Agenda and minutes

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

The Mayor reported on the passing of Lindsay Johnston, a former Councillor for Wingfield who served on the Council from May 1999 until May 2016. The Council observed a minute’s silence in honour of the former Councillor.

The Mayor was delighted to announce the safe arrival of Councillors Adam and Charlotte Carter’s new baby who was born just prior to the Annual Civic Council meeting on 16 May 2025. Members gave the new baby a round of applause.

The reporting of Mayoral Activities would commence from July 2025.

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Beck, Cowen, Garnett, Havard, Lelliott, Monk and Pitchley.

To receive the record of proceedings of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on Wednesday 9 April 2025 and to approve the accuracy thereof.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous Council meeting held on 9 April 2025.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 9 April 2025 be approved for signature by the Mayor.

Mover:- Councillor Read              Seconder:- Councillor Cusworth

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

There were no petitions to consider.

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 record.

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.

There were 4 public questions:

1.    Mr Mabbott: At the November 2024 Council meeting I asked whether there were any plans for the '2025 Children's Capital of Culture' to include an event about Gaza. I was told this would be considered and I would be updated. This has not happened. Could the Leader of the Council please provide an update and explain the lack of progress so far?

The Leader apologised that there had been no further correspondence but confirmed that the idea put forward by Mr Mabbott had been suggested. The Leader explained the process for developing the programme. Groups would submit proposals for consideration by both the Cultural Partnership Board and a Youth Programming Panel. These groups made the decision on what events were taken forward.

An Open Call for submissions first opened in summer 2024, and there had been occasional reminders on social media since then.  To date, 36 had been received, 27 of which were approved to progress to full application.   The Leader advised Mr Mabbott that should he know of a group who would like to submit a proposal, the Cultural Partnership could arrange for the Expression of Interest documentation to be sent by email.

In his supplementary question, Mr Mabbott stated that the inclusion of an event around Gaza would be a great opportunity as many young people had been involved in various protests and meetings about the conflict. Mr Mabbott had seen drawings, paintings, stories and a rap produced by young people which showed that they cared about this. It bothered them and they were not immune to what was going on. In light of this, Mr Mabbott asked if the diversity of the Rotherham community could be embraced?

The Leader stated that a diverse group of young people had been involved in putting the programme together. The Leader could not commit to specific events but if a group of young people wanted to make a suggestion, the team would be happy to talk to them about that and do something that was appropriate.

2.    Mr Ashraf: Thousands of Rotherham and South Yorkshire taxpayers and SYPA scheme members have recently signed a petition for divestment of pension investments in Israeli government bonds, etcetera. 

After I forward the information to you, can you give serious thought to what is possible for Rotherham Council to action in regard to the petition vis-a-vis SYPA, and reply with your considered response?

The Leader explained that he was happy to receive information from Mr Ashraf and then respond. However he was clear that in agreeing to review the information, the Council could only make recommendations to South Yorkshire Pensions Authority and it would be up to them whether they decided to accept them. 

Mr Ashraf thanked the Leader for his response and for the response from Councillor Sutton to a supplementary question at the last Council meeting.

3.    Mr Azam: Can you please confirm the current capacity at the following cemeteries:

·       Maltby

·       Wath

·       East Herringthorpe - Muslim Section  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

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 were no such items that required the exclusion of the press and

public from this meeting.

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

The Leader was invited to present his statement. He shared his concerns regarding the current situation at Liberty Steel. Liberty Steel had withdrawn their original restructuring plan which had been intended to maintain the viability of the speciality steel plants in Rotherham and Stocksbridge. There was still a legal process to run over the coming weeks, but the Leader stated that the potential inability to reach agreement with creditors in court was a matter of grave concern. Over 1500 employees across Rotherham and Sheffield would be rightly concerned about their employment. Earlier in the year, the South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, the Leader of Sheffield City Council, Councillor Tom Hunt and the Leader had met with the Business Minister Sarah Jones MP to share concerns about the future of the business. The Leader explained to the Chamber that the situation remained fluid and unclear, but he would be making further representations to the Government to seek to ensure that everything possible was done to protect the future of steel making in the borough. The Leader stressed that in an uncertain world, domestic resilience and sustainable supply chains were as important as ever. The country could no longer rely on imports and exports in the way it had previously done. The future of the Rotherham and Sheffield plants was therefore a matter of national significance. It was vital that everyone did what they could to ensure it was considered as such.

