Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on 2nd August 2017 be agreed as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair reported that there were no items on the agenda that would require the press or public to be excluded from the meeting.

There were no questions from the press or public.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval to carry out consultation on all aspects of home to school transport in Rotherham.

The Council has a statutory duty under various Acts and Guidance to provide education transport to eligible students. Home to School Transport in Rotherham takes two main forms; the issue of passes on service buses and direct travel assistance. The Council spends approximately £3.3m per annum for 1,795 children and young people.

The report outlined benchmarking information with comparable unitary and city councils which identified that Rotherham is in the upper quartile of cost comparators, spending an average per student of £4,260. Rotherham also had the highest number of single occupancy journeys.

Based on increasing school population and number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) , it is anticipated that greater numbers of students will require transport to support attendance for educational provision.  This raises the possibility of potential increased transport costs in the future.

In considering any changes to services, the Policy must contribute to the Council’s priority of ensuring every child has the best start in life and the following principles:

·           Safeguarding

·           Promoting independence

·           Choice

·           Maximising attendance at school and arriving at school reading to learn

·           Promoting healthy lifestyles

·           Value for money and sustainability

The proposals outlined the following options for consultation:

·           General eligibility for children and young people

·           Independent travel training

·           Personal travel budgets

·           Post 16 transport policies

·           Benefits related to mobility

Consultation would be undertaken with parents and carers; children and young people, schools, the Rotherham Parents Forum and other relevant stakeholders.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

Support was given to the principle of independent travel training as a way of promoting independence and developing life skills. Assurances were sought that the independent travel training assessment reflects that level of support that the student requires based on their EHCP and in discussion with parents/carers and relevant agencies. Increasing numbers of local authorities are exploring the option of independent travel training and the use of  third sector organisations to support this training was being explored;

Consultation will take place across transport providers including taxi-providers to seek views.

Parent/carers would also be consulted on the use of elements of Disability Living Allowances or mobility vehicles to encourage families to take their child to school. There would be a number of children and young people whose travel arrangements would remain unchanged, however, the intention would be that the Policy would lead to greater choice and flexibility.

Resolved:-

1.      That Cabinet be advised that the following recommendations be supported:-

·         That approval be given to carry out a consultation on all aspects of Home to School Transport in Rotherham;

·         That a further report be submitted to the Cabinet meeting in December 2017 detailing the outcome of the consultation exercise and presenting the recommended Policy options for approval.

2.     That the proposals for changes to the Policy for Home to School Transport be submitted to this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

Consideration was given to the report which sought approval for a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for a period of three years following consideration of the public consultation and relevant legal requirements.

Concerns had been raised by town centre businesses, the public and Ward members regarding anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Rotherham Town Centre and Clifton Park. Formal data from South Yorkshire Police has been collated to give an accurate reflection of reported incidents (824 in 2016); attached as Appendix 1. The majority of incidents (93%) take place during the day time which is likely to have a greater impact on local businesses and a larger number of people who visit or work in the town. A significant number of these reports relate to rowdy or considerate behaviour; with begging/vagrancy, vehicle nuisance and street drinking also highlighted as concerns.

Section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (the Act) enables local authorities to address anti-social behaviours in public places by use of a PSPO. These orders are designed to tackle the behaviour of individuals or groups where their behaviours has, or is likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those within the locality.

Following this process, 9 prohibitions setting out behavioural boundaries were consulted on. These are as follows:

A.   Behaving in such a way or using language that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to another person.

B.   Drinking alcohol other than in a licenced premises or event.

C.   Spitting saliva or any other product from the mouth

D.   Face to face fundraising and marketing carried out by organisations without prior written permission of the Council.

E.   Failing to keep a dog on a leash and under control

F.    Using or carrying controlled drugs otherwise than in accordance with a valid prescription

G.   Littering

H.   Using a vehicle to cause a nuisance by gathering in groups, playing loud music or otherwise impacting the quality of life in the locality

I.      Urinating or defecating in a public place

These prohibitions were proposed to apply to all those living in or visiting the Town Centre and at all times and in all areas covered by the Town Centre and Clifton Park.

In order to fulfil the consultative requirements, the Council has undertaken a public consultation, which commenced on the 19th July 2017 and closed on the 16th August 2017. The consultation plan is attached as Appendix 2.

The consultation was publicised using various mechanisms including online, social media and traditional print and broadcast media. Feedback was invited primarily via the Council’s website, as well as inviting feedback in the form of a questionnaire and comment box.

The Community Safety Unit also undertook a range of additional activities in order to capture as many views as possible. These activities included:

-        A Members’ seminar held on the 1st August

-        Attendance at the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board

-        Two informal drop-in sessions, one within the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Superintendent Steve Chapman (Operating Superintendent – South Yorkshire Police) with Sam Barstow, Head of Community Safety, Resilience and Emergency Planning, introduced the Annual Report on behalf of the Safer Rotherham Partnership (SRP).

The Annual Report provides a high level overview of SRP activity over the year; listing its priorities over the previous twelve months.

Details were provided of the in-depth reviews undertaken to provide assurance that the Partnership was working effectively. This has included a thorough review of domestic abuse cases, which examined how individual cases had been handled and areas of improvement. The SRP has also undergone a peer review by Blackburn with Darwin Council. This review provided a high level of assurance as to how the Partnership works. Areas of improvement included joint commissioning and engaging with communities.

Continued work across partners to address anti-social behaviour has led to a further reduction by 6% during 2016-17, which is in contrast to most other geographical areas. The Partnership has identified a number of areas of improvement including joint working processes and shared risk management. Although there is an overall reduction, there are types of ASB were there has been an increase, including environmental ASB and arson incidents.

South Yorkshire Police, along with other members of the Partnership, are strengthening and enhancing community policing within Rotherham. Neighbourhood Policing in Rotherham provides communities with teams of dedicated local Police Officers together with Police Community Support Officers, who listen to and work with the public, community groups, partner agencies and businesses to reduce crime, protect the vulnerable and enhance community safety through problem-solving approaches. The Council are also looking to drive this development through the way its services are delivered with the hope of implementing a neighbourhood working model in line with partners.

The area of domestic abuse has also been subject to intensive scrutiny by Councillors, Commissioners and partners alike. This work has identified gaps in terms of the strategic direction of this priority, the Partnership focus and the need to work better together both operationally and in respect of commissioning.

The following areas of improvement have been identified:

·           A joint strategy being pulled together across the Partnership

·           A single process for people suffering domestic abuse being developed (RMBC)

·           A proposal developed for a perpetrator programme across the county

·           A significant improvement plan undertaken by Police following an inspection report

A bid for £1.3m of Government funds was made during the last financial year in order to help the Partnership address community tensions. This bid was successful and plans are in motion to put resources in pace to begin delivery. The data at the end of this report shows a significant increase in hate crime reporting (37%). This is something that can also be seen nationally, to varying levels. During the financial year 2016/17, there were 138 hate crime awareness raising meetings and events delivered by the South Yorkshire Police (SYP) Hate Crime Co-ordinator and other partners. These sessions were delivered to partner agencies, voluntary and community sector organisations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

The Chair reported that there were no urgent items that required the Board’s consideration at the meeting.

The date and time of the next meeting is Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 11.00 a.m.

A pre-meeting for Members will be held at 9.30 a.m.

Resolved:-

That the next scheduled meeting be held on Wednesday 27th September 2017 at 11.00a.m.