Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Board be accepted as a true record.

Consideration was given to a report on the second round of consultation on the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) which was launched in July, 2005 with the issuing of a Consultation Draft RES.

Yorkshire Forward invited views and comments from stakeholders, including local authorities.

As part of the first round of Consultation, Rotherham MBC submitted comments on a range of questions. The majority of the issues raised have been addressed in the draft RES document.

Comments and views from officers across the Council on the consultation draft RES were collated and a draft response was submitted at Appendix 3 of the report.

The report submitted set out the background to the consultation process, the objectives/targets of the strategy and how comments and responses were obtained and collated.

Appendix 1 gave a comparison between the proposed new targets and those included in the original RES document.

Appendix 2 indicated comparisons between issues raised via Round 1 consultation and the Consultation Draft RES.

The draft response at Appendix 3 was to be considered by the Corporate Management Team, Cabinet and Regeneration Core Office Group before being submitted to Yorkshire Forward by the deadline date of 28th September, 2005.

Following consideration of written submissions a final draft of the RES would be submitted to Government on 31st October, 2005.

Resolved:- (1) That the second round of Consultation relating to the Regional Economic Strategy be noted.

(2) That the draft response at Appendix 3 of the report be agreed and forwarded to Cabinet for approval.

Consideration was given to the content of a report in respect of an application for RERF match funding of up to £39,522 towards the cost of delivering Rotherham Youth Enterprise business support services for the period 1st July 2005 to 31st March 2006.

Rotherham Youth Enterprise (RYE) provides specialist support to young people aged 16-30 years who wish to consider starting a business and self employment as their preferred career option. The project provides incubation workspace and a range of business support services to ‘start up businesses’ throughout the Borough.

An application has been submitted to RERF seeking £39,522 to match SRB 6 funding and ensure the delivery of the project at three Youth Business Support Centres until such time that a current Sub Regional Investment Plan application for Single Pot support has been approved. It was pointed out that should Single Pot Funding become available to the project prior to March 2006 any outstanding funding would be returned to RERF.

The report submitted set out the funding process for the project, the staff involved and the number of young people that benefit from it.

Resolved:- That the approval given to Rotherham Youth Enterprise business support centres and services of up to £39,522 from the RERF budget be noted.

Business Manager, Culture and Leisure Services, to report.

To agree to the signing of the lease agreement.

Further to Minute No. 25 of the meeting held on 13th July, 2005, consideration was given to the content of a report which clarified the legal issues as requested.

It was reported that Legal Services had drafted a suitable agreement, the key elements of which were set out in the report submitted.

Resolved:- That the signing of the lease agreement be approved.

The following items are likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:-

Resolved:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Development Surveyor to report.

To update on proposals and approval on key decisions.

(Exempt under Paragraphs 8 and 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to a report on the significant progress made with the Westgate Demonstrator Project since the last reports.

The report submitted set out the background to the Project and updated members on:-

-        the process for selection of a preferred developer including the weightings to be taken into account for the scoring of bidders

-        the development agreement situation

-        enabling works required, including car parking issues, and cost involved

-        discounting of the Council’s asset value and the arrangements to be considered as the development agreement is formalised

-        the strategy for decanting tenants in All Saints and Imperial Buildings having regard to legal interests and establishment of a compensation package.  It was reported that a set of procedures had been agreed, which were outlined, to give tenants clear information during the period of uncertainty.

It was acknowledged that compensation issues were difficult to assess as the businesses had not yet been valued.

A report on funding surrounding compensation issues would be submitted to a future meeting of this Board along with funding arrangements for managing the public realm within the Westgate Demonstrator Project.

Members were made aware of the uncertainties and risks relating to the project and steps being taken to mitigate them.

Resolved:- (1) That the process and the scoring criteria for selecting a preferred developer as outlined in the report submitted be confirmed.

(2) That progress on the preparation of the development agreement be noted.

(3) That details of the planned enabling works and the potential minor disruption associated with them in terms of car parking be noted.

(4) That the District Valuer’s final valuations be noted and it be agreed that the additional value be re-invested into the scheme through funding the public realm works/maintenance.

(5) That the proposed arrangements for apportioning the discount and to delegate responsibility to the Head of Asset Management for agreeing the final disposal sums for each site be approved.

(6) That the progress with tenant decant matters and the ongoing disruption potential for tenants be noted.

(Exempt under Paragraphs 8 and 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Head of Asset Management to report.

To seek approval to convert the aged persons’ centre in Swinton into the Customer Service Centre.

(Exempt under Paragraphs 8 and 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Further to Minute No. 22 of the meeting held on 13th July, 2005, consideration was given to a report which set out the results of development work to provide a Customer Service Centre within the existing Swinton District Office.

The report identified the problems encountered and suggested the preferred way forward as being the conversion of the Aged Persons Centre on the civic site into the Swinton Customer Services Centre.

