Care of foster children and adopted children, a petition presented by the chair of trustees for St Luke's, traffic regulation, schoolchildren causing vandalism and traffic jams, disused toilets in Jordanthorpe shopping area attracting gangs of kids, petition around removing grass verges and replacing with parking, petition over the auction of parkland near Beauchief Abbey. In general Council agreed to take these matters for further discussion. Cllr Steve Jones, deputy leader of the council, responded to the petition on the parkland by confirming that the proposed sale of this land had been withdrawn from auction.

 

Public question over use of demolition waste on Hillsborough Golf Course asking for external inquiry and police investigation of developer. Councillor supported actions of the planning board, which originally refused permission for works; however, an appeal of the golf course was upheld. Conditions initially barring the use of hardcore placed on the development were negotiated so the use of hardcore demolition waste was accepted. Councillor suggested a complaint could be made to the police by the member of the public.

Asking for a full and independent audit. The motion is moved up the agenda.

 

(LD) propose putting together their amendment with the Green amendment. Agreed.
(LD) People in Burngreave are questioning what is happening so need an independent audit of BNDfC to restore trust. An inquiry would aid the process of scrutiny by Council. The auditors report on Councils systems for regulating BNDfC is damning. Council has a responsibility to taxpayer, so as trust has been breeched there needs to be proper inquiry into BNDfC. Also, there is a responsibility to getting best deal out of £55m budget. Things need to be set in motion.
(LAB) BNDfC have promoted many positive changes across a range of measures. Accepts audit and internal inquiry of BNDfC. BNDfC is representative as board are volunteers elected from local people. Critical motions and amendments to Council have not been worked up with Burngreave community – need to allow board to direct process with Council having an arms length approach to looking at transparency. Priorities and plans are developed by local board and have seen great improvement in surroundings and social well-being. Sufficient oversight of BNDfC already.
(GRN) Questions extent to which outside expertise is being brought in compared with developing local staff, questions focus on high profile buildings rather than people.
(CON) Auditing done around Council procedures only. Investigation into BNDfC needs to be done externally.
LD and GRN composite amendment – including more detail on previous audit, criticism of some aspects of scheme, more detail on aims of inquiry CARRIED (LAB against LD for GRN for CON/IND for)
LAB amendment FELL (vote opposite to above)
ITEM. CARRIED as amended (LAB against LD for GRN for CON/IND for)
RESULT: Independant review of Burngreave New Deal agency

(LAB) Report outlines balance of HRA. Rent rises due to Government rent restructuring. Make some play of drop in district heating charge. Improvements lead to environmental gains. Rise in rent less than under LDs; castigates LDs for not commenting on HRA.
(LD) States that they will bring their response to HRA as part of Budget in March.
(CON) Government guidelines mean if rent was held at a 2.5% increase, Council would lose £3million. Housing association rents are held whilst Council Tenants have increasing rises. Government needs to slow and think again.
ITEM. CARRIED in full (LAB for LD abstain GRN abstain CON/IND abstain).
RESULT: Council rent rise of 5.75%, 20% decrease in district heating bill, various HRA financial issues.

 

Labour motion proposing investment of £2.8million in activities for 8-13 year olds; thereby filling a gap before 14-19 services.
(LAB) Policy based on IPPR report – Freedom’s Orphans. Need increased involvement of adults and children in communities with opportunities to play. Motion will build on current provision. Attempt to meet needs of young people and show they are valued. Any differences in budget should not affect provision. Council should be united. LDs have previously put forward uncosted efficiency proposals. Initiative will be for whole City, whichever group wishes to get involved can do so.
(LD) No full paper has been presented with a strategy, consultation, costing, or detail. £11.3million from Working Neighbourhoods Fund should be spent wisely. LDs will put forward proposals in budget; this motion should be left until then as without budget agreement not one penny could be spent anyway. Need open engaging youth services. Devil in the detail, previous “cleaner, greener, safer” initiative supposed to be rolled out across City but money ran out after being spent in Labour areas.
(GRN) Supports Lab motion – clear community message that it is important to work with this age group – support money going to Voluntary & Community sector.
(CON) LDs left Council £10million in debt so no room for complaint about lack of detail.
LD amendment. FELL (LAB against LD for GRN against)
ITEM. CARRIED in full (LAB for LD against GRN for CON for)
RESULT: planning for 8-13 activity initiative to go ahead, implementation dependent on budget.

