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Minutes 17th April 2003

  
BURNGREAVE AREA PANEL
 
 
 Meeting held 17th April, 2003 at Pitsmoor Methodist Church
 
PRESENT:
Councillors Jackie Field (Chair), Ibrar Hussain and Steve Jones.
 
 
 
Also in attendance:-
 
Joanne Roney
-
Executive Director, Housing and Direct Services (Lead Manager)
 
Stuart Bolton
-
Area Co-ordinator
 
Marilyn King
-
Area Support Officer
 
Rachel Wileman
-
Sheffield First for Environment
 
Joice Richards
-
Burngreave New Deal for Communities
 
 
 
 
 
Philip Horton
)
Planning, Transport and
 
Brent Collier
)
Highways
 
 
 
 
 
Nick Hetherington
)
 
 
Pete Townsend
)
Street Force
 
 
 
 
 
Sarah Nickson
-
Sport and Community Recreation
 
 
 
 
 
Rachel Peacock
)
 
 
Corinne Muir
)
Parks, Woodlands and Countryside
 
 
 
 
 
Andy Machin
)
 
 
Amanda James
)
Housing Services
 
 
 
 
 
Inspector Jon Ekwubiri
-
South Yorkshire Police
 
 
 
 
 
John Turner
-
Committee Secretariat
 
 
 
 
 
There were approximately nine local residents and representatives of local community groups in attendance.
 
 
…………….
 
1.
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE PANEL
 
            No apologies for absence were received from Members of the Panel.
 
 
2.
MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
 
            The minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 6th March, 2003, were approved as a correct record.
 
 
3.
SHEFFIELD DRAFT ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY
 
            Rachel Wileman, Sheffield First for Environment, gave a presentation on the aims and objectives of the Draft Environment Strategy for Sheffield 2003.
 
 
 
            Ms. Wileman reported that Sheffield First for Environment was the newest of the Sheffield First family of partnerships, with a remit to identify and address the key environmental challenges for the City towards achieving the widely upheld vision of a high quality, successful city of European distinctiveness.
 
            It was reported that the six key challenges of the draft Strategy, which had been compiled over the last 12 months, and launched in March, 2003, were to re-establish Sheffield as a recycling city and stimulate renewable resource use, substantially reduce environmental impacts of travel and transportation, provide clean, attractive streets and neighbourhoods, enhance and safeguard the City's distinctive green built heritage, create a high quality, sustainable urban design and construction and ecological transformation of industrial areas and water corridors for their economic amenity potential.  Reference was also made to the targets within the draft Strategy, which included increasing recycling levels, reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, and increasing the use of public transport, public satisfaction of street cleanliness, the percentage of new development on brownfield sites and the population of wild birds, and improving the condition of the City's rivers.
 
            Ms. Wileman stated that consultation on the draft Strategy had commenced in March, 2003, and would continue for a period of three months until the end of May, 2003.  Comments on the vision, key challenges, issues and recommendations contained in the draft document were invited and the results of the consultation would inform the preparation of a revised strategy later in the Summer. 
 
RESOLVED: That (a) the information now reported as part of the presentation, be noted; and
 
            (b) Rachel Wileman, Sheffield First for Environment, be thanked for the presentation now made.
 
 
4.
BURNGREAVE ENVIRONMENT THEME – UPDATE
 
            Joice Richards, Burngreave New Deal for Communities, reported on the progress of the Burngreave Environment Theme of the Burngreave New Deal for Communities.
 
            Ms. Richards reported that the New Deal Partnership Board would continue its work around three major strands, which related to improving the Spital Hill shopping area, parks and open spaces in Burngreave and recycling in the area.
 
            Reference was made to a number of projects relating to environmental issues, which included (a) the Green Environment Programme, which comprised a comprehensive regeneration programme to improve the parks and green spaces in the Burngreave area, (b) the employment of a Spital Hill Project Manager, who would be responsible for the development of the Spital Hill shopping area, (c) Recycling Matters, which included a project to reduce the amount of waste, increase recycling facilities in the area and provide support for local businesses in connection with recycling matters, (d) the establishment of posts of a Green City Action Manager and an Administrator to develop a comprehensive business plan and funding strategy and (e) the establishment of an Environmental Business Support Programme which aimed to provide businesses with support on issues relating to waste management and energy efficiency.
 
 
 
            Ms. Richards reported on a number of other projects which had received community endorsement, and were in development, and which included the refurbishment of Sorby House as a community business centre, the re-modelling of the main access routes in the New Deal area to provide safer, better lit routes to local schools, the provision of street lighting for the streets in Burngreave, the refurbishment of the New Deal information point, the improvement of communal areas on various estates in the New Deal area and the continuation of the new development of the Pitsmoor Adventure Playground.
 
