PUBLIC QUESTIONS

PUBLIC QUESTION ON WESTWOOD COUNTRY PARK

• Council should be open and honest and listen to local people.
• Paul Scriven had previously said the park would not be the preferred site.

• Lib Dems would fulfil commitments and had instructed officers to look at alternative sites, including private sites;
• Hoped the council could work with the campaign group in future to improve the park.

[see issues]

ECCLESALL INFANTS SCHOOL

Hamid Safari said the excellent achievement of the school should be shared with a large number of parents. Was asking for a spare classroom at the school to be made available, as all the facilities were there. Robert Moore said he had concern over how the appeal was handled as government regulations stated it should be within 30 days, but their appeal was around 70 days of refusal. The Council has known about the potential problem of high birth rate for five years but had not made provision.

Andrew Sangar said he would follow up to see if regulations and procedures had been followed and that a report was coming to cabinet next week.

OTHER QUESTIONS

BURNGREAVE NEW DEAL FOR COMMUNITIES

PUBLIC QUESTIONS

• How would the council work with the community to restore confidence in the New Deal;
• Given there were no findings of improper conduct or wrongdoing it was inappropriate for the Council leader to ask for the resignation of the chief Exec;
• How would council build on the successes and roll out what had worked in Burngreave to the rest of the city;
• Burngreave Study Support Programme had increased educational standards and could be part of a city wide toolkit to raise educational standards.

• The report was not about the community or people of Burngreave but about the management;
• There were problems with the management of BNDfC and the Council has a duty to deal with it.

• Education was the number one issue for the Council;
• Officers would look at the Burngreave study support model to see if it can be used across the city.

ITEM 6 BURNGREAVE NEW DEAL FOR COMMUNITIES REPORT

• Thanked the Star for the investigation.
• The Council report is about how to get the best use of public money, it is not about the people of Burngreave;
• The LDs originally moved for Burngreave to be part of New Deal and care about the area;
• Council has a responsibility for proper management, rules should be in place so people cannot take advantage;
• LDs vindicated in asking for the report;
• John Clarke should resign and management be refreshed and renewed, new leader of BNDfC could draw a line under the issue and get community confidence back;
• Main threat to BNDfC is malpractice, money disappearing (in response to this the SCC Chief Exec clarified that there was no suggestion that money had gone missing, only of bad administration)

• LD response hysterical and headline grabbing;
• There was no improper use of funds, just bad management;
• The processes and procedures need to be tightened;
• LDs should not have threatened to withdraw funds if Exec doesn't go, they should have consulted people of Burngreave about the action they wanted to take;
• Dictating to people will not achieve ends, working constructively will;
• BNDfC are having a special board meeting and executive has an action plan;
• BNDfC positively working with other voluntary groups in Sheffield (VAS, OFFER);
• LDs have not visited area or put a member on the board (in a subsequent item it was confirmed Paul Scriven would be the Council's representative on the BNDfC board);

• BNDfC board was not aware of irregularities, problems do not reflect on BNDfC;
• Nothing was said in cross-party group that worked on audit about calling for resignation;
• BNDfC board and exec worked with the Council auditors to produce report;
• Council could only legally withhold money if insufficient information supplied for grants - the council should follow procedures if it is telling others to do so;
• All parties are interested in devolution of power, but not easy for local people to do this in practice, about learning together and supporting and encouraging local people.

PROPOSAL 1 (LD)
1) Council will offer support, advice, and training to BNDfC;
2) Council has no confidence in the Chief Exec of BNDfC;
3) Will review role of Council as an accountable body;
4) Unless the Council is satisfied that BNDfC has addressed issues, all action will be considered, including withholding investment.
Also includes: support for people of Burngreave, says council let them down, calls for action by BNDfC.
VOTE: LD for; LAB supported a paragraph acknowledging the report, abstained on the rest; GRN supported comments in the report and point 1) above, not the others.
CARRIED

PROPOSAL 2 (LAB)
1) Supports that matter being considered in detail by Council's audit committee
2) Council will continue to address significant areas of need in Burngreave
Also includes: BNDfC has been successful in many aims, questions Lib Dem methodology that will replace "closing the gap"
VOTE: LD against; LAB for; GRN for
FELL (so LD's proposal 1 goes through)

MYERS GROVE AND WISEWOOD SCHOOLS

PUBLIC QUESTIONS

Andrew Sangar stated it was clear people of both communities wanted two successful community schools. Both communities needed to work together to get this. Process involved going to government to get the money. Wisewood was a successful school but both schools should be supported.

In answer to a question from Labour it was stated that the governing bodies would have to seek foundation status or work together as a federation is needed. Council are considering a range of options to keep both schools open, including having a 14-19 centre.

ITEM 8 - MOTION ON MYERS GROVE AND WISEWOOD

• LDs made guarantees they could fund schools, there are no election promises are more pressing, Labour has a duty to hold them to account
• Capital costs would be £26m if the Government does not fund rebuilding the schools;
• LDs should confirm funding whether Government backs them or not, working towards two school solution is not a commitment;
• If revenue to support smaller schools has to come from other schools in City it will put their teaching at risk, LDs say there should not be any favoured areas;
• Putting BSF money at risk means no more rebuilds, no more new ICT;
• The issues is a major policy difference between the parties;
• Believe LDs have honestly stood on the issue, but they now have a responsibility to the whole City;
• Government have stated they would not build two new schools and the Council has to manage school numbers;
• How long will schools and parents have to wait before they find out;
• Would support a two school solution if the money is there.

