See full motion and amendments on this site.
PETITIONS
Staniforth Road
Petition asking to use land next to a community centre on Staniforth Road. Also another petition asking for a crossing for Staniforth Road that could be used as a crossing.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Councillors will meet with petitioners and discuss further.
Burngreave Cemetery
One of the first public cemeteries in Sheffield the cemetery is described as a mess, with grass not cut properly and work destroying habitats. People who own graves in the cemetery should be consulted or at least told what is going on.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Shaffaq Mohammad states he will contact the head of bereavement services and ask that owners are involved. The service is already working with the friends of Burngreave Cemetery on this.
Opposing retail development in Stocksbridge
Opposing the development of a supermarket that would overshadow local businesses and block a proposed cycle and walking route across the valley.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Ian Auckland said the planning board would take into account all submissions.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
Early years childcare provision
Three questions from people involved in private childcare provision, who are asking why the £1.6m Government funding for childcare has all been allocated to SureStart centres and not open to other local childcare providers. Asks councillors to talk with providers and provide details of reasoning behind decisions.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Andrew Sangar stated there will be an independent review of early years childcare that will involve council, statutory, voluntary, and private provision. Council officers will meet with those involved.
Arbourthorne Housing Market Renewal
Regarding the Housing Market Renewal work in Arbourthorne. Asked why roads have not been done that were a priority, and why the programme of work was stopped before completion.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Bob McCann stated the Government cut the HMR from 2015 to 2011 and reduced the amount of money available. Did not know why, but would try and find the money to complete the work.
Car park proposal at Northern General
Complaint over proposed nine storey car park at the Northern General, especially over why residents had not been informed. Also took issue with parking problems that mean local people have great difficulty. No response from police or council on it.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Ian Auckland stated the complainant had been to another council meeting the day before, raised the issue, and got a cross party proposal that will go to councillors. Petitioner should be happy with that.
Free swimming for the elderly and teenagers
Question regarding the Government offer of subsidising free swimming lessons. Money is a big chunk for pensioners to pay. Little other facilities such as bowling etc. Surely money would be well spent on providing free lessons.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Sylvia Dunkley said that due to high price of swimming in Sheffield the cost would be very much higher than in other cities. The introduction would mean money having to come from e.g. Council Tax. Although Sheffield claimed to be a City of Sport it has low participation rates in sport. Additional lessons are being targeted for children who cannot swim, also an Olympic hopeful scheme.
Post office closures (SCAPOC)
Spokesman from Sheffield communities Against Post Office Closures welcomed the chance that 8-10 post offices would be saved under the Essex Model, although this is a retreat from the earlier commitment to save 15 post offices. Loxley, Derbyshire Lane, Silverhill, Grimesthorpe – all had big campaigns that together accounted for around half the petition signatures collected. There is a question whether they are being victimised for standing up to Post Office Ltd. What reasons are given for closing post offices, especially Derbyshire Lane. What are the Council going to do about it?
COUNCIL RESPONSE Scriven thanked SCAPOC. The Council fought to save all Post Offices but did not have the final decision, that is the way the system works. PO Ltd decides which Post Offices can be considered in negotiations on saving. PO Ltd says the five Post Offices over which there is no negotiation would undermine business. There is no appeal process for that, they are not on the table. It is therefore more realistic to campaign on other Post Offices. Asks parties to put differences aside.
An unaccountable third party
Questioner stated that a third party had trained council officers to avoid answering questions, identified youngsters to take in, and influenced council decisions.
COUNCIL RESPONSE Paul Scriven asked the questioner to take the matter up with the police and ombudsman, and that councillors would not respond to any more accusations until then.
Barak Obama as new President of the US
All the party leaders welcomed the election of Barak Obama as a positive step.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS
Unfortunately these were not available in the public gallery. It was worth it to hear Shaffaq Mohammad state that he would not visit a windfarm before making another decision on whether to site one or not (he had previously stated he had seen a windfarm, but apparently that was from a distance…).
