Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Regeneration and Development, held on 4^th February, 2013, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the Parish Liaison meeting held on 22^nd January, 2013.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting concerning the HS2 High Speed Railway held on 4^th February, 2013.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

Resolved:- That the action of the Cabinet Member in opening the following tenders on Tuesday, 11^th February, 2013, be noted:-

-  Workplace Leasing Promotion

-  Workplace and Family Cycle Training

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Manager of the Transportation and Highways Design Team, Streetpride, Environment and Development Services, which outlined the investigation works that had taken place following the receipt of a petition in relation to Laburnum Parade, off Addison Road, Maltby. 

The petition, received by the Council Meeting held on 12^th December, 2012, recorded receipt of the petition of 1,000 plus signatures from the shop keepers / owners, and raised concerns in relation to the number of parked vehicles on Laburnum Parade, and the apparent lack of parking facilities for these vehicles.  The petition stated that there was insufficient street parking available for the number of visitors to the shops travelling by car; some cars parked on the street had been damaged due to passing vehicles as a result of double parking; it was also believed that potential shoppers were being deterred by the lack of parking.  The petition also alleged that emergency vehicles would not be able to access Laburnum Parade due to the amount of parking. 

Officers had undertaken investigations to determine the potential options in relation to the issues raised. Appendix B of the submitted report showed the location of Laburnum Parade and proximity to a grassed area that had been suggested within the petition’s accompanying letter as a means of increasing parking capacity.  The report noted that this land was currently owned by the Council as part of its Housing land, and was not currently an adopted highway.  It was noted that there was no identified budget within Streetpride to pay for the creation of new off-street parking facilities.  The Housing Department had confirmed that they would be unwilling to pay for parking bays without clear justification. 

Analysis had been undertaken in relation to the suitability of Streetpride funding; to successfully gain funding, proposals would need to be in-line with the objectives set-out in the Sheffield City Region Transport Strategy, including links to road safety, casualty reduction and the improving road safety strategies.  It was not felt that the construction of new parking spaces contributed to the aims and objectives to justify the sizable investment required to provide off-street parking.  Whilst a large degree of parked vehicles had been observed on Laburnum Parade, it was not a through-route, and, in effect, acted as a service road for the shops. 

The Manager of the Transportation and Highways Design Team therefore proposed that the lead petitioner be advised to contact the Council’s Housing Department to ascertain whether there would be any scope for a private purchase of the grassed area of land with a view to converting to parking, assuming planning permission could be gained. 

Discussion ensued and the following issues were raised: -

·         Had other options been explored to alleviate the issues, such as waiting time restrictions?  The Manager reported that this had been explored but appeared to be unfeasible due to enforcement and issues relating to large unloading vehicles;

·         Costing for the potential designs;

·         Promotion of walking to local shops  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100.

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Principal Engineer, Environment and Development Services, that related to the research and development of Rotherham’s Local Flood Risk Management Strategy. 

Minute number G107 (Rotherham Local Flood Risk Management Strategy Project Brief) of the meeting of The Former Cabinet Member for Town Centres, Economic Growth and Planning, held on 19^th March, 2012, approved the Project Brief for the Council’s Draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy. 

A draft Strategy had been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations (2009), which implemented the requirements of the European Floods Directive that aimed to provide a consistent approach to managing flood risk across Europe, and the Floods and Water Management Act (2010).  The Strategy was required to develop, maintain, apply, monitor and publish the Final Local Flood risk Management Strategy.  It was proposed that the Final Strategy would be completed by the end of December, 2013.  It would include a framework to deliver a prioritised programme of works and initiatives to manage flood risk in the area. 

Rotherham Council was the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA).  The responsibilities of the Council as the LLFA were noted within the submitted report. 

The Draft Strategy would be subject to a consultation process, which would be forwarded on to Partners, Stakeholders and various communities for comment.  The document would be updated and scrutinised regularly. 

Appendix A of the submitted report contained a draft action plan. 

The submitted report also contained information about the financing of the Strategy and responsibilities of the Council as part of its duties under the Act. 

