Decisions

Use the search options below to find information regarding decisions that have been taken by the council's decision making bodies since 22 May 2015. If you wish to search for decisions prior to this date please use the search function under Search agendas, minutes and reports.

Alternatively you can visit the officer delegated decisions page for information on officer delagated decisions that have been taken by council officers.

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For information on decisions regarding Licensing please visit Licensing

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Decisions published

10/05/2022 - CR/547/05/22 - Microsoft Enterprise Agreement (Desktop Licensing) ref: 2515    Recommendations Approved

In February 2019 Doncaster Council made the decision to move away from traditional on premise licenses to consuming Microsoft cloud-based products. The decision to do so resulted in a financial saving and allowed the council to deploy services in a more agile manner no longer limited by physical hardware or dependant on our Data centres.
Since the beginning of the previous agreement, the Council and its partners have benefitted by moving to Microsoft Cloud services.
Document collaboration – SharePoint and One drive has allowed users to collaborate and safely share documents with tools unavailable before.
Security – Mobile Device management, credential security and file security has been paramount when designing and deploying these new services. The current agreement offers the licensing and products to allow Digital and ICT teams to safely secure the organisations data.
Over the next 12 months a further program of work is being carried out to fully utilise and realise all the benefits of the new Enterprise Agreement.
Due to the size of the organisation(s) an Enterprise Agreement is still the most cost effective way to license these products and services.
Using the Crown Commercial Services ‘Aggregation’ Framework, also known as collective buying, CCS can get a highly competitive price and favourable terms from suppliers, when more customers need the same, or similar, products and services. By combining the similar needs of customers from across the public sector, CCS can increase the national buying power to achieve savings that would not be possible through individual buying.

Decision Maker: Assistant Director of Customers, Digital and ICT

Decision published: 07/09/2022

Effective from: 10/05/2022

Decision:

Enter into a 3 years with Microsoft and CDW for the licensing of Doncaster Councils Desktop, Server and Productivity software, choosing Microsoft 365 products that allow for the use of cloud
technologies to support a modern and agile desktop.
See attached Officer Decision Record for further details.

Lead officer: Phil Herrington


03/05/2022 - AHWB.030.2022 Covid Bed Extension ref: 2430    Recommendations Approved

To provide an extension of COVID designated setting beds for a period of 8 weeks. These beds provide two weeks of bed based care for people who are Covid positive with care and support needs leaving hospital who are not able to return home. At the current time usage of the Covid positive beds is low, however, it is recognised that should the beds remain unused for Covid positive discharges, they could be repurposed and piloted as Transfer of Care beds. This would allow individuals who no longer require an acute bed but who are unable to return home immediately, a short term stay within a residential setting whilst their at home arrangements can be made.
It is intended to fund this cost from the proposed earmarked reserve of £1m for AHWB to meet cost pressures in adult social care.
However this earmarked reserve for 2022/2023 will only be approved as part of the Council’s final accounts process for 2021/2022.
Therefore, if not approved the £56k cost of this decision will be managed as part of the overall care ladder spend in 2022/2023.

Decision Maker: Assistant Director Adults Health and Wellbeing

Decision published: 25/05/2022

Effective from: 03/05/2022

Decision:

To extend the provision of 10 block purchased beds in Church View for a period of 8 weeks.

Lead officer: Kathryn Anderson-Bratt


12/05/2022 - AHWB.024.2022 Thirlwall Avenue Fencing Installation ref: 2426    Recommendations Approved

To encourage and increase participation of recreational activities on the open space and ensure that when doing so the public are safeguarded from illegal off road motorcycles.

This installation will reduce isolation for these residents and encourage activities and socialising in the community.

The total cost of the facility and installation is £10,264.20 and is to be funded by £5,132.10 of Section 106 monies and £5,132.10 from Doncaster Council Highways.

The Section 106 agreement for Doncaster Road, Denaby Main (05/03291/OUT) site states the monies are to be used for “providing/enhancing other areas of public open space within the
Council's area." The Section 106 monies are not time limited.

