Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 1 August 2018 as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 August 2018 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive questions from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

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

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda. There are no exempt items at the time of preparing the agenda.

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

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Waste, Roads and Community Safety

Strategic Directorate:           Regeneration and Environment

Consideration was given to a report which was submitted by the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment to provide an update on the implementation of new waste and recycling services across Rotherham, and provide information on the key implementation activities, communications, engagement approach and flats project.

Members queried what progress had been made in respect of the communications strategy supporting the service changes and whether information could be forwarded to all councillors. Officers confirmed that they would share the information outside of the meeting. Furthermore, engagement had already commenced at the Rotherham Show on the previous weekend, where there had been positive feedback. Officers had also attended the Parish Council Liaison Group to discuss the service changes and the process that would be followed. It was also explained that a lot of engagement had taken place online through the Council’s website and social media platforms. In addition, every household in the borough would receive a letter notifying residents of the changes.

Focusing on arrangements for apartment blocks, Members queried whether there would be exceptions to the proposed recycling process where everything would go into general waste. In response it was confirmed that the approach was to introduce recycling to all flats and that work was ongoing with colleagues in Housing Services to offer recycling opportunities for all residents.

Clarification was sought as to how low recycling areas had been identified and it was explained that records and experience of delivering the service were used. The service had started to look at how that impacted on anti-social behaviour and working with colleagues in Community Safety and other teams across the Council to engage with local groups. Following on from a question concerning engagement with staff across the authority, assurances were provided that there had been significant cross directorate working with involvement from Customer Services, Communications and Housing Services. The trial projects had included Housing Officers who had helped to select areas for trial. Their understanding of localities and the issues on the ground had proved very helpful in developing the approach to implementation.

Members sought assurances that the letter to be sent to all households would be user friendly. It was explained that the same approach had been used for communicating as had been adopted for the consultation. It was further explained that the communications approach had been tested with an older people’s group who had fed back that it needed to be much simpler. This was taken into account and the content changed accordingly.

Clarification was sought as to whether negotiations with BDR Waste Partnership would end on a positive note. In response, it was confirmed that discussions had been positive to date and that a resolution was expected in November 2018.

Members welcomed the update and the progress that had been made to date. Recognising the importance of getting the service changes right and ensuring wider oversight of the changes, the Board

Resolved:–

1.    That the update be noted.

2.    That a further report be submitted in February 2019  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Jobs and the Local Economy

Strategic Directorate:           Regeneration and Environment

Consideration was given to a report which provided a progress update on the appointment of a development partner for the Forge Island development site in Rotherham town centre. Members noted that the Forge Island development was the flagship scheme in the Town Centre Masterplan and central to the Council’s plans to regenerate the town centre. The Masterplan indicated that Forge Island should be redeveloped with a range of leisure-led uses to strengthen and diversify the town centre. The intended beneficiaries of the development were not restricted to local residents living within close proximity, but also spread to the wider borough and City Region level.

Members sought further information on the type of leisure and business outlets that were anticipated to be part of the development. In response, and being conscious of commercial sensitivities, it was confirmed that the detail on the make up of the offer would be subject to the planning process, but it was anticipated that a cinema operator, a number of food and drink outlets and a quality hotel operator would be interested to the development. In addition, there would an improved range of public realm. 

Assurances were sought that there would be guarantees in respect of wage levels for those working on the development. In response, the Board were advised that no contracts had been signed to date, but officers would work with colleagues in Procurement to ensure that it was included in the contract prior to confirmation. 

Turning to the risks associated with the development, Members queried what risk there would be to the authority. In response, officers confirmed that Finance and Legal Services were working through the risks and mitigations. Members noted that there would always be a risk with speculative development as it is at the mercy of market forces, however they also reflected on the risk of doing nothing given the potentially reduced town centre offer, which was a national issue for town centres and not bespoke to Rotherham.

Members queried whether the detail of the winning bid could be shared with the Board. It was explained that the information was commercially sensitive and that it would be appropriate to give further consideration as to how that could be shared. Members felt a workshop would be the most appropriate method, but agreed that the Chair would discuss separately with the Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy and officers.