Resolved: - (1) That the Draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Rotherham be approved. 

(2)  That the Draft Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Rotherham be forwarded to Partners, Stakeholders and Communities for consultation and later publishing for public information. 

(3)  That the contents of the Final Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Rotherham be developed and reviewed by the end of February, 2014.

Consideration was given to the report of the Finance Manager, Environment and Development Services and Capital, Financial Services, Resources Directorate.  The report related to the budget monitoring of the Environment and Development Services Directorate Revenue Accounts to the 31^st January, 2013, and provided an outturn prediction to the end of the 2012/13 financial year.

The forecast outturn position for the whole of the budget was an over-spend of £272,000, based on income and expenditure as at January, 2013.  It was noted that this figure represented a variance increase of 0.75% of the total budget. 

The submitted report included information on the variances reported by each Division of Service, and a comparison of spend to date on agency costs, consultancy fees and overtime, based on the previous financial year. 

Resolved: -  That the latest financial projection against the budget for the year based on income and expenditure to the end of January, 2013, be noted. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Manager of the Transportation and Highways Design Team, Streetpride, Environment and Development Services, that outlined the investigation works that had taken place following the receipt of a report submitted by the Nether Haugh Action Group that requested road safety improvements, including traffic calming measures, a controlled crossing and improved footways in the village of Nether Haugh. 

The report was presented to the Council Meeting held on 12^th December, 2012, and recorded as a petition.  Officers had undertaken investigations of the issues raised at the Wentworth North Area Assembly in 2012 and later submitted to the Council as a report. 

The submitted report noted the actions that had been undertaken by Officers to investigate the issues raised: -

·         The volume of traffic using the road (B6089), one of the main routes between Rotherham Town Centre and the Dearne Valley, was considered suitable to accommodate the type and mix of traffic expected to use a B road.  In addition, there were no low bridges, weak structures or width restrictions on the road;

·         Speed surveys had been undertaken at three locations within the village using the Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPO) guidelines for the enforcement of local speed limits.  None of the locations met the ACPO guidelines for enforcement measures.  However, the Safer Neighbourhood Team had undertaken some speed enforcement along this route and had committed to return to this location within the near future;

·         The Wentworth North Area Assembly’s Chairman had confirmed that the Group did not wish to pursue the option of creating a controlled crossing;

·         Investigation of the previous three-years’ injury data did not demonstrate that Nether Haugh was a location that the Council would consider as a ‘site of concern’;

·         Investigation into the potential widening of footways had been undertaken.  Any widening of the footpaths would consequently decrease the width of the carriageway, increasing the potential for head-on collisions.  Existing footway widths were 1.2 metres wide, which was considered sufficient for a pedestrian pushing a pram.  It was observed that the footway width was reduced in some places by overhanging vegetation from private properties.  The owners of the properties would be contacted and asked to cut back any overhanging vegetation to increase the public highway’s width. 

For the reasons given, it was proposed that a letter be issued to the Nether Haugh Action Group to outline that the issues not be acceded to. 

Resolved: - (1)  That the report requesting improved road safety facilities within Nether Haugh be noted.

(2)  That the report author be informed of the decision not to provide traffic calming or improved footways, and the reasons why.

(3)  That Ward Members be informed accordingly. 

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006 – information relates to finance and business affairs).

Resolved:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended (information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Planning Policy Manager concerning the need to purchase support and maintenance for the Objective Online software used by the Council to prepare, publish and consult on all stages of the Local Plan. Members noted that the costs could be contained within existing revenue budgets.

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

(2) That the contract for the support and maintenance of the Objective Online software shall be exempt from the provisions of standing order 47.6.2 (requirement to invite at least two oral or written quotations for contracts with a value of between £5,000 and £20,000) and the contract be awarded to Objective Corporation UK Ltd., in accordance with the details contained in the report now submitted.

(Subsequent to the meeting, His Worshipful The Mayor exempted this decision from the call-in process).

Resolved: - That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development be held on Monday 18^th March, 2013, to start at 10.30 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.