A gate access point will be installed to the area to allow for Street Scene to complete their maintenance programme.

The proposed development will be undertaken by Doncaster Council Highways.

Decision Maker: Assistant Director Adults Health and Wellbeing

Decision published: 25/05/2022

Effective from: 12/05/2022

Decision:

To utilise Section 106 monies from Doncaster Road, Denaby Main site (05/03291/OUT) for the purpose of funding £5,132.10 for the installing a fence around the public open space on Thirlwall Avenue, Conisbrough. This land is owned by Doncaster Council and is a public open green space.

The full cost of the monies will be put towards the installation cost.
The scheme will also be funded by Doncaster Council Highways and they are contributing a further £5,132.10 to meet the full installation costs of £10,264.20, via revenue funding.

Lead officer: Debbie John-Lewis


05/05/2022 - LOP&S: 2223002 - Extension of contract for library services between Doncaster Council and Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Services (HMPPS) ref: 2419    Recommendations Approved

- The continuation of an essential service within the prison service.
- Gives assurance of further employment to Council staff to 2025, without disruption in service to HMPPS and the prisoner communities who use these libraries.
- Continuation of positive and valued working relationship with our local custodial institutions.
- Neutral cost to Doncaster Council. Staff and book purchases paid by HMPPS

Decision Maker: Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills

Decision published: 25/05/2022

Effective from: 05/05/2022

Decision:

To approve the extension of an existing contract to provide library services on behalf of HMP Lindholme, HMP Hatfield and HMP Moorland. Effective prison library services are proven through an evidence base to contribute to improving literacy and skills for prisoners, and contributing to reducing re-offending.

Extension date from expiry date of the 1 July 2022 to the 31 March 2025.

Costs to date for 2021-22 are totalling £170k across prison library sites (HMP Moorland, HMP Lindholme, The Lakes, and Hatfield YOI open). Costs include the staff for the libraries and purchases of new books.

Lead officer: Nick Stopforth


06/05/2022 - LOP&S: 2223005 - Service Transformation Fund – additional funding for SEND Team and Attendance Team. ref: 2418    Recommendations Approved

There is a nationally recognised issue facing all LAs that have seen an increasing number of appeals against decisions that can be appealed to SENDIST, Doncaster is also seeing this was significant increase in tribunals. In Doncaster the numbers have risen significantly. In July 2017 there were 3 live tribunal cases and in July 2021 there were 8. The total number of tribunals in 2020 were 13 and currently as over April 2022 there are 10 active tribunal cases. It should be noted that this does not include cases resolved at the formal mediation stage. There are a range of reasons for appeals to SENDIST, including:

- The Local Authority secured an EHC assessment but refused to make an EHC plan
- The Local Authority has issued an EHC plan following an EHC Needs Assessment
- I disagree with what the EHC plan says about the child or young person’s special
educational needs (Section B)
- I disagree with what the EHC plan says about the educational help/provision the child or
Young Person requires (Section F)
- I disagree with the school/college/institution named in the EHC plan (Section I)

Alongside the increase in tribunals there has been a year on year increase since 2016 in requests for statutory assessments, and currently Doncaster maintains over 2300 Education Health and Care Plans with over 200 in the 20 week process. Due to these ongoing demands there is a need to increase the capacity in the SEND Service. Without the additional posts there is a significant risk to the LA both reputationally and financially.

Utilising the service transformation funding to provide additional capacity will support the team to embed high quality case work whilst responding to high levels of requests. Moving towards embedding the additional workloads into business as usual.
Attendance post:

The AWPS has seen a significant increase in demand since the start of the pandemic, with a 250% increase in EHE notifications and a 40% increase in CME referrals. The team has been disproportionately affected by Covid and other serious illnesses and require extra capacity in order to address the increase in need over the next six months.

Decision Maker: Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills

Decision published: 25/05/2022

Effective from: 06/05/2022

Decision:

To utilise funding identified through the Service Transformation Fund of £109k to provide additional temporary capacity into the SEND Team, in the form of:

- 1 year fixed term FTE Senior SEN Officer (grade 10) this would use the existing Job Description but the post would focus on 1st Tier Tribunal (SENDIST) work. That work in itself involves all aspects of the Senior role.

