Decisions

8.1

The Executive Director, Place, submitted a report updating Cabinet on the steps taken since the Council issued the Street Trees Joint Position Statement and adopted the Sheffield Trees and Woodlands Strategy in December 2018 and to seek endorsement for the proposed process and timescales for developing a new Street Tree Strategy.

8.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:- 

(a)

notes and endorses the positive progress made following the issue of the Street Trees Joint Position Statement and the adoption of the Sheffield Trees and Woodlands Strategy in December 2018 including:

·         the establishment of the Street Tree Strategy development group, including the appointment of Liz Ballard as its chair; and

·         the adoption of the new joint inspection and assessment process for street trees.

(b)

agrees to receive a draft of the Street Tree Strategy for consideration in January 2020; and

(c)

notes the recommendations made by Amey to the Council in respect of the trees assessed to date as part of the new process, and advocates the continuation of this approach for future tranches.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

It is considered that the approach set out in the report will enable the Council to make good on the commitments it has made in the Joint Position Statement and the Trees and Woodlands Strategy.  It is also felt that the approach being taken by Amey that Cabinet are being asked to advocate continues to represent an acceptable balance between the benefits of mature street trees and the need to maintain the highway programme for the benefit of all Sheffield communities without additional expenditure on the part of the Council.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

The only other options that are open to Cabinet are to reject the outcomes of the new approach and to revert to the previously agreed policy for the street tree element of the Streets Ahead programme.  It is considered that this would not be in line with the commitments set out in the Joint Position Statement agreed with  Sheffield Tree Action Groups (STAG) members, and would be likely to result in substantial loss of trust for the Authority, as well as placing the successful completion of the Streets Ahead programme in significant doubt.

8.4.2

Similarly, Cabinet could decide not to endorse the approach to the development of the Street Tree Strategy and to rely on the existing Five Year Tree Management Strategy (produced by Amey) and the Council’s current Highway Tree Replacement Policy.  This would also be out of line with the commitments set out in the Joint Position Statement and the Trees and Woodlands Strategy agreed by Cabinet in December 2018.

8.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

8.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

8.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Laraine Manley, Executive Director, Place.

8.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Economic and Environmental Wellbeing.

9.1

The Interim Executive Director, People Services, submitted a report setting out the proposed approach to recommissioning drug and alcohol treatment and support services for children and young people aged 10 to 18 in Sheffield separate to, and alongside, the adult treatment service as part of an all age approach.  The current contract ends on 31^st March 2020 and falls within the Council’s public health duties.

9.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:- 

(a)

approves the proposal to recommission young people’s substance misuse services as set out in the report, to secure services for the support and treatment for the children and young people of Sheffield with substance use needs; and

(b)

delegates authority to the Director of Commissioning, Learning and Inclusion, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Commercial Services and the Cabinet Member for Children and Families, to agree the final procurement strategy and approve a contract award following the tender process.

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

Good quality drug and alcohol support services are essential to help individuals turn their lives around and build stronger families and communities in Sheffield.

9.3.2

The Council has a duty to provide drug and alcohol treatment and support services for the people of Sheffield.  The Council is not best placed to deliver these required services, so recommissioning is recommended.

9.3.3

The current legal contractual arrangements in place for  both adult and young people services expire on 31 March 2020.This process will ensure continuity of aligned services, with improved access and transitions, to deliver against the Drug Strategy 2018-2022. 

9.3.4

The service will be based on local need and trend analysis, and performance data for current service provision will inform where change and improvement is needed for the forthcoming contract period.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

The Young People Substance Misuse Service has been provided by the Council for 15 years and is a key plank of the local Drug Strategy.  The current contract cannot be extended and the opportunity is to recommission the service in line with the adult substance misuse service as part of an all age approach.

