Agenda and draft minutes

Council Meeting - Wednesday 15 January 2025 2.00 p.m.

Venue: Council Chamber - Rotherham Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 2TH

Contact: Governance Unit  The webcast can be viewed at http://www.rotherham.public-i.tv

Items
No. Item

91.

Announcements

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

Minutes:

The Mayor was deeply saddened to report on the death of Robert Hepburn, the Methodist Minister who had participated in her Mayoral Inauguration. The Mayor would be attending his funeral later in the month and offered the Council’s deepest condolences to Mr Hepburn’s family. As a mark of respect, the meeting stood and observed a minute’s silence.

The Mayor shared that as part of the King’s New Years Honours list, two very deserving recipients of Rotherham had been honoured:

 

  • MBE - Ian WALKER, Secretary, Rotherham Community Football Club. For services to Sport and to the Community in Rotherham.
  • Kings Award for Voluntary Service (equivalent of an MBE) – ROTHERHAM FAMILIES FIRST, established in 2019 to provide a one-stop emergency service providing basic necessities for some of the Borough’s most vulnerable people.

 

The Mayor was pleased to be able to welcome officers from across the Council that had been instrumental in the Council achieving Gold accreditation for the Armed Forces Employee Recognition Award. Jo Brown, Assistant Chief Executive, Vicky Hartley, Member and Civic Support Manager and Armed Forces Lead Officer and Emily Searle, HR Consultant accepted the award presented by the Mayor.

 

A full list of engagements was appended to the Mayor’s letter.

 

92.

Apologies for Absence

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

Minutes:

Resolved: That apologies for absence be received from Councillors Clarke, Knight and Marshall.

93.

Minutes of the previous Council Meeting pdf icon PDF 308 KB

To receive the record of proceedings of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 6th November, 2024, and to approve the accuracy thereof.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous Council Meeting held on 6 November 2024.

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of Council held on 6 November 2024 be approved for signature by the Mayor.

 

Mover:- Councillor Read                         Seconder:- Councillor Sheppard

 

94.

Petitions pdf icon PDF 164 KB

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.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which outlined the two petitions that had been received since the last Council meeting. The petitions were titled:

 

-       Installation of Gates in the alleyway joining Grosvenor Road to Milton Road, Eastwood (55 Valid Signatures)

-       Eastwood Road Network Changes (342 Valid Signatures)

 

The lead petitioner, Mr Hussain, did not attend the meeting however it was confirmed that he would receive a written response from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment within 10 working days in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

 

Mr Sabir presented the petition in relation to the Eastwood Road Network Changes.  It was confirmed that Mr Sabir would receive a written response from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment within 10 working days in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

 

Resolved:

 

1.    That the report be received.

 

2.    That the Council received the petitions listed at paragraph 2.1 of the report and the lead petitioners or their representatives be entitled to address the Council for a total period of five minutes in accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme.

 

3.    That the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment by required to response to the lead petitioners, as set out in the Petition Scheme, by Wednesday 29 January 2025.

95.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

Councillor Bennett-Sylvester and Councillor Ryals declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Minute No. 100 (HRA Business Plan, Rent Setting and Service Charges 2025-26) on the grounds of being a Council tenant and were granted a dispensation to vote.

 

Councillor Cusworth and Councillor Williams declared a non-pecuniary interest in Minute No. 100 (HRA Business Plan, Rent Setting and Service Charges 2025-26) on the grounds that family members were Council tenants. Both remained in the chamber and voted on the matter.

96.

Public Questions

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.

Minutes:

Seven public questions had been submitted for the meeting.



1.     Tariq Abdulkarim:

Having clear public art guidelines would help ensure that all communities feel represented and that artistic expression is treated equitably.

 

Would the council create formal public art guidelines outlining: 

 

1. Criteria for approving or rejecting public artworks

2. Ensuring equal opportunities for cultural expression

3. The process for reviewing and challenging decisions

4. Ensure Fair consistent and transparent decisions

 

Mr Abdulkarim did not attend the meeting and as such would receive a written response.