- 1 year fixed term 1 FTE SEND Co-ordinator (grade 8) In addition to utilise the Service Transformation Fund to provide additional temporary capacity into the Attendance and Pupil Welfare Service, in the form of:

- 1 x 0.5 Grade 8 Education Welfare officer for 6 months £19,84

Lead officer: Rebecca Mason


04/05/2022 - AHWB.015.2022 Investment Approval re CCTV Strategy ref: 2425    For Determination

We have received notification that Phil Holmes, Director of Adults, Health and Wellbeing supports the investment proposal of £64K to employ an NRT/CCTV Officer for a period of 2 years.

This role will sit within the Neighbourhood Response Team, but will be dedicated to improving intelligence gathering to capture CCTV evidence from identified Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) hotspots, working closely with locality leads and Stronger Communities Managers. The role also links to the new Doncaster CCTV Strategy and builds on the success of our programme of investment and re-structure of CCTV monitoring.
• The expanded network of CCTV has placed increased demands on the CCTV / Reassurance theme manager and field technician.
• This proposal will establish a field based officer, who is able to proactively gather CCTV evidence from identified crime and ASB hotspots.

They will work closely with the CCTV manager and field technician and provide greater resilience when these staff are on leave or engaged on existing CCTV projects.

• The role will also liaise closely with locality leads and Stronger Communities Managers to use intelligence to download evidence from the existing network of cameras for urgent cases, speeding up criminal justice outcomes and ASB interventions.
• At the moment, we have key locations where this role can step in to support local enforcement plans, as we know the CCTV footage will be of greatest benefit to local partners. Being highly mobile, the role can deploy quickly to key locations.
• Full training and equipment will be provided and we seek to fund the post for a period of two years, to provide proof of concept and in the interim explore opportunities for longer term funding.
• This proposal complements other improvements we have put forward, designed to speed up CCTV downloads, improve intelligence and respond to urgent installation requests.
• Based upon the cost of a grade 7 NRT officer, we estimate the total costs of the proposal to be £64k over two years and includes £2k for the purchase of a dedicated and specialist laptop.

Decision Maker: Director of Adults, Health and Well-Being

Decision published: 25/05/2022

Effective from: 04/05/2022

Decision:

To approve the receipt of the investment proposal to assist the implementation of the CCTV Strategy. A Dedicated Role to Improve Intelligence Gathering and Recovery of CCTV Evidence
- Neighbourhood response Team (NRT)/CCTV Officer for a period of 2 years.

Lead officer: Janice Jones


11/05/2022 - AHWB.031.2022 Two Localities Business Support Officers Recruitment ref: 2431    Recommendations Approved

The implementation and continuing development of the Localities model requires significant input from staff dedicated to this work. A review of staffing and workload demands has been completed and agreed with the Director of Adults Health and Wellbeing to extend two Localities Business Support Officer posts from April 2022 until 31st March 2023.
The work of the Locality Business Support officers will be a continuation of existing duties carried out by the previous post holder and includes supporting the Localities Team in the work at Ward level to coordinate and drive delivery of locality plans, undertake community engagement and analysis of engagement data, increase community capacity and work alongside partners to develop specialist areas of work e.g. frailty, isolation, poverty, vulnerable families, local solutions, assisting Ward Members in their community leadership role and locality governance.
The Locality Business Support Officers are grade 6 posts and the cost of this proposal if implemented is for 11 months until 31st March 2023 is £47,949. This costing may be subject to change as the 22/23 rates have yet to be agreed. The posts will be funded for the 2022/23 financial year from Adult Social Care Transformation Fund held in a specific earmarked reserve.
The proposal is supported by HR as it meets corporate requirements. The posts have already been evaluated under the GLPC system and do not need re-evaluating. The employees on fixed term contracts are being treated the same as employees on permanent contracts and statutory employment rights apply. If the need arises to recruit to any of the posts, the Council’s Safer Recruitment policy will apply.
Consultation has taken place with Senior Managers with a stake in the Localities model. The existing Localities staff have been consulted and agree with proposal to extend the current working arrangements as an interim measure until a longer-term solution is implemented. Cllr Blake has also been consulted.

