Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

Further to Minute No. 4 of the meeting of the Improving Places Select Commission held on 18th June, 2014, it was noted that the scrutiny review of dampness and condensation in Council housing properties is to be temporarily suspended. Members will be informed, at a future meeting, of the eventual continuation of this scrutiny review.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Improving Places Select Commission, held on 15th October, 2014, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Further to Minute No. 34 of the meeting of the Improving Places Select Commission held on 27th November, 2013, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Senior Planner, summarising the progress on the preparation of Rotherham’s Community Infrastructure Levy including the current consultation on a Draft Charging Schedule.  Details of the Draft Charging Schedule were included in a separate document appended to the report.

The report highlighted the following subjects:-

-          the Local Plan Core Strategy is now in place;

-          definition of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL);

-          the continuing, though limited, future use of ‘Section 106’ agreements;

-          recommended CIL rates, based on the ability of development to pay (a table of the various rates was included within the submitted report);

-          the proportion of CIL able to be transferred to Town and Parish Councils;

-          details of Rotherham’s proposed Regulation 123 List for CIL (this Regulation requires local authorities to publish a list of infrastructure schemes to be funded from CIL);

-          summary of responses to the consultation on a Draft Charging Schedule;

-          CIL Regulations will come into force on 1st April, 2015;

-          CIL funding will enable match-funding to be obtained for certain schemes;

Members discussed the following items:-

·           Section 106 funding will continue alongside the CIL funding;

·           definitions of certain developments (eg: industrial and retail uses, sometimes with car parking provision included);

·           ‘pooled’ contributions (eg: towards the development of a new school), often including existing Section 106 agreements;

·           there will be no time limits imposed in respect of the use of CIL funding;

·           Town and Parish Councils being able to ‘pool’ their CIL contributions together, for the benefit of a wider area;

·           use of CIL funding for the provision and maintenance of amenity open space;

·           use of CIL for improvements to local infrastructure (e.g.: highway junctions) which may not necessarily be located within the same area of the Borough as the related development which is receiving the planning permission.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the progress being made with the preparation of Rotherham’s Community Infrastructure Levy Draft Charging Schedule, including current consultation on a Draft Charging Schedule, as now reported, be noted.

(3) That a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Improving Places Select Commission detailing the proposed list of schemes to be funded from the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Further to Minute No. 31 of the meeting of the Improving Places Select Commission held on 15th October, 2014, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Scrutiny Manager, providing additional information about the Sheffield City Region.  Appended to the report was a briefing note about the role and work of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.  Members also noted that a Council seminar had taken place on Tuesday, 25^th November, 2014, about the Sheffield City Region, the Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That issues concerning the Sheffield City Region, the Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership shall continue to be considered as part of this Select Commission’s work programme for 2014/15.

The Select Commission received a presentation from the Transportation and Highways Projects Group Manager concerning the Tram-Train scheme proposed to link Sheffield, Meadowhall, Rotherham and Parkgate.

The presentation and Members’ subsequent discussion included the following salient issues:-

-          the UK Tram-Train pilot project;

-          the reasons for the pilot project (originating from the coalition Government review report of May, 2011) – attempts to be made to improve the country’s rail network;

-          the proposed running of light rail vehicles on the heavy rail network – a system which is widely used on the continent;

-          the Tram-Train route from Parkgate and Rotherham to Sheffield;

-          connecting networks – Sheffield – Meadowhall – Rotherham - Parkgate;

-          the tram-train vehicles will have almost the same appearance and livery as an existing Supertram (and will also display advertisements);

-          modifications to signals and to the Rotherham Central railway station (including bridge height alterations at College Road); this scheme may begin during late 2015;

-          the separate study of the limitations caused by the single track railway at Holmes Chord, serving the Rotherham Central railway station;

-          alterations to the existing rail network, including the laying of sections of new rail track;

-          the proposed electrification of the rail network between Doncaster and Sheffield (although funding for such work has not yet been confirmed);

-          the first vehicle is expected to arrive for commissioning at the Sheffield depot  during 2015 (the vehicles are being manufactured in Spain); although an element of delay is anticipated;

-          funding contributions from local authorities and from Network Rail and Network Supertram;

-          park-and-ride provision – which are not included within the pilot project and there are no formal plans for such a facility being provided at Parkgate;

-          the provision of a new Tram-Track platform at Parkgate;

-          the possibility of a new Tram-Track stop being constructed in the area near to the Magna Centre;

-          the likely impact of the proposed HS2 high-speed rail system;

-          the age of the current rail vehicles serving South Yorkshire;

-          improvements required to the rail network serving the Dearne area;

-          Members asked that details of the funding of the project be obtained from the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (including the estimated cost of passenger fares);

-          cycles (other than folding bikes) will not be permitted to be carried within the new Tram-Train vehicles;

-          the impact of the coalition Government’s ‘One North’ project which aims to improve the transport links between the principal cities in the North of England (e.g.: the HS3 railway project).

Resolved:- That the details of the proposed Tram-Train scheme be noted.