Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Business Growth and Regeneration held on 3rd November, 2014 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Principal Finance Officer on the performance against budget for the Environment and Development Services Directorate Revenue Accounts as at 31st October, 2014 and providing a forecast outturn for the whole of the 2014/15 financial year. Members noted the forecast outturn position of an under-spend of £300,000 for the Environment and Development Services Directorate, based on expenditure and income as at 31st October, 2014.

During discussion of this report, Members raised the following salient items:-

-          Asset Management, Audit and Insurance;

-          Business Unit (eg: costs of employee training);

-          Communications;

-          Regeneration, Planning, Customer and Cultural Services;

-          Streetpride (possible pressures on the Winter maintenance budget, which are dependent upon weather conditions);

-          Adherence to the Council’s current moratorium on spending.

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

(2) That the latest financial projection against budget for 2014/15, based on actual income and expenditure to 31st October, 2014, as outlined in the submitted report, be noted.

(3) That the submitted report be referred to the Self Regulation Select Commission for information.

Further to the minutes of the Council seminar held on Tuesday, 25th November, 2014, consideration was given to a presentation from the Economic Development Officer concerning the Sheffield City Region, the Local Enterprise Partnership and the various funding schemes (including European Union and local funding).  The presentation included:-

-          Current funding (2007 to 2013);

-          National Regional Growth Fund (grants for private sector business development); Round 6 closed for applications in September 2014 and is over-subscribed;

-          Local Regional Growth Fund (for schemes which will create a minimum of five new jobs);

-          the Council’s own investment in local business (e.g.: R-evolution (Harworth Estates));

-          Sheffield City Region Investment Fund (SCRIF) and the Local Growth Deal; includes the Infrastructure Investment Plan;

-          the next round of the EU Programme (2014 to 2020) – a scheme which will necessitate the use of match funding; details of project appraisal were explained; the ‘opt-ins’ national programme is also included;

-          Economic priorities and Rotherham’s Growth Plan for the stimulation of the local economy during the next ten years (2015 to 2025); growing and developing new businesses; skills for employment; social inclusion and employment;

-          the Rotherham Growth Plan begins on 1st April 2015.

-          Members discussed the following salient items:-

-          the importance of attracting businesses to the Rotherham Borough area (e.g.: the Advanced Manufacturing Park);

-          the creation of jobs locally and the employment of local people;

-          private companies’ training academies (e.g.; the Sheffield City Region glass academy) and their recruitment of school leavers;

-          consultation with local partners, colleges and with local businesses about the contents of the Rotherham Growth Plan (a process which will conclude early in 2015);

-          ensuring that the various funding schemes receive adequate publicity within the Rotherham Borough area and the wider Sheffield City Region.

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

(2) That a report detailing the outcome of the consultation process for the Rotherham Growth Plan be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Business Growth and Regeneration early in 2015.

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 (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person, including the local authority)

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 I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended (information relating to the financial/business affairs of any person (including the Council) and is commercially confidential).

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Procurement Category Manager, concerning the evaluation of tenders for the contract for the provision of Tree Maintenance Services for the Authority. Details of the evaluation process were included within the report.

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

(2) That the tender submitted by Glendale Countryside Ltd. (a national company with an established operation locally in Rotherham) for the provision of Tree Maintenance Services be accepted, as detailed in the report now submitted and at an estimated cost of £800,000 over a period of four years.

(3) That the contract shall begin on 1st January 2015, for an initial period of twelve months, with an option to extend the contract annually for a period up to a maximum of four years ending on 31st December 2018, subject to annual monitoring and satisfactory performance.