Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

1.1

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Colin Ross and Cliff Woodcraft.

2.1

No items were identified where resolutions may be moved to exclude the public and press.

3.1

There were no declarations of interest.

4.1

The minutes of meetings of the Committee held on 19th May and 7th July 2021, were approved as correct records.

7.1

The Community Services Manager, submitted a report setting out the mechanism for the Local Area Committee to enable decisions to be taken quickly and to respond to emerging issues by authorising the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure between Committee meetings, subject to certain conditions.

7.2

RESOLVED: That the South West Local Area Committee authorises the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure from any budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee provided that:

·       The decision is taken in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair

·       Spending is in line with any specific purposes of the allocated budget

·       The decision may not approve expenditure of more than £5,000

·       A report detailing the delegated spending decisions taken by the Community Services Manager is presented to the next Local Area Committee meeting.

7.3

Reasons for Decision

The proposal to authorise decisions on any budgets allocated to the Committee can be discharged, in part, by the Community Services Manager will ensure the Committees can respond quickly to emerging local issues.

7.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

All decisions relating to budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee

could be decided at Formal Committee Meetings only. Whilst this approach would ensure the involvement of all members of the committee, it would mean that decisions to allocate spending for emerging and urgent local issues may not be made in a timely fashion.

7.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

7.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

7.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Executive Director People Services

7.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

5.1

The Community Services Manager, submitted a report setting out the mechanism for the Local Area Committee to enable decisions to be taken quickly and to respond to emerging issues by authorising the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure between Committee meetings, subject to certain conditions.

5.2

RESOLVED: That the South West Local Area Committee authorises the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure from any budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee provided that:

·        The decision is taken in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair.

·        Spending is in line with any specific purposes of the allocated budget.

·        The decision may not approve expenditure of more than £5,000.

·        A report detailing the delegated spending decisions taken by the Community Services Manager is presented to the next Local Area Committee meeting.

5.3

Reasons for Decision

The proposal to authorise decisions on any budgets allocated to the Committee can be discharged, in part, by the Community Services Manager will ensure the Committees can respond quickly to emerging local issues.

5.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

All decisions relating to budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee could be decided at Formal Committee Meetings only.  Whilst this approach would ensure the involvement of all members of the Committee, it would mean that decisions to allocate spending for emerging and urgent local issues may not be made in a timely fashion.

5.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None.

5.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None.

5.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

None.

5.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee.

6.1

The Committee received a presentation from the Community Services Manager on Local Area Committees (LACs), as part of the Empowering Communities Programme.

6.2

Denise Devoto reported on the operation and role of LAC, the initial funding allocation for the Committees, engagement activity, how the public could get involved, details of the Members of the Committee and the South West Local Area Committee Team and contact details relating to the LAC.

6.3

The Committee noted the information now reported as part of the presentation.

7.1

The Committee received a presentation from Joanna Woodward (Age UK Sheffield) on funding, known as Community Funding Pots, provided by Age UK Sheffield to individuals, groups or organisations to undertake an activity that would benefit their local community.  Ms Woodward reported that the money could be used  by someone to either set up a new activity, or by an existing provider needing additional resources, and referred to a number of examples of activities funded in the past.  She concluded by reporting on how people could join, or be referred into, an activity.

7.2

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)      noted the information reported as part of the presentation; and

(b)      thanked Joanna Woodward for attending the meeting and making the presentation.

8.1

The Committee received the following questions from members of the public who had submitted the questions prior to the meeting, and who were in attendance to raise them: -

(a)

Christopher Pennell

Will the South West LAC have any role in determining how CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) funds arising from development occurring in Dore will be spent and if so what role and on what authority?

In response, the Chair stated that the South West LAC will have the same role in determining spending in Dore as all LACs will have with the wards in their area.  This will currently be in accordance with the Councillors’ Guide approved by the Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee on Thursday, 13th December 2018.

The Cabinet decision under Item No. 8.2(b) states:-

“RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

delegates authority to the Head of Libraries, Community Services & Learning & Skills, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety, to determine: (i) how the CIL Neighbourhood Portion allocated to each ward is spent, following engagement with local communities and Ward Councillors, subject to the proviso that monies are spent in accordance with agreed Ward Priorities and (ii) to determine the terms on which such expenditure is incurred including authorising the completion of any related funding agreement or other legal documentation”.

Unless this decision is amended, the LACs themselves do not make the decisions, but are free to work with communities and make recommendations.

(b)

Alan Kewley

1.

I welcome this long-overdue review, but would request a pause for thought, to enable local electorates to consider these proposals more carefully, including the need for Ward Forums, to give citizens easier access to our City Council's new devolved decision-making processes.

In response, the Chair stated that whilst area working and the Local Area Committees were separate, they were linked in certain ways.  The Cabinet, at its meeting in March 2021, and the Council, had approved the formulation of the Local Area Committees.  In terms of previous area working by the Council, there had been Area Panels (2000 to 2009), Community Assemblies (2009 to 2013) and Area Partnerships from 2013 to 2021.  Councillor Sangar made reference to the Referendum held in 2021, which had resulted in a majority vote for a shift from the Cabinet/Leader model to a Committee system.  At the present time, there was the Co-operative Executive Committee, Governance Committee, Scrutiny Committees and Transitional Committees, with plans for the new Committee system to be implemented in May 2022.  There will be a number of new Committees appointed, including an Audit Committee. The way the Local Area Committees will operate will develop over time. 

2.

The City Council's main Website has become too complex to provide easy access to information on local issues.  Could local Websites be introduced at LAC or Ward level to provide better access to local information, rather than the junk emails which are now being sent-out and received?

In response, Denise Devoto stated that the Council had recently created  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.