The report set out the reasons that demonstrated the suitability of the preferred way forward including reduced costs, removal of disruption to existing services and making full use of an under utilised Council asset.

Members were reminded of the funding situation and the tight timescale involved to deliver the scheme to programme.

It was confirmed that the proposal had been agreed with Social Services.

Resolved:- That the proposal to convert the Aged Persons Centre at Station Road, Swinton into the Swinton Customer Service Centre be approved.

(Exempt under Paragraphs 8 and 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Head of Rotherham Investment and Development Office.

To secure approval for a Stage 2 Application to Yorkshire Forward in support of Rotherham’s Urban Renaissance.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

It was reported that a notional allocation of £34.5 million has been attributed to Rotherham’s Urban Renaissance within the South Yorkshire Investment Plan.

Rotherham MBC had prepared a draft Stage 2 application to secure Yorkshire Forward’s in principle agreement to Rotherham’s proposals.

Members were informed that the Yorkshire Forward project approval process was multi-staged. The urban renaissance programme had already secured Stage 1 approval through its agreed inclusion within the South Yorkshire Investment Plan. Rotherham’s Stage 2 application represented an outline business case that would be put to Yorkshire Forward’s Strategic Assessment Panel.  It attempted to capture those projects likely to be progressed over the next five years, which were summarised below.

Following the approval of Rotherham’s Stage 2 application individual project ideas would be developed and result in the preparation of Stage 3 applications for each individual project, the timetabling of which had been detailed in the report at Table 1.  This would require the preparation of a full and detailed business plan for each scheme, including full project appraisal.

The proposed programme was made up of a series of projects which amounted to £34.5m, £7m of which was made up of reserve schemes. This meant that £7m of schemes would only be actioned if there was slippage in the South Yorkshire Investment Programme. Rotherham’s urban renaissance notional funding allocation therefore amounted to £27.5 over 5 years, which would support the following:-

·            Flood Alleviation Scheme

·            The Westgate Demonstrator Project and associated public realm

·            Guest and Chrimes redevelopment scheme and associated land reclamation etc.

·            Westgate Regeneration and associated improvements

·            Strategic Acquisitions

·            Area Improvement Programme and associated improvements

·            Transportation Strategy

·            Renaissance enabling

The report submitted set out the areas of risk along with action being taken to mitigate them.

Resolved:- (1) That the information set out in the report be received.

(2) That the submission of a Stage 2 application into the South Yorkshire Investment Plan in support of Rotherham’s Urban Renaissance, as per the schedule set out in the report, be approved subject to agreement of the Local Strategic Partnership Board.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Strategic Property Manager to report.

To consider sale of ransom strip.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to a report which highlighted the changes to the forecast of capital receipts accruing to the General Fund resulting in a revision of the Council’s Capital Programme.

Members made reference to several of the transactions and up to date information was given on them.

A suggested way of reporting the progress of major transactions was set out at Appendix 2 of the report.

Resolved:- (1) That the position on the current status of the capital programme be noted.

(2) That the proposed format for reporting progress on major transactions be approved.

(3) That the Head of Rotherham Investment and Development Office in consultation with the Head of Planning and Transportation report monthly on the progress of major land and property transactions.

(Exempt under Paragraphs 8 and 9 of the Act – finance and land/property issues)

Strategic Property Manager to report.

To consider appropriation.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to a report on the appropriation of the site of the former Sheffield Road Baths for use as a replacement car parking facility.

Members were aware of the Westgate Demonstrator Project (WDP) was one of Rotherham Council’s key regeneration schemes within the Town Centre and was central to the delivery of the Rotherham Renaissance Charter.

An integral part of the project involved the redevelopment of three surface car parks, shown as sites 3, 4 and 5 on the plan attached at Appendix 1 of the report submitted. This would result in the loss of this facility to the general public. It was therefore proposed to provide, if possible, replacement car parking for these sites and the former Sheffield Road Baths site shown edged black on the plan attached at Appendix 2 of the report had been identified for this purpose. The property had been declared surplus to the requirements of Education, Culture and Leisure Services and accepted into the Land and Property Bank.

There were a number of financial issues to be resolved if this project was to proceed and these were set out in the report, several of which were highlighted and discussed by Members.

Resolved:- (1) That the appropriation of the former site of Sheffield Baths, Sheffield Road, Rotherham at a valuation of £475,000, from Education, Culture and Leisure Services to Rotherham Investment and Development Office be approved.

(2) That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services makes the necessary adjustment to his records.

(3) That the Head of Corporate Finance makes the appropriate budgetary adjustments.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Strategic Property Manager to report.

To consider sale of ransom strip.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration of this item was deferred until the next meeting.

Strategic Property Manager to report.

