The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion about how Rotherham Council manages its cemeteries and crematoria, the progress of its Flood Alleviation Schemes, and the way it works with local communities and residents to improve neighbourhoods.

Bereavement Services

The report pack includes a report from the Council's Bereavement Services and a separate one from Dignity Funerals Ltd, which manages the East Herringthorpe cemetery and crematorium, and the maintenance of eight other cemeteries throughout the borough on behalf of the council.

The report from the Bereavement Services summarises its work and addresses some of the recommendations made at the commission's previous meeting. This includes information on:

• The Muslim Burial Ground[^2] at East Herringthorpe Cemetery. [^2]: A burial ground is a cemetery specifically for people of the Islamic faith.
• An update on the capital projects that took place during 2023/24. These included improvements at Maltby Cemetery, Greasbrough Lane Cemetery, and High Street Cemetery in Rawmarsh.
• The progress of the work being carried out on the disused chapels at Moorgate Cemetery, Masbrough Cemetery, Haugh Road Cemetery, and Town Lane Cemetery.
• An update on the council's Digital Autopsy contract with Digital Autopsy UK.[^3] [^3]: A digital autopsy is a non-invasive post mortem examination of the body using scanning and imaging techniques. They are sometimes used as an alternative to a traditional, invasive autopsy, particularly in cases where religious or cultural sensitivities prevent a traditional autopsy, or where the family does not wish for an invasive autopsy to be carried out.

The report from Dignity Funerals Ltd includes its Annual Performance Report, which covers the period April 2023 to March 2024 and describes the progress that had been made on some of the issues raised in the commission's previous meeting, including:

• Customer Satisfaction Surveys – details of customer satisfaction returns and complaints are included within the report.
• Religious Awareness Training – training has been organised to ensure the staff have an increased cultural awareness and an understanding of specific religious needs.

The report also includes Dignity's Five Year Development Plan and its Operational Plan. The Five Year Development plan includes a number of proposals, including:

• Refurbishing the old office block at East Herringthorpe Cemetery.
• Providing a Natural Burial[^4] option at East Herringthorpe Cemetery. [^4]: Natural burials are where the body is buried in biodegradable materials like willow or cardboard coffins in a woodland or meadow setting. They are often chosen by people who wish their burial to have less of an environmental impact.
• Improving recycling and biodiversity across all cemeteries.
• Restoring and preserving memorials of historical significance across all cemeteries.

The Operational Plan, which was submitted on 9 September 2024, is supplementary to the 35 Year Strategic Plan that was agreed as part of the contract and focuses on:

• Identifying the remaining burial land available across all cemeteries, including specific requirements for Muslim burials.
• The likely cost of carrying out the required development work to expand those cemeteries.

The report acknowledges that As a reminder we currently charge £2,496 for earthen graves and £3,524 for lined graves, including the interment charge.. Dignity urgently request a meeting with The Council to discuss the contents of this paper and an agreement to a plan to find a resolution to the various issues raised., acknowledging that As The Council is aware the contract with Dignity at the moment is loss making, and so while we are willing and can fund a £1.2million investment we would only want to do so if we had reached some conclusion with The Council in relation to the economics of the contract and a path back to profitability.

Flood Alleviation Update

A presentation by Richard Jackson, Head of Highways and Flood Risk and Andy Saxton, Highway Asset and Drainage Manager, was scheduled for the meeting. This covers an overview of the work being carried out on the council’s Flood Risk Management strategy across the borough and provides an update on its Six Priority Flood Alleviation Scheme Projects.

Overview

The overview presentation describes the scale and impact of Storm Babet, which caused widespread flooding across Rotherham in October 2023.

The flooding investigation report was scheduled to be discussed and describes the:

• Impact of the flooding. 182 properties and 9 businesses were affected.
• Areas worst affected. These included Catcliffe and Treeton, Whiston, and Laughton Common
• Community engagement that has been undertaken. This included community drop-in events and a public meeting in Catcliffe, which was attended by 71 people.

The presentation also identifies a number of investigations that have been undertaken following the flooding and the work that has been completed, including:

• A scheme on Shoreland Drive in Treeton. This included installing a new surface water overflow to the existing drainage system to reduce flooding to 8 properties.
• Installing a new land drain on Common Road, Thorpe Salvin. This work reduced the flood risk to 1 property and the highway.
• Installing a new highway drain on School Lane in Thrybergh. This work reduced the risk of flooding to 2 properties which had suffered internal flooding in 2023.
• Remedial works to improve a surface water sewer on Toad Lane in Brampton en le Morthen.
• Installing a new gully and cleansing the existing water course on Goosecarr Lane in Todwick.

A number of projects are scheduled to be completed in the next 12 months, including:

• Improving the highway surface water drainage on the A634 / Kingswood Lane, Stone. This work will provide more capacity to the drainage system and reduce flooding on the road.
• Installing a new surface water highway drain on Rockingham Road, Swinton. The new drain will remove surface water from the existing Yorkshire Water public sewers and reduce flooding and overloading to that system.
• Improving the existing highway drain on Main Street in Aughton. The works will include repairing damage caused by tree roots and collapsed pipes and increasing the size of existing pipes to provide more capacity.
• Installing a new manhole and surface water sewer on New Road in Firbeck. This will reduce flooding to properties.
• Constructing a bund around Brook Dyke on Recreation Road, Wath. One-way valves will also be installed on existing gullies and manholes to contain flood water.

