Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Culture and Tourism held on 19^th November, 2013, were considered. 

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting be approved as a correct record. 

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Customer and Cultural Services Manager, concerning a new national initiative entitled the ‘Heritage Crime Programme’, which is led by English Heritage. The aim of this programme is to reduce the rate of loss of England’s historic sites and buildings through crime, by establishing a sustainable working relationship between key partners. These key partners include the police and the crown prosecution service, as well as English Heritage who have signed a memorandum of understanding which delineates responsibilities between them. A growing number of local authorities have also signed this agreement, including two of the South Yorkshire principal local authorities.

As part of this programme, a voluntary national network called the Alliance to Reduce Crime against Heritage has also been formed to harness the enthusiasm of the wider heritage community and to encourage action to tackle heritage crime at a local level. This network allows members to attend relevant training events, share information about heritage crime, highlight best practice and network with other members.

English Heritage is currently promoting this programme and network whilst seeking further signatories to the memorandum of understanding, in order that it may become an England-wide series of effective partnerships between organisations and communities to protect heritage.

Included with the submitted report were details of:-

– heritage assets within the Rotherham Borough area (by site and by electoral ward);  and

– examples of recent heritage crime in the Rotherham Borough area.

It was noted that there was no charge to local authorities for membership of the Heritage Crime Programme.

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

(2) That, subject to there being no additional operating costs incurred, this Council shall become a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding for the Heritage Crime Programme, in order to:-

(a) foster co-operation between the Programme’s partner organisations; and

(b) allow the necessary flexibility in activities that are undertaken between these organisations, in relation to heritage crime.

(3) That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Culture and Tourism detailing this Council’s specific responsibilities under the terms of the memorandum of understanding for the Heritage crime Programme.

·         Officer to report. 

Further to Minute No. 25 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Culture and Tourism held on 19^th November, 2013, discussion took place on the Cycle Yorkshire Legacy Launch, arranged by the Welcome to Yorkshire organisation, as part of the build-up to the Grand Départ of the Tour de France cycle race in Yorkshire in July 2014. The Launch event had taken place at Kettlethorpe High School, Wakefield on Tuesday 12^th November, 2013 and was chaired by Councillor David Dagger of Wakefield District Council. Highlights of the Launch event and the build-up to the cycle race are:-

: the promotion of cycling in the United Kingdom;

: Yorkshire’s regional commitment to build a ten-years cycling legacy;

: the regional legacy, with the aim of increasing tourism in the whole Yorkshire region;

: the ‘Made in Yorkshire’ film, first shown at the Tour de France route announcement in Paris in November 2013, which has been well received;

: the cycle race attracts approximately 150 million television viewers, world-wide, each day; the Tour de France is the world’s largest annual sporting event and, overall, the third largest sporting event in the world;

: the cycle race is ‘free to watch’ from the side of the road;

: the anticipation of millions of visitors to the Yorkshire region to watch the cycle race live; the region’s natural beauty and attractions will be show-cased to a world-wide audience;

: the benefits to be gained by businesses in the region, both during the period of the race itself and in the future;

: the Launch event had included professional bike riders from the Rotherham Borough area, speaking to school pupils about the benefits of cycling and the life of a professional cyclist;

: the work of the legacy group and the development of the brand known as Cycle.Yorkshire.com;

: the availability of the education resource pack at

                       http://cycle.yorkshire.com/education-pack.

: the education resource pack is aimed at pupils in Key Stage 2 and in Key Stage 3 – information about these resources has been provided for all schools in the Rotherham Borough area;

: with funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund until 31 March 2015, a regional delivery plan and local action plans are being provided to facilitate cycle training for all age groups (eg: the Bikeability scheme);

: emphasis is placed upon the safety of cyclists on the highway.

Members noted that there will be a larger media event, to launch the Grand Départ of the Tour de France, nearer to the date of the race. In addition, there will be a Cultural Festival commencing on Thursday 27th March, 2014, this day being the 100-day milestone until the Tour arrives in Yorkshire. The Cultural Festival lasts until Sunday 6th July 2014 and provides an opportunity to:-

• create a global showcase for the best of Yorkshire's artistic talent;

• push boundaries and raise Yorkshire's creative profile;

• produce activity that leaves a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Customer and Cultural Services Manager requesting permission to close the Archives and Local Studies search-room to the public for five days from Monday, 27th January until Saturday 1st February, 2014 (inclusive), in order to carry out essential maintenance work to the various historic collections, especially the archive material for the York and Lancaster Regiment.

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

(2) That the closure to the public of the Archives and Local Studies search-room, for five days in January and February, 2014, to carry out the essential maintenance work as now reported, be approved.

·         Tuesday 14^th January, 2014, to start at 10.00 a.m. in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Culture and Tourism take place on Tuesday 14^th January, 2014, to start at 10.00 a.m., in the Rotherham Town Hall.