RESOLUTIONS TO COUNCIL
ITEM 5.1 Community Cohesion
Report setting out how the Council and Sheffield First Partnership can work to encourage cohesion between different communities. This includes integrating old and young, able and disabled, different national and religious backgrounds. The Partnership will draw up a detailed plan of what to do by next March (see
Council Website for report - 241Kb Word Doc) .
LIB DEM
- The strategy will define how the Council works,
- All of City is responsible for pushing through
- Sharing languages a good way of spreading and living diversity
- Strategy is one any organisation could adopt
LABOUR
- Sheffield First Boards for Neighbourhoods and Inclusion ending, who will be responsible for leading strategy
- Equalities assessment is being carried out in strategy, given lack of support for equalities unit who will lead on that
GREEN
- Welcomes changes to original plan
- Document states that every person will be treated as an individual, the different areas of Sheffield do reflect very different groups of people and it should recognise that
MOTION (the Council takes the report forward and backs recommendations made)
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full
ITEM 5.2 Corporate Plan
LIB DEM
- No longer a paternalistic operation, now a bottom up approach
- Central themes around which Council will operate
- A place where people can choose and achieve
- Six years in the making
- Community assemblies and citizens targets have already been trialed
- Casework full of complaints about roads and lighting, need Highways PFI
- (with regard to NRQ) Leadership is not about rolling over and accepting whatever, it is saying this is not good enough for the city
- Green vision takes us back to time of hunter-gatherers, but better than Labour who have no vision
- Targest are costed
- Community Assemblies at heart of plan
LABOUR
- Worrying pattern of overpriced proposals
- Importance of leading on projects such as NRQ, tragedy it has been allowed to slip
- Cabinet recommends Chief Exec can make minor amendments to plan as needed, should be democratically accountable instead
- Lib Dems making unilateral decisions on Graves Park, Westwood Park Windfarm, Swimming Grants for elderly, hopes plan will improve openness
- Lib Dems will not do anything if there is an electoral risk
- Council cannot itself reduce unemployment
GREEN
- Responsibility of Council to ensure well-being of citizens of today and future
- Council has voted for sustainable development but plan is business as usual
- Highways PFI questionable given how difficult borrowing is now for private companies
- Damaging effect supermarkets and big inward investment has on local independent retailers
- Decent Homes has not achieved aims for many people
- Affordable housing does not meet needs and other ideas need to be considered
Covering Green policy, such as points above
VOTE: LD against LAB abstain GRN for
LOST
MOTION as original (Lib Dem corporate plan)
VOTE: LD for LAB abstain GRN for
CARRIED in full
ITEM 5.3 Public Transport and Car Parking Charges
LIB DEM
- Can’t find £20m to fund free bus service and doubts Labour could find that
- Will work with sensible guidelines to improve public transport
- Labour group knew it would cost more than Council could afford, so why ask
- Will work to extend bus services in festive season
- Would cost £90 per household a year to fund
- Lib Dems had put forward in budget, was a Lib Dem initiative as well as Green
- Would cost at least £1million for £1 flat rate, where is the money going to come from
LAB
- Labour asked question along with Lib Dems and Greens
- Didn’t say would do it, just asked if it was possible
- £90 a year is just £2 a week, compared to bus fare of £1.80
- Could ask people of Sheffield if they thought it worth paying
- Should have working group to discuss options such as services in festive season
- Lib Dems belittle other contributions
GREEN
- Bus services over festive period not put forward by Lib Dems, idea stolen from Greens
- Perhaps Lib Dems would like to steal £1 flat rate idea as well
- Calculation of £1million is too high, does not take into account received fares
AMENDMENT 1 (Lib Dem)
Criticises
Labour motion to use Council budget underspend to fund the proposals.
VOTE: LD for LAB against GRN against
CARRIED
AMENDMENT 2 (Lab)
Notes that it is impossible to fund the proposal, welcomes the extra transport over Christmas and New Year. Suggests a small group is set up to look at ways of supporting the economy during December and January.