            Reference was also made to the continuing work of New Deal to develop ideas and initiatives following engagement with the community, and a number of project ideas had been highlighted, which included a Community Investment Strategy, which would follow up the work from the Community Facilities Audit and a project to redevelop vacant and derelict land to provide a sports and leisure facility for the New Deal area.
 
 
 
            The following questions were asked and comments made:-
 
 
 
·                    There was no reference to street cleaning in any of the plans/projects.
 
 
 
·                    There was a need for more clean, open spaces in the area, including more dog bins and better maintenance of green open spaces.
 
 
 
·                    Would Fir Vale be included as part of the proposals?
 
 
 
·                    More emphasis needs to be placed on keeping the streets clear of litter.
 
 
 
·                    The work, which had included general tidying up and tree planting in Osgathorpe Park, was welcomed.
 
 
 
·                    There was a need for improved and additional playground provision in the area.
 
 
 
·                    There should be more Bring Out Your Rubbish Days.
 
 
 
            The following responses were given:-
 
 
 
·                    Fir Vale was not included within the New Deal boundary, but separate funding had been identified for cleaning up this area.
 
 
 
·                    New Deal had recently commenced negotiating with the Council with regard to the possible provision of funding to increase the street cleaning provision in the area.  New Deal would be funding a clean up in the Spital Hill shopping area and had talked to shopkeepers in the area, providing advice on the best methods of waste disposal.
 
 
 
·                    New Deal would be undertaking an audit of all the green spaces in the area in order to identify exactly what spaces there were, prior to upgrading or maintaining such areas.
 
 
 
 
 
·                    The Council's Parks, Woodlands and Countryside Service had commenced a Clean and Tidy Campaign, which involved cleaning up the parks and open spaces in the area.  As part of this initiative, a clean-up day had been organised in Abbeyfield Park and a number of syringes had been removed off an open space on Somerset Street.  The Service was also going to organise a number of events during the Summer months to encourage people to both visit and look after their local parks.
 
 
 
·                    The Area Panel would be funding seven Bring Out Your Rubbish Days this year as the events held in previous years had proved very popular.  The Area Co-ordinator would also be looking at the possibility of pooling the resources of the Area Panel, the Council's Housing Services and New Deal with the aim of funding additional Bring Out Your Rubbish Days which would hopefully cover the whole of the Burngreave area.
 
 
 
RESOLVED: That (i) the information now reported, together with the comments now made, be noted; and
 
            (ii) Joice Richards, New Deal for Communities, be thanked for the presentation now made.
 
 
5.
HIGHWAYS UPDATE
 
            Philip Horton, Planning, Transport and Highways, reported on the progress of a number of proposed highway schemes in the Burngreave and Fir Vale areas, indicating that (a) the proposal to ban the right turn from Owler Lane into Barnsley Road had been approved by the Cabinet and that public consultation on this proposal had been planned for Summer 2003, (b) the proposal to site a lay-by outside the shops on Owler Lane had been approved by the Cabinet and work was progressing on this particular proposal, with the idea for two short lay-bys being considered as an option, (c) the closure of Bagley Road had now been made permanent, (d) the proposals for traffic calming measures outside the school on Whiteways Road had been approved by the Cabinet and construction was planned to commence during the school Easter holidays, (e) the proposals in respect of the provision of new and replacement footpaths on Grimesthorpe Road had been approved by the Cabinet and it was hoped that these works would take place later this year, (f) works in respect of the traffic calming measures on Firshill Crescent were to commence shortly and (g) the proposals in respect of making Wood Fold one-way and providing a lay-by on Woodside Lane had been investigated under the Council's Highway Priority Assessment Scheme, but had not yet been reported to the Cabinet; the one-way proposal had received a fair score under the Assessment Scheme and was likely to be progressed, but the lay-by proposal had received a low score and was likely to be deferred.
 
            A plan showing the locations of all the proposed highway improvement schemes was exhibited at the meeting.
 
            The following questions were asked and comments made:-
 
 
 
·                    Where had the proposals come from with regard to banning the right turn from Owler Lane into Barnsley Road?  This proposal would not make any difference as there is a filter for cars turning right into Barnsley Road and it will only encourage drivers to use the side roads.
 
 
 
·                    The green filter light allowing cars to turn right from Owler Lane into Barnsley Road needed to be on for longer.
 
 
 
·                    The proposals to ban the right turn from Owler Lane into Barnsley Road need to be backed up by statistics relating to the number of cars turning right.  These statistics, together with plans in respect of other alternatives, if the decision to ban the right turn is made permanent, need to be made available during the consultation stage.
 
 
 
·                    Had there been any progress in respect of the proposed highway improvements to the Barnsley Road/Scott Road junction?
 
 
 
·                    Consideration would need to be given to the walls by the allotments on Grimesthorpe Road, which were collapsing, as part of the proposals to construct new and replacement footpaths on this road.
 