Decision Maker: Director of Adults, Health and Well-Being

Decision published: 25/05/2022

Effective from: 11/05/2022

Decision:

To recruit two Localities Business Support Officers (grade 6) until 31st March 2023.

Lead officer: Jakki Hardy


12/05/2022 - LOP&S 2223008 - Annual Post 16 Transport Policy Statement ref: 2408    Recommendations Approved

There is a statutory requirement to publish a Post 16 Transport Policy Statement by 31st May each year in accordance with the Home to School Statutory Travel and Transport Guidance published by the Government in 2014.

Decision Maker: Director of Learning, Opportunities and Skills

Decision published: 18/05/2022

Effective from: 12/05/2022

Decision:

There is a statutory requirement to publish a Post 16 Transport Policy Statement by 31st May each year. Any proposed changes must also be the subject of a consultation prior to the change. The only proposed change to the policy for 2022/2023 was included in a wider consultation on home to school transport, whichtook place between 29th November 2021 and 31st January 2022. Following that consultation, it has been decided not to proceed with the proposed change to the Post 16 Policy

Therefore, there are no changes proposed to the 2022/23 Policy Statement and this will only contain updates to the names of various bus passes, which are now offered by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE). These updates have been made to the draft policy and a copy is attached for information. Approval is now required to publish the policy in May 2022 in accordance with the statutory requirement

Lead officer: Kim Holdridge


10/05/2022 - CR/546/05/22 - May School Holiday Food Vouchers & Payments ref: 2407    Recommendations Approved

As part of the Spring Statement, the Chancellor made further Household Support Fund available. Doncaster Council’s share is £2,989.273.08 to cover the period from 1st April 2022 to 30th September 2022. At least one third of the allocation must be spent on vulnerable households with children, which amounts to at least a further £996,424.36. We have already provided the above to vulnerable households with children over the Easter Holidays out of this further allocation of Household Support Fund and wish to do the same for the May school holidays, the estimated cost is a further £235,495. Other parts of this initiative will be included in a key decision report but time is of the essence for the May school holidays, hence this separate Officer Decision Record progressed more urgently.

The objective is to provide further much needed support to families on the lowest incomes and in most need of support at a time when the cost of food and energy has increased significantly.

Decision Maker: Director of Corporate Resources

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 10/05/2022

Decision:

1. The provision of school holiday food vouchers during the May school holiday to children currently in school and in receipt of free school meals; and

2. An equivalent payment for the May school holiday period to non-school age children where the household is in receipt of a council tax reduction or housing benefit due to low income.

Lead officer: Julie Grant


28/04/2022 - PH 19 2022 - Doncaster Alcohol Campaign ref: 2406    Recommendations Approved

See attached Officer Decision Record for full details

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 28/04/2022

Decision:

In 2019, Doncaster Public Health undertook a Public Health England evaluation of our alcohol strategic direction and found we were lacking a specific alcohol campaign to reduce the harms of alcohol here in Doncaster.

It is estimated that Doncaster has approx. 4313 dependent drinkers and 3848 hospital admissions caused by alcohol each year. The cost to the NHS here in Doncaster due to alcohol is £17.2 million per year. Nationally alcohol specific deaths have increased by 20% between 2019 and 2020.Doncaster is also estimated to have over 12,000 people drinking at higher risk - Men who regularly drink more than 50 units a week and women more than 35 units.

Over the past two years, the number of referrals into Aspire has increased by over 200% –officially the highest increase in all of England confirmed by Public Health England.

Over the past two year’s Public Health has commissioned Rdash to deliver an alcohol campaign on a year on year basis here in Doncaster entitled RethinkYourDrink.

Rupert Suckling the Director of Public Health would now like a 3 year contract for a dedicated alcohol campaign hence going to market as over 25K over the 3 year period.