VOTE: LD against LAB for GRN for
LOST
AMENDMENT 3 (Green)
Officers asked to look at £1 flat rate fares on weekends instead
VOTE: LD against LAB for GRN for
LOST
MOTION as amended (original plus Lib Dem Amendment 1)
Council cannot fund free buses and parking fees should rise as normal
VOTE: LD for LAB abstain GRN abstain
ITEM 6. Representation on boards
MOTION as original
VOTE: LD for LAB for, except one change of post GRN for
CARRIED in full
ITEM 7. Post Office Closures (Lib Dem)
Every group stated their hope the Council could work together and thanked people for opposing the closures.
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT
- No easy solution, all councillors concerned with what local people think and feel and want
- If Post Office Card Account ends in 2011 it will potentially decimate Sheffield Post Office Network
- No release of business plan or financial details for Post Offices threatened
- No wonder people tired of the word 'consultation', thankfully Sustainable Communities Act recognises it is a sham
- At Essex Conference PO Ltd waxed lyrical about social benefits of Post Offices, but then closed them down
- Understand other parties have drawn up plans (as part of amendments and other motions)
- Allocation of monies such as from PCT refund for adult care seems more a political point than practical
- Not right that money comes from reserves with unspecified back up
- Don't want to implement a model that will end in 2 or 3 years time
- Need a long-term Sheffield model that builds on the Essex model and experiences of others.
- Even if Council agreed to act today, would have to wait until PO Ltd allows franchise, which took 6 months for Essex
- Asks other parties to withdraw amendments
LABOUR
- Have put forward costed proposal
- Heartened by efforts of Essex Council
- Expect Council to make tough demands of Post Office Ltd.
- People don't care how we do it
- Not an issue if it fails 2 or 3 years down the line, the important thing is to act now
- Administration has promised Post Offices would be kept open
- Lib Dems have not mentioned Essex Model
GREEN
- Even the Tories in Essex realised the social cost of losing Post Offices
- Council has the power to do something locally
- Essex model has been developed over five years through different studies
- Have attempted to draw up a motion acceptable to both Lib Dem and Labour, but could not succeed
- Blaming government is not the point
- Need to discuss money that will kick start the model
AMENDMENT 1 (LAB/GREEN)
Council should use £2.4m from reserves or similar to fund the Essex Model. Council should negotiate hard with Post Office Ltd with regards to the 6 post offices deemed not up for negotiation.
VOTE: LD against LAB for GRN for
LOST
AMENDMENT 2 (GREEN)
Financial resources to plan and fund a network of Post Offices based on the Essex Model. Ask Government to over-rule Post Office Ltd's decision to exclude 6 post offices from further negotiations.
VOTE: LD against LAB against GRN for
LOST
MOTION
States dissapointment with decision to close 15 of the 16 post offices threatened, resolves to lobby Government and form a cross party working group to work up options on keeping Post Offices open.
VOTE: LD for LAB abstain GRN for
CARRIED in full
ITEM 8. Post Office Closures (Labour/Green)
WITHDRAWN
VOTE: ALL for
ITEM 9: Free Swimming (Lib Dem)
Motion criticising Government contribution to free swimming for over 60s and under 16s and setting out costs and reasons they are high in Sheffield.
AMENDMENT 1 (Lib Dem)
Proposal of indroductory course of swimming lessons for adults costing £10. Additional swimming lessons offered for primary age children who have difficulty swimming. Report will be drawn up on proposals.
VOTE: LD for LAB for, except criticism of Government scheme GRN for, except specific proposals
CARRIED in full
AMENDMENT 2 (Labour)
Criticises the rejection of Government Grant without consulting Council and calls for the administration to reverse their decision
VOTE: LD against LAB for GRN abstain
LOST
AMENDMENT 3 (Green)
Proposes using powers under the Sustainable Communities Act to develop a proposal to Government on a better way of using the Government swimming grant.
