Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 31^st October, 2012 be approved for signature by the Mayor. 

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Akhtar

(1) The Chief Executive submitted the following petitions which had been referred to the appropriate Directorate for consideration:-

·              105 signatures regarding the mess and anti-social behaviour taking place in Eastwood.

·              Nether Haugh Action Group regarding their serious concerns about B6089 Stubbin Road.

·              1,000 signatures regarding additional and safer parking on Addison Road/Laburnum Parade, Maltby.

(2) The Chief Executive submitted apologies for absence from Councillors Beck, Buckley, Dalton, Godfrey, Johnston, Rushforth, P. A. Russell, Sangster, Sims, Tweed and Wright.

There were no questions from the public.

Housing Strategy (Minute No. C93) (Page 55C)

Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (Minute No. C94) (Page 56C)

Resolved:-  That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet (Section C) (pages 49C to 58C) be adopted.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Akhtar

Children, Young People and Families Services – Pages 26D to 33D (Section D)

Communities and Cohesion – Pages 13E to 18E (Section E)

Culture and Tourism – Pages 13F to 15F (Section F)

Regeneration and Development – Pages 42G to 45G (Section G)

Adult Social Care – Pages 29H to 37H (Section H)

Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods – Pages 28J to 36J (Section J)

Waste and Emergency Planning– Pages 35L to 40L (Section L)

Deputy Leader – Pages 23N to 27N (Section N)

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of Cabinet Members as listed below be adopted:-

·              Children, Young People and Families Services – Pages 26D to 33D (Section D)

·              Communities and Cohesion – Pages 13E to 18E (Section E)

·              Culture and Tourism – Pages 13F to 15F (Section F)

·              Regeneration and Development – Pages 42G to 45G (Section G)

·              Adult Social Care – Pages 29H to 37H (Section H)

·              Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods – Pages 28J to 36J (Section J)

·              Waste and Emergency Planning– Pages 35L to 40L (Section L)

·              Deputy Leader – Pages 23N to 27N (Section N)

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Akhtar

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee (Section P) (pages 19P to 22P) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Kaye                           Seconder:- Councillor Gilding

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Board (Section Q) (pages 15Q to 17Q) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Wootton                           Seconder:- Councillor Barron

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board (Section S) (pages 20S to 28S) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Wyatt                                Seconder:- Councillor Lakin

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Planning Board (Section T) (pages 66T to 78T) be adopted.

Mover:- The Mayor (Councillor Pickering)      Seconder:- Councillor Dodson

(1)  Councillor Gilding asked the Leader to update Members with the situation regarding the Strategic Director of Resources.

The Leader confirmed that he had written to Members on two occasions to inform them firstly that the Strategic Director of Resources would not be available to undertake his duties whilst certain matters were considered and, secondly, to confirm the arrangements that have been put in place regarding  fulfilling  the Chief Financial Officer’s responsibilities in the interim.

Good progress was being made with regard to the procedures that needed to be followed to resolve the position and all of the duties of the Strategic Director were being undertaken.

(2)  Councillor Middleton asked since last year’s Roma Conference, what progress had been made in integrating the immigrant Roma community into the life of Rotherham and at what cost and had further Roma immigrants taken up residence and if so how many?”

Councillor Hussain confirmed that considerable progress had already been made in integrating the Roma community into Rotherham life.  Specialist workers were available with the right community languages to work with children and families and several schools have employed bi-lingual Teaching Assistants and Support Workers to promote attendance and attainment. Steps were also being undertaken by REMA and the NHS to recruit volunteers from the Roma community who would assist with local environmental and health initiatives The communities of Eastwood and Ferham have also held a number of events, festivals etc which were opportunities to bring communities together funded by Community First and other external funding

These initiatives were not funded by one organisation and there was no central record of total costs.

It was not possible, to say exactly how many Roma have arrived in Rotherham since the Roma conference. However in 2011 there were in excess of 400 new EU migrant workers who arrived from the eight EU accession countries, a proportion of whom would be Roma.

(3)  Councillor Gilding asked what details were available as to the “Visions of China” project?

The Leader reported that the concept for the ‘Visions of China’ (VoC) project was a unique cultural theme park, set in a totally authentic built and landscaped environment.

It was estimated that it would generate 400 sustainable jobs, safeguard 280 in supply chains and provide 760 direct and indirect construction jobs.

The developers have been working to secure investment into the project and was in advanced talks with an investor. To enable MCD to secure this investment, the Council had recently entered into conditional agreements for the lease of the Pithouse West site. 

(4)  Councillor Middleton referred to the Director of Children’s Service as having been shocked by the Interim Report of the Deputy Children’s Commissioner into child sex abuse and asked, in view of recent revelations in Rotherham, which particular parts of the report have come as a surprise to her?

Councillor Lakin reported that the Child exploitation, gangs and groups report identified two strands of grooming. These were ‘gangs’ and ‘groups’. Rotherham was familiar  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

(1)  Councillor Gilding asked if the Leader could please give reasons why he thought it was acceptable that the new Police and Crime Commissioner still held a seat on this Council?

The Leader explained that Rotherham was not the only Local Authority that had a standing Councillor as a Police and Crime Commissioner.  Whilst the legislation that established the position of Police and Crime Commissioner precluded the Commissioner from having certain other responsibilities (for example a Commissioner may not work for the Police Force) there was nothing to prevent a Commissioner serving as a Borough Councillor.