In response to a question on the key milestones for the contract, it was confirmed that the agreement for the lease was expected by the end of 2018. Following that the developer would be able to appoint a development team. A planning application for the development was expected to submitted at the beginning of 2019, with work starting later in the year. Present projections were that the first phase of the development would be open in 2020, but at these were only indicative dates at this stage.

Resolved:-

1.    That the update be noted.

2.    That, subject to discussions between the Chair  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

Briefing Paper from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

As part of the Board’s ongoing oversight of the Adult Social Care Improvement Plan and Budget Monitoring, the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health submitted an update on progress and the current position. In presenting the report, the Strategic Director reflected on the significant challenges facing adult care in Rotherham and the broader challenges arising from pressures which were common across the country. These challenges had arisen from the need to change approaches to service delivery and government driven austerity through the ongoing reductions to the Revenue Support Grant, which was impacting on all Council services.

Of the 19 key areas of accountability that were contained within the improvement plan, Members noted that:-

·         8 had progressed onto become routine activity

·         9 now formed part of the MTFS project plans either directly or as an enabler to delivery

·         2 had become the focus of additional input

·         All actions had been captured within routine activity or form part of the new Medium Term Financial Strategy project plans.

Having received an overview of the current position of the service, Members asked for an outline of the critical milestones to successfully deliver the savings required and how they would be managed. In response, the Strategic Director explained that she chaired a Project Assurance meeting on a fortnightly basis where all programmes were reported to. Furthermore, daily reports on progress were monitored to ensure that there would be no slippage in meeting the required savings.

Members further sought assurances that plans were in place to get the adult social care workforce in a place where they could deal with complexities in service delivery. In response, the Strategic Director confirmed that there had been a number of very positive sessions with frontline staff. Furthermore she reiterated the importance of understanding and applying the law in adult social care, which meant there were multiple areas that social workers had to be mindful of in discharging their responsibilities. The focus on this, coupled with increasing confidence to manage challenge, would be ongoing in further sessions with managers and social workers. However, it would take time to embed the changes and it was anticipated that it would likely take up to two years.

Members referred to the market shaping role that the Council has through the Care Act and the current mixed approach to service delivery in the borough. The Strategic Director explained that the authority engaged with the private sector in a formal setting already, albeit on a regulatory basis. It was noted that there were a lot of national providers operating in Rotherham who brought a lot of good practice with them. The service was working with national experts and Voluntary Action Rotherham to facilitate an understanding of what is required from market locally and how to start a conversation on shaping the offer to meet the requirement.

Members referred back to the Council’s role in providing training and the significant investment that the authority had made and continued to make to develop the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

Report and recommendations of the Health Select Commission concerning residential and nursing care home for adults aged over 65

Consideration was given to a report which set out the main findings and recommendations from the scrutiny workshop undertaken by the Health Select Commission to consider residential and nursing care home for adults aged over 65. The purpose of the workshop was to consider progress in bringing about improvements to safety, quality and effectiveness in the sector.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report, conclusions and recommendations be noted. 2

2.    That the report be forwarded to Cabinet for their consideration of the recommendations and to Council for information.

3.    That the response to the recommendations be reported back to the Health Select Commission.

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Cleaner Greener Communities

Strategic Directorate:           Regeneration and Environment

Consideration was given to a report submitted by the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment which was due to be determined at the Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meeting on 17 September 2018 concerning the approval of a policy for Archives Accreditation.

Members noted that the authority’s application for Archives Accreditation was scheduled to be discussed at the Archive Service Accreditation Panel meeting on 21 November 2018. The National Archives had confirmed the Forward Plan and supporting policies should be approved by ‘an appropriate delegated authority’, which is why Cabinet approval was sought. Supporting policies included:-

·         Heritage Service Forward Plan 2018-22, which set out the core purpose and vision for the Service and includes a detailed action plan –

·         Collections development policy, which examines the background and history to Rotherham Archives and Local Studies; the profile and scope of the collections identifying current limitations; priorities for future collections development and the Service’s approach to appraisal and disposal