 

2.    Michael Suter:

 

I ask that RMBC draw up a new housing plan to end homelessness and house those on the housing register. Will the council consider the following:

 

·       Building a minimum of 2500 new council properties over the next 5 years.

 

·       To consider compulsory purchasing some of the 3500 empty properties in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham.

 

Councillor Allen explained that the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, approved by Cabinet in March 2023 and available on the Council’s website, set out the Council’s priorities for addressing all forms of homelessness in the Borough. An Empty Homes Plan would be published later in 2025 detailing the Council’s approach to this issue.

The Council were successful in bringing empty homes back in to use and since 2021, 87 private sector properties had been brought back in to use, as a direct result of the Council’s intervention. To achieve 3,500 would not only require funding and legal staffing on a scale far beyond what any council could provide, but those properties would not all be able to be legally CPO-ed anyway.

The Council were already building as many Council homes as they could within the funding available – it was the biggest council homes building programme in Rotherham since the 1970s. Since 2018 the Council had delivered over 600 new homes through the Housing Delivery Programme and were on track to deliver the target of 1,000 new Council homes by Summer 2027. It was not possible to achieve 2,500 additional Council homes in that timescale.

 

In his supplementary question, Mr Suter stated that Rotherham Council had sold off 1600 properties through the Right To Buy Scheme but only built 600, which led to a deficit and the housing stock going down. He stated that the current plan was not solving the Rotherham housing crisis. He asked if the Council would consider linking up and leading a political campaign to get more money from the government to build council houses on the scale previously set out or would they just be managers and watch the slide into chaos and the development of the far right.

 

Councillor Allen expressed her disappointing at having to make the sales under the Right To Buy Scheme. It was not a Labour policy, however, the new Labour government had introduced new rules around Right To Buy. These included reducing the discounts available which would ultimately stop the drain on council housing stock.

The Council were also part of the South Yorkshire  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.

97.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

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.

Minutes:

There were no such items that required the exclusion of the press and public from this meeting.

98.

Leader of the Council's Statement

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

Minutes:

The Leader was invited to present his statement. He stated that Rotherham’s services for children with special educational needs were judged to have the highest rating by Ofsted and CQC. They described a ‘genuine shared determination across the partnership that all children and young people with SEND are happy, successful and thrive’. Inspectors found ‘most children’s and young people’s needs are identified and assessed quickly and accurately’ and they ‘enjoy attending a range of mainstream schools and specialist provisions.’ On behalf of all Members, the Leader thanked those professionals from across the partnership who made this possible, even in an underfunded and broken national system.

 

Safeguarding Awareness Week had taken place at the end of November 2024, and it was noted that a number of members present took part to support those activities. Sessions on countering extremism, neglect, domestic violence, elective home education, modern slavery, professional curiosity, suicide, and of course the Evolve service reiterated the seriousness with which these issues were taken across the council, right at the heart of what Members were there to do.

 

The Children’s Capital of Culture 2025 had launched but the new year weather had not been kind. However the land art installations in Rosehill Park, Kimberworth and at Rother Valley were now in place, and the Otherham light installations – produced in conjunction with Rotherham’ young people – would be illuminating buildings before the end of the end of the month at the beginning of the year-long celebrations.

 

The Leader thanked the gritting teams who had worked hard over the last week or so to salt the roads and keep residents safe. The team had worked seven days a week and 24 hours a day involving 50 staff coordinating and delivering gritting on the Highway alone. Alongside gritting the highway, the Council had diverted significant resources to hand grit priority routes which had involved all staff from the Council's Ground and Streets Service totalling over 2,500 hours of work both during the normal working week and across weekends. The team had used over 1800 tonnes of grit salt across 30 different runs.

 

The Parkgate Link road had officially open and was being well used.

 

The baby packs scheme had launcher and expectant mothers would have the opportunity to sign up at their 26 weeks check-up.

 

The Leader ended his statement with some farewells. Firstly to Ben Anderson, the Director of Public Health who was leaving to take up a new post with the NHS. Ben had been instrumental in the Baby Pack Scheme.

