The ten powers Rotherham Council is set to regain

RESPONSIBILITY for running various services could be returned to Rotherham Borough Council, the Government has announced. 

But communities secretary Greg Clark has warned that significant further improvements are needed before full powers are restored.

It follows the latest report from Government-appointed commissioners and is in line with their recommendations.

The full list of services to be due to be returned to council control next month subject to discussions with senior council figures are:

1. Education and schools; education for 14-19 years in all settings; school admissions and appeal system; youth services.

2. Public health.

3. Leisure services; events in parks and green spaces.

4. Customer and cultural services, libraries, arts, customer services and welfare programmes.

5. Housing.

6. Planning and transportation policy; highways maintenance.

7. The council’s area assembly system and neighbourhood working; responsibilities under the Equalities Act.

8. Building regulation, drainage, car parking; business regulation and enforcement (not including licensing); emergency planning.

9. Financial services, including revenues and benefits (not including audit), ICT; legal and democratic services; corporate communications; corporate policy; procurement. 

10. Policy arising from the Sheffield City Region.

The proposal will now be considered by the Council leadership and opposition councillors.

The deadline for them to make representations is February 4.

The Communities Secretary will then consider any representations before making a final decision on whether to return functions to the council.

The expected return of responsibilities on February 8 will be just over a year after the scathing Casey inspection declared RMBC unfit for purpose and led to the commissioners being brought in.

Mr Clark said: “Louise Casey’s report made shocking reading. We must do everything we can to prevent those failings ever being repeated.

“In the last 11 months, Rotherham has made improvements and so I have proposed to transfer control over some functions back from the commissioners to democratically-elected councillors.

“But it’s clear there are still significant challenges to overcome before the council can fully regain the public’s confidence and trust.”

Children’s services and licensing are among the powers retained by the five commissioners.