The presentation also describes the progress the team has made in:

• Mapping and cleansing all of the road gullies in the borough. All gullies are expected to be mapped by March 2025.
• The work of the Connected by Water partnership, which was formed after the flooding in November 2019. Connected by Water is an alliance between local authorities in South Yorkshire, Yorkshire Water, and the Environment Agency.

Six Priority Flood Alleviation Scheme Projects

The second presentation describes the progress that has been made on the council's six priority Flood Alleviation Schemes:

• Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme (RRFAS)
• Parkgate & Rawmarsh Flood Alleviation Scheme (PRFAS)
• Whiston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme (WBFAS)
• Eel Mires Dike Flood Alleviation Scheme (EMDFAS)
• Catcliffe Pumping Station
• Culverts Renewal Programme

Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme

The RRFAS aims to alleviate flooding from the River Don to Rotherham Town Centre, Parkgate, and Kilnhurst. The outline designs include constructing a new flood wall along the river from the A630 to the Chantry Bridge, a new higher defence to protect Rotherham United Football Club stadium, and creating wetland habitat and improving the river corridor at the River Rother Confluence.

Parkgate & Rawmarsh Flood Alleviation Scheme

The PRFAS aims to reduce the risk of flooding from watercourses through Rawmarsh and Parkgate. The outline designs include constructing a flood storage area at Warren Vale, raising the existing defences along the River Rother, and installing a new Sustainable Drainage System¹ (SuDS) basin near Barbot Hall. Whiston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme

The WBFAS aims to alleviate flooding from Whiston Brook and surface water in Whiston. The outline designs include constructing a flood storage area upstream of Whiston and creating a bypass channel downstream of the village.

Two public drop-in sessions were held in November to give residents the opportunity to give their views on the scheme and the feedback is being used to inform the planning process and the design of the scheme.

Eel Mires Dike Flood Alleviation Scheme

The EMDFAS aims to reduce the risk of flooding from watercourses in Laughton Common. The outline designs include constructing a new flood wall in Laughton Common and improving the existing culverts on Eel Mires Dike.

Catcliffe Pumping Station

The Catcliffe Pumping Station aims to replace the council's portable surface water pumping operation in Catcliffe. The outline designs include constructing a new pumping station at Treeton Dyke that would pump water into the River Rother.

Culvert Renewal Programme

The Culvert Renewal Programme aims to improve 11 existing culverts around the borough to reduce the risk of flooding.

Surveys and Landowner Engagement

The presentation identifies that a number of surveys are being carried out for all of the projects, including environmental, topographical and ground penetrating radar surveys. These surveys are being used to establish the extent and scale of each project and inform the detailed design and diversions of utilities.

Stakeholder and landowner engagement is ongoing. This includes discussions about land access for surveys and planned works and land purchase.

Thriving Neighbourhoods Annual Report

The report pack contains the annual report summarising the work that has been done to deliver the Council's Thriving Neighbourhoods strategy during 2023/24.

The strategy aims to ensure that:

• Neighbourhoods are safe and welcoming with a good sense of community spirit.
• Residents are happy, healthy, and love living where they live.
• Residents use their strengths, knowledge and skills to achieve what is important to them.

The report describes how the strategy is helping to deliver the council’s vision under the ‘Every Neighbourhood Thriving’ theme in its Council Plan, and how it aims to achieve the outcomes identified in the council’s Year Ahead Delivery Plan.

Elected Members as Community Leaders

The report highlights that elected members are at the centre of Rotherham’s neighbourhood working model and describes the support they receive from the council’s Neighbourhoods Team and Democratic Services. This includes:

• Day-to-day support from the Neighbourhoods Team.
• 287 ward member briefings during 2023/24. These briefings provide members with the opportunity to discuss ward priorities, plans, and budgets, and receive updates from council services and partners.
• A ward focused induction for new and returning members following the May 2024 elections. This included a Good Practice Guide which was developed alongside existing members.

The LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Report, which was presented to Cabinet in September 2023, praised the council’s neighbourhood working model, saying that “The peer team was impressed by the exemplary approach to community engagement at ward level, where dedicated and well-supported Ward Members take the lead.”

Ward Priorities and Plans

The report describes how elected members have continued to work with the Neighbourhoods Team, local communities, and partners to develop projects and improve local services to tackle their ward priorities during 2023/24. The priorities, plans and progress of this work are captured in the individual ward plans, which are included in the monthly ward e-bulletins. A summary of the 2023/24 ward priorities is attached as an appendix to the report.

The report highlights the work that has been done to ensure the ward priorities are considered during council decision making and inform policies, strategies, service plans and resource allocation.