Lead officer: Dr Rupert Suckling


03/05/2022 - PH 18 2022 - Tier 3 weight management service ref: 2405    Recommendations Approved

A paper was taken to the CCG Executive Board outlining the case for the need to align the Tier 3 weight management service pathway with the Tier 4 weight management service ( currently Commissioned and funded by the Doncaster Clinical Commissioning group). This was
evidenced in a service review back in 2019 and later proposed in a paper presented by theAssistant Director of primary care and has since been approved by the Doncaster CCG Board.

Conversations have taken place both with the CCG (and the current provider) with a view to novation of the current contract using remaining BCF resources until March 2023 and then the
CCG would pick up the service as part of a block contract with the provider from 1st April 2023. This would also mean that no further procurement is required by Public Health and the service would be secured and aligned with the Tier 4 weight management service by 1st June 2022.

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 03/05/2022

Decision:

To novate the contract for the Tier 3 weight management service (currently provided by Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) from Doncaster Council to Doncaster Clinical Commissioning group (or equivalent organisation) commencing from 1st June 2022 following an Executive board decision taken at Doncaster CCG in November 2021.

Lead officer: Louise Robson


27/04/2022 - PH 17 2022 - Home Goals Project 2022-23 ref: 2404    Recommendations Approved

See attached Officer Decision Record for full details

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 27/04/2022

Decision:

A decision has been taken by the Director of Public Health to award a grant to the Club Doncaster Foundation for £60k for 2022/23 to support the implementation and delivery of the ‘Home Goals’ wellbeing programme and will be paid in quarterly instalments on the receipt of satisfactory quarterly reports/monitoring and outcomes
data from the provider. Payments will be made to the sum of £15k per quarter commencing with £15k in Q1 and the recurring payments of £15k in Quarters 2,3 and 4 respectfully .

Lead officer: Louise Robson


27/04/2022 - PH 13 2022 - Annual Capital Allocation 2022/24 ref: 2403    Recommendations Approved

See attached Officer Decision Record for full details

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 27/04/2022

Decision:

To provide ‘capital allocation’ to Doncaster Culture & Leisure Trust (DCLT) to the value of £718,200 over financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24.

To include in the Council’s Capital programme

Lead officer: Andy Maddox


20/04/2022 - PH 11 2022 - 5 to19 service ref: 2402    Recommendations Approved

See attached Officer Decision Record

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 20/04/2022

Decision:

To award the contract for Public Health Services for 5 to 19 year olds to Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust commencing August 1st 2022.

Lead officer: Carrie Wardle


20/04/2022 - PH/10/2022 - Doncaster Wide Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Service ref: 2401    Recommendations Approved

See attached Officer Decision Record for details

Decision Maker: Director of Public Health

Decision published: 13/05/2022

Effective from: 20/04/2022

Decision:

To extend the contract with RDaSH for the provision of the IPC Service for one month from the 1st to the 30th April 2022 to cover for current commissioned service that had limited scope.

To enter into the Section 76 contract with Doncaster CCG for the provision of enhanced Doncaster wide IPC services for 11 months from the 1st May 2022 to the 31st March 2023.

Lead officer: Victor Joseph


11/05/2022 - Changing Places Grant Funding Offer. ref: 2398    Implemented

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 11/05/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 11/05/2022

Effective from: 11/05/2022

Wards affected: Edlington and Warmsworth; Norton and Askern; Rossington and Bawtry; Thorne and Moorends; Town; Wheatley Hills and Intake;

Lead officer: Debbie Hogg


11/05/2022 - The All Age Carers' Strategy for Doncaster (2022 - 2025). ref: 2399    Implemented

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 11/05/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 11/05/2022

Effective from: 11/05/2022

Wards affected: (All Wards);

Lead officer: Teresa Bainbridge


11/05/2022 - Doncaster Early Help Strategy 2022-2025. ref: 2397    Implemented

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Made at meeting: 11/05/2022 - Cabinet

Decision published: 11/05/2022

Effective from: 11/05/2022

Wards affected: (All Wards);

Lead officer: Stephanie Douglas