Cabinet Minutes 13th February 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Present:

Councillors Jan Wilson (Chair), Steve Jones,

Mary Lea, Bryan Lodge, Tim Rippon and Chris Weldon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.

Apologies for Absence

 

 

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Harry Harpham and Mick Rooney.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Declarations of Interest

 

 

 

Declarations of personal interest were made by Councillors at this meeting on matters relating to Council Grant Aid 2008/09 as follows:-

 

 

 

Councillor Tim Rippon   –  Sister employed at an Advice Centre;

Councillor Mary Lea       – Board Member of Darnall Advice

                                          Centre;

Councillor Chris Weldon ­– Board Member of Firth Park Advice

                                          Centre

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.

Public Questions and Petitions

 

 

 

Developing Westwood Country Park for Wind Energy

 

 

 

 

Mrs Barraclough referred to the report on developing Westwood Country Park for wind energy, which was to be considered at this meeting and she enquired what consultation had been undertaken with local residents to date on the matter and what further consultation was proposed to be undertaken. She also enquired whether regard had been taken as to the effect of the proposals on residents and house prices in the area.

 

 

 

 

Councillor Mary Lea, the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Environment stated that the matter had been brought to a meeting of the local Area Panel last year and would be the subject of extensive consultation, having regard to all the relevant factors. The matter would be brought back to this Cabinet for consideration, should it be agreed to take the matter forward for further investigation at this meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Educational Provision at Shirle Hill Hospital School.

 

 

 

 

Mr David Caborn, Chair of Governors at Oakwood Hospital School referred to the proposals to undertake formal consultation arrangements in relation to the future educational provision for young children attending Shirle Hill Hospital School, which were to be considered at this meeting. He expressed concerns regarding the changes to the referral system which had led to a significant reduction in the number of referrals and the fact that this was the only facility for pupils with such needs, and he enquired whether due regard had been taken to these concerns in forming the conclusions and recommendations in the report.

 

 

 

 

 The representative of the Acting Executive Director, Children and Young People stated that the referral system was a national model rather than a model drawn up by the Local Education Authority. A review had been undertaken two years ago which had resulted in a reduction from 14 full-time equivalent places to the current number of 4 full-time equivalent places. Although a further review had been requested, it was considered that the model was appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I D Cards

 

 

 

 

 Mr Martin Brighton referred to the decision of the Council at its meeting on 6th February regarding ID cards and enquired whether the Council would commit to take no further action as regards the development of arrangements for ID Cards within its remit.

 

 

 

 

Councillor Jan Wilson pointed out that the matter of ID cards was a national issue rather than a local issue and she suggested that the question should be directed towards the local Member of Parliament, rather than the Council.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.

Developing Westwood Country Park for Wind Energy

 

 

 

 

The Executive Director, Development, Environment and Leisure, referred to the Regional Spatial Strategy which sets a target for Sheffield of 10.6MW of renewable energy generation by 2010 and a sub-regional target for South Yorkshire of 160MW by 2021 and he submitted a report setting out details of how the Council could contribute to achieving these targets and in particular, on the outcome of a Scoping and Feasibility Study on Renewable Energy in Sheffield which had been undertaken during the summer of 2006.  It was stated that the Council could make a contribution to meeting the renewable energy targets through the development of its own land, for wind energy generation, and it was proposed to seek approval for the procurement of a developer to take forward a scheme for wind energy generation initially at Westwood Country Park.

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That (a) approval be given to the arrangements set out in the report now submitted regarding the development of Westwood Country Park for wind energy generation;

 

 

 

(b) approval be given to the approach outlined in the report and authority be given for the procurement of a developer for the Westwood Country Park site;

 

 

 

(c) arising from this decision, it be noted that there will be a period of public consultation running in parallel to the procurement process, led by the Council;

 

 

 

(d) the outcome of the public consultation and the procurement process be reported back to this Cabinet with clear recommendations on the way forward; and

 

 

 

(e) a development budget of £15,000 be approved against future income from the project to undertake the procurement arrangements now authorised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

 

 

 

 

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 30th January, 2008, were approved as a correct record.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.

Items Called-in for Scrutiny/Referred to Council

 

 

 

 

 The Assistant Chief Executive, Legal and Governance, reported that (a) there had been no items of business called-in for scrutiny arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 30th January, 2008; and (b) matters relating to the Housing Revenue Account, Revenue Budget and Rent Increase 2008/09, which were referred to the City Council from the meeting of this Cabinet on 30th January, 2008, were approved by the Council at its meeting held on 6th February, 2008.

 

 

 

The Cabinet noted this information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.