·         Collections information policy, which documents Rotherham Archives and Local Studies’ approach to maintaining and providing accurate documentation of collection

·         Care and Conservation Policy, which covers the Service’s strategic approach to conservation including the principles of collections care; ethics, legislation and standards; premises and storage; conservation assessment and treatment; environmental monitoring and control; housekeeping; access; training; security; emergency planning; and environmental awareness

·         Access Policy, which details Rotherham Archives and Local Studies’ approach to access (physical and intellectual, onsite, remote and through wider engagement) to the collections under its care

Members broadly welcomed the proposal, the way in which the service was being delivered to a high standard and indicated their full support for the recommendations to be considered by the Cabinet on 17 September 2018.

Resolved:-

1.    That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

To receive the current Forward Plan of Key Decisions covering the period from 1 September to 30 November 2018.

Consideration was given the current publication of the Forward Plan of Key Decisions and Members identified  items for pre-decision scrutiny:

Resolved:-

That the following items listed on the Forward Plan of Key Decisions be submitted for pre-decision scrutiny:-

·         South Yorkshire Regional Adoption Agency

·         Early Help Strategy Phase 2 & 3 Implementation

·         Sex Establishment Policy

·         Modern Day Slavery Transparency Statement

·         Community Energy Switching Scheme

·         Submission of the Clean Air Zone Outline Business Case to the Joint Air Quality UnitClean Air Zones (by Improving Places Select Commission)

·         A new delivery model for Intermediate Care and Council Residential Care Homes (by Health Select Commission)

To receive an update on the activities of the Youth Cabinet and other Young People’s Issues

It was reported that the Rotherham Youth Cabinet would be holding their Manifesto Launch event on 13 November 2018 and Members would receive an invitation to attend this in due course. It was further reported that the Cabinet was currently considering its response to the recommendations from the Children’s Commissioner Takeover Challenge and these would be reported back in due course.

Resolved:-

That the update be noted.

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

The Chairs of the Select Commissions reported on recent and forthcoming activities:-

Health Select Commission

Councillor Evans reported that the Commission had met on 6 September 2018 where the following reports had been discussed:-

·         Update on Health Village and Implementation of Integrated Locality Working

·         RDaSH Estate Strategy

·         Response to Recommendations from Scrutiny Review- Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Services

·         The Rotherham Foundation Trust Quality Priorities 2019-20

·         South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Wakefield Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Update

Improving Lives Select Commission

Councillor Cusworth reported that the next meeting would be held on 18 September 2018 with the following items listed for consideration:-

·         Children Missing Education

·         Update on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

·         Outcomes from the Improving Lives Select Commission Workshop Session - Complex Abuse Investigation

·         Feedback from Improving Lives Select Commission Performance Sub-Group

Improving Places Select Commission

Councillor Mallinder reported back on the previous meeting of the Improving Places Select Commission, which had taken place at the end of July. During that meeting, an update had been received on the development of the Cultural Strategy and representatives from Dignity, the provider of bereavement services, had attended to deliver their annual report to the Council. The next meeting was due to take place on 20 September 2018, where the following agenda items were due to be considered:-

·         Rother Valley Caravan Park

·         Thriving Neighbourhoods

·         Housing Strategy Refresh - 2019-2022

Overview and Scrutiny Management Board

The Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Management Board reported that he would be meeting the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Finance and officers in due course to discuss the budget setting process and when proposals would be brought forward for scrutiny. He further reported that a working group had been established to review the operation of Rothercard. Furthermore, he reminded Members of the visit to Voluntary Action Rotherham that had been arranged for Chairs of the Select Commissions on 3 October 2018 to discuss how scrutiny works in Rotherham.

Resolved:-

That the update be noted.

To consider any issues referred for call-in from the Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meeting held on 1 August 2018.

The Chair reported that there had been no call-in requests received in respect of recent Cabinet decisions.

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

The Chair reported that there were no items of business requiring urgent consideration by the Board.

The next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board will be held on Wednesday 3 October 2018 at 11.00 a.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved:-

That the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board be held on Wednesday 3 October 2018 commencing at 11.00 a.m. in Rotherham Town Hall.