Agenda and minutes

Further to Minute No. 73 of 15^th September, 2008, the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services reported on the consultation that had taken place with regard to the proposed introduction of a Dog Control Order.

As required by the Dog Control Orders (Procedures) Regulations 2006, a consultative process had been initiated on 7^th August, 2009, requiring a Public Notice to be placed on the Council website and in a local newspaper (Rotherham Advertiser).  A copy of the Order had also been placed on public view at Reresby House.  Parish Council Clerks, the Access Authority and the Local Access Forum had also been consulted.  The process had closed on 4^th September, 2009.

All of the responses received had been supportive of the proposals as they currently stood with no amendments having been suggested.  One response called for Dog Licensing to be introduced, however, there was currently no legislative framework which allowed this type of dog control.  The anticipated outcomes of the proposal were:-

-              The issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices for breaching Dog Control Orders would greatly assist in the promotion of responsible dog ownership and a reduction in complaints

-              Children would be able to play more openly because of the requirement that dogs were kept under strict control in more areas

-              A cleaner and more sustainable environment

-              Improved health and wellbeing through access to areas where dogs were kept under strict control

-              Reduced likelihood of infection with Toaxocara

Once the Order had been made, a further legally required Public Notice of the intention to bring in the Order would be placed in the local newspaper at least 7 days before it came into force together with press releases and other publicity to again raise awareness of the changing Legislation.  It was intended that the Order would come into force on 1^st December, 2009.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the outcome of the legally required consultative process as required by the Dog Control Orders (Prescribed Offences and Penalties etc.) Regulations 2006 and Dog Control Orders (Procedures) Regulations 2006, be noted.

(2)  That it be noted that the proposed Order, The Fouling of Land by Dogs (Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham) Order, will be made by the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services.

(3)  That a further report be submitted in February, 2009, following the consultation on Dog Control Orders for additional issues such as access to land and keeping dogs on leads.

(4)  That a press release be issued and an article included in the next edition of Rotherham  News.

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services presented a report advising of the changes made to the Scheme of Delegations for Neighbourhoods and Adult Services.

The Scheme allowed for an appropriate level of decision making with the Directorate Management Team (DMT) acting as the framework for ensuring consistent decision making across the Directorate so that all Directors worked towards the same vision and same management directives. 

The Service Performance Team had worked with Directors to update the documents and, as a result, had changed the hierarchy of the documentation to achieve greater alignment with the structure of the Directorate and hopefully therefore creating a better understanding of the Scheme.

The Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods and Adult Services functions had been encompassed into 1 document to span the entire Directorate.  The statutory role of the DASS was also shown in the new structure, as it was a statutory requirement.  The individual delegation of powers to Officers Schedule B sat under the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Function document and reflected the recent changes in the Department’s structure.

The Scheme was divided into the following 4 schedules;-

-              Schedule A: The ‘functions’ document which detailed the functions covered by the Directorate and who was responsible for them e.g. Cabinet, Cabinet Member, Strategic Director or Service Director. This document also listed all the legislation covered within the function under the Schedule of Powers Act

-              Schedule B: The statutory role of the Director of Adult Social Services which detailed the statutory requirements placed on the Strategic Director of Neighbourhoods and Adult Services by the Government

-              Schedule C: The ‘delegation of powers to officers’ document which provided details of the work of each Department within Neighbourhoods and Adult Services together with the individual officer responsible for each area of work.

Resolved:- That the revised Scheme of Delegation be noted.

The Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods Services submitted an update on the process for the redevelopment of project proposals to be funded through either LAGBI or identified budgets within Neighbourhood and Adult Services.  Such proposals would enable the delivery of local initiatives which met community priorities as identified for example in the Area Plans of the Area Assemblies.

The latest projects submitted for approval were from the Housing Improvement Programme (HIP); Housing Market Renewal Funding (HMR) and NAS General Fundingand LABGI and included project proposals from Rother Valley West, Rother Valley South, Rotherham North, Rotherham South and Wentworth South (as set out in Appendix A of the report submitted).

Projects submitted by Wentworth South and Rotherham North were to be funded from LABGI and, if approved, would be submitted to Cabinet for further ratification.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the projects to be funded from identified Neighbourhood and Adult Services’ budgets be approved.

(2)  That the LAGBI project proposals be submitted to the Cabinet for ratification.

In accordance with Minute No. 41 of 27^th July, 2009, the Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services submitted the latest version of the Improvement Plan which had been approved by 2010 Rotherham Ltd.’s Board on 7^th October 2009.  

The report also proposed that the current management agreement was extended to 30^th June, 2011, three months later than previously recommended.