Particular note that Councillors had to be very careful about prejudicing future decisions over Graves Park, this related to the Lib Dem amendment. Motion congratulates Council’s work on parkland.
(LAB) Council have a good history of maintaining green spaces e.g. Dev Green, Mount Pleasant Park. Park Rangers a valuable innovation. Policy developed from 1993 Parks Regeneration Strategy by Alan Barber, recognised as a model of good practice. Dispute there has been a lack of investment.
(LD) Council has cut pay of park keepers, lost staff and services. Now reliant on friends groups. Lab parks budget fell from £10m to £3m in 1990s. Parks need more money and help. Rangers are vital. Valuable piece of green space in City disposed for wind farm – Council officers had downgraded the importance of green space, no mention that turbines cross trans-pennine trail – need to have conversation about such proposals.
(GRN) Sheffield a great place to live because of green spaces, however, Sheffield needs to improve environmental footprint and recognise wider uses of green spaces such as encouraging biodiversity and food production.
(CON) Valuable tree cover being lost in Totley. Part of Greenoak Park that was valued and previously designated as a wildlife garden sold off for housing. 7 years on problems still not resolved.
LAB amendment - support for Countryside officers, Green Belt, consultation over St Luke’s move. CARRIED (LAB for GRN for LD against CON/IND against)
LD amendment - thanks friends groups and donors of green space, Council should invest more in parks, have meaningful consultation about disposal. FELL (LAB against GRN against LD for CON/IND against)
GRN amendment - support for small green spaces and wider value of green spaces regards biodiversity, mitigating flooding/climate change, and for urban food production. CARRIED (ALL for)
CON/IND amendment - concerns over loss of tree cover and sale of pockets of parkland. CARRIED (LAB against LD for GRN for CON/IND for)
(There was now complete confusion as to how the amendments combined. After some delay and some not entirely helpful chairing it was resolved. The final motion included all of the Sheffield Group amendment, all of the Labour amendment, most of the Green amendment, and parts of the original motion, support for friends groups, also in.)
ITEM. CARRIED as amended (LAB for all but (a) and (b) LD for GRN for CON/IND for)
RESULT: mainly a viewpoint piece apart from commitment to only sell small pieces of parkland under special circumstances and with community support

 

This was a LibDem motion criticising the Council for not lobbying the Government for more financial support and resolving to lobby for support.
LAB amendment - delete all LD motion, flood costs to be met from reserves and insurance, no increase on Council Tax. CARRIED. (LAB for LD against)
ITEM. CARRIED as Labour amendment (LAB for LD against)
(Debate had now stopped and in the rush voting was a bit confused on this item, especially after the previous argy bargy. Not clear if this was in fact the outcome…)

 

Labour motion “congratulating” Nick Clegg whilst also highlighting apparent differences in Schools policy between the LibDem leader and LibDem group.
ITEM. CARRIED in full (LAB for LD for all but (e) GRN abstain CON/IND for)
RESULT: viewpoint piece

 

LibDem motion highlighting Government backtracking in policy on women’s and carer’s pensions that would leave many in poverty.
LAB amendment – delete all LD motion, many pensioners lifted out of poverty, pensions are rising. FELL. (LAB for LD against GRN against CON/IND against)
ITEM. CARRIED in full (LAB abstain LD for GRN for CON/IND for)
RESULT: Lobby Government, etc

 

Green motion congratulating Sustrans on winning People’s Lottery and improvements that will be made in Sheffield, also asks for more mainstream funding.
LAB amendment – Council spending on cycling increasing, bid to become ‘sustainable cycling city’, removed call for more mainstream funding FELL (LAB for LD against GRN against CON/IND against)
ITEM. CARRIED in full (ALL for)
RESULT: Lobby Government, etc

 

Motion deploring decision by Arts Council England to stop grant to Compass Theatre Company.
ITEM. CARRIED in full (ALL for)
RESULT: Lobby Arts Council, etc

 

Motion to establish a small cross party group working for appropriate ways to recognise TA.
GRN amendment – Council should also campaign for better practical and financial support for war veterans. CARRIED (ALL for)
ITEM. CARRIED in full plus amendment (ALL for)
RESULT:  Set up Council working group