The Leader announced that Councillor Allen and Councillor Taylor would be stepping down from Cabinet at the conclusion of the meeting. He thanked them both for their hard work, commitment and dedication. The Leader subsequently announced his new Cabinet and the portfolio’s they would be responsible for:

• Leader of the Council – Councillor Read
• Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People – Councillor Cusworth
• Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health – Councillor Baker-Rogers
• Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety – Councillor Alam
• Cabinet Member for Housing – Councillor Beresford
• Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces – Councillor Marshall
• Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy– Councillor Williams
  
  

The Leader highlighted significant activity from across the borough that had taken place since the last meeting:

·       The opening of Vetro Lounge and the imminent opening of Signature Dish at Forge Island.

·       A number of events had been held to celebrate the 80^th Anniversary of VE Day.

·       The first of the baby packs had been delivered.

·       The latest stage of the Rotherham Roads programme had been agreed.

·       Work on the markets was gathering pace.

·       The planning application for the new flood defences at Whiston had been submitted and would be considered in due course. 

The Leader of the Majority Opposition Group, Councillor Z Collingham, was invited to respond to the statement. He agreed with the comments made regarding Liberty Steel, stating that it was a massive employer and very important for domestic production. He also passed on his thanks  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To report on the establishment of political groups, the political balance of the Council and the entitlement of each group to seats on the authority’s committees.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the membership of Political Groups on the Council, the political balance and the entitlement to seats on, and the proposed appointments to Committees, Boards and Panels.

It was noted that Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 placed a duty on local authorities to set out the principles to be followed when allocating seats to political groups and for these principles to be followed when determining such allocation following formal notification of the establishment of political groups in operation on the Council. It was noted further that there was a requirement on local authorities to annually review the entitlement of the political groups to seats on the committees of the council.

The report stated that the allocation of seats must follow 2 principles:

a)    Balance must be achieved across the total number of available seats on Committees; and

b)    Balance must be achieved on each individual Committee or body where seats are available.

There were three political groups in operation on the Council:

Labour

Leader – Councillor Read

Deputy Leader – Councillor Cusworth

(32 Members)

Conservative

Leader – Councillor Z Collingham

Deputy Leader – Councillor Bacon

(13 Members)

Liberal Democrat

Leader – Councillor Adam Carter

(3 Members)

There were 144 seats available on committees, boards and panels and under the calculations the Labour Group were entitled to 80 seats, the opposition Group (Conservative) 32 seats and the Liberal Democrat Group 7 seats. The seats allocated to the non-aligned councillors was 25 and the Council had previously enabled these Councillors to take seats on the various bodies as permitted by the Legislation.

Resolved:

1.    That the entitlement of the membership of Council be agreed and such entitlements be reflected in Council’s appointments of members to committees (as per the table at 3.2 and 4.2).

2.    That approval be given to the appointment of Members to committees, boards and panels, and the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs, as detailed in the Mayor’s Letter.

3.    That approval be given to the appointment of Members to joint committees, as detailed in the Mayor’s Letter:

To consider the recommendation from Cabinet, subject to approval on 19 May 2025, that Council adopt the Council Plan 2025-30.

Consideration was given to the report which presented the Council Plan 2025-2030 for approval. The Council Plan had been recommended for approval to Council by Cabinet on 19 May 2025. The accompanying Year Ahead Delivery Plan had been approved at the same meeting.

In January 2022, the Council adopted a Council Plan for 2022-25, including a suite of performance measures. To enable the Council to work towards the Council Plan outcomes and achieve the commitments, annual Year Ahead Delivery Plans were developed, setting out the key activities to be delivered. The Council Plan came to an end in March 2025.

Informed by public consultation, a new Council Plan had been developed for 2025-30 and was attached at Appendix 1 of the report. The Council Plan was a key document which set out the Council’s vision for the borough and priorities for serving residents and communities. The Plan provided the medium-term basis for targeting resources, informing the budget-setting

process and planning cycles and ensuring that residents can hold the Council to account for delivery. The Council Plan included a suite of performance measures and targets for monitoring purposes.

The Council Plan was framed around five outcomes:

• Places are thriving, safe, and clean
• An economy that works for everyone
• Children and young people achieve
• Residents live well
• One Council that listens and learns.
  
