Agenda item

The Area Council Manager introduced the item, referring to the current financial situation for the Area Council.  Taking into account the income received to date from Fixed Penalty Notices, the finance remaining unallocated for 2015/16 was £57,438.

With regards to the Training For Employment contract, the meeting noted the continued success of the commission, which ran until the end of March, 2016.  It was noted that the project is undertaking an annual review and this would inform a discussion about the future of the project to take place in January, 2016.

It was noted that an organisation had been commissioned to review the Area Governance arrangements centrally, and as part of this would focus on analysing the social return on investment of a number of projects.  It was suggested that this would include the Training for Employment commission.

With regards to the Environmental Enforcement commission, Members heard how, from August to end September, 2015, there had been 51 Fixed Penalty Notices and 25 Parking Charge Notices.  It was noted that plans were in place to ensure  patrolling hours were evenly distributed between Dearne North and South Wards.

Members discussed the Clean and Tidy contract that Twiggs Grounds Maintenance were delivering.  It was noted that 137 areas had been targeted with time balanced between Dearne North and South Wards.   Feedback from residents had been extremely positive, and Members were encouraged to continue identifying any areas requiring attention.

Members noted the feedback from the Housing Enforcement SLA, which highlighted that 182 complaints and requests for service had been dealt with.   The meeting discussed a recent case which had gone to court, with an individual being fined £400 plus costs for not adhering to a Community Protection Notice.

The meeting noted that 7 applications had been received for the Dearne Development Fund, and that a panel would consider these on the 25^th November, 2015.

RESOLVED:-

(i) that the updated financial position for Dearne Area Council, including the amounts unallocated for 2015/16 and 2016/17 be noted;

(ii) that the continued progress of the Dearne Area Council commissions be noted.