Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest to record.  

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member held on 16^th April, 2012, were considered.  

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member be agreed as a correct record for signature by the Chairman. 

Resolved: -  That the following appointments to outside bodies and memberships of Panels and Sub-Groups for the 2012/13       Municipal Year be confirmed: -

LGYH - LOCAL AUTHORITY COMMISSION ON ASYLUM AND MIGRATION

Councillor Hussain, Cabinet Member forCohesion.

MOSQUE LIAISON GROUP

Councillor Hussain, Cabinet Member for Cohesion.

ROTHERHAM CITIZEN’S ADVICE BUREAU – Trustee Board

Councillor Beck, Senior Adviser, Cohesion.

ROTHERHAM DIVERSITY FESTIVAL STEERING GROUP

Waheed Akhtar, Community Engagement Officer.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION – ROTHERHAM ADVISORY GROUP

Councillor Hussain, Cabinet Member for Cohesion plus the serving Mayor (2012), Councillor Pickering.

WOMEN’S STRATEGY GROUP

Councillor Burton, Adviser, Cohesion.

CORPORATE EQUALITIES AND DIVERSITY STEERING GROUP

Cabinet Member for Cohesion: - Councillor Hussain.

RMBC/VAR LIAISON GROUP

Cabinet Member for Cohesion: - Councillor Hussain;

Councillor Burton, Adviser for Cohesion;

Councillor Currie, Chair, Self-Regulation Select Commission.

• Community Engagement Officer, Resources Directorate, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, to report.

Consideration was given to the report submitted by the Community Engagement Officer, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, which provided an update following the commencement of the Localism Act.  The implications arising from the specific provisions and the process for implementing the Act and communicating with stakeholders were also covered.   

Each of the provisions of the Act were considered in detail and the actions taken within the Council to prepare for implementation were noted.  The issues included: - 

• Planning: -
  • Update on Localism and Neighbourhood Planning was presented to the Planning Board on 15^th March, 2012.
  • A Neighbourhood Planning event had been planned for 6^th July, to be facilitated by Planning Aid.
  • Financing issues around the examination of Neighbourhood Plans produced by neighbourhood groups, and potential referenda.
  • Potential conflict between the Local Development Framework and individual neighbourhood plans. 

• Asset Management: -
  • Specific regulations had not yet been released, and further information would be provided when it became available.
  • A seminar took place on 17^th April, 2012, to advise Members on the Register of Assets of Community Value, timescales, costs, compensation and publicity and awareness raising issues. 

• Community Right to Buy: -
  • A Member Briefing took place on the issue of the Community Right to Buy and the Register of Community Assets, including definitions and criteria for inclusion. 

• Council Tax: -
  • Rotherham’s Council Tax was currently frozen, so there should be no immediate need for a referendum.
  • The Government would publish a percentage Council Tax increase each year, and any additional rise the Council sought to implement would trigger a referendum.

• Community Right to Challenge: -
  • There was a planned commencement date of 27^th June for the Community Right to Challenge where people/groups would be able to express an interest in taking over the running of a Council Service;
  • RMBC were part of a Regional Procurement Group that had been collaborating to develop a pro-forma to address this provision when it came into place. 

• Housing: -
  • A Member development session was held on 4^th April, 2012, that covered tenure reform; homelessness obligation; housing register; welfare reform; Right to Buy; tenant’s cash back schemes; social housing fraud and the RMBC Housing strategy. 

• VCS: -
  • A presentation had been delivered that addressed RMBC’s perspective to members of the Voluntary and Community Sector in February, 2012;
  • Further presentations included Neighbourhood Planning and information about a pilot scheme that had taken place in a rural area.  Difficulties encountered were considered, including funding and knowledge issues, and issues relating to access to opportunity in deprived areas compared to more affluent areas. 
  • Four VCS presentations on Neighbourhood Planning issues had been delivered by Planning Aid to TARA’s and Parishes.

• Governance: -
  • Two Member Briefing Sessions had been held on issues relating to Governance;
  • The issues included changes to Standards Boards; role of members in leading or representing communities; pay policy between the highest and lowest paid employees and the role of scrutiny.

Issues in relation to financial implications of the Act  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

• Community Engagement Officer, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Community Engagement Officer, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, which outlined updates to the Council’s Single Equality Scheme. The document had been refreshed following legislative and organisational changes; statistical information and good practice information had also been updated. 

The amended document was submitted at appendix one. 

The revised document had incorporated information covering: -

• The five overarching equality priorities;
• Links to the Corporate Plan and work to improve the social and economic well-being of the Borough through the One Town One Community initiatives;
• Organisational changes within the Council and its governance structures;
• The eight equality strands of the Scheme were aligned with the ‘relevant protected characteristics’ of the Equality Act (2010) (age; disability; gender re-assignment; race; religion and belief; sex and sexual orientation).  It was noted that the Act specifically covered pregnancy and maternity and that marriage and civil partnerships were covered in certain provisions.

It was noted that efforts would be directed towards mainstreaming equality more effectively within Service and Directorate plans.  Performance measures and targets within existing plans would need to be aligned to the protected characteristics. 

Discussion ensued on the revised Scheme document and the following issues were raised: -

• The document would be further updated following the release of the Census (2011) information and statistics;
• Role of scrutiny in challenging the progress and outcomes of the Single Equality Scheme.

Resolved: -  (1)  That the refreshed Single Equality Scheme document be approved. 

(2)  That the document be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

• Monday 9^th July, 2012, to begin at 11.30 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.  

Resolved: -  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Cohesion be held on Tuesday 10^th July, commencing at 8.45 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.