trees.  Residents had been consulted throughout the whole process and gave  ...  view the full minutes text for item 462.

That the Standards and Ethics Committee is not serving the people of Rotherham as a forum for justice, is unfair, biased and not transparent.

Mover:-  Councillor John Turner              Seconder:-  Councillor Cowles

Proposed by Councillor John Turner and seconded by Councillor Cowles.

“This Council believes that:

The Standards and Ethics Committee is not serving the people of Rotherham as a forum for justice, is unfair, biased and not transparent.”

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared as lost.

This Council recognises that we are seeing a crisis of food poverty born out of the political choices and systemic failings created over the past four decades, which has now reached a tipping point for so many Rotherham residents. The figures are devastating for one of the richest nations in the world and highlight the inequality in the UK in 2021.

This Council notes:

·              That there are consistently high rates of poverty across our borough. There is growing concern amongst our health and care professionals about the current situation and the likely exacerbation of poverty figures due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty as 2021 progresses.

·              Between 2015 and 2019 End Child Poverty reported a 3.4 per cent increase in the number of children in Rotherham who live in poverty.  The Rotherham Foodbank gave out 4716 emergency parcels in 2019-20 and have helped 504 clients since January 2020. As there are  other foodbanks operating in the area it is fair to assume that the real figure is likely to be much higher.

·              The National Food Strategy is the first independent review of England’s entire food system for 75 years. Its purpose is to set out a vision for the kind of food system we should be building for the future, and a plan for how to achieve that vision. It argues that the Covid-19 crisis has brought into painful focus the flaws in the UK’s food system, especially its effect on the nation’s physical and mental health.

This Council supports the demand by The Right to Food campaign that the 11 million people in food poverty should be central to The National Food  Strategy.  Enshrining the ‘Right to Food’ into law would clarify government obligations on food poverty and would introduce legal avenues to hold government bodies accountable for violations.

This Council calls for the ‘Right to Food’ to be incorporated into the National Food Strategy. We ask the Chief Executive to write to Henry Dimbleby, who is heading the strategy, to further this request.

Mover:-   Councillor Sheppard                Seconder:- Councillor Cooksey

Proposed by Councillor Sheppard and seconded by Councillor Cooksey.

“This Council believes that:

The ‘Right to Food’ should be incorporated into the National Food Strategy

This Council recognises that we are seeing a crisis of food poverty born out of the political choices and systemic failings created over the past four decades, which has now reached a tipping point for so many Rotherham residents. The figures are devastating for one of the richest nations in the world and highlight the inequality in the UK in 2021.

This Council notes:

·        That there are consistently high rates of poverty across our Borough. There is growing concern amongst our health and care professionals about the current situation and the likely exacerbation of poverty figures due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty as 2021 progresses.

·        Between 2015 and 2019 End Child Poverty reported a 3.4 per cent increase in the number of children in Rotherham who live in poverty. The Rotherham Foodbank gave out 4,716 emergency parcels in 2019-20 and have helped 504 clients since January 2020. As there are other foodbanks operating in the area it is fair to assume that the real figure is likely to be much higher.

·        The National Food Strategy is the first independent review of England’s entire food system for 75 years. Its purpose is to set out a vision for the kind of food system we should be building for the future, and a plan for how to achieve that vision. It argues that the Covid-19 crisis has brought into painful focus the flaws in the UK’s food system, especially its effect on the nation’s physical and mental health.

This Council supports the demand by The Right to Food campaign that the 11 million people in food poverty should be central to The National Food Strategy. Enshrining the ‘Right to Food’ into law would clarify government obligations on food poverty and would introduce legal avenues to hold government bodies accountable for violations.

This Council calls for the ‘Right to Food’ to be incorporated into the National Food Strategy. We ask the Chief Executive to write to Henry Dimbleby, who is heading the strategy, to further this request.”

On being put to the vote the motion was declared as carried.

At 7:05pm, with the meeting having run for over 5 hours and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No.16, it was moved by Councillor Cowles, seconded by Councillor Fenwick-Green and resolved that the meeting be adjourned and be reconvened on Wednesday, 10th March at 2.00 p.m.