This week, Rotherham Council held several key meetings: the Audit Committee on 25 June, the Health and Wellbeing Board on 26 June, and the Planning Board on 27 June. Below are the details and decisions from these meetings.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee convened to discuss various matters, including risk management, procurement activities, and internal audit progress. Key decisions and updates were made in several areas:

Children and Young People's Services Directorate Risk Register

Nicola Curley, Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services, presented the risk management activities within the Directorate. The Risk Register lists five risk items, two of which are also included in the Corporate Risk Register:

• CYPS01 (SLT01): Keeping Children, Young People and Families safe from harm.
• CYPS02 (SLT16): Achieving budgetary savings linked to the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

The Directorate’s approach includes quarterly reviews and monthly monitoring, with enhanced risk management capacity through accredited training.

Regeneration and Environment Directorate Risk Register

Simon Moss, Assistant Director of Regeneration and Environment, updated on the red risks within the Directorate. Notably, the risk concerning the delivery of the new Central Library and Markets has been downgraded to amber. Remaining red risks include:

• R&E9: Effective Home to School Transport, which remains overspent.
• R&E51: Good management of highway structures, specifically the Centenary Way viaduct.
• R&E52: Effective management of Council-owned trees.

Efforts are ongoing to manage costs and improve service efficiency.

2024 Procurement Annual Update

Karen Middlebrook, Head of Procurement, presented updates focusing on the Procurement Act 2023, which introduces significant changes to procurement procedures. Key changes include:

• Pre-procurement considerations and pipeline publishing requirements.
• Competitive Flexible Procedure.
• Contract management and governance.

The Ethical Procurement Policy has been updated and will be reviewed annually.

External Auditors Annual Report on Value for Money

Gareth Mills from Grant Thornton presented the 2022-23 annual report on Value for Money (VFM), identifying no significant weaknesses but recommending improvements in financial reporting and the Council’s approach to achieving Net Zero 2030.

Internal Audit Updates

Phil Horsfield and Louise Ivens provided updates on building security audits and the Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme (QAIP), respectively. The Internal Audit Plan for 2024-25 was approved, and the Internal Audit Progress Report for December 2023 to January 2024 was discussed.

For more details, refer to the Minutes of the 12 March 2024 Audit Committee.

Health and Wellbeing Board

The Health and Wellbeing Board discussed several key issues, including diabetes care, neighbourhood working, and suicide prevention.

Diabetes Care in Rotherham

Hannah Morrow and Rachel Martin from Diabetes Sheffield highlighted the importance of the National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE) recommended checks for diabetes patients and noted significant disparities in care access across GP practices.

Neighbourhood Working and Ward Priorities

Martin Hughes presented the Thriving Neighbourhoods Strategy, aiming to create safe, welcoming neighbourhoods with strong community spirit.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment

Lorna Quinn provided an update on the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA), noting the closure of three pharmacies and a reduction in opening hours.

Prevention and Health Inequalities Strategy

Rebecca Woolley updated on the Prevention and Health Inequalities Strategy, focusing on clinical areas in the Core20Plus5 and Prevention High Impact Intervention frameworks.

Physical Activity Initiatives

Gilly Brenner and Nick Wilson from Yorkshire Sport highlighted Rotherham's selection for the Sport England Place Expansion Programme.

Combating Drugs Partnership

Ben Anderson and Laura Koscikiewicz presented on the progress of the Rotherham Combatting Drugs Partnership.

Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Action Plan

Ruth Fletcher-Brown provided an update on the Suicide Prevention and Self-Harm Action Plan.

For more details, refer to the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Action Plan.

Planning Board

The Planning Board convened on 27 June 2024, but no transcript or detailed summary was provided for this meeting.

Stay tuned for future updates on council activities and decisions impacting our community.