Agenda and minutes

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 Paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government act 1972 (negotiation of terms).

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 9 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (negotiation of terms).

Agreed:-  The minutes of the meeting held on 14^th November, 2005, be approved as a true record.

Update by respective ADF Chairs supported by the following reports:-

Rawmarsh and Parkgate – Andy Pashley

Rotherham East – Kalpana Desai

Rotherham West – Uzma Sattar

Wath and Swinton – Paul Walsh

The respective ADF Chairs and HMR Managers gave the following reports:-

Rawmash and Parkgate

Vision for the area

Key objectives which included Rawmarsh High Street – Bellow Road, ParkgateVillage, ManorFarm Village

Relationship to strategic goals

Scale of Change

Financial Breakdown.

Rotherham East

Eastwood Masterplan

Neighbourhood Spaces

Strategic Acquisitions

Gateway Improvements

Environmental Infrastructure Green Spaces

Street Scene Enhancements

Dalton Frontages

Eastwood Village, Eastwood

Rotherham West

Neighbourhood Spaces

Accelerated Demolition

Gateway Improvements

Environmental Infrastructure

Street Scene Enhancements

Canklow Stock Appraisal and Canklow Social Survey

Wath and Swinton

Strategic Acquisitions

Environmental Infrastructure Street Scene Improvements

Selective Demolitions and Site Assembly

Green Spaces and Groundwork Environmental Projects

Gateway Enhancements

Forward Planning

Strategic Management

A discussion took place on the ADFs and the processes involved in general.  The following points were highlighted:-

§                     Concern that Streetpride did not have the capacity to carry out all street scene works.  It was noted that the work should be passed to the Rotherham Construction Partnership.

§                     There would be times when decisions had to be made to transfer resources to ensure full Programme spend.

§                     The need for clarification around the role of the ADF steering groups including the attendance of members of the public

Agreed:-  (1)  That the reports be noted.

(2)  That a breakdown of overall expenditure and actual spend across all 4 ADFs  be submitted to the January meeting.

(3)  That where there was a need to reprofile as a matter of urgency to ensure full spend for the 2005/06 Programme, the relevant ADF Chair should be informed as a matter of priority.

(4)  That, with regard to future meetings to consider the 2006/08 spend, the Wath Swinton ADF Steering Group work up draft terms of reference, membership, roles and responsibilities, responsibility of the Chairman and conduct of meetings.

(5)  That when appropriate, a meeting of the ADF Chairs be convened to discuss (4) above with a view to adoption by all 4 ADFs.

Nick Barnes, Principal Project Development Officer submitted an update on the delivery of the Green Spaces Programme 2005/06 which aimed to deliver infrastructure improvements in targeted Green Spaces within the Council through the South Yorkshire Housing Market Pathfinder to an approved value of £1,400,575.00.

The Programme delivered work that addressed public concerns in green spaces adjacent to housing in target areas over safety and anti-social behaviour and by putting target hardening provisions in place.  It delivered infrastructure improvement measures which were needed to bring sites up to a basic level of quality.  There were also planning and feasibility works which would inform future developments whether through the Pathfinder or other funding programmes.

A table was appended to the eport which showed specific works on a site by site basis with indicative costs.  The work included improvements and creations to paths in parks, fencing works to secure boundaries and control access within the sites, provision of lighting along main paths and CCTV to reduce fears about personal safety and some degree of re-landscaping of specific areas.

Some of the work was being delivered by Groundwork DearneValley.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

- report by David Phillips, Principal Engineer, Highways, Streetpride

David Phillips, Principal Engineer (Highways), Streetpride, submitted a report on the street scene enhancements approved to design and implementation in 2005/06 as part of the HMR Pathfinder initiatives.