 

Secondly, Caroline Webb, Senior Governance Advisor, was to retire the day after the Council meeting. Caroline had worked at Rotherham, mainly supporting Scrutiny, for over 23 years. The Leader stated that she had been a bastion of common sense and would be missed very much.

 

Finally, the Leader noted that the Chief Executive, Sharon Kemp OBE, would be leaving the authority later in the year. He stated that he had been very looked to work alongside her over the past  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98.

99.

Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting pdf icon PDF 143 KB

To note the minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held on 18th November and 16th December, 2024.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 18 November and 16 December 2024.

 

Councillor A Carter asked a question in relation to Minute 87 of the Cabinet Minuets from 16 December 2024 – Waste Collections Policy. The item had been Called-In for scrutiny and this had taken place on Tuesday 14 January 2025. Councillor A Carter questioned the Leader about this Policy and whether the already stretched enforcement team would be able to enact the Policy.

 

The Leader explained that the Household Waste Collection Service team were already responsible for checking waste. They did not and would not be hunting to the bottom of peoples bins to check for the smallest bit of waste in the wrong bin. The Policy meant there would be a progressive approach, starting with education and speaking to residents before fines were even considered. The Leader explained that the people who followed the rules should not have to pick up the bill for those that did not. That was not fair.

 

Resolved: That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meetings of Cabinet held on 18 November and 16 December 2024 be received.

 

Mover:- Councillor Read                         Seconder:- Councillor Sheppard

100.

Recommendation from Cabinet - HRA Business Plan, Rent Setting and Service Charges 2025-26 pdf icon PDF 139 KB

To consider and approve the Housing Revenue Account Rents and Service Charges 2025-26.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 90 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 16 December 2024, consideration was given to the report which sought approval for the Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2025/26 and proposed increases in housing rents, non-dwelling rents, District Heating charges and other service charges. It was recommended that Council dwelling rents be increased by 2.7%

 

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) recorded all expenditure and income relating to the provision of Council housing and related services, and the Council was required to produce an HRA Business Plan setting out its investment priorities over a 30-year period.

 

The proposed 2025/26 HRA Business Plan incorporated the Council’s commitments to continue and extend the Council’s Housing Delivery Programme, alongside significant new investment to support decency and thermal efficiency in existing council homes. The Plan included provision for £979m investment in the housing stock over 30 years, including approximately £35m additional investment over the next five years compared to the previous year’s position. This was alongside continuing to fund day-to-day housing management and repairs and maintenance costs. At the same time the Housing Delivery Programme would continue beyond 1,000 homes. The existing funding provision of £113m for hundreds more Council homes by 2027 would be supplemented with an additional £37m to begin to build the pipeline of schemes beyond 2027.

 

Borrowing was required in years 3 to 6 in order to support necessary investment and provision for servicing that level of debt was built into the 30 year Plan. The Business Plan had been modelled to ensure healthy balances were maintained in all years.

 

Alongside providing the draft HRA budget for 2025/26, the report also recommended increases in housing rents, non-dwelling rents, District Heating charges and other service charges for 2025/26. It was recommended that Council dwelling rents were increased by 2.7%, equivalent to CPI+1%, in line with Government policy. There were 12,668 tenancies in receipt of full Housing Benefit or full Universal Credit (UC) who would not be directly affected by an increase in rent. 2,276 tenancies received part Housing Benefit and any increase in rent would be part covered by benefit payments.

 

It was also proposed that shared ownership rents be increased by 3.2%; charges for communal facilities, parking spaces, cooking gas and use of laundry facilities be increased by 2%; District Heating unit charges be set at 13.09 pence per kwh.

 

The Cabinet report and appendices were attached to the covering report and included extensive detail on the proposals.

 

Questions in the meeting were on topics such as district heating, the language around benefits ring-fencing money for community facilities, communal bin storage, HRA funding being used for Rothercare and the distribution of HRA funding across the wards.

 

Councillor Allen confirmed she would provide Councillor Bennett-Sylvester with the information on Rothercare. She also confirmed that she would be happy to attend the Improving Places Select Commission to discuss the neighbourhood funding arrangements.