VOTE: LD against LAB abstain GRN for
LOST
MOTION as amended (motion plus the Lib Dem amendment)
VOTE: LD for, LAB for, GRN for amendment 1 part, abstained on rest
CARRIED in full
ITEM 10: Free Swimming (Labour)
WITHDRAWN
VOTE: ALL for
ITEM 11: Help for small businesses (Lib Dem)
Council officers to bring forward plans to speed up settling of invoices for small businesses and asks for a report to Cabinet.
AMENDMENT 1 (Lib Dem)
Also investigate cost of encouraging small businesses to apply for business rate reliefs
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full
MOTION as amended (Motion plus amendment)
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full
ITEM12: Barrier at Sheffield Station (Labour)
Reiterates Council opposition to the ticket gates and will further lobby East Midlands Trains and the Government
AMENDMENT 1 (Green)
Calls for rail system to be brought back under public ownership
VOTE: LD against LAB abstain GRN for
LOST
MOTION as original
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full
ITEM 13. Small Business Rate Relief and Planning (Green)
Asks Councillors to bear in mind planning policy that states development, such as supermarkets, should not undermine existing shopping centres. Calls for Council to look at paying small businesses and voluntary/community sector faster. And for Council to encourage small businesses to apply for business rate reliefs.
AMENDMENT 1 (Lib Dem)
Takes out reference to planning policy but puts forward similar actions for business rates as motion.
VOTE: LD for LAB for GRN against
CARRIED in full
MOTION as amended (the Lib Dem amendment)
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full
ITEM 14 Civil Liberties (Lib Dem)
Congratulates defeat of 42 day detention. Calls for Sheffield MPs to resist the state monitoring of all emails and text messages, a potential “Orwellian nightmare”. See
full motion on this site.
MOTION as original
VOTE: LD for LAB abstain GRN for, except the reference to Orwell
CARRIED in full
ITEM 15 Moor market traders (Labour)
Criticises Lib Dem administration for not having a trial relocation of Moor Market traders to Fargate and calls on them to honour their commitment
AMENDMENT 1 (Lib Dem)
States that traders have been offered location at the top of Moor and an outside Moor Market has been secured, therefore no move to Fargate required. Council will continue to work with Moor Market traders.
VOTE: LD for LAB against GRN for working with traders, abstain on rest
CARRIED in full
MOTION as amended (now amendment 1)
VOTE: LD for LAB for working with traders, against rest GRN for working with traders, abstain on rest
CARRIED in full
ITEM 16 Sheffield Fayre (Labour)
Congratulates Sheffield Fayre (heritage day in Norfolk Park) and gives assurance that Council will continue to provide funding for the event
AMENDMENT 1 (Lib Dem)
Council will include future funding for this event in the normal budget process, as has been the case previously
VOTE: LD for LAB against GRN abstain
MOTION as amended (congratulates Fayre, includes funding in normal budget process)
VOTE: LD for, LAB for, GRN for supporting Fayre, abstain on rest
CARRIED in full
ITEM 17. Wind Power and Sheephouse Heights (Green)
Resolves to support development of wind farm at Sheephouse Heights. Resolves to send copy of motion to relevant planning authorities.
AMENDMENT 1 (Labour)
No vote. See below.
AMENDMENT 2 (Lib Dem)
The full amendment read: "Supports the expansion of renewable energy projects, including wind farms in appropriate locations, and is confident that Sheffield will be able to meet the renewable energy generation target of 160mw by 2021."
Greens asked Lib Dems to withdraw as 160MW is the South Yorkshire target, not the Sheffield target, therefore motion in error. Lib Dems declined to withdraw "if greens want to play with words that's their problem". Greens and Labour were happy that Lib Dems were apparently comitting to a doubling of the Council's renewable target for Sheffield, therefore the following vote...
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full
MOTION as amended (the Lib Dem amendment)
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED in full