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 3  of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council))

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 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

Agreed:-  The minutes of the meeting held on 14th September, 2009, be approved as a true record.

-        reports by ADF Chairs/Programme Co-ordinators for:-

·              Rawmarsh and Parkgate ADF

·              Rotherham East

·              Wath and Swinton

·              Rotherham West

·              Town Centre

·              Dinnington

·              Maltby

Members noted the ADF Chairs’ reports which highlighted:-

Rawmarsh and Parkgate

Goodwin Avenue

Mahon Avenue

Clarence Hotel

Improvements to Gateway Corridor A633

Parkgate Village Project

Regeneration of Service Centre/New Homes

Better Public Spaces

Rotherham East

Eldon Road

Longfellow Drive

Dalton and East Herringthorpe Development Framework

Eastwood Masterplan

Remodelling – Demonstrator Project

Doncaster Road, East Dene

Chesterhill Avenue, Dalton

Wath and Swinton

The Dearne Valley Vision

Almond Place

White Bear Estate

Albany Road, Kilnhurst

Highfield Road

Rookery Road

Brameld Road

Cliffe Bank

Swinton Gateway/Green Linkages

Brampton Bierlow/Knolbeck Lane

Thomas Street

Rotherham West

Henley Rise ECO Homes

Canklow Woods

Fernbank Development

Bennett Street Development

Munsdale

Castle Avenue/Warden Street/Canklow Road

St. Johns Green Study

West Central Sustainable Action Plan

Gateway Improvements

Public Art Feature

Town Centre

Nos. 15-21 Moorgate Road

Hollowgate

Doncaster Gate

Wellgate

Westgate Demonstrator

Dinnington

Masterplanning

Leicester Road

Monksbridge Phase 1

Victoria Street

The Crescent

St. Joseph’s Court

Relocation of Medieval Cross

Private Sector Housing Enforcement

Dinnington Landlords’ Forum

Monksbridge Terrace

Doe Quarry and Silverdales

Maltby

China Town Street Scene Improvements

Abbey Reach Garden Scheme

Model Village Parking Scheme

Tarrans Redevelopment

Private Sector Housing Enforcement

Discussion ensued on the reports with issues raised regarding the tenants at Bellows Road and the commercial premises on Oldgate Lane, Thrybergh.

(Councillor Lakin declared a personal interest in the above item)

-  report by Melvyn Clayton

Melvyn Clayton, Development Surveyor, submitted an update report with regard to progress made with specific land and property assets identified for potential acquisition.

He reported verbally that the Council had now acquired the Bellows Road development and was still in talks with the owner of Job Lot.  Officers had been out to see the tenants to dispel many of the rumours circulating with meetings set up for the New Year to discuss their requirements to take their businesses forward.

The Compulsory Purchase Order was still progressing and would be confirmed in the next 4-6 weeks.

Discussions were taking place with the developer partner with regard to the new development.

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

-        verbal report by Joel Gouget, Investment Co-ordinator

Joel Gouget, Finance Manager, Neighbourhood Investment Team, gave an overview of information relating to the financial monitoring of the HMR Pathfinder Programme.

Spend was progressing extremely well and was closing to £10M spend on a Programme of £10.4M.  It was predicted that by the end of the financial year spend would stand at £11.5M. 

Discussions were taking place with TSY with regard to the signing off of funding which had been delayed due to some technicalities.  Work was also progressing on the spend programme for the Growth Programme.

Agreed:- That the information be noted.

-        verbal update by Chair/Tom Bell

The TSY Board had met on 13^th November, 2009, where the following had been discussed:-

·        Programme update of all 4 authorities

·        Further work on the housing needs of Gypsies and Travellers within South Yorkshire

·        Scoping piece of work done on mortgage assessment and options being explore with regard to offering support to individual home owners to access mortgages

·        Delivering Design Quality Agenda – possibility of skills training to be launched in 2010 for Members and officers across South Yorkshire

·        Condition of present housing market

·        Future role and importance of the sub-regional approach

Resolved:- That the information be noted.

- powerpoint presentation by Tom Bell

Tom Bell, Neighbourhood Investment Manager, gave a further update on the above highlighting:-

-        A series of business meetings would commence in the New Year – at the end of the 6 month process there would hopefully be agreement on a Local Investment Plan for Rotherham

-        Sheffield, Hull and Leeds had already started the process

-        A meeting with the Homes and Communities Agency in January to start learning the lessons

-        The Plan would not have any legal standing at the end of the 6 months as there would not be agreement at national level on the Comprehensive Spending Review for 2011/12 until some time later

-        Very likely will have less resources that currently had

-        Starting to look at scenarios of having less resources within EDS, Neighbourhoods Renewal Programme and Neighbourhood Investment

-        Would look to prioritise projects, complete what was already started with the resources available and develop a series of themes and strategies for prioritising investments as they went forward which would be brought together in a refreshed Housing Strategy

-        A series of workshops to be held with regard to the draft Housing Strategy and rationale behind the vision and themes

-        There would be a consultation period involving the voluntary and community sector

-        Hope to have sign off of Strategy and launch in June followed by complete Single Conversation Local Investment Plan with Homes and Communities Agency

All the above impacted on the work of the ADF Steering Groups.  A series of documents needed to be considered by the Groups to articulate the overall Strategy for Rotherham.

It was hoped to make a business case at a local level in the communities where investment was required in the future.  There would be a Local Investment Plan at local level that would feed into Rotherham’s Local Investment Plan.

It was proposed that officers would attend ADF Steering Groups meetings and set out what it was believed to be emerging through the Groups.  They then needed to discuss various scenarios of budget cuts as to what their priorities would be.  There had to be a clear picture of what the Groups would be prepared to lose if the funding was not available.

Agreed:-  That the report be noted.

It was reported that the non-traditional owner-occupier property owners on Foljambe Drive had still not had any contact from Anchor Housing.

Agreed:-  That this matter be resolved as soon as possible.

Agreed:-  That a further meeting be held on Monday, 29^th March, 2010 at 2.00 p.m.