 

Resolved:

 

That Council:-

 

1.    Approve the proposed 2025/26 Base Case Option 2 for the HRA Business Plan.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100.

101.

Overview and Scrutiny Update pdf icon PDF 257 KB

To receive an update on the activities of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny bodies in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the activities of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Bodies in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.  The report set out the various pieces of scrutiny that had been undertaken. The four appendices were the Work Programme’s for the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, Health Select Commission, Improving Lives Select Commission and Improving Places Select Commission respectively.

 

In moving the report, Councillor Steele offered his thanks to Caroline Webb for all the support she had given him, and the scrutiny function, over the years.

 

Some concerns were raised over the possible duplication of work on Rothercard. Councillor Steele confirmed he would raise this with Councillor Sheppard. Councillor Currie asked if the Constitution could be reviewed as he wanted to be on Scrutiny but was currently unable to take up any of the vacant positions. Councillor Steele agreed to look into this. There was further debate on the call-in item and whether chairs of scrutiny should come from opposition parties.

         

Resolved:

 

That Council receive the report and note the updates.

 

Mover: Councillor Steele                                   Seconder: Councillor Bacon

102.

Notice of Motion - Protecting our farmland and countryside by prioritising solar panel installations on roofs and car parks pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To be moved by Councillor Ball and seconded by Councillor Thorp.

Minutes:

Prior to the discussions on Minutes 102 and 103, the Monitoring Officer advised members that ongoing planning matters and planning applications could not be discussed. Members were not to pre-judge, or appear to pre-judge, these matters.

It was moved by Councillor Ball and seconded by Councillor Thorp that:

 

Council Notes:

 

1.    An increased use of renewable energy sources, such as solar power, is critical in meeting the UK’s net-zero commitments and tackling climate change.

 

2.    Agricultural land is a finite and invaluable resource for food security, biodiversity, and the rural economy.  Open, unspoilt countryside is important for conservation, health and wellbeing and public amenity.

 

3.    Rooftops and car parks represent underutilised spaces that are highly suitable for solar panel installations, without reducing the many benefits of greenfield land, in particular its potential for food production and agriculture. 

 

4.    Several successful initiatives, including solar canopies over car parks (as seen in parts of the UK and Europe), demonstrate that solar power can be integrated into urban and suburban spaces effectively, generating significant energy and providing dual use, without the societal costs of losing large areas of greenfield land.

 

Council Believes:

 

1.    Preserving greenfield land and farmland is essential for ensuring local and national food security, especially in the face of global climate pressures and rising population demands.

 

2.    Solar energy development must be balanced with the need to protect greenfield land for other purposes, including agriculture, and the need to maintain the harmony of our countryside.

 

3.    Encouraging rooftop and car park solar installations will promote sustainable energy generation, while safeguarding land for farming and environmental conservation.

 

Council Resolves:

 

1.    To adopt a political stance in favour of small, discrete, solar panel installations, supporting their installation on:

 

·       Rooftops of commercial, residential, and public buildings.

·       Car parks through the development of solar canopies.

 

2.    To encourage the use of brown field land for large-scale solar farms,.

 

3.    To actively encourage partnerships with private and public sector organisations to maximise the use of existing infrastructure for renewable energy projects.

 

4.    To campaign at a regional and national level for policies that align with these priorities and provide financial incentives for rooftop and car park solar projects.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Sheppard and seconded by Councillor Read:

 

Council Resolves:

 

1.    To adopt a political stance in favour of small, discrete, solar panel installations, supporting their installation on:

 

·       Rooftops of commercial, residential, and public buildings.

·       Car parks through the development of solar canopies.

 

2.    To encourage the use of brown field land for large-scale solar farms,.

 

3.    To actively encourage partnerships with private and public sector organisations to maximise the use of existing infrastructure for renewable energy projects.

 

4.    To campaign at a regional and national level for policies that align with these priorities and provide financial incentives for rooftop and car park solar projects.

 

ADD:

5.    To note the 2023 report by the UCL Energy Institute for the Council for the Protection of Rural England which noted that rooftops could only  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

103.

Notice of Motion - Proactive action at the Maltby Colliery site pdf icon PDF 112 KB

To be moved by Councillor Tinsley and seconded by Councillor Stables.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Tinsley and seconded by Councillor Stables that:

 

Background:

The former Maltby Colliery site, a location with a long history of coal mining, is currently undergoing a reclamation scheme. This site has sparked significant health and safety concerns among local residents, including risks of land contamination and public injury within the area.

 

Compost-like output (CLO), a processed waste product derived from organic waste materials, is commonly used in land reclamation projects due to its ability to improve soil quality and support plant growth.

 

However, while CLO offers benefits in enhancing soil structure and fertility, it also poses potential risks to both public health and the environment. The composition of CLO is often not fully transparent, raising concerns that it may contain toxic elements such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and other hazardous substances. Over time, these harmful substances could leach into surrounding soil, water systems, and air, threatening local ecosystems, public health, and the long-term safety of the land.

 

CLO has been identified at the Maltby site, containing visible contaminants such as glass and plastic. Additionally, water leaching into the soil has been reported. Both issues have previously been raised with the Environment Agency (EA), which is responsible for permitting and enforcement at the site. However, the EA has yet to conduct an investigation.

 

In addition to concerns surrounding CLO, the site’s coal mining history adds further complications. Coal mining operations often leave behind a legacy of pollution, including heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and other contaminants. These pollutants, which may have remained in the soil for decades, continue to pose risks to both the environment and human health. In 2014, the Council resolved to carry out Planning enforcement action on the owner of the site for the importation of MRF fines, stating that “The importation of material to the site represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt”.  So similar action could be considered by the council regarding the importation of CLO.

 

The Maltby Colliery site is openly accessible by foot and frequently visited by individuals on off-road bikes and quads. A large lagoon on the site also shows signs of bank instability, raising concerns about public safety.

 

Recent testing on adjacent land designated for the Highfield Park housing development has confirmed the presence of land contaminants, raising serious questions about the safety of this area for residential use. While remediation of this land for housing is the responsibility of the developer as a planning condition, a proposed allotment site within the same area has not been included in soil testing. Growing food in potentially contaminated soil presents a direct public health risk to residents and highlights the broader dangers if no action is taken.

 

As these concerns continue to mount, local residents are calling for greater transparency, comprehensive testing, and stronger regulatory oversight of the reclamation process and the materials used in land restoration.

 

The Council Notes:

 

1.    CLO (Compost-like Output) is classed as a waste product with no set standard to regulate it. CLO  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

104.

Notice of Motion - Kier Starmer's Labour Government have failed WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) Women pdf icon PDF 101 KB

To be moved by Councillor Tarmey and seconded by Councillor A Carter.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Tarmey and seconded by Councillor A Carter that:

 

Summary/Background:

 

The ruling by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) in March 2024 was a vindication of the WASPI movement’s efforts and it underscores the government’s responsibility to address the injustices faced by these women. It also highlighted longstanding failures in government communication. This meant that affected women were not fully aware of the changes and exactly what it meant for them.

 

This injustice, perpetrated by successive Governments, has not only had a profound effect on the individuals involved but on the wider community in Rotherham and on local government, not least because:

 

This Council believes:

 

·       Some women who would have looked after older relatives or partners are unable to afford to do so, with a knock-on impact on local social care.

·       Some women who would have otherwise retired and chosen to care for their grandchildren, are having to continue working, increasing the childcare burden on the state locally.

·       Some women have been left in poverty, and are struggling to meet their housing costs, with a knock-on impact on local housing stock.

·       There is a broader impact on voluntary services of all kinds locally, which are missing out on able, active volunteers who would otherwise have been able to retire from full-time work as planned.

·       Our local economy is negatively affected by the reduced spending power and disposable income the uncommunicated State Pension Age changes have brought about among women born in the 1950s.

·       It is wrong for the government to have taken the decision not to promise compensation for women affected by changes in state pension age.  The council recognises that Local MPs Sarah Champion and John Heeley have campaigned in support of WASPI women, but they have been badly let down by the new U.K. government.

·       The cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance will only amplify problems for many of these women.

 

This Council supports:

 

·       A swift resolution to this ongoing injustice before more and more women die waiting for compensation.

·       The conclusion of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality that women born in the 1950s have suffered a gross injustice, affecting their emotional, physical and mental circumstances in addition to causing financial hardship.

·       The calls for compensation for WASPI women who were adversely affected by the changes and inadequate communication around them.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to ask the Leader of the Council to write to:

 

1.    The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to reconsider their decision not to compensate WASPI women.

 

2.    Local MPs to express the council’s regret that they have failed in their duty to convince their own Government to compensate WASPI women.

 

On being put to the vote, the motion fell.

105.

Notice of Motion - Save Rotherham Post Office pdf icon PDF 86 KB

To be moved by Councillor C Carter and seconded by Councillor Tarmey.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor C Carter and seconded by Councillor Tarmey that:

 

Summary/Background:

 

Council is shocked to learn that Rotherham Post Office is at risk of closure – alongside 115 other branches across the UK.

 

Rotherham Post Office is a vital community hub. Hundreds of residents rely on its services. For Post Office Ltd to announce that it is threatened with closure, with no consultation with local people, is extremely concerning.

 

Council firmly opposes any proposal to shut local Post Offices in Rotherham.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

 

1.    Instruct the Chief Executive to write to the Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd expressing Council’s deep opposition to Rotherham Post Office being closed and asking for assurances that it will not be shut.

 

2.    Request the Chief Executive write to the Government’s Business Minister, Justin Madders, to request the Government immediately intervene and protect our local Post Office from closure.

 

On being put to the vote the motion was carried.

106.

Audit Committee pdf icon PDF 143 KB

To note receipt of the Audit Committee minutes.

Minutes:

Resolved: That the reports, recommendations and minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee be noted.

 

Mover: Councillor Baggaley                    Seconder: Councillor Elliott

107.

Health and Wellbeing Board pdf icon PDF 293 KB

To note receipt of the Health and Wellbeing Board minutes.

Minutes:

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

 

Mover: Councillor Baker-Rogers             Seconder: Councillor Read

108.

Licensing Board and Licensing Committee pdf icon PDF 99 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

Mover: Councillor Beresford                   Seconder: Councillor Sutton

109.

Planning Board pdf icon PDF 111 KB

To note receipt of the Planning Board minutes.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In moving the minutes, Councillor Williams informed Members that a seminar was being arranged regarding the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. Details on this would be circulated shortly.

 

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

 

Mover: Councillor Williams                     Seconder: Councillor Mault

110.

Staffing Committee pdf icon PDF 68 KB

To accept the recommendations and note receipt of the Staffing Committee minutes.

Minutes:

Resolved: That the recommendation of the Staffing Committee be accepted, and the minutes of the meeting be noted.

 

Mover: Councillor Alam                          Seconder: Councillor Read

111.

Members' Questions to Designated Spokespersons

 

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).

 

Minutes:

There were 9 questions for the designated spokespersons:

 

1.    Councillor Ball: Rotherham’s night-time fire cover, once a shining beacon of protection, has dwindled alarmingly over the past decade. What stirring actions, what bold and decisive measures, have you personally undertaken to arrest this deeply worrying erosion of safety for our residents?


Councillor McKiernan explained that Rotherham fire station continued to provide 24/7 cover, supported by other stations and fire engines across the borough and across the county. The fire and rescue service had received significant, real-term reductions in funding since 2010. Councillor McKiernan stated that the bold and decisive measures that Councillor Ball took were to join the Conservative Party and become an advocate for austerity. Meanwhile, it has continued to receive single year funding settlements for many years, creating further financial uncertainty. Both the service and the Authority had continued to lobby successive government ministers for a fair and long term funding settlement for the fire and rescue service. The service reviewed its risk management planning annually as part of its established Community Risk Management Plan process.


