Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the action of the Cabinet Member on 28^th June, 2010 in opening offers for William Street Garage site, Wellgate, Rotherham, be recorded.

Consideration was given to the minutes of a meeting of the RMBC Transport Liaison Group held on 28^th June, 2010.

Reference was made to the Rotherham Shop Mobility Scheme.

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

The Cabinet Member considered a petition from 17 residents on Cooper Close, Brampton Bierlow, “for traffic calming on Westfield Road which causes a considerable amount of noise/pollution”.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the petition be received.

(2)  That the petition be referred to the relevant Director of Service for investigation and a report be submitted to a future meeting of the appropriate Cabinet Member.

Richard Pardy, Assistant Engineer, to report.

-           to seek authority to update the existing policy and procedure for Tourist signing and to implement new codes of practice and policies for 3^rd Party signing and Temporary event signing.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Assistant Engineer, seeking authority to update the existing policy and procedure for Tourist signing and to implement new codes of practice and policies for 3rd Party signing and Temporary event signing.

Reference was made to the number of requests being received from the public and private sector to install signs that fall into the categories of Tourist, 3rd Party and Temporary directional signing.  It was therefore proposed that policies were required for each of these areas to establish procedures on who, how and what such requests should be progressed.  Also the Tourist signing policy and procedure was last updated in 2007, and since that time leading organisations and advisory bodies have changed. Currently there were no policies for 3rd Party sign requests or Temporary sign requests.

Those present referred to:-

-                      the need to ensure developers and all sections of the Council, including 2010 Rotherham Ltd., were made aware of these policies

-                      cost of the signs

-                      signing for Rotherham Show

-                      signing for large, phased developments

Resolved:-  That the Tourist, 3rd Party and Temporary direction signing policies, as detailed in Appendices (i) Tourist Signing Policy, (ia)  Design examples of Tourist signs, (ii) 3^rd Party Signing Policy, (iia)  Design examples of 3^rd Party signs,  (iii) Temporary Signing Policy and (iiia) Design examples of Temporary Event signs, to the report now submitted, be adopted.

Simeon Leach, Economic Strategy Manager, to report.

-           to present to the meeting the first draft of Rotherham’s Local Economic Assessment (LEA), seek comments on the layout and content of the document and ask for agreement that it be circulated for consultation to the wider Council, the Local Strategic Partnership and other relevant local partners.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Economic Strategy Manager, which presented the first draft of Rotherham’s Local Economic Assessment, and which sought comments on the layout and content.  It was pointed out that the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill placed a duty on county and unitary councils to prepare an assessment of the economic conditions of their area, one of the key recommendations of the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR). The duty came into force in April 2010, with authorities expected to have produced their first LEA by 31^st March 2011. 

It was explained that in order to deliver sustainable economic growth, a strong and well informed evidence base was needed.  Local Economic Assessments will provide a mechanism for bringing existing evidence from a range of partners together within a common economic evidence base.  This evidence base will then inform local, sub-regional and regional strategies, ensuring all policy making would be based around a full and shared understanding of local economic challenges.

Consideration was given to wider circulation of this document within the Council and to the Local Strategic Partnership and other relevant local partners.

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

(2)                   That the draft Local Economic Assessment be circulated for consultation to all relevant partners and organisations.

(The Cabinet Member authorised consideration of the following extra item)

Simeon Leach, Economic Strategy Manager, to report.

-           to consider the proposed reallocations.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Economic Strategy Manager, seeking approval to reallocate existing RERF and LABGI allocations, in order to cover potential funding gaps, for the Community Stadium and All Saints Development projects, which have arisen as a result of the Government cutting 50% of the LAA Reward Grant the Council was expecting to receive.

Details of the current allocations, together with the proposed reallocations, were set out in the submitted report.

Resolved:-  (1)  That £400,000 of RERF funding and £108,737 of LABGI funding be awarded to the Community Stadium project, noting that the award of RERF will be conditional on submission of an application form that the Economic Strategy Team endorse as meeting the criteria of the RERF Programme.

(2)  That £26,463 of LABGI funding be awarded to the All Saints public realm project.

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 (as amended March 2006) (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (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 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (financial/business affairs).

Brian Barratt, Design Consultancy Manager, to report.

-           to seek approval to the list of framework consultants shown on the attached lists for building and estates consultancy services for the period 2010 – 2013.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Design Consultancy Manager, detailing the process that had been followed to establish a replacement Consultants framework for building design functions within the Asset Management Service.

Tender scores were set out in Appendix A to the submitted report, and Appendix B listed the top scoring consultant in each discipline following interview.  It was noted that the framework would be for a maximum of 4 years.

Those present commented on:-

-                      establishment of shared services across the sub-region

-                      the review of the use of consultants

-                      skills transfer and development of an in-house knowledge base

Resolved:-  That the list of framework consultants, as shown in Appendix B to the submitted report, be approved.

(The Cabinet Member authorised consideration of the following extra item in order to progress the issues reported.)

Carole Smith, Strategic Property Manager, to report.

-           to consider the position

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Strategic Property Manager, relating to future investment in the Lincoln Street Workshops, Maltby.  It was explained that the property comprised a development of 30 small business units.

Details were reported in respect of the location, lease arrangements, current occupancy, condition of the workshops and incidents of vandalism. It was noted that demand for these units had steadily decreased and that it was believed the Centre was no longer viable without significant new investment.

It was reported that the Chamber had served notice on the Council of its intention to terminate the lease of these premises and the Chamber accepted that it had an obligation to deliver the units up to the Council with vacant possession in a good standard of repair and condition. 

Consideration was therefore given to 2 options in respect of the future of these premises, detailed in the submitted report.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the position of Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce be noted.

(2)                  That Option 1, detailed in the report now submitted, be approved.