  

Three cross-cutting policy drivers ran throughout the Council Plan, informing ways of working and helping the Council to achieve better outcomes:

• Expanding opportunities for all
• Recognising and building on our strengths to make positive change
• Focussing on prevention.

To enable the Council to work towards the Plan outcomes, a Year Ahead Delivery Plan, attached at Appendix 2, had been developed, setting out the key activities to be delivered over the next year (April 2025 – March 2026).

During the meeting Cabinet Members highlighted achievements relating to their portfolios from the previous plan and highlighted the outcomes that would be worked towards as part of the new plan:

Councillor Taylor, Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy highlighted the vast improvements to the brought roads, the government investment that had been secured, the opening of the Forge Island development and the success of the Employment Solutions Team. The new Plan would cover the development of Wath Library, Riverside Gardens and Rotherham Market. £300k would be invested in community facilities and work would start on the Health Hub for the Town Centre. Support would be provided for up to 20 businesses to improve shop units in the town centre and on other principal high streets through the new ‘shop units grants’ programme.

Councillor Cusworth, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, highlighted the millions of pounds of investment in Children’s services and the high quality services provided by the Family Hubs network. The Children’s Capital of Culture initiative was well underway and successful. Further, an additional 50 school places had been created for children with additional needs. Councillor Cusworth highlighted some of the activity in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

To consider the recommendations of the Senior Officer Appointment Panel in respect of the Appointment of the Chief Executive.

Consideration was given to the report which stated that the Council was required to appoint a Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service under Section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. In addition the post was

responsible for various other Proper Officer functions under the Council’s Constitution including being the Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer. Full Council had this function under the terms of the Constitution and Legislation.

On 23 January 2025, Staffing Committee approved the recruitment process

for the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service. A detailed recruitment process was undertaken, including technical interview, partner interview, and a cross-party Elected Member interview ahead of the Senior Officer Appointments Panel,  which had led to the appointment of the new Chief Executive, John Edwards. It was also recommended that the Council appoint Mr Edwards as the Head of Paid Service.

The salary for the post of Chief Executive was £188,061. A returning officer

fee was paid in addition to the above salary, where appropriate, and was a

variable payment in accordance with the type of election.

The Council noted the 9 years exemplary service of the current Chief Executive, Sharon Kemp OBE, and formally thanked Ms Kemp for her dedicated service to Rotherham.

The Mayor asked those present to join her in wishing the Chief Executive well in everything she did going forward and also in thanking her for all she had done for the Council over the last nine years. Sharon had joined the Council during intervention and led the day-to-day management of the Council, supported by the Strategic Leadership Team.  In 2022 the Council was awarded LGC’s “Most Improved Council” and again recognised in 2023 by the LGA’s Corporate Peer Challenge as “Impressive”. These were all achievements that the Council were extremely proud of, and which would not have been possible without Sharon’s commitment and leadership.  The Chief Executive had also been shortlisted for the MJ Chief Executive of the Year award. This recognition highlighted her leadership, commitment to public service and dedication to improving Rotherham. The Mayor wished her every success for the awards ceremony.

Members from across the Chamber expressed their support for the appointment of John Edwards as Chief Executive. They felt he would bring the necessary experience and knowledge to continue improving the Council and Borough.

Members also wished to offer their thanks to Sharon Kemp for her service. They noted how she joined the Council when it was in a chaotic place. She had led from the front with professionalism, commitment and confidence. Members felt that she had been a champion for elected Members who always acted with diplomacy and bravery. The vast improvements to Council Services, specifically Children’s Services and governance were commended.

Resolved:

That Council:

1.    Appoints John Edwards to the post of Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service (including Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer).

2.    Formally records its thanks to current Chief Executive, Sharon Kemp OBE, for her 9 years dedicated service to Rotherham.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

To be moved by Councillor Baum-Dixon and seconded by Councillor Z. Collingham.

An amendment to the original motion was accepted by the mover and seconder of the original Motion and, therefore, further to Procedure Rule 18(15) the amendment was incorporated into the Motion for debate (inclusions highlighted in bold italics). 

The original Motion was moved by Councillor Baum-Dixon and seconded by Councillor Z Collingham. The amendment was moved by Councillor Jones and seconded by Councillor Elliott.

The substantive motion was therefore:

This Council notes:

The flying of flags on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) buildings has, on several occasions, caused significant controversy.

Decisions around which flags to fly have often unintentionally upset residents and various community groups, leading to unnecessary division.

