Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 3^rd February, 2010 be approved for signature by the Mayor.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman

(Councillor Thirlwall voted against approval of the minutes)

The Chief Executive submitted apologies for absence from Councillors Boyes, Burton, Clarke, Currie, Donaldson, Foden, Goulty, Havenhand, Hodgkiss, Johnston, License, G. A. Russell, St. John, Sharp and Turner.

Proposed Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2010/2011 (Minute No. C190) Pages 144C -146C) (report herewith)

Capital Programme Budget 2010/11 to 2012/13 (Minute No. C191) (Pages146C – 147C)

Prudential Indicators and Treasury Management and Investment Strategy 2010/11 to 2012/13 (Minute No. C192) (Pages 147C – 148C)

Resolved:- (1)  That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet (Section C) (pages140C to 153C) be adopted with the exception of Minute No. C190 of the Cabinet meeting held on 24th February, 2010.

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Sharman (with the exception of Minute No. C199) and Councillor Wyatt for Minute No. C199.

(Councillor Sharman declared a personal interest in Minute No. C199 on the grounds of being a season ticket holder of Rotherham United F.C.)

(2)   That Minute No. C190 relating to the Budget be adopted.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman

The Strategic Director of Finance submitted a report on the amount of Council Tax required to be levied following receipt of the Joint Authority precepts.

Resolved:- (1) That a net revenue budget of £216,985,000 for the Council in 2010/11 be approved.

(2) That the Council Tax Base of 75,071.21 be noted.

(3) The following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2010/11 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:-

(a)  £219,105,172 being the amount calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32 (4) of the Act.  (The Council’s and Parishes spending less the amount financed from balances).

(b)  £124,645,156 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its General Fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates and revenue support grant, increased by the amount of the sum which the Council estimates will be transferred in the year from its Collection Fund to its General Fund in accordance with Section 97 (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1998 and increased by the amount of any sum which the Council estimates will be transferred from its Collection Fund to its General Fund pursuant to the Collection Fund (Community Charges) directions under Section 98 (4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, made on 7 February 1994. (Government Formula Grant plus the Collection Fund surplus).

(c)  £1,258.2722 being the amount at (a) above less the amount at (b) above, all divided by the amount at (2) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33 (1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year. (Average Council Tax including Parishes).

(d)  £2,120,172 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34 (1) of the Act. (Total Parish Precepts).

(e)  £1,230.0300 being the amount of (c) above less the result given by dividing the amount at (d) above by the amount at (2) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34 (2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates. (Rotherham MBC Council Tax).

(f)  Part of the Council's Area

being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 7.3 (e) above the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in each case by the Council Tax base relating to that part of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

Children and Young People – Pages 61D to 68D (Section D)

Community Development and Engagement – Pages 29E to 35E (Section E)

Cultural Services and Sport – Pages 37F to 45F (Section F)

Economic Development, Planning and Transportation – Pages 96G to 102G (Section G)

Health and Social Care – Pages 84H to 91H (Section H)

Housing and Neighbourhoods – Pages 76J to 83J (Section J)

Resources – Pages 36K to 41K (Section K)

Streetpride– Page 20L  (Section L)

Economic Development, Planning and Transportation and Streetpride – Pages 37M to 40M (Section M)

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

·              Children and Young People – Pages 61D to 68D (Section D)

·              Community Development and Engagement – Pages 29E to 35E (Section E)

·              Cultural Services and Sport – Pages 37F to 45F (Section F)

·              Economic Development, Planning and Transportation – Pages 96G to 102G (Section G)

·              Health and Social Care – Pages 84H to 91H (Section H)

·              Housing and Neighbourhoods – Pages 76J to 83J (Section J)

·              Resources – Pages 36K to 41K (Section K)

·              Streetpride– Page 20L  (Section L)

·              Economic Development, Planning and Transportation and Streetpride – Pages 37M to 40M (Section M)

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Sharman

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Audit Committee (Section P) (pages 32P to 35P) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Sangster                           Seconder:- Councillor Kaye

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Planning Board (Section T) (pages 125T to 164T) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Pickering                           Seconder:- Councillor Dodson

(1)  Councillor Fenoughty asked would the Council agree with him that the increase in looked after children had come about because of the policies of Labour?

Councillor S. Wright reported that overall the policies in respect to the way that the Council responded to children in need meant that numbers have reduced; certainly in the 60s/70s and even into the 80s.    After a decline following the introduction of the Act in 1991 (1991 - 59,834 to 1995 - 49,500), there had been an increase in numbers (1996 - 50,600 to 2004 - 61,200).  Since 2005 the figures have fluctuated between 59,400 and 61,000.  The initial rise began in 1991 towards the end of the Conservative Government and continued from Labour coming into power in May, 1997.

(2)  Councillor Gilding asked how many years lease would this Council have on the new Civic Offices now under construction at Main Street, what would be the initial annual rent and how frequent were the rent reviews?

Councillor Wyatt reported that the lease was over thirty five years with commencement at completion of landlords works, programmed for September, 2011.

The initial rent was £2.9 million per annum and the rent reviews were every five years.

(3)  Councillor Cutts referred to a £14 million fraud, court hearing, judges damning statement and our representative Councillors on the Governing Body failing to “give warning shots” and asked why were there to be two concluding reports – only one for the public that was to be delayed for a further period?

The Leader reported that the Council’s representatives on the Governing Body for South Yorkshire Trading Standards were also unaware of the problems until they came to light.  The four South Yorkshire Councils would now meet to discuss the next steps to be taken.  These would include discussions as to how to deal with the losses incurred and what reports should be made public.  It was not possible to share any information at the moment as none had yet been made available.

(4)  Councillor Fenoughty referred to there being a projected £60,000 overspend within interpretation costs within the Children and Young  Peoples Service and asked did the Cabinet Member think families with unemployed parents, who were competing with immigrants for jobs, think this was acceptable?

Councillor S. Wright reported the Council, including the Children and Young People's Service had a legal duty to ensure the public had sufficient understanding of its policies and procedures.  In some cases the interpretation and translation could be very straightforward and relatively low cost.  However, higher costs were incurred when written translation had to be provided and in the case of child protection, this had to be of sufficient detail and accuracy to be acceptable to Courts.

The high level of expenditure in this area was due to requiring translation of assessments, casework details and legal documents that were required when a case was presented to Court, for a Court to determine whether a child should become looked after.  As Corporate Parents, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.