Agenda item

Report from the Assistant Chief Executive.

Recommendations

1.    To note the progress made with the Year Ahead activities.

2.    To agree the proposal to extend the Year Ahead Plan to November 2021.

3.    To note that the Year Ahead Plan extension will be replaced by a new medium-term Council Plan, to be recommended by Cabinet for adoption by the full Council in January 2022.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the progress made with the Year Ahead Plan activities since September 2020. The Plan was the Council’s plan for operating in and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to support residents, communities and business through the challenges and uncertainty of the pandemic, helping to build resilience whilst also continuing to drive ambitions plans for Rotherham. The report also included a proposal to extended the Plan to November 2021 in order to provide time to develop a longer-term Council Plan.

The Leader explained that 36% of activities outlined in the Plan had been completed and 47% were on track. Three activities were “off track.” The commissioning of new services to prevent financial exploitation was off track as the intended delivery partner was unable to go-ahead until the autumn; other options were being explored. The delivery of the £250k investment in Herringthorpe Stadium was off track as the site was currently hosting COVID-19 testing. The £425k investment in the Borough’s other business centres was off track as the tender prices received were over budget and as such, additional funding was being sought.

It was confirmed that the Plan would be extended for a further 6 months, up to November 2021. This would allow time to engage with Members and Cabinet following the May 2021 elections on priorities that would inform a new longer-term Council Plan from 2022. Appendix 4 to the report outlined the activities in the extended Plan which included:

-            the development of social supermarkets

-            help for those at risk of abuse and homelessness

-            contact tracing

-            delivery of the residential strategy to keep children and young people safe

-            the development and submission of bids for the Community Renewal Fund and the Levelling Up Fund.

Councillor Beck advised that the lead Cabinet Member for the activity listed at 5.15 of Appendix 4, promote the seven day Out of Hours Service, increasing access for noise and anti-social behaviour complaints, should be Councillor Alam and should be Councillor Lelliott for the activity listed at 6.3 of Appendix 4, develop a Council-building decarbonisation plan.

The report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-decision scrutiny process. The Board was fully supportive of the recommendations but requested that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Members be consulted and involved in the development of both the format and contents of the new medium-term Council Plan. It was also requested that Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Members receive regular updates, at a frequency and in a format to be determined, on performance against the objectives contained in the new medium-term Council Plan.

Resolved: -

(1)  That progress made with the Year Ahead activities is noted.

(2)  That the proposal to extend the Year Ahead Plan to November 2021 is agreed.

(3)  That the Year Ahead Plan extension will be replaced by a new medium-term Council Plan, to be recommended by Cabinet for adoption by the full Council in January 2022 is noted.

(4)  That Overview and Scrutiny Management Board members be consulted and involved in the development of both the format and contents of the new medium-term Council Plan.

(5)  That Overview and Scrutiny Management Board members received regular updates, at a frequency and in a format to be determined, on performance against the objectives contained in the new medium-term Council Plan.