Issue - decisions

Date of Decision:

8^th September 2026

Title:

The Allocation of Gambling Harms Prevention Funding 2026/27 and Gambling Harms Consultation

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Ian Spicer, Executive Director

Details of Specific Delegation

or

Delegation contained in the relevant Sub-Scheme of Delegation.

Under Section 4C3 of Appendix 9 of the Constitution, the Executive Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health is authorised to discharge executive functions through the commissioning and provision of social services for adults and public health services for the whole population and delivery of housing for the Borough, including: -

3. Public Health

(a) Commissioning and Quality;

(b) Health Improvement;

(c) Health Intelligence; and

(d) Health Protection

Under Appendix 9 of the Constitution – Sub-Scheme of Delegation (page 25) the Director of Public Health is authorised to:

15. Public Health

(a) Ensure the council meets its duties to improve public health;

(b) Ensure the delivery of public health protections and health improvement responsibilities;

c) Ensure the council plans and responds to emergencies that present a risk to public health; and

(d) Ensure the council meets other local government public health responsibilities.

Decision:

To fund the delivery of gambling harms prevention activities and to approve a public consultation on issues related to gambling harms prevention to commence October to December 2026.

Reasons for the Decision:

Gambling harms prevention funding to the value of £67,021.71 has been allocated to Rotherham Council from the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

The aim of this funding is to understand the local need related to gambling harms and to reduce gambling harms through prevention activity. 40% of the funding has been allocated to a regional pot to help build wider regional projects and coordination capacity. The remaining 60% of the funding will be spent in Rotherham on completion of a needs assessment, online campaigns and other prevention related activities. In order to assess local need, a public consultation will be required to take place in 2026/27.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

N/A

Conflicts of interest declared by any Cabinet Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

None

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

None

Conflicts of interest declared by the Decision Maker if they sit as a Cabinet appointed representative to an outside body which relates to the decision:

None

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

None

Reports or parts of reports considered

Officer Decision Record to approve the spending of Gambling Harms Prevention funding and to approve a consultation on Gambling Harms Prevention.