Minutes:
(1) Councillor Foden asked could the Cabinet Member please give Members an update with regards to the present stage of the proposed Free School in Rotherham?
Councillor Rushforth replied that following rigorous continued assessment by the Department for Education of all Free Schools they have decided that the Rotherham Central Free School proposal, in its current form, did not meet the criteria that they have set for proposals to move to the next stage of the process. Therefore, the Secretary of State had withdrawn the approval for the project to proceed any further.
(Councillor Fenoughty declared a personal interest in this question on the basis that he was named as a Director of the Future Access Schools Trust)
(2) Councillor Gilding referred to Meadowbank Road (a ‘Gateway Entrance’ to the town) which he declared was in an appalling Third World standard of a highway and asked when was it going to be put into a proper condition?
Councillor Smith replied that as part of the long term highway maintenance plan, detailed condition surveys were carried out on all roads/footways in Rotherham, for major roads such as Meadowbank Road these were done every four years. In addition safety inspections were completed every month.
This information enables the Council to prioritise repairs to ensure that the worst affected roads were dealt with first. Meadowbank Road required over half a million pounds to bring it back up to standard, but it was competing against other gateways so, due to pressures on budgets, work would be phased over several years. Work on Meadowbank Road would begin in 2012/13.
In the meantime, Officers would continue to carry out routine inspections and arrange for any hazardous defects that did occur to be rectified immediately.
(3) Councillor Middleton asked, following statistics revealed by the Department of Education showing that 80.8% of children whose first language was not English gain at least 5 GCSE's at Grades A to C, as opposed to 80.4% of those whose first language was English, could Members be told the equivalent results for Rotherham?
Councillor Rushforth replied that the release from the DfE statistics website on the 9th February, 2012 stated that looking at last years 5+ A* - C for the characteristics of first language was:-
Rotherham Pupils whose first language is other than English – achieved 81.8%
Nationally this is at– 82.5%
Rotherham is 0.7% down against the national percentage
Rotherham Pupils whose First language is English – achieved 81.9%
Nationally this is -80.4%
Rotherham is 1.5% up against the national percentage
(4) Councillor Gilding asked how many insurance claims (and the costs involved) have been made over the past twelve months against this Council from motorists who have had their vehicles damaged by poor road maintenance on all of the Borough’s highways?
Councillor Smith replied that since 1st April, 2011, the total number of Highway Claims was 57.
· One settled at a cost of £325.
· Forty-one were still being processed with an average claim value of £437 (it was highly likely that the Council would defend these claims).
· Fifteen have been settled with no payment.
The Council had a very good record of repudiating claims with over eighty per cent successfully defended. A recent audit report confirmed the Council’s management arrangements as being amongst the best in the country.
(5) Councillor Middleton asked with the interests of Rotherham-based Olympians in mind, would the Cabinet join the Conservative Group in condemning the threat by Unison, the largest donors to the Labour Party, to disrupt the Olympics by industrial action?
The Leader replied that he believed that it was UNITE and the RMT that have indicated a potential for industrial action and not Unison.
The Leader hoped that constructive dialogue could take place to avoid the need for action at what was such an important and positive event. We would also want to wish all Rotherham Olympians and Para Olympians the very best of luck for the summer.
(6) Councillor Middleton asked, given the increasing evidence of the failure of wind turbines to make any significant contribution to electricity generation in the UK, could a progress report be given on any present developments, including the one which would intrude on the wellbeing of the inhabitants of Sitwell Ward?
Councillor Smith confirmed that there were no current planning applications for new wind turbines lodged with the Local Planning Authority at this time. Any that were submitted would be dealt with on their own merits using current national guidance to determine the application.
In relation to the Ulley Wind Farm, which had an existing planning permission, the developer, Banks, was continuing to progress this development and hold regular progress meetings via the Ulley Wind Farm liaison meeting.