• Intend to deliver two successful community schools, to the best of our ability, currently talking with Government;
• Government officials are open to discussion on rebuilding programme of MG and WW as part of provision across the city;
• BSF will look at getting what people of the city voted for;
• Accept buildings are far from ideal, will look to rebuild or completely refurbish
• Previous administration set up the proposing group, officers are now talking to group and establishing legal implications;
• Labour belief in large schools with large catchment areas has hindered process;
• Key factor is good leadership and active support of parents, both communities need to unite over two school solution;
• Traffic would impact on pedestrian safety, original consultation was engineered to produce the desired result;
• Many parents from both schools given up an astonishing amount of time to the campaigns;
• If Labour believe two school proposal is viable they should come on board and fight for getting the funding.

AMENDMENT 1 (LD)
Criticises Labour for current and past actions, notes LD policy to deliver two schools, notes that LDs have visited both schools, worked to resolve legal issues, worked with Government, hopes that Council can work together.

VOTE: LD for; LAB against criticism of them and that the Council should unite around a two school solution, abstained on rest; GRN for
CARRIED

MOTION as amended (completely replaced by LD amendment)
VOTE: LD for; LAB against; GRN for
CARRIED

TRIBUTES TO FORMER COUNCILLORS

QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

• Administration will try to reduce bureaucracy;
• Administration supports Sheffield City Airport and disagrees with sell off;
• Enforcement of the Wicker bus gate will be suspended until signs have been amended and if a mistake has been made in fines then the Council will make amends;
• NHS has come forward with proposals for the Darnall development, now ongoing discussions with them;
• Administration looking at distributing book tokens to children, report coming to cabinet on this issue;
• Asked Hammersons to review the design of the NRQ, looking to preserve listed buildings insofar as possible;
• A sustainability panel to review planning applications will be set up in future with a regard to existing budgets;
• There will be no impact of cuts in management or funding to front line services;
• A "buy local" policy will be introduced, but this will not mean everything has to be bought locally;
• The Sheffield Neighbourhoods Information System will be kept and used in conjunction with a "social justice strategy" to identify priority areas;
• Expanding recycling opportunities and reducing Sheffield's carbon footprint will be at the heart of the Waste Management Strategy;
• Will provide a framework to allow local people to remain in control of any decision to change school governance (e.g. Trust or Academy schools), possibly including a ballot of local parents.

MOTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

ITEM 7 THANKING ELECTORATE AND CONGRATULATING LIB DEMS (Lib Dem)

AMENDMENT (LAB)
Includes: Labour are concerned about cuts to services, will work to stop policies bad for Sheffield
VOTE: LD against; LAB for; GRN abstain
FELL

MOTION as original
VOTE: LD for; LAB and GRN support paragraph thanking electorate, abstain on rest;
CARRIED

ITEM 9 IMPROVING EDUCATION IN SHEFFIELD (Lib Dem)

AMENDMENT (LAB)
1) Calls for recommendations on education to be brought to Council by September
VOTE: ALL for

MOTION as amended
VOTE: LD for; LAB and GRN abstains on all but statement that education is one of most important responsibilities of the Council;
CARRIED

ITEM 10 LIB DEM BUDGET COULD STILL BE IMPLEMENTED (Labour)

AMENDMENT (LD)
Deletes the motion and restates the Lib Dem manifesto
VOTE: LD for; LAB abstain; GRN against

MOTION as amended (now the LD amendment)
VOTE: LD for; LAB abstain; GRN against
CARRIED

ITEM 11 CRITISING LABOUR'S PUBLICITY ON BIN COLLECTIONS (Lib Dem)

AMENDMENT (LAB)
Includes: a welcome for the confirmation
VOTE: LD against; LAB for; GRN abstain
FELL

MOTION as original (for some reason this was a recorded vote)
VOTE: LD for; LAB against; GRN abstain
CARRIED

ITEM 12 SUPPORTING PILOT SCHEME ON LITTER AND GRAFFITI PENALTIES (Labour)

AMENDMENT (LD) deletes the motion
1) Council will support the pilot scheme
2) Council will look at expanding restorative justice to other methods.
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED

ITEM 13 POST OFFICE CLOSURES (Green)

AMENDMENT (Lib Dem)
Deletes most of Green motion.
1) Officers to produce report on how Council can support Post Offices;
2) Officers to put together a strong case to oppose closures;
3) Council to lobby Government to pursue Lib Dem policy on post offices, including floating Royal Mail as a company.
Includes: notes experience of Bradfield Parish Council in supporting post offices
VOTE: LD for; GRN against; LAB abstain
CARRIED

MOTION as amended (basically the Lib Dem amendment)
VOTE: LD for; GRN for all but lobbying government part; LAB abstain
CARRIED

ITEM 14 CHINA AND BURMA DISASTERS (Lib Dem + Labour)

AMENDMENT (LAB + LD)
Adds that Sheffield is proud to welcome Burmese refugees.
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED

MOTION as amended
VOTE: ALL for
CARRIED

ITEM 15 SPORT AND OLYMPICS (Labour)

AMENDMENT (LD)
Includes: wishes olympic athletes success, takes pride in Sheffield's association with disability support, notes benefits of sporting activities on health and wider society.
VOTE: LAB for; LD for; GRN abstain
CARRIED

MOTION as amended
VOTE: LAB for; LD for; GRN abstain
CARRIED