Agenda and draft minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Business Growth and Regeneration held on 2nd February, 2015, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Further to Minute No. 11 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Culture and Tourism held on 9th July, 2013, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Leisure and Community Services Manager, describing a proposal that the necessary operational budget for the Herringthorpe Athletics Stadium is reinstated from 1st April 2015 and that the identified saving be met by other areas of the Council’s Leisure and Green Space service. The report stated that this proposal will facilitate the continued operation of the Athletics Stadium under the current opening hours (ie: the reduced hours introduced in 2013). The proposal also means that the facilities and opportunities afforded to the Rotherham Harriers Athletics club, schools and all the other user groups and individuals can be sustained and, subject to the necessary funding being available, ultimately developed.

Members noted that the intention would be for this head of account to remain within the base budget of the Leisure and Green Spaces service and continue to be the subject of the Council’s usual annual budget review process. The current level of income and the potential for increased income, from use of the Athletics Stadium, were described in the report.

The implications of the closure of the Athletics Stadium were highlighted within the submitted report. It was also noted that any suggestion of developing the stadium and site further was currently on hold and would remain the case, pending consideration of any available or possible future funding options.

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

(2) That, after due consideration of the financial implications of this issue, the operational budget for the Herringthorpe Athletics Stadium shall be reinstated from 1st April 2015 and be funded by other budget savings within the Leisure and Green Spaces service.

Further to Minute No. G130 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Regeneration and Development held on 6th May, 2014, consideration was given to a report presented by the Markets Operations Manager concerning the annual review of fairs applications and charges, which had been carried out in accordance with the Council’s audit requirements.

The review had included discussions with Showmen, who had expressed concerns about increasing operating costs and the possible need to reduce the number of operating days.  Therefore, there was a proposal that the fees shall remain the same as those levied during the 2014/2015 financial year.

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

(2) That the dates and rental charges and other charges listed below be approved in respect of the fairs to take place on Council-owned land during 2015, such charges being the same as those levied in 2014:-

(a) Wath Bonfire Ground, five days from 26th to 30th March, 2015 and rental remaining unchanged at £200.00 per day;

(b) Victoria Park, Rawmarsh, four days from 16th to 19th April, 2015 and rental remaining unchanged at £238.00 per day;

(c) Spring Fair at Herringthorpe playing fields, four days from 14th to 17th May, 2015, with the rental to remain unchanged at £4,000.00;

(d) Kimberworth St. Paul’s Fields, five days from 19th to 23rd June, 2015 and rental remaining unchanged at £94.00 per day;

(e) Clifton Park, Rotherham, (i) six days from 1st to 6th July, 2015; and (ii) six days from 26th to 31st August, 2015 and the rent for both fairs to remain unchanged at £1,664.00;

(f) Greasbrough Recreation Ground, four days from 3rd to 6th September, 2015 and rental remaining unchanged at £205.00 per day.

(g) Clifton Park, Rotherham, for the two days of the Rotherham Show on 12th and 13th September, 2015, with all charges remaining the same as in 2014;

(h) Wood Lea Common, Maltby, four days from 16th to 19th September, 2015 and rental remaining unchanged at £127.50 per day.

(3) That the enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service procedure, to ensure that safeguarding shall apply to the employees of all showmen, shall be implemented as part of the application process for the fairs listed at (2) above.

Further to Minute No. F36(5) of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Business Growth and Regeneration held on 12th January, 2015, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Markets Operations Manager, describing the proposed charges and allocation arrangements for the expanded Tuesday street market within the Rotherham town centre.

Members viewed a plan of the two trading zones within the town centre, showing Zone 1 (the streets closest to the Imperial Buildings and including Bridgegate) and Zone 2 (the area including Effingham Street and Howard Street).

Included within the report were:-

i) a proposal that the number of market stalls available in Zone 2 shall be increased, in view of the footfall of shoppers going to the Tesco supermarket, off Drummond Street; and that there also be an expansion of stalls in Zone 1, near to the Imperial Buildings;

ii) details of the market stall allocation measures, for the expanded Tuesday street market;

iii) current charges for town centre street market stalls, the stall rental income received by this Council and the proposed new charging structure for stalls; and

iv) details of the proposed six weeks’ trial period, during which the regular market traders will be afforded the opportunity of relocating their business to an alternative market stall within the town centre and enabling new traders to be attracted to the street market.

During discussion of this item, Members asked that officers should investigate whether the enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service procedure ought to apply to market stallholders and their employees.  OfficerS were asked to submit a report to Elected Members, on this issue, in due course.

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

(2) That the scale of charges for the rental of stalls at the Tuesday street market within the Rotherham town centre, ie: either Zone 1 (£10.00 for a pitch), or Zone 2 (£19.90 or £33.75 for a pitch), as detailed in the report now submitted, be approved.

(3) That the revised street market trading zones within the Rotherham town centre, as shown on the plan displayed at the meeting, be approved.

(4) That the provision of the additional trading areas in Zone 1, surrounding the Imperial Buildings, be approved.

(5) That the six weeks’ initial trial rate, to attract traders to the Tuesday street market, be approved.

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).

Further to Minute No. G46(3) of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Regeneration and Development, held on 2nd September, 2013, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Business and Retail Investment Manager, concerning a request for the variation of the previous approval of a Business Vitality Grant for an applicant trading in a retail shop situated at Corporation Street in the Rotherham town centre.

The report stated that the Town Centre Business Vitality Scheme is designed to encourage and support new independent niche retail businesses to open up in Rotherham town centre. Members were informed that the applicant business proposes to move a double unit/stall on the ground floor of the Rotherham Indoor Market at the beginning of April 2015, to develop the business further. As part of this proposed relocation, the applicant business will surrender the lease of the existing business premises. The reasons for the proposed relocation were listed in the report.

Members noted the terms and conditions of the grant scheme and the financial implications of this proposed relocation were detailed within the submitted report.

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

(2) That the payment of the remaining balance of grant, awarded in September 2013, to the applicant now identified, be approved on the same terms as the original award, but instead shall be based upon the occupation of a different retail unit/stall at the Rotherham Indoor Market, as described in the report now submitted.

(3) That, in accordance with the original grant offer, payment contributions shall cease in October, 2015.