Agenda and minutes

The Mayor was pleased to present the BURA (British Urban Regeneration Association) Waterways Renaissance Flood Risk Management Award to Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme and Centenary Wetland Park who also received a Commendation in the Natural Environment category.

Congratulations were offered to all those involved in this success.

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

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman

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

·              From 402 residents of Rotherham requesting a change in the parking policy.

(2) The Chief Executive submitted apologies for absence from Councillors Boyes, Clarke, Falvey, J. Hamilton, N. Hamilton, Havenhand, Hodgkiss, Johnston, Parker, Sharp, Sims, Slade, Thirlwalll and Whysall.

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee (Section B) (pages 27B to 35B) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Austen                              Seconder:- Councillor Hughes

Non-Traditional Property Investment (Minute No. C205) (Pages156C -157C)

Standing Orders (Minute No. C223) (Page 174C)

Parish Review/Community Governance Review (Minute No. C224) (Pages 174C -176C)

Legislative Changes – Overview and Scrutiny (Minute No. C225) (Page 176C)

Authorisation to Appear in Court Proceedings – Trainee Solicitor (Minute No. C226) (Pages 176C – 177C)

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet (Section C) (pages154C to 177C) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Sharman

Councillor Stone put a Vote of Thanks forward to Councillors Boyes, McMahon and F. Wright who were not standing in the forthcoming election, on behalf of the Council, for the work they had undertaken on behalf of the Local Authority during their terms of office.

Best wishes were also offered to those standing in the forthcoming election.

Resolved:-  That the appreciation of the Council be forwarded to Councillors Boyes, McMahon and F. Wright and they be given best wishes for the future.

Mover:-  Councillor Stone                               Seconder:-  Councillor Sharman

Children and Young People – Pages 69D to 86D (Section D)

Community Development and Engagement – Pages 36E to 38E (Section E)

Cultural Services and Sport – Pages 46F to 54F (Section F)

Economic Development, Planning and Transportation – Pages 103G to 126G (Section G)

Health and Social Care – Pages 92H to 103H (Section H)

Housing and Neighbourhoods – Pages 84J to 105J (Section J)

Resources – Pages 42K to 47K (Section K)

Streetpride– Pages 21L to 28L (Section L)

Economic Development, Planning and Transportation and Streetpride – Pages 41M to 48M (Section M)

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

·              Children and Young People – Pages 69D to 86D (Section D)

·              Community Development and Engagement – Pages 36E to 38E (Section E)

·              Cultural Services and Sport – Pages 46F to 54F (Section F)

·              Economic Development, Planning and Transportation – Pages 103G to 126G (Section G)

·              Health and Social Care – Pages 92H to 103H (Section H)

·              Housing and Neighbourhoods – Pages 84J to 105J (Section J)

·              Resources – Pages 42K to 47K (Section K)

·              Streetpride– Pages 21L to 28L (Section L)

·              Economic Development, Planning and Transportation and Streetpride – Pages 41M to 48M (Section M)

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Sharman

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Audit Committee (Section P) (pages 36P to 44P) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Sangster                           Seconder:- Councillor Kaye

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Board (Section Q) (pages 21Q to 25Q) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Wootton                           Seconder:- Councillor F. Wright

Resolved:- That the reports and minutes of the meetings of the Planning Board (Section T) (pages 165T to 179T) be adopted.

Mover:- Councillor Pickering                           Seconder:- Councillor Dodson

(1)  Councillor Hughes referred to his attendance at Woodsetts Parish Council last month and the concerns that the road improvements that were discussed at a meeting with the Strategic Director and Cabinet Member were not now going to be implemented and asked could the Cabinet Member confirm that the improvements would be implemented and what the timescales were?

Councillor Smith reported that a scheme to improve road safety at the junction of Dinnington Road and Worksop Road was included in the 2010/11 Highways Capital Programme, which was reported to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Planning and Transportation on 29th March, 2010. It was the intention to implement the scheme during the current financial year, although given the need to carry out a consultation exercise first, it was likely to be early 2011 before the scheme was constructed. It was intended to start the consultation exercise in the next few weeks.