To update on capital programme and method of report transactions.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to the content of a report on the implications of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder project on the medium term capital programme.

The report informed members that parts of Rotherham had weak housing markets, concentrations of obsolete housing and some areas of deprivation. Transform South Yorkshire - the Government’s Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder agency – was addressing the issue of housing market weakness through the preparation of a strategy and a series of individual projects intended to support the creation of ‘sustainable’ neighbourhoods where people want to live, providing housing choice and quality accommodation.  Draft Masterplans had been prepared to help secure these aims and target the resources of the Council and Transform South Yorkshire. Funding was already available from Central Government and the masterplans would provide a long term strategy for action over the next 10-15 years.  It was intended that the masterplans would eventually become Area Action Plans within the new Local Development Framework for Rotherham (which would eventually replace the current Unitary Development Plan).

Draft Masterplans covered several Neighbourhoods within the Borough and represented a major programme of regeneration activity likely to affect the areas over the next few years. The Masterplans would be subject to further pubic consultation when they were formally progressed as the Action Plans.

At the current time the Council had a number of sites in the Land and Property Bank which had been declared surplus to the requirements of the administering Service Area and the Head of Rotherham and Investment Office had been instructed to market the assets.  Thus, the estimated capital receipt was included in the Council’s current capital programme.

The situation with regard to a number of these sites was set out at Appendix 2 of the report.  Appendix 2 also indicated the outcome of consultations regarding the impact on the capital programme depending whether the sites were sold or withdrawn from sale.

Appendix 3 of the report gave the current forecast for capital receipts.

A summary of issues to be addressed by members was set out in the report.

Resolved:- (1) That arrangements be made for the two sites at Dalton Depot, Thrybergh and land at Midland Road, Kimberworth to be sold at the appropriate valuation and credited to the General Fund Account.

(2) That the sale of all other assets shown at Appendix 2 of the report be agreed, with the exception of land at Dalton Lane, Dalton, which is a HRA asset required for the Pathfinder programme.

(3) That when specific implications for the HMR Pathfinder Programme are raised by Neighbourhoods, reports be submitted to this Board on a case by case basis.

(4) That the Valuation Manager cease all discussions with third parties in respect of the land at Dalton Lane, Dalton and the asset be removed from the Capital Programme.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Strategic Property Manager to report.

To seek approval to sell this asset.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to a proposal to dispose of the above mentioned land which is surplus to the requirements of Education, Culture and Leisure Services.

The relevant land was shown with the report submitted along with the background information which indicated that the land had no other potential use which may be more valuable on the open market than the sale option recommended.

Resolved:-  (1) That disposal of the asset of the land concerned, by private treaty, on the basis as set out in the report be approved.

(2) That the Head of Rotherham Investment and Development Office negotiate the terms of the disposal.

(3) That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services completes the necessary documentation.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Strategic Property Manager to report.

To consider sale of surplus land.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to a proposal to dispose of land at Whitehill Road, Brinsworth, which is surplus to the requirements of Neighbourhoods.

The relevant land was shown with the report submitted along with two main options for future development of the site.

The report also set out the reasons for the proposal.

Resolved:- (1) That the Head of Rotherham and Development Office markets the sale by tender, in accordance with Option 1 and the conditions as set out in the report.

(2) That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services complete the necessary documentation.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Valuation Manager to report.

To note the petition and representations received.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Further to Minute No. 119 of a meeting of the Property Board held on 18th May, 2005 regarding the decision to facilitate the development of land at Thorpe Hesley by Fitzwilliam (Wentworth) Estates by releasing an area of land owned by Rotherham MBC, it was reported that three petitions had been received opposing the proposed development.

The petitions contained a total of 1,468 signatures.

In addition 24 separate letters of opposition were received.

It was reported that Fitzwilliam (Wentworth) Estates had confirmed that it was still the intention to pursue the development of their land.

It was noted that detailed planning permission had yet to be granted.

Resolved:- That the petitions and representations be received.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Development Surveyor to report.

To approve proposed disposal.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

Consideration was given to a request to dispose of land for access to a proposed residential development at Fitzwilliam Fields, the land concerned being a landscape strip to the Manvers Way.

The background to the proposal was set out in the report submitted along with reasons for recommending the request.

Resolved:- (1) That the disposal of the land at Manvers Way, identified in the report submitted, be approved on the terms outlined in the report.

(2) That the Head of Rotherham Investment and Development Office agree the detailed terms of the easements.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)

The Executive Director, Economic and Development Services, gave an update to Members on the situation regarding key sites relating to the Rotherham Renaissance programme.

Discussion took place on certain issues particularly a proposal to form a Limited Company to progress matters.

Resolved:- That action be taken as discussed to progress the issue of forming a Limited Company, it being felt to be in the best interests of the Authority regarding negotiations surrounding the Rotherham Renaissance programme.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – land and property issues)