Decision due on the future of important Dearne services
A NEW team of Dearne councillors will be asked to approve the continuation of several services which help residents across several communities.
Dearne Area Council is a sub-group of Barnsley Council, which will meet for the first time in July, following May’s local authority elections.
It is made up of the six councillors who represents the Dearne South and Dearne North wards on Barnsley Council - all were elected in May, replacing the previous councillors.
It operates across Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe and Bolton on Dearne.
Dearne Area Council supports a range of projects which support residents and several of those need a decision on future funding.
Area council members are being recommended to approve funding to see several of them through another year.
That would including putting almost £30,000 into the Social Connectivity Service which - if approved - would be safeguarded until at least the end of June next year.
They are also being asked to finance the existing Housing and Cohesion Officer post from April next year until the end of March 2030, costing £31,750 per year.
Members are also being asked to continue with the area council’s environmental service from next April for three more years, which would mean spending £83,000 a year from their budget.
Another £34,335 would go into supporting the Dearne Electronic Community Village - which provides computer training and job application skills in the area - to continue for another year.
A report to be studied by councillors states the main concentration of work for the housing and cohesion officer - who is employed to both help tenants with housing problems and landlords facing difficulties - has been in Goldthorpe in recent months.
In the last quarter, cases of properties in disrepair were down, with nine raised and most of the issues resolved informally.
However, there were 30 cases of waste in gardens and overgrown properties logged and while most were resolved, some needed formal enforcement.
During the financial year ending in April, Dearne Electronic Village recruited 107 learners, with 94 of those going on to get qualifications.
Seventy eight went on into further training, while 23 found work.
The environmental team is responsible for using volunteers to help keep the area smart, while the social connectivity work helps to tackle problems including loneliness, supported by many volunteers.