These decisions have also consumed considerable Council time, officer resources and public funds that could have been better spent on delivering key services.

This Council recognises:

The intention behind flying flags has often been to show solidarity with countries, peoples, and causes.

However, this practice has now gone too far. What was once a symbolic gesture has become a source of conflict, with inconsistent and politically charged decisions causing angst and upset.

A consistent and neutral approach is now needed to restore clarity and unity, ensuring public buildings reflect locational identity and civic unity, rather than political or subjective choices.

This Council therefore resolves:

To ask officers to provide Cabinet with an amended Council Flag and Lighting Up Protocol for approval that:

1.    Restricts the flying of flags on all RMBC buildings and sites to the following:

a)    The Union Flag

b)    The Flag of England (St George’s Cross)

c)    The Yorkshire Rose

d)    The official Coat of Arms of Rotherham

e)    All UK Armed forces flags, including those flown on nationally recognised days of commemoration or remembrance

2.    Withdraws from the current practice of flying any other flags, including in connection with specific events, causes, or international matters.

3.    States that the Council acknowledges the importance of supporting causes and showing solidarity with global and local issues, but that it recognises this support and solidarity can be shown in other appropriate and inclusive ways that do not involve the use of flags on public buildings.

Final Statement:

This motion is not a rejection of any cause or group.

It is a measured response to reduce division, avoid unnecessary controversy,

and return focus to core Council priorities.

A copy of the Council’s current Flag and Lighting Up Protocol had been included in the agenda.

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

To be moved by Councillor Yasseen and seconded by Councillor Tarmey.

It was moved by Councillor Yasseen and seconded by Councillor Tarmey that:

That this Council notes:

·       The ongoing concern of Rotherham residents about the continued attacks on Gaza, blocking of aid and suffering of the Palestinian people, as demonstrated in last year’s petition signed by over 4,000 residents and the flying of the Palestinian flag outside the Town Hall.

·       Rotherham residents have been campaigning tirelessly for a year and half demanding an end to the genocide in Gaza. Through protests, petitions, public meetings and community-led actions, they have consistently raised their voices in solidarity with the Palestinian people and called for justice, peace and meaningful political intervention.

·       The ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza has resulted in the loss of over 50,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children, with entire families wiped out and communities reduced to rubble. The scale of devastation is unimaginable, with hospitals, schools and places of worship targeted, leaving a trail of destruction and trauma that will endure for generations.

·       That more than 2 million people are now trapped in dire conditions, facing acute shortages of food, water, and medical aid. The deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war is not only abhorrent but a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

·       Recent findings that UK firms exported military items to Israel despite a suspension of certain arms export licences, raising concerns about compliance with international law.

·       Statements from UK MPs and organisations such as Amnesty International acknowledge that Israel’s blockade of Gaza constitutes a breach of international law.

·       Calls from MPs across party lines, urging the UK government to recognise the State of Palestine and with immediate effect demand the end of the genocide, and reassess its foreign policy stance.

That this Council believes:

·       That international humanitarian law must be upheld and Israel should facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

·       That the UK government should ensure its foreign policy and trade practices do not contribute to violations of international law.

·       That recognition of the State of Palestine could contribute to a just and lasting peace in the region.

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

1.    Request the Leader of the Council to write to the Foreign Secretary and local Members of Parliament conveying the content of this motion, and requesting:

·       The Labour Government urgently calls for immediate international action to stop the genocide in Gaza.

·       The deliberate targeting of civilians, civilian infrastructure, use of starvation as a weapon, and mass destruction of infrastructure must end now.

·       Express their solidarity with all civilians affected by the conflict and support efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

·       Write to the UK government to review its arms export policies to ensure compliance with international law and prevent complicity in potential violations.

·       That the UK government formally recognise the State of Palestine, aligning with international consensus.

On being put to the vote the motion was carried.

To note the minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held on Monday 14 April 2025.

Consideration was given to the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 14 April 2025.

Councillor Bennett-Sylvester asked a question in relation to Minute 148 – Economic Inactivity Trailblazer. He asked if the percentage of economically inactive people in Rotherham was impacted by people having to move away for higher value jobs and education? Councillor Bennett-Sylvester also asked if the figures included carers and volunteers and whether those figures were being monitored.