Streetpride were currently undertaking the repair of the damage caused to the road network by the recent freeze/thaw. In the eleven weeks from mid-January to the end of March, 2010 the Council repaired almost 9,400 potholes reported through the Streetpride Golden Number – 01709 336003. Councillor Hughes was encouraged to call the number if he had concerns relating to the roads and footways where he lived.

In addition to the ongoing pothole repairs Streetpride had been undertaking much larger patch repairs borough wide. Therefore, the Council planed out and resurfaced in excess of fifty roads at a cost of almost £750,000 since mid-January, 2010.

The second phase of repairs was programmed to begin in June and repairs to Gildingwells Road, Woodsetts from the crossroads to the junction with Lewis Way were included in this work.

(2)  Councillor Gilding asked what connections had this Council had with an organisation called “Common Purpose” over the last ten years and what had been the cost of these dealings?

Councillor Wyatt explained that the Common Purpose was an independent not for profit organisation that ran leadership development courses which mixed people from the private, public and not for profit sectors.  The Council had paid for a small number of its managers to attend these development courses, but not for a couple of years.  The total number of managers that had attended was seven and was broken down into the following years:-

2003 - one employee

2005 - three employees

2006 - one employee

2007 - one employee

2008 - one employee

(3)  Councillor Fenoughty asked why did Councillor S. Wright appear in a local newspaper on 13^th April, 2010 regarding the Home Access grants. This was clear promotion of a candidate and broke the Council's own pre-election publicity rules?

Councillor S. Wright reported that this was an old press release which was issued ahead of the Purdah period last month and was submitted on the 22^nd March, 2010. The statement must have remained with the Rotherham Advertiser/Record for some time before being published so the ‘responsibility’ for publication during Purdah  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107.

Councillor Whelbourn, Chairman of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee, reported on recent Scrutiny activity locally, sub-regionally and regionally focusing on:-

Locally:-

·              Scrutiny Review - Corporate Parenting.

·              Scrutiny Review – Breast Feeding – Joint Review by Adult Services and Health and Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Panels.

·              Scrutiny Review – Debt Recovery.

·              Requirements of Councillor Call For Action.

·              Invitation to Chief Executive of NHS Rotherham to attend the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee.

Sub-Regionally:-

·              Yorkshire South Network.

Regionally:-

·              Regional Health Scrutiny.

Despite opposition to the work of Scrutiny, Councillor Whelbourn gave examples of where Scrutiny had worked and influenced change particularly around devolvement of funds to Area Assemblies, in the use of Consultants and action required arising from the credit crunch.

Resolved:-  That the update on the work of scrutiny be noted.

“That this Council recognises that the current parking policy is detrimental to the regeneration of the town and that only a complete change in the attitude towards shoppers who drive, will assist Rotherham in its recovery”.

Mover: Councillor Mannion                            Seconder: Councillor Gilding

Moved by Councillor Mannion and seconded by Councillor Gilding:-

“That this Council recognises that the current parking policy is detrimental to the regeneration of the town and that only a complete change in the attitude towards shoppers who drive, will assist Rotherham in its recovery”.

The motion was put and lost.

Further to Minute No. 62 of the meeting of the Council held on 9^th December, 2009, Councillor Stone introduced the report proposing changes to the Council’s Constitution to reflect the revised governance arrangements following adoption of the “Strong” Leader and Cabinet Model of Governance.

Resolved:-  That the Constitution, as amended, be adopted to take effect from 9^th May, 2010.

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Sharman

Councillor Stone introduced the report proposing approval of the absence of Councillor Clarke from meetings of the Council as a result of illness.

Resolved:-  That the failure of Councillor Clarke to attend Council meetings be noted due to long-term illness and, for the purposes of Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act, 1972, his absence from Council meetings so long as he remained unfit to attend due to illness be approved.

Mover:- Councillor Stone                                Seconder:- Councillor Sharman