Meetings had taken place between the Council and 2010 Rotherham Ltd. to establish clear targets which had resulted in the submitted Plan.  It was proposed that quarterly monitoring meetings be held between key managers in RMBC and 2010, following which reports (by exception) would be submitted to the Cabinet Member.-

Tenants’ priorities had been identified through the STATUS Survey and test of opinion surveys and feedback from tenants’ events.  They fell into the following 6 Themes:-

Theme 1         Address tenants’ and leaseholders’ priorities for improvement

Theme 2         Achieve the standards expected of top performing organisations

Theme 3         Make a unique contribution to Rotherham’s priorities, particularly

                        The Safe and Proud themes

Theme 4         Ensure all services are well governed and well managed

Theme 5         Ensure strong financial management processes are in place

Theme 6         Deliver value for money, making excellent use of resources

The next STATUS Survey was not due to be repeated until October, 2010, so 2010 Rotherham Ltd. had requested that it be carried out earlier.

Tess Butler, Director of Business Development, reported that the organisation would not be subject to inspection by the Audit Commission until 2011 at the earliest and, therefore, impossible to formally verify the organisation’s star rating.  The actions and measures given in the Plan utilised external awards and benchmarking to assess the standards achieved.

The Council and 2010 Rotherham Ltd. would ensure customers were involved in carrying out reality checks and monitoring progress against the Plan.  Progress reports would include an analysis of risks.

It was also proposed that the current management agreement be extended to 30^th June, 2011.  The three month extension (the previous report recommended an extension to 31^st March, 2011) recognised the additional time taken to agree the Plan, and recent changes to the ALMO’s senior management team.

Discussion ensued on the externalisation process and associated financial issues.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Improvement Plan, attached at appendix 1 of the report submitted, be approved.

(2)  That quarterly progress reports be submitted, the first to be submitted in January, 2010.

(3)  That the existing Management Agreement be extended to 30^th June, 2011.

John Mansergh, Performance Management Officer, presented the submitted report which outlined the Key Performance Indicator results and efficiency projections for the first quarter of 2009/10.

At the end of the quarter, 12 (86%) Key Performance Indicators were currently on track to achieve their year end targets, this compared to 75% at the end of last year. There were 2 Indicators that were rated ‘off’ target, and were shown as a red triangle alert in Appendix A. Of the Indicators solely owned by the Directorate, 100% were on target.  For 2010 Rotherham Ltd., 7 (78%) Key Performance Indicators were on track to achieve their year end targets which compared to 50% at the end of last year.  The Indicators off target at the end of the 1^st quarter were:-

2010 Rotherham Ltd.

-              BV211a Programmed/Responsive Repairs

-              LPI185 Repairs Appointments Made and Kept

2010 Rotherham was identifying rent lost for 2009/10 as a result of voids at the end of June of £288,000.

Resolved:-  That the report and the remedial action in place to improve performance be noted.

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.

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.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council))

Consideration was given to a report presented by Mike Shaw, Finance Manager, which detailed the income, expenditure and net position for the Neighbourhoods Department within the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate compared to the profiled budgets for the period ending 31^st August, 2009.  It also included the projected year end outturn position which currently showed a forecasted overspend of £570,000 (13.5%) by the end of March, 2010, prior to any management actions which may be implemented following the current review of the Independent Support Service.

Resolved:- That the contents of the report be noted.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council))

Mike Shaw, Finance Manager, Neighbourhood and Adult Services, submitted a report detailing the progress of the 2009/10 Housing Investment Programme and non-HIP Capital Schemes for the period to 15^th September, 2009.  The report also set out proposed revisions to the Programme and the supporting resources.

HIP schemes totalling £76,950M were approved on 13^th July, 2009 (Minute No. 34 refers) representing a slight over programming of £37,000.  As at 14^th September, 2009, spending on the HIP totalled £26,859M (34.90%) of the approved Programme.

The approved Programme was split between schemes managed by 2010 Rotherham Ltd. (totalling £63,238M) and those managed by the Council (totalling £13.712M).  To date 2010 Ltd. managed schemes had incurred expenditure of £22,235M (33.57%) and Council managed schemes £4.624M (33.72%).

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

(2)  That the revised 2009/10 HIP Programme of £78.770M be approved.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council))

It was noted that an Appeals Panel had been held on 13th October, 2009, comprising Councillors F. Wright (in the Chair), Nightingale and P. Russell, to review a decision to terminate an Introductory Tenancy.

The Panel had confirmed the decision made on 18th September, 2009.

Resolved:-  That the Panel's decision be noted.

(Exempt under Paragraph 2 of the Act - information likely to reveal the identity of an individual)