Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 27 January 2026 as a true and correct record of the proceedings and to be signed by the Chair.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 27^th January 2026 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

Councillor Sheppard declared a personal interest in Minute No. 53 (Events Review 2025-26) on the grounds that they were the former Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for this Service within the last 12 months.

Councillor Sheppard declared a personal interest in Minute No. 54 (Draft Playing Pitch Strategy) on the grounds that they were the former Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for this Service within the last 12 months.

In relation to Minute No. 54 (Draft Playing Pitch Strategy), the Chair asked Members to declare any interests they had in community centres, schools and parish councils and the following interests were declared:-

·       Councillor Lelliott – Brampton Youth Club

·       Councillor Adair – Treeton Community Centre

·       Councillor Ahmed – Governor at Coleridge Road School and Chair of Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance

·       Councillor Beck – Governor at Wales High School

·       Councillor Sheppard – Governor at Rawmarsh & Arnold Children’s Centres

·       Councillor Tinsley BEM – Governor at Maltby Academy and Town Councillor at Maltby Town Council.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

The Chair advised that there were no members of the public or representatives of media organisations present at the meeting and there were no questions in respect of matters on the agenda.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

The Chair advised that there were no items of business on the agenda that would require the exclusion of the press or public from the meeting.

To receive and consider the presentation which provides a Review of Events over the year 2025-26.

At the Chair’s invitation, Councillor Marshall, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces (Cabinet Member), introduced the item and expressed pride in the wide range of events and festivals which were delivered by the Events team in 2025. The Events team also supported delivery of the Children’s Capital of Culture (CCoC) programme over the festival year, enabling over 500,000 people to participate in CCoC events across the borough.

The Cabinet Member stressed that events were vital in bringing communities together and building cohesion. The events programme over the past year had garnered positive media attention and increased civic pride in Rotherham. The Cabinet Member acknowledged that not every year could be a busy festival year and that the events team would look to build on progress made over the coming year.

Leanne Buchan, Head of Creative Programming & Engagement, took Members through the presentation, highlighting that whilst it provided an overview of the work of both the Events team and the CCoC team, they were separate teams.

The Rotherham Culture Strategy was adopted in 2019 and would come to an end in 2026. At the time the strategy was developed, Rotherham’s participation figures were 10% below the national average so one of the key drivers under that strategy had been to host “Amazing Events”. Consultation with Members had taken place in 2019 on the key objectives of the Strategy which were - promoting community cohesion, increasing civic pride and improving the profile and reputation of the town. Over the last five years of the Strategy, the events programme had grown and had provided opportunities to engage with communities and audiences from both within Rotherham and outside.

The Head of Creative Programming & Engagement stressed that whilst the events themselves represented the visible output, the input and significant work of teams behind the scenes to deliver events also deserved recognition. The Events team provided community event support via the Rotherham Event Safety Advisory Group (RESAG) – e.g event applications processed, advice on fundraising, risk management and insurances provided. Codes of practice around sustainability and accessibility were also being developed. It was reported that the Events team also regularly worked with a range of other partners in delivering events, such as Flux Rotherham (Flux), who was represented at the meeting by Helen Jones (Director, Creative People & Places Programme).

The types of events delivered over 2025-26 were broken down as follows:-

1)      Borough events - large-scale mass audience events which could attract audiences in excess of 10,000, such as the Rotherham Show, Bonfire Night and the Christmas Lights switch on;

2)      Town centre events – aimed to specifically drive footfall into the town centre, such as the Roots Rotherham Street Carnival and the WoW festival;

3)      Civic events - aligned to national commemoration, such as Remembrance Day and Holocaust Memorial Day; and

4)      Major one-off events - such as the CCoC programme.

For the borough events, the combined attendance throughout 2025 ranged from 63,000 to 117,000. The economic impact varied but the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

To receive and consider the presentation in relation to the Draft Playing Pitch Strategy and its development, giving Improving Places Select Commission Members an opportunity to consider the Strategy and make recommendations ahead of its presentation to Cabinet in April 2026.

At the Chair’s invitation, the Cabinet Member introduced the item and explained that the Playing Pitch Strategy (Strategy) was fundamental to the council’s plans to protect and invest in outdoor sports pitch provision across the borough. Access to good quality playing pitches did not just benefit sport but was important to health, wellbeing, community cohesion and long-term strategic planning.

Over the last year, the council had commissioned Knight, Kavanagh and Page consultants (KKP) to draft the strategy and had worked alongside Sports England, relevant sports national governing bodies, local clubs, schools and community organisations to develop the robust assessment of Rotherham’s current and future pitch needs. The Strategy provided the council with a clear evidence base and highlighted where provision was strong, where pitches were under pressure, and where investment or protection was urgently needed. The Strategy was also aligned with key borough priorities contained within the Cultural Strategy and the Health & Wellbeing Strategy. It was essential to ensure that the right conditions were created for people of all ages and backgrounds to be more active more often. The Cabinet Member drew particular attention to the significant work underway with the Football Foundation on the development of a portfolio approach to 3G artificial pitches, which represented a significant opportunity for Rotherham.

The Head of Sport explained that the formulation of this Strategy had been long overdue. The last time any formal assessment of sports pitches in the borough had taken place was in 2005. At one point, Rotherham was the only borough in Yorkshire that did not have an up-to-date assessment of its playing pitch stock.

The funding of around £24,000 for the Strategy had come via a section 106 developer contribution from a housing development in Dinnington. The developer needed to know how they could supply sports, pitches and facilities in relation to their obligations within that area. However, it was difficult to carry out an accurate analysis just within that locality without considering the wider area and border issues with Sheffield and North Nottinghamshire. The whole borough was now set to benefit from the work done by KKP, alongside the council, in developing the Strategy. 

It was explained that the draft Strategy was due to go to Cabinet for approval in April and that once formally adopted, it would be used as an evidence base for shaping future action plans for the development of playing pitch facilities. The Strategy underpinned a number of the council’s key priorities, namely:-

·       To enable as many people as possible within the borough to be active, to get creative and to get outdoors more often.

·       To create better conditions for residents to be active every day.  Levels of inactivity in the borough had improved but there was still more work to be done.

·       To promote better physical and health and wellbeing. Whilst the better sports provision would cater for those that physically play the games, there would also be other roles and opportunities associated with the pitches, such as volunteering, working groundsmen, club  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

To consider and endorse the outline schedule of scrutiny work for the 2025-2026 municipal year and to provide an update on any activity undertaken by sub and project groups of the Improving Places Select Commission.

The Chair asked if any Members had any questions or comments on the work programme update set out within the agenda pack.

Councillor Allen queried why a number of items on the work programme were indicated to be delivered as “Off Agenda Briefings” as in their view, if an item was appropriate for IPSC to consider, it should be presented in a formal public meeting.

The Governance Manager commented that discussions were underway within the Governance Team regarding the wording of this kind of update and how best to bring those items forward to enhance transparency and openness. It was confirmed that Councillor Allen’s comments would be taken into consideration as part of this process.

Resolved:-

1.    That the current work programme be noted; and

2.    That that the Governance Advisor be authorised to make any required changes to the work programme in consultation with the Chair/Vice Chair and would report any such changes back at the next meeting for endorsement.

To consider any item which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair advised that there were no urgent items of business requiring the Commission’s consideration.