Minutes of Cabinet Meeting 12 September 2007

CABINET

Meeting held 12th September, 2007

PRESENT: Councillors Steve Jones, Harry Harpham, Mary Lea, Bryan Lodge, Tim Rippon, Mick Rooney and Chris Weldon.

…………….

1. CHAIR OF MEETING

RESOLVED: That in the absence of the Chair of the Cabinet, Councillor Steve Jones be appointed as Chair of this meeting.

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

An apology for absence was received from Cllr Jan Wilson.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest reported at this meeting.

4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 22nd August, 2007, were received and approved as a correct record.

5. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS

Petition re Lifts at Springwater House Residential Accommodation

The Assistant Chief Executive, Legal and Governance, reported receipt of a petition containing 34 signatures of residents of Springwater House Residential Accommodation, drawing attention to problems which had been experienced on a number of occasions recently in respect of the failure of the lift at the Residential Accommodation and the problems which this had caused for the elderly and disabled residents at the Accommodation. Mrs Freda Buxton addressed the Cabinet on behalf of the residents and explained that the failure of the lifts had resulted in many of the residents being isolated inside their homes. She stated that they had received little by way of information as to the cause of the problem and requested that the matter be investigated and that the residents be visited to be given reassurance that the problem had been resolved. The Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Councillor Mick Rooney acknowledged the concerns expressed by the petitioners which he stated would be addressed and he confirmed that the local Councillor for the area had undertaken to visit the Accommodation to speak to the residents. The Executive Director, Neighbourhoods and Community Care stated that she would take up the matter with Sheffield Homes.

RESOLVED: That the petition now submitted together with the information now reported be noted.

Questions regarding Disposal of Storth House Farm

Ms Frances Tivey referred to a petition containing 67 signatures of members of the Bolsterstone Community Group, requesting that the Council “preserve the high landscape value of the Ewden Valley by retaining Storth House Farm as a working farm, thus maintaining the integrity of the Valley for future generations”, and she enquired why the Council found it necessary to sell Storth House Farm when an eligible tenant wanted to farm the Land. She also enquired what guarantees were in place that the Council would not allow the land to become derelict or overused for the stabling and grazing of horses and what means the Council had to enforce the restrictions which may be placed on the use of the land. The representative of the Director, Corporate Resource, stated that the normal policy of the Council was to dispose of such holdings as they became vacant unless there were strong environmental reasons to the contrary and that in this case there were no such overriding reasons. She added that in this case, the tenant of the Farm had died leaving no relatives legally entitled to succeed to the tenancy. She added that in accordance with usual practice in the case of farm sales, restrictive covenants would be included, details of which were in the report before the Cabinet this day and that the Council would take any necessary action were there found to be any material breach of such covenants.

6. DISPOSAL OF STORTH HOUSE FARM

The Director, Corporate Resources, circulated a report on proposals for the disposal of the Council’s freehold interest with vacant possession, of Storth House Farm, Bolsterstone, in part by private treaty and part by public auction. The report contained details of the consultations which had taken place on the proposals together with the restrictive covenants which were to included in the terms of the disposal. The report stated that ecological surveys had been undertaken which showed there were no overriding environmental issues which would prevent the proposed sale proceeding. The representative of the Director stated that it was proposed to include a clawback on any development value which may accrue on the land in the next 80 years equivalent to 75% of any such value and that such clawback would be renewable. A plan of the site was circulated with the report.

RESOLVED: That (a) approval be given for the disposal of the freehold interest in respect of Storth House Farm, Bolsterstone, part by private treaty and part by public sale, in accordance with the terms outlined in the report now submitted;

(b) approval be given to the dedication of the new footpaths as show on the plan now submitted, as public rights of way; and

(c) approximately £5000 of the disposal proceeds be earmarked for the necessary surfacing, stiles and signs in connection with the provision of the new public rights of way as now approved.

7. ITEMS CALLED-IN FOR SCRUTINY/REFERRED TO COUNCIL

The Assistant Chief Executive, Legal and Governance, reported that there had been no items of business called-in for scrutiny arising from the Cabinet meeting on 22nd August, 2007.

The Cabinet noted this information.

8. RETIREMENT OF STAFF

RESOLVED: That this Cabinet (a) places on record its appreciation of the valuable service rendered to the City Council by:-

(i) Mr. Christopher Curtis, Conveyancing Manager in the Chief Executive’s Directorate, after completing 32 years service with the Council; and

(ii) Mrs Maureen Gasser, Burser in the Music Service, Children and Young People Directorate, after completing 28 years service with the Council;

(b) extends to them its best wishes for a long and happy retirement; and

9. SHEFFIELD ECONOMIC MASTERPLAN

The Chief Executive referred to the decision of this Cabinet of April, 2006, authorising him to proceed with the commissioning of an economic masterplan for the City and he submitted a report containing a comprehensive summary of the key emerging findings, together with the early conclusions and recommendations drawn from the developing document comprising the Sheffield Economic Masterplan. The Chief Executive stated that the Masterplan represented a ‘route map’ for economic regeneration and he identified the critical tasks and key projects in the areas of prosperity, inclusion and sustainability, together with the organisations and structures which had been established to play a lead role in terms of the delivery of the Masterplan strategy.

RESOLVED: That (a) the early conclusions of the Sheffield Economic Masterplan as set out in the report now submitted be noted; and

(b) delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Culture and Planning, to finalise the Sheffield Economic Masterplan in accordance with the arrangements now reported.

10. THE SHEFFIELD ROTHERHAM ECONOMIC STUDY

The Chief Executive submitted a report containing details of a recent study which had been undertaken by CURS consultants, into thejoint economies of Sheffield and Rotherham. He stated that the study, which evaluated the interdependencies and integration of the Sheffieldand Rotherham economic area was a companion report to the Sheffield Economic Masterplan as reported at this meeting, and assessed the performance of the joint economies in recent years and the prospects for future growth.

RESOLVED: That (a) findings of the Sheffield Rotherham Economic Study as set out in the report now submitted be noted;

(b) authority be given for the findings arising from this study tobe communicated to both internal and external parties; and

(c) delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to pursue action to tackle the challenges identified in the report.

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