The schemes covered a wide scope of works from verge hardening for off street car parking and footway surfacing through to open space improvements and grass verge protection.  Scheme values ranged from around £1,000 up to £270,000.  Design and works supervision would be delivered by the 3 groups within the Streetpride Service – Schemes and Partnerships (Highways and Structures), Community Delivery (Landscapes and Area Teams) and Network Management (Major Maintenance and Street Lighting).  Work would be delivered by the in house delivery teams associated with each group and Streetpride’s contractor partner, Ringway.

The Programme was on target at present.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

- report of Tim Devine, Development Surveyor

Tim Devine, Development Surveyor, submitted a report detailing acquisition activity relating to parcels and areas of land in the town centre and peripheral areas that were considered to be of strategic importance to the Renaissance programme and the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder.

Through the Pathfinder Programme, Transform South Yorkshire had allocated funding of £750,000 to the Council for strategic property acquisitions in the town centre in the current financial year.  The Regeneration and Asset Management Board meeting of 7^th December had approved the strategic acquisitions programme for the town centre and peripheral ADF areas.

The report gave an update on the current position regarding negotiations with relevant owners in both the town centre and peripheral areas.

The Stage 2 bid was being dealt with by Yorkshire Forward that week.  Stage 3 would be submitted after Christmas.

It was stressed that this was a “wish” list which could be added to or deleted from, a large proportion of which would not happen.  It was noted that it was the first time the ADF Chairs had seen such a list.

Agreed:-  (1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That the Pathfinder Team set up a meeting between the ADF Chairs and ADF Managers to discuss the list.

- Gordon Smith, Specialist Support Manager

(see booklet)

Gordon Smith, Housing Solutions Officers, gave a powerpoint presentation on Delivering Design Quality.

It sought to assess the quality of housing schemes by applying the Building for Life standard, the aim being to have houses that were well built, well designed, affordable, sustainable and for all groups of society.  Building for Life posed 20 questions about residential developments based on the 5 themes of character, roads, parking and congestion, design and construction and environment and the community.

Delivering Design Quality was sponsored by a partnership between Transform South Yorkshire, the Home Builders Federation, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and the 4 South Yorkshire local authorities.

To address issues of poor design quality in new residential developments, which had been highlighted in a nationwide audit by CABE, TSY had made some funding available in the current year to establish a Home Builders Advisory Panel and a Design Enabling Panel.  The Design Enabling Panel targeted members, officers and the public sector generally to look at raising the profile of design and to start spreading awareness of design issues and skills throughout the public sector, starting with local authorities.

One of the key drivers, if approved for next year, would be the Innovation fund which would provide gap funding.  Private developers and Housing Associations should be able to bid for gap funding up to £6,000 to address particular design added value.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

Joanne Bloy, Implementation Team Leader, gave a verbal update on the current position with regard to the Westgate Demonstrator project.

It was one of the key regeneration schemes in the town centre and central to both delivering the Pathfinder and Rotherham Renaissance.  The funding application to TSY in June was successful towards the initial package of enabling work.  The approved £1M spend by 31^st March,2006, was on schedule to be spent.

The preferred developer had been selected and had now given an indication of their commitment to the scheme and their programme of works/timescales which was at variance to what was originally planned.  This could cause some funding difficulties due to the timescale and funding rounds not coinciding.

Discussion ensued on the report.  It was noted that it was not within this group’s remit to make any decision as to the way forward but it would be a matter for the Regeneration and Asset Board and/or Cabinet.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted and an update be submitted to the January meeting.

Tom Bell, HMR Team Leader, circulated a up-to-date investment programme spend projection up to December, 2005.

It was noted that all the approvals were in places apart from No. 12 Doncaster Gate which was being appraised at present.

A Client Project Management Team had been established.  The 2 officers were challenging the individual Project Managers on their projects.

The projected outturn was £14.1M.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

- report of any Board decisions

It was noted that the Board was to look at its monitoring and management arrangements.

Negotiations were currently underway with the ODPM in relation to the next funding allocation, the outcome of which would be known next year.

Agreed:-  That the next meeting be held on 23rd January, 2005.