9.4.2

Another option would be for the Council to deliver the service in house; this has been rejected for a number of reasons.  Firstly, the service model involves a significant element of clinical expertise.  Secondly, the Council has no experience of delivering the service, and there is a well-developed market of qualified and experienced potential providers.  Finally, the Council has no systems in place for clinical supervision of a workforce, licences to hold medication, or provision to manage safe prescribing, and the cost of making the necessary arrangements would be disproportionately high and poor value for money when existing, fit for purpose options exist in the market.

9.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

9.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

9.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

John Doyle, Interim Executive Director, People Services.

9.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care.

13.1

The Executive Director, Place, submitted a report seeking authority to enter into an agreement for lease with Extreme Destinations Limited for Sheffield City Council’s land interests at the former Parkwood Springs Ski Village and adjoining land, to enable redevelopment of this prominent and derelict site as an outdoor leisure destination.

13.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:- 

(a)

delegates authority to the Chief Property Officer, in consultation with the Executive Director, Resources, to agree terms for the disposal of the land, including any reasonable variations, to the boundaries as required, and authorises the Director of Legal and Governance to complete all necessary legal documentation and notices in order to complete the disposal, subject to no objections being received to the open space notice; and

(b)

declares the hatched land, as outlined in Appendix C of the report, surplus to requirements.

13.3

Reasons for Decision

13.3.1

Preferred option – Proceed with the AfL with Extreme Leisure Destinations

This approach passes the commercial and financial risk of the development and design work to the developer.  Safeguards are built into the Agreement for Lease to commit the developer to timely delivery and ensure the Council retains control should the developer fail to make significant progress.

13.3.2

Entering into the AfL with Extreme Leisure Destinations will enable detailed work to begin on development of the scheme whilst protecting the Council’s interests.  This represents an important step in realising the vision set out in the Parkwood Masterplan and achieving the benefits for local communities and the people of Sheffield.  The AfL enables SCC to pass commercial risk to the developer through a traditional landowner-developer relationship, with principal risks managed by Extreme.

13.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

13.4.1

Do nothing – Council retain site

·           Nil impact on Council’s resource capacity to deliver redevelopment.

·           Fails to deliver on the Council’s Outdoor City Economic Strategy.

·           Leaves a prominent strategic site derelict and unviable for redevelopment by the market, whilst at the same time vulnerable to continued anti-social behaviour, vandalism and arson, with an ongoing maintenance cost and liability to the Council in the long term.

·           Does not assist the Council any further to market the site anew if current development partnership was not successful.

13.4.2

Council carries out improvement/infrastructure works and then re-markets the site

·           The Council could seek to enhance the value of the land and deliverability/viability by carrying out improvement/infrastructure works prior to release/disposal (such as works to the access road and improvements to drainage) before re-marketing the site.

·           There is no certainty of securing a developer to deliver the economic aspirations and outcomes expected from the site or guarantee that a significantly improved market rate will be achieved.

13.4.3

Council retains the site and undertakes the development itself

·           The Council could develop, and operate or seek an operator for a leisure destination.

·           This approach would require significant resource and funding and, as set out in the report, the viability and risk associated with developments of this nature can be marginal.

·           At this point in time this approach would expose the Council to undue commercial and financial risk.

13.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

13.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

13.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Laraine Manley, Executive Director, Place

13.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Economic and Environmental Wellbeing

12.1

The Executive Director, Resources, submitted a report providing the outturn monitoring statement on the City Council’s Revenue Budget and Capital Programme as at the end of Month 2, 2019/20.

12.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:- 

(a)

notes the updated information and management actions provided by the report and the attached appendix on the 2019/20 Revenue Budget Outturn; and

(b)

in relation to the Capital Programme, notes the forecast outturn position, as outlined in Appendix 2 of the report.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

To record formally changes to the Revenue Budget and the Capital Programme.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

A number of alternative courses of action are considered as part of the process undertaken by Officers before decisions are recommended to Members. The recommendations made to Members represent what Officers believe to be the best options available to the Council, in line with Council priorities, given the constraints on funding and the use to which funding is put within the Revenue Budget and the Capital Programme.

12.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

12.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

12.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Eugene Walker, Executive Director, Resources

12.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee