Agenda

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend the meeting.

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 9 October 2024 and to approve them as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

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

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

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

In accordance with the outcome of the Governance Review in 2016, the following items are submitted for pre-scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet meeting on 18 November 2024. Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board are invited to comment and make recommendations on the proposals contained within the report.

Report from the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the progress made to deliver the in-house children’s residential development, the positive impact for Children in Care and financial efficiencies that will be achieved.

2.    Approve the Care Leavers addendum to the Looked After Children and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy 2023 – 2028.

3.    Agree that the LAC and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy Delivery Plan be updated to increase the appropriateness and number of available accommodation options for Care Leavers as per the Care Leaver addendum to the LAC sufficiency strategy (see 2 above).

4.    Note that on 16 October 2023 authority was delegated to the Assistant Director of Housing Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to acquire up to 100 properties in line with the Housing Acquisitions Policy, which includes scope to acquire properties to meet the accommodation needs of Children and Young Peoples Services.

5.    Authorise the Councils Designated Property Officer, or relevant Strategic Director in their absence, to negotiate any additional accommodation required and complete necessary transactions, in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, Strategic Director Children’s and Young Peoples Services, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services and the Assistant Director of Legal Services.

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the increase in homelessness and growing demand for temporary accommodation and the work being undertaken by the Council to respond to this demand.

2.    Approve the adoption of the new Temporary Accommodation Placement Policy (Appendix 1).

3.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health for a 3-year period in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make operational amendments to the Policy when the need is identified.

4.    Note officers’ intention to continue to pursue opportunities for a 3-year period to increase the portfolio of Council-owned temporary accommodation to meet service demands, subject to available budget and in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing.

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations

That Cabinet:

1.    Approve the Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy (Appendix 1).

2.    Approve the increase in decoration allowance from £25 to £50 per room, up to a maximum of £350 per property, as proposed in the Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy (Appendix 1).

3.    Note the ongoing work to scope the future repairs and maintenance delivery model for Rotherham and agrees to receive a further update on this work in 2025.

4.    Approve the Housing Services Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy (Appendix 2).

5.    Approve the Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy (Appendix 3).

6.    Delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Adult Care, Housing and Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make amendments to the following housing policies in line with operational, regulatory and legislative demands:

·       Housing Services Repairs and Maintenance Policy

·       Housing Services Gas and Carbon Monoxide Safety Policy

·       Housing Services Electrical Safety Policy

·       Housing Services Fire Safety Policy

·       Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy as it relates to housing assets.

To consider the report which outlined the complaints and compliments received within 2023/24 and identifies the key trends within complaints and compliments over a five-year period.

To consider the SRP annual report 2023-24 in line with the requirements of section 19 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 and The Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Regulations 2009, which states that annual scrutiny is required of decisions made and actions taken by responsible authorities in connection with the discharge of crime and disorder functions.

The purpose of this report is to consider the response of Cabinet (following its meeting of 16 September 2024), to the recommendations arising from OSMB’s consideration of the petition referred from Council “Rotherham’s Commitment to a Permanent Ceasefire and To Promote Peace in Palestine and in the Region”.

To consider the Board’s Work Programme.

To receive updates from the Chairs of the Select Commission on work undertaken and planned for the future.

To review and identify items for pre-decision scrutiny from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions covering the period from 1 November 2024 - 31 January 2025.

To consider any issues referred for call-in from recent Cabinet meetings.

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