Agenda and minutes

The Mayor was pleased to report that a Member and Officer of the Council had received New Year’s Honours. Councillor Mahroof Hussain, who represented the Boston Castle Ward, was awarded an MBE, in recognition for his services to local government and Annette Senior, Emergency Planning Officer, was also awarded the MBE for her work during the floods which hit Rotherham last summer.

In addition two other people from Rotherham also received recognition – Roy Wicks, OBE, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, and David Wadkin, MBE, Vice-Chair of Governors at Oakwood Comprehensive.

This Council’s congratulations were to be forwarded to them all.

The Mayor was pleased to present the following three Awards:-

·              To the E-Government Board for the British Computer Society Public Sector Organisation of the Year.

·              To Councillor Johnston and her Area Assembly Team on behalf of all the Area Assemblies for the Local Government Yorkshire and Humber “Stepping up to the Challenge”.

·              To Sobera McCormick, Pat Mayo, Alison Goring and Hazel Smith, the four winners of the Council’s Employee Suggestion Scheme, who had put forward their ideas to improve the services provided for their Directorates between July to September, 2007, and to Andrew Bull and Craig Newton, the two winners of the Council’s Employee Suggestion Scheme, who had put forward their ideas to improve the services provided for their Directorates between October to December, 2007.

The Leader also referred to the publication of the CPA results on Thursday and the Council’s strive towards “Excellence”.

Discussions were also taking place with regard to the location of a new stadium at Retail World.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 5^th December, 2007 be approved for signature by the Mayor, subject to an amendment to Minute No. 41(17), second bullet point, to include the words “from Hull”.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman

(1)  The Chief Executive submitted the following petitions:-

·              From 18 residents of Wath upon Dearne regarding anti-social behaviour.

·              From numerous residents of Woodsetts requesting a safe crossing on Worksop Road, Woodsetts. (A letter had been received from Woodsetts Parish Council in support of this petition)

·              From 21 residents of Charnell Avenue, Maltby requesting time restriction/residential parking on Charnell Avenue.

·              From 15 residents of Caine Gardens, Kimberworth complaining about parking and requesting double yellow lines on one side of the road.

·              From 33 residents of Upper Wortley Road, Kimberworth regarding the amount of traffic using the slip road and requesting “Access Only” signs at each end of the slip road or speed bumps.

·              From 8 residents of Carlingford Road, Broom Valley regarding anti-social behaviour.

Resolved:-  That the petitions be referred to the appropriate Cabinet Member for consideration.

(2)  The Chief Executive submitted apologies for absence from Councillors Cutts, Goulty, N. Hamilton, Hodgkiss, McNeely, Rushforth and St. John.

Resolved:-  That the reports and minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet (Section B) (pages 112B to 150B) be adopted.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman

(Councillors Ali, Dodson, Ellis, Falvey, Hussain, Jack, Kirk, Lakin, Nightingale, Pickering, Robinson, G. A. Russell, P. A. Russell, R. S. Russell, Sharman, Smith, Stone, Stonebridge, Whelbourn, S. Wright and Wyatt declared personal interests in Minute No. B137 (Housing Rents) on the grounds of being, knowing or being related to a Council House tenant)

(Councillor Billington declared a personal interest in Minute No. B141 (Sale of BDR Shares) on the grounds that her husband was a Director)

Resolved:-  That the reports, minutes and recommendations of the meeting of the Standards Committee (Section C) (pages 16C to 19C) be adopted.

Mover:-  Councillor Clarke                              Seconder:-  Councillor Robinson

(1)   Councillor Donaldson asked for clarification on how often current taxi drivers’ licences were checked for points that they have received since their licence was approved.  

Councillor Barron reported that ordinary drivers’ licences were checked whenever the Authority received an application for the grant or renewal of a hackney carriage or private hire drivers’ licence.  In some cases this would mean that the ordinary drivers licence was checked annually. However, in the majority of cases a formal check of the licence would take place every three years.

(2)   Councillor Donaldson asked if she could be informed what percentage of taxi drivers contacted the Council to admit their points since their licence was approved.

Councillor Barron reported that private hire and hackney carriage drivers’ licence holders were required to notify the Authority within seven days of receiving a fixed penalty or being convicted of any other offence.  Checks carried out when licences were renewed indicated that compliance with this requirement was high.  Currently available records showed that, at the point of renewal, less than 5% of drivers had failed to notify the Authority about convictions that they had received.  The Licensing Team were working to reduce this figure further and would shortly be amending their internal working practices to address this issue.

Councillor Barron also pointed out that Councillor Donaldson was a member of the Licensing Board and could have asked this question at any time during a meeting.

(3)   Councillor Donaldson asked with all the reductions in services across the budget could the Deputy Leader tell her how much the advertising and the printing of Council material had been reduced by. 

Councillor Sharman explained publicity costs which incorporated advertising and printing of Council material reduced by £340k from 2005/06 to 2006/07. Further efficiencies were expected for 2007/08 which would be reported at outturn. The budget for 2008/09 included further efficiencies proposals amounting to £22,000. 

(4)   Councillor Donaldson asked how did the Council ensure that the Dolly Parton books were taken up by the children of the borough and what would happen to the funds if there was a very low take-up on these books. 

Councillor S. Wright explained midwives, registrars, health visitors, libraries, children’s centres and schools were all promoting the Imagination Library and early signs suggested a growing uptake.  In the region of 120 families were registering each day and the current projections suggested that we should easily reach our target of 90% of children registered within three years.  The uptake was being monitored closely and we would be able to target families if need be.  In the unlikely instance that uptake was lower than anticipated then the funding would continue to be used to purchase books for those families that were registered.

There were approximately 3,000 children born annually in Rotherham, giving a total under-5 cohort of circa 15,000.  It was anticipated that eventually over 90 per cent of children would be registered over the next three years.  All new born children would be targeted via their midwife  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

We propose a two stage process of the 6.9% increase on the Council House Rent over a twelve month period.

We suggest 3% initially with the balance of the increase in the latter part of the year.

Proposer:-       Councillor Donaldson

Seconder:-       Councillor Clarke

Moved by Councillor Donaldson and seconded by Councillor Clarke:-

“That this Council resolves to introduce a two stage process of the 6.9% increase on the Council House Rent over a twelve month period with a suggestion of 3% initially with the balance of the increase in the latter part of the year.”

The motion was put and LOST.

(Councillors Clarke, Donaldson, Gilding, Sharp and Turner voted for the motion)

Councillor Stone presented a report by the Assistant Chief Executive, Legal and Democratic Services, relating to the appointment of a Parish Council representative to the Standards Committee for the purposes of a forthcoming Hearing.

Resolved:-  That Councillor C. E. Kelsey of Bramley Parish Council be appointed as a Member of the Standards Committee for the purposes of a forthcoming Hearing regarding allegations concerning two Members of Wales Parish Council.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman