Agenda and minutes

Pursuant to Minute No. C50 of January 2000, consideration was given to a nomination received to fill LEA vacancies on school governing bodies.

Resolved:-  That, with the effective date of appointment, the following appointment be made to school governing body:-

BadsleyMoor JuniorSchool              Mr. I. Atkinson             31/10/06

The above appointment is subject to a satisfactory check being undertaken.

- to receive the report

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Culture and Leisure which outlined the 2^nd quarter progress against Culture and Leisure key performance indicators for 2006/07, and projected Rotherham performance against the 2006 Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) Culture Block.

Service Plan Key Performance Indicators

A single performance exception was highlighted.  The service set a target to achieve 2 Green Flag awards during 2006/07.  The submission from ThryberghCountry Park was successful whereas the submission from Rother ValleyCountry Park failed.  Due to the annual timetable for awarding Green Flags concluding in June of each year, the authority will not achieve a further Green Flag award until 2007/08.

Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) Performance

The Audit Commission reported on its inspection of Rotherham’s Culture & Leisure service in September.  The inspection, completed during the first week of July 2006, scored the service as ‘Good’ (2 stars out of a possible 3) with ‘promising prospects to improve’.  This is a considerable achievement for Rotherham’s Cultural Services.  Between June 2005 and September 2006 the Audit Commission reported on 36 inspections of cultural services.  The majority (58%) were scored as fair (1 star) services.  Rotherham is placed amongst the minority (39%) scored as ‘Good’ (2 star).

The report set out the findings of the inspection by the Audit Commission, together with a number of recommendations made by them against which an action plan will be drawn up.

As a result of the increased weighting applied to PI scores for CPA 2006, achievement of Upper or Middle performance thresholds is a critical component in securing a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ overall CPA assessment for Culture & Leisure Services and, ultimately, for the Council.

A key development during the 2^nd Quarter was the achievement of a 77% outturn against the Schools PE performance indicator.  This score is above the lower threshold.

The report set out details of updated current and projected performance against CPA Culture Block Performance Indicators.  Current or expected performance is indicated by a “traffic light”/”RAG” system.

Overall performance against the CPA Culture Block PI set is scored from 1-4 (poor performance = 1) and is dependent upon the number of PI outturns falling within each of the performance thresholds.

Current analysis summarised in the details of the table submitted gives Rotherham a projected score of 3 against 2006 Culture Block.  Final performance is, however, dependent upon seven survey based PI’s achieving middle or upper threshold but whose final outturns will not be known until late 2006 or early 2007.

Resolved:-  That the Performance Report be received.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to financial or business affairs).

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

- to consider the recommendations of the report

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Culture and Leisure which set out the detail of a presentation to be made at the Regeneration Scrutiny Panel to be held on 3^rd November, 2006 on key issues affecting the services, both currently and into the future in respect of the budgetary situation.

The report set out the detail of:

o       The overall position of the 2005/06 outturn, including areas of under/overspending and impact on performance (drawn from the final outturn report);

o       Current performance for the 2006/07 budget and projected outturn;  including some information on the outcomes expected from the new funding allocations received in 2006/07 and any other changes;

o       For the 2007/08 budget, the highlighted savings targets from the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and issues and potential options for investment or disinvestment.

It was reported that more in-depth detail on savings and investments will be presented at the second round of Scrutiny Panel budget meetings.

It was noted that a recent Audit Commission Inspection of Culture and Leisure Services had highlighted the good value for money the service offered and the fact that it is a low spender against comparator authorities.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the outturn position of the 2005/06 budget be noted.

(2)         That the emerging and continuing pressures within the services in this financial year and actions being taken to manage them be noted.

(3)         That the savings target set for Culture and Leisure in the MTFS and possible options to meet that target be noted.

(4)         That a more detailed report on savings be presented to the next meeting of Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure in November, 2006.

(5)  That a report be submitted to a future meeting on the progress and timetable of negotiations in respect of The Yes Project and the future management of Rother Valley Country Park.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to financial or business affairs).