In his role on the Fire Authority, Councillor McKiernan stated that he would be supporting the responsible decisions that needed to be taken, based on the risks facing the service and the public, and supporting a government that would back public services, not one that undermined them at every turn.

 

In his supplementary question, Councillor Ball asked Councillor McKiernan to provide specific examples (names, dates, decisions) of meaningful change .

Councillor McKiernan advised Councillor Ball to search online.

 

2.    Councillor Ball: Dearne’s on-call pump, a critical lifeline for large-scale emergencies, has become about as reliable as a British summer. What plans, what mighty and immediate steps, do you have to restore this vital resource to a state of robust operational readiness, ensuring that the people of Rotherham are not left high and dry in their hour of need?


Councillor McKiernan explained that the service continued to take steps to improve the availability of its on-call fire engines- including at Dearne fire station. This included the regular recruitment and training of new on-call firefighters (including 6 at Dearne in 2024) and the introduction of an on-call support team, which had had a big impact on the availability of on-call fire engines across the county. All fire and rescue services in the UK faced challenges in recruiting sufficient numbers of on-call firefighters due to the very specific eligibility requirements for the role, but Councillor McKiernan was confident the service was taking appropriate steps to address this issue in South Yorkshire.

 

In his supplementary question, Councillor Ball asked how the people of Rotherham could trust the plan to improve the reliability of on-call fire engines at Dearne fire station when the problem had persisted for years? He asked if the timeline was weeks, months or another decade.


Councillor McKiernan stated that he had not been on the Fire Authority long enough to know the specific details but as Councillor Ball had previously been a member,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111.

112.

Members' Questions to Cabinet Members and Chairpersons

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

Minutes:

There were 22 questions for Cabinet Members and Chairpersons:

 

  1. Councillor Bacon: Following the Council’s loss of nearly half a million pounds of tax payers’ money in a capital project, will the council commit to reviewing what went wrong, and give strong assurances that lessons have been learnt?


Councillor Alam explained that he presumed that this question related to the write off approved at Cabinet in November 2024, as part of the Council September Financial Monitoring report. The Council proposed to write off a debtor balance in relation to IIiad (Rotherham) Ltd, to the value of £466,360.22, dating back from 27 March 2013. The debt stemmed from an old regeneration scheme where RMBC entered into a Development Agreement with the developer Iliad to deliver the Westgate Demonstrator Project.  Under the terms of the Development Agreement just prior to commencement of construction on site, Iliad and the Council would enter into a long term lease. As the buildings were completed Iliad would then pay to the Council a Lease Premium. However, IIiad got into significant financial difficulty and were unable to meet the lease premium and ultimately fell into liquidation. As a result of this the Council was not able to recover the lease premium that it had raised as a debtor.

 

Councillor Alam explained that even with the best due diligence in the world, sometimes private companies did go bust. The Council had taken steps over a number of years to pursue the debt as there was a small possibility of debt recovery even with the company being in liquidation, however, the Council’s efforts had not been able to recover the outstanding balance. In terms of the Councils own actions to try to avoid such things arising, with projects such as this the Council always carried out financial viability checks on businesses that it looked to engage to help mitigate any potential risk. Whilst the Council took steps to ensure that it ensured it was working with financially robust organisations, the risk of a business falling into financial difficulty could never be fully eradicated.    

 

In his supplementary question, Councillor Bacon stated that this highlighted another failure on Labour’s watch. A recent audit report had revealed a series of failings in the way that the Council managed public finances when it came to big projects. He asked if Labour would acknowledge the internal audit report, support publishing as much of it as possible and apologise to the public for the serious failing on their watch.

Councillor Alam explained that there were recommendations from the audit report. The failings mentioned were in 2013 and improvements had been made to the monitoring of capital projects by officers and members since then.

 

2.    Councillor Bacon: Following complaints from residents that utility companies are allegedly not fully restoring areas of works to the standard they found them in, what steps will the council take to ensure these companies look after public infrastructure?


Councillor Taylor was not present at the meeting to respond so a written response  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112.

113.

Urgent Items

Any other public items which the Mayor determines are urgent.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items to consider.