Retirement of Staff

 

 

 

Resolved: That (a) this Cabinet places on record its appreciation of the valuable service rendered to the City Council by staff in Directorates as follows:

 

 

 

Name

Post

Years of Service in Sheffield

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Executive’s Directorate

 

 

 

Ms Linda Chambers

Assistant to the Lord Mayor

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development, Environment and Leisure Directorate

 

 

 

Mr Stanley Darwin

HGV Driver

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children and Young People Directorate

 

 

 

Mr Alan Williams

Headteacher, Windmill Hill School

32

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

(c) directs that appropriate extracts of this resolution, under the Common Seal of the Council, be forwarded to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.

Noise Nuisance  -  Scrutiny Report

 

 

 

 

The Scrutiny Policy Officer for the Culture, Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny and Policy Development Board submitted a report on the outcome of the Scrutiny Board’s investigation into noise nuisance.  He stated that it was the Board’s intention to assist in the development of a coherent strategy on the issue of noise nuisance which would involve organisations such as Sheffield Homes, the South Yorkshire Police and the Universities.  The Board had examined examples of best practice in other similar local authorities and multi-agency responses to noise nuisance as part of its investigation.

 

 

 

 

The Chair of the Scrutiny Board, Councillor Peter Price stated that the Board had identified issues regarding the amount of notice which local residents received in respect of applications for changes to licensing arrangements and the size of the notices which were displayed in the area in some cases.  He also raised the issue of the number of machines which were available to officers to record the levels of noise.

 

 

 

 

The report included a series of recommendations together with a management response in respect of the issues raised.  The response pointed out that at present there was no budget to provide a reactive out-of-hours service and that as most of the domestic noise problems occurred during the hours when the Police were facing their highest demand, the support from the Police for an out-of-hours team on this issue was likely to be limited in any circumstances other than the most extreme cases.  The response also pointed out that the 101 service had provided an invaluable new resource for people to report noise problems and enable them to be followed up.  Operators were able to advise on process and where appropriate, direct to the Police to action.

 

The Chief Executive responded to the issues raised by the Chair of the Scrutiny Board and stated that consideration had been given to the most appropriate and cost effective way of notifying people of proposals in relation to licensing arrangements and that these were being pursued through a weekly list of applications being circulated to Members and key officers through the Neighbourhood Action Groups and the Safer Neighbourhoods Officers.

 

The Executive Director, Neighbourhoods and Community Care stated that she would raise the issue of the noise monitoring equipment through the Safer Communities Partnership.

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That the report and recommendations of the Culture, Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny and Policy Development Board arising from their examination of issues of Noise Nuisance, together with the additional information now reported, be noted and welcomed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.

Revenue Budget and Capital Programme 2008/09, and the Corporate Capital Strategy 2007 and the Three Year Forward Capital Programme 2008/11

 

 

 

 

Consideration was given to:-

 (a) a joint report of the Chief Executive and the Director, Corporate Resources, setting out details of (i) the latest position in relation to the 2007/2008 Revenue Budget, (ii) the City Council’s revenue expenditure plans and requirements for 2008/2009, including the position on reserves and balances (iii) the impact of the Government’s Grant Settlement for 2008/09, (iv) levies and precepts made on the City Council by other Authorities, (v) the development of the City Council’s Financial and Service Strategy, including the financial outlook for 2009/10 and beyond,  and (vi) proposals for the setting of a Council Tax for the City Council;

 

 

 

(b) a joint report of the Chief Executive and the Deputy Director, Corporate Resources, outlining (i) a summary of the Council’s overall Capital Programme position amounting to a sum of £899m and incorporating information on the Local Transport Plan, Decent Homes and Building Schools for the Future; (ii) proposals for the Council’s Prudential Borrowing limits for 2008/09; (iii) the latest position on the 2007/08 Capital Programme; and (iv) details of the 2008/2009 Capital Settlement; and

 

 

 

(c) a report of the Director, Corporate Resources, (i) rolling forward the 3 year Capital Strategy for a further year; (ii) providing an overview of each Directorate’s Capital spend and asset maintenance positions; and (iii) showing how, as part of that process, the Council would continue to create and approve new schemes of £26m in a Corporate Resource Pool.

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That (i) this Council, after noting the joint report of the Chief Executive and the Director, Corporate Resources, on the Revenue Budget 2008/2009 approves and adopts a net Revenue Budget for 2008/2009 amounting to£453.929m (excluding Parish and Town Council Precepts) and the Directorate cash allocations and other items for 2008/2009 as set out in Appendix 7 of the report on the Revenue Budget as follows:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net

 

 

 

 

 

Expenditure *

 

 

 

 

 

£'000

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directorates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children & Young People

 

 

82,220

Development, Environment & Leisure

 

129,102

Neighbourhoods & Community Care

 

147,545

Chief Executive's