Devolved Ward Budgets

The report describes the work that has been done to help elected members invest their devolved ward budgets. These include:

• The Community Leadership Fund (CLF)
• The Ward Capital Budget
• The Ward Housing Budget
• The Local Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

In 2023/24 the CLF provided each member with £1,584, which could be spent on revenue projects. Ward Capital Budgets were £7,120 for two-member wards and £10,680 for three-member wards and could be spent on capital projects. The Ward Housing Budget provided a base budget of £4,000 for each ward with an enhancement dependent on the number of council homes in that ward and could be used to improve housing estates. Finally, the Local CIL provided funding to wards that were not covered by a Parish Council. This funding equates to 15% of the total CIL and could be used to fund projects that address the impact development can have on a neighbourhood.

The report describes how the CLF, Ward Capital and Ward Housing budgets have a roll forward provision where funding that is unallocated can be rolled forward into the following year. However, 2023/24 was the final year of the roll forward cycle due to the May 2024 elections.

The report provides details on how the budgets were allocated in 2023/24.

Community Engagement

The report describes the work that has been done to engage with residents and communities and how the Neighbourhoods Team work to support this. The LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Report praised the work, saying that “The peer team was impressed by the exemplary approach to community engagement at ward level, where dedicated and well-supported Ward Members take the lead.”

This work includes:

• The Neighbourhoods section of the council’s website, which includes information on the strategy, an interactive map of all wards, guidance on applying for devolved ward budgets, links to the Parish Councils section of the website, and individual webpages for all 25 wards. The report identifies that the webpages will be reviewed in order to increase engagement.
• Ward e-bulletins, which provide local information and examples of the impact of neighbourhood working in each ward. During 2023/24, the number of subscribers to the e-bulletins increased from 9,588 to 11,599.
• Support for local community groups. This includes providing advice and guidance, recruiting volunteers, and helping groups access funding. In 2023/24, the team supported 544 community organisations, including helping to establish 13 new groups.
• Community events. 354 community events were arranged or supported in 2023/24.
• Consultation. The Neighbourhoods team and elected members led the consultation for the council’s Towns and Villages Programme and continue to advise and support council services and partners who wish to consult with local communities.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The report describes the work that has been done to promote and provide opportunities for communities with protected characteristics. In 2023/24, the team supported 220 activities that have specifically targeted these communities, including providing support and funding for local community groups, community events and consultation exercises. The report identifies that this work will continue over the next 12 months.

Integrated Locality and Partnership Working

The report describes how the ward priorities and plans have formed the basis of local projects, partnerships, and networks to tackle issues across the borough. This work has included:

• Sharing the ward priorities with all council services and partners to help inform the delivery of local services. A summary of the 2023/24 ward priorities is attached as an appendix to the report. The report identifies that work will continue to increase the visibility of the ward priorities to all staff across the council.
• The continuation of existing neighbourhood partnerships, such as the Community Action Partnerships which operate in all 25 wards and have the lead role in co-ordinating activity that tackles community safety.
• Establishing new neighbourhood partnerships.
• The unique role of the Parish Council Liaison Officer, who works with all Parish Councils to improve relationships between them and the council.
• The role of the Town Centre Community Co-ordinator who works with all stakeholders to promote a placemaking approach in Rotherham town centre.
• Work to strengthen the neighbourhood working model by ensuring that council services and partners work together in a more holistic way.

Significant Events

The report describes the role the Neighbourhoods Team played in supporting communities to recover following the floods in October 2023 and the riot that took place in Manvers in August 2024.

The report identifies that the redeployment of staff did have an initial impact on the Neighbourhoods Team’s core business, but that any remaining activity relating to these two events is now being picked up as business as usual.

Future Place Based Working

The report acknowledges the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Report’s recommendation to “Develop a clearer and shared understanding of integrated locality working” and how “Integrated locality working through increased co-design and co-production of solutions and services alongside partner organisations can deliver enhanced outcomes for residents through improved services and solutions which are tailored to their needs.”

The report describes the work of the Place-Based Working Project group which was set up in June 2024 and how they aim to develop and deliver an action plan that will increase co-ordination between the council and its partners in all three locality areas of the borough.

Improving Places Select Commission - Work Programme 2024-2025

The report pack includes the draft work programme for the 2024-2025 municipal year.

The programme includes updates on the following:

• Housing Strategy
• Allotments Annual Update
• Flood Alleviation schemes

The programme also lists a number of topics for scheduling, including:

• School Road Safety
• A review of the impact of ‘Awaab’s Law’[^6] [^6]: 'Awaab's Law' is legislation that is being brought in to prevent future deaths from damp and mould in social housing following the death of Awaab Ishak from a respiratory condition caused by exposure to mould in his home.
• Off Road Bikes
• Rotherham Council's Rural Strategy
• A review of Rotherham Town Centre's Events Programme
• The council’s ‘Our Places’ fund
• A review of the Rothercard[^7] [^7]: The Rothercard is a discount card that offers residents a range of discounts at local businesses and on council services.

The programme identifies that the commission is scheduled to take part in a number of workshops in the new year, including:

• A review of the council's Housing Allocations Policy
• A review of the findings from the consultation that will be carried out for the 2025-2028 Housing Strategy