The Leader explained that work was ongoing regarding the creation and development of high value jobs which were much needed in the borough. Pathways for residents into those jobs were being looked at. In terms of carers and volunteers, the Leader agreed that there were different categories, and it was a crude way of measuring. However, the headline numbers had improved. It was confirmed that the purpose of the scheme was to help those that wanted to work to get into work.

Resolved: That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 14 April 2025 be received.

Mover: Councillor Read                          Seconder: Councillor Cusworth

To note receipt of the Health and Wellbeing Board minutes.

Councillor Baker-Rogers provided an overview of the work being done by the Health and Wellbeing Board, particularly in relation to the development of the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Resolved:- That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board be noted.

 Mover: Councillor Baker-Rogers            Seconder: Councillor Cusworth

To note receipt of the Licensing Board Sub Committee and Licensing Sub-Committee minutes.

Resolved:- That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Board and the Licensing Committee be noted.

Mover: Councillor Hughes                      Seconder: Councillor Beresford

To note receipt of the Planning Board minutes.

Councillor Williams, the outgoing Chair of the Planning Board, placed on record his thanks to all members that had served on the Planning Board and all the officers that had supported the Board during his tenure as Chair.

Resolved:- That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meetings of the Planning Board be noted.

Mover: Councillor Williams                      Seconder: Councillor Mault

To put questions, if any, to the designated Members on the discharge of functions of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11(5).

There was one question:

Councillor Ball: Following the devastating 2022 Kiveton Park illegal waste site fire, which required a two-month multi-agency response and exposed critical safety failures, why has your Labour administration failed to enforce robust bylaws or secure additional SYFR resources to prevent future industrial blazes in Rotherham, and what immediate, measurable actions will you commit to at this meeting?

Councillor Ball was not present to ask his question and as such would receive a written response.

To put questions, if any, to Cabinet Members and Committee Chairpersons (or their representatives) under Council Procedure Rules 11(1) and 11(3).

There were 19 questions:

1. Councillor Bacon: Given Aston & Todwick residents are paying ever increasing amounts in council tax, can the council ensure that it at least gets the basics right and empties the public bins?

Councillor Alam stated that yes, the Council were doing this.

In his supplementary question, Councillor Bacon stated that no, the Council were not doing this. He stated that if the Council had extended their consultation, residents would have been able to state that. Councillor Bacon stated that it was clear that the Council were not emptying the bins as there had been reports in Aston, Swallownest and Brinsworth. He stated that the Cabinet Member should know this.

Councillor Alam explained that since 2020, the Council had increased the number of bins on the streets from 2,402 to 2,536, many of which were double the capacity of the original bins. During the same period, it had increased the frequency of street bin emptying which had resulted in a 73% decrease in reported complaints.

The Council were also taking robust action with over 4,500 littering tickets issued during the last financial year. Councillor Alam stated that whilst the Labour administration had been investing in frontline services, Councillor Bacon had been voting against it.

2. Councillor Bacon: What progress has been made on the PSPO for the Todwick - Aston A57 and other road safety concerns such as the Ulley/Treeton cross roads?

Councillor Taylor explained that officers were continuing to work with South Yorkshire Police on what the correct method of stopping the illegal car events was. It was not as simple as simply putting a notice on it. There were implications about going over the border into Bassetlaw. Councillor Taylor explained that the Council did not want to rush into a decision and that decision be ineffective. This had happened in other parts of the country.

In relation to the Ulley/Treeton crossroads, Councillor Taylor confirmed he had been in numerous discussions and visits over the years, including a visit to the location with the local MP a few weeks ago. As Councillor Bacon was aware, the Council had to use criteria to prioritise the allocation of funding and, unfortunately, based on collision date, there were greater prioritises elsewhere. Congestion schemes had not been and were not currently a priority for government funding.

In his supplementary question, Councillor Bacon referred to Councillor Taylor’s comments regarding not making a hasty decision and stated that this situation had been going on for years. He asked if the incoming Cabinet Member could commit to reviewing the legislation around Public Space Protection Orders because Councillor Bacon felt that there was a clear case for a PSPO on the A57.

Councillor Taylor could not respond on behalf of the incoming Cabinet Member but did state that he used that road regularly and felt that Councillor Bacon was overblowing the situation. He stated that he was not dismissing the concerns and work was ongoing. Councillor Taylor referenced schemes in Bradford and London that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

Any other public items which the Mayor determines are urgent.

There were no urgent items to consider.