Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture held on 22^nd November, 2011. 

Resolved: - That the Minutes of the meeting be signed as a true record.

Paul Carney, Head of Governor Development Services, to report.

Pursuant to Minute No. C50 of January 2000, consideration was given to nominations received to fill Local Authority vacancies on school governing bodies.

Resolved:- That, with the effective date of appointment as shown, the following appointments and re-appointments be made to school governing bodies, subject to satisfactory checks being undertaken:-

New Appointments:

A decision in respect of an application received on behalf of Mr. T. Kelsey was deferred for consideration at a future meeting.

Steve Hallsworth, Manager, Environment and Development Services, to report.

The Cabinet Member introduced Steve Hallsworth, Leisure Services and Community Delivery Manager, Environment and Development Services, who had prepared a report in response to a petition that was received in November 2011 and consisted of 89 names asking the Chief Executive to join the Fields in Trust Programme, identifying in particular the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge. 

The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge invited landowners to nominate outdoor recreational spaces (including children’s play areas; woodlands; bicycle trails; and playing fields) for inclusion in the programme.  Sites could be designated as a ‘QEII’ field in order to protect it and to gain access to designated funding. 

Whilst the petition forms had not included a covering letter, it was assumed from previous communications with members of the public that the subject of the petition was the Herringthorpe Leisure Site, and that the petition was therefore a request for the Council to make a submission to the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge for this site.

To date, no submission had been made by the Council to the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge in respect of the Herringthorpe Leisure Site, as initial investigations identified that it did not offer access to levels of financial support needed to develop the Council’s plan for improved sport and recreation facilities there.  The Council’s Cabinet had approved a development plan in January 2010, minute number C167 relates, and whilst it was still a long way from being fully developed, it included the provision of a Grandstand for an Athletics Stadium, a number of all-weather playing areas, and a range of other sport and recreation facilities. 

The amounts of funding streams available under the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge were noted and included the SITA Trust (which would award up to a total of £30,000 to be given during 2011 and 2012), and the Sport England – Projecting Playing Fields grant (which would offer between £20,000 - £50,000). 

Officers were only aware of one source of funding that was available and had the potential to contribute the sums of money that would be necessary to deliver a project in excess of £6million, as required in this case.  This was from The Football Foundation.  However, they would only contribute to the elements of the project that related directly to football and would also require the Council to make a significant financial contribution.  It was noted that the development project planned for the Herringthorpe Leisure Site intended to develop a broad range of sport and leisure facilities, which would not be supported by The Football Foundation’s scheme.

Discussion ensured, and the following issues were raised and clarified:

·         The compatibility of the Council’s plans for developing Herringthorpe Leisure Site with the specific requirements of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge;

·         A meeting would be scheduled with a Fields in Trust Officer to clarify all criteria and potential funding sources available within the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge;

·         The deadline for submissions to the scheme was February 2012;

·         The progress of the overall development plan for the Herringthorpe Leisure Site;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

Mark Scott, Principal Officer, Theatre and Arts Centre, to report.

The Cabinet Member introduced Mark Scott, Principal Officer, Theatre and Arts Centre, and Elenore Fisher, Manager, Cultural Services, Environment and Development Services.  Consideration was given to the report presented that proposed the introduction of an application process to manage applications received by Cultural Services that requested free use of the Civic Theatre.  An increased number of applications for this use had been received, and the proposed system would create an open and fair process that would operate within a set budget. 

Currently, a concessionary tariff existed across Cultural Services’ whereby groups that met agreed criteria could qualify for up to a 35% reduction against the commercial charges facility usage.  In addition to this, Elected Member and Officers had, in the past, received a number of requests for free usage of facilities.  These had tended to be for the hire of the theatre, but excluded associated staffing costs. 

In order to ensure that processing claims for free use of the Civic Theatre would be fair and transparent, it was suggested that a formal application process be adopted.  Requests for free use would be made by groups on a standardised form and Officers would comment on the professional and technical qualities of the proposed production and the resources required.  This information would then be referred to the Cabinet Member for decision.   

A budget of £5,000 per year had been identified within the overall Planning, Regeneration and Culture budget.  The number of funding requests would initially be limited to four per financial year. 

Discussion ensued and the following salient points were raised and clarified:

• The first-come-first-served basis that currently operated in relation to free use requests for the Civic Theatre benefitted more established groups, who would be able to apply for the facility in sufficient advanced notice to ensure it would be available.  However, this then meant that there was less availability for newer and start-up groups.
• The opening-up of the facility for free use of the Civic Theatre could diversify and increase the number of productions available in Rotherham, and would contribute to a number of performance indicators.

Resolved: - (1)  That the report be received. 

(2)  That a fund of £5,000 be agreed to provide no more than four free uses of the Civic Theatre to local groups and charities based within Rotherham.  The fund would cover both theatre hire and staffing costs. 

(3)  That the process detailed within the report relating to applications for free use of the Civic Theatre be approved with the addition that Officer recommendations in relation to each case would also be presented to the Cabinet Member for consideration.

Tuesday 20^th December, 2011, 10.00 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.

Resolved: - That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture be held on Tuesday 20^th December, 2011 at 10.00 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.