 
 
·                    Could consideration be given to providing additional car parking in the Fir Vale area?
 
 
 
            The following responses were given:-
 
 
 
·                    The decision to ban the right turn from Owler Lane into Barnsley Road had been made some time ago, and influenced by local Councillors and local residents, who had raised concerns at the problems of congestion at the junction.  A special public meeting had been held some time ago to discuss the proposals at which no-one objected to banning the right turn, although a number of residents had expressed concerns at the potential effects of rat running on the side roads. An associated traffic-calming scheme, involving the installation of road humps on the side roads, had been drafted in response to these concerns.  The alternative for drivers wishing to turn right into Barnsley Road to access the Northern General Hospital was for them to travel straight on at the lights and access the Hospital from Herries Road.  The proposal to ban the right turn was a short-term proposal and funding had recently become available from the Northern General Hospital to undertake major redesign works in respect of the whole junction.  Plans in respect of the banning of the right turn would be drawn up and reported back to the Area Panel for further consultation.
 
 
 
·                    It had been proposed that a site visit be made to the Barnsley Road/Scott Road junction and a special meeting of the Area Panel would be arranged to discuss the proposed highway improvement works at this junction.
 
 
 
·                    New Deal for Communities were also looking at the possibility of funding a transport strategy in the New Deal area, which could include the Barnsley Road/Scott Road junction.
 
 
 
RESOLVED: That (i) the information now reported, together with the comments now made, be noted; and
 
            (ii) Philip Horton be thanked for the presentation now made.
 
6.
STREET FORCE UPDATE
 
            Nick Hetherington, Street Force, reported on the work being undertaken by Street Force in the Burngreave and Fir Vale areas, together with plans in respect of future provision.
 
            Mr. Hetherington reported that in April, 2002, Street Force had undertaken a survey with regard to the cleanliness of the streets, following concerns expressed at Panel meetings, which had indicated that only 60% of streets in the area reached satisfactory levels of cleanliness, with only 45% of streets in Fir Vale reaching such levels.  Following this, Street Force had made a decision to redirect extra resources into the area and undertake a "blitz clean" of Fir Vale.  The "blitz clean" had been undertaken not only in order to clean up the area, but also to determine the cost of such a one-off cleaning programme, both in terms of man and machine hours, and to monitor and measure the impact of such a clean-up.
 
            Following the "blitz clean", in June, 2002, an additional lengthsman was provided in Fir Vale, but this appeared to have had little impact on the cleanliness of the streets in this area.  As a result of this, it had been determined that there was a need for the Council to educate local residents and shopkeepers on the benefits of disposing of their waste correctly and a need to introduce more enforcement proceedings.
 
            In November, 2002, a Leaders Out and About Day was organised, following which it had been identified that there was a need for additional resources with regard to street cleaning in the Burngreave and Fir Vale areas.  In response to this, an additional footpath sweeper was employed for five and a half days a week, which resulted in an improvement to the cleanliness of the streets.  This was highlighted by the results of a further survey undertaken in respect of street cleanliness, which showed that 70% of streets had reached the satisfactory levels of cleanliness.
 
            Mr. Hetherington stated that Street Force were undertaking a review of street cleaning in the area, and were identifying resources, and where they could be targeted.  He added however that financial restraints were making it very difficult, and made reference to the fact that the Service only had funding for 12 operatives and six mechanical sweepers to carry out local cleaning for the whole of the north of the City.
 
            Reference was made to the Burngreave Environmental Team which had been established specifically to clean the streets and to undertake other jobs such as removing flytipping and clearing up weeds in the area.  The Team comprised five operatives, two lengthsmen and two Estate Officers from Housing Services, and details in respect of contact numbers had been displayed in the Team's office window and the Burngreave Area Housing Office.
 
            Street Force were looking at the possibility of submitting a bid for New Deal funding in respect of the provision of additional cleaning and general environmental maintenance.  This would be in the form of an additional mechanical sweeper and two City Stewardship Teams.
 
            Mr. Hetherington concluded by reporting on further efforts being made to keep the streets of Fir Vale clean, referring specifically to the work being undertaken with the Environmental Group of the Fir Vale Forum, and the efforts being made to educate school children and talking to local shopkeepers on their obligations with regard to waste disposal.  Other initiatives in the area would include a number of community clean-ups and it was reported that Street Force would be undertaking action in respect of abandoned cars within the next few weeks.
 
            The following questions were asked and comments made:-
 
 
 
·                    It would be helpful if SCRAP were informed about the Bring Out Your Rubbish Days as they would be able to remove any items that could be reused or recycled, allowing more room on the skips.
 
 
 
·                    There needed to be better communication with regard to the Bring Out Your Rubbish Days as it appeared that a number of residents were not aware that the events were being held in their area.
 
 
 
·                    How will the decision be made as to where the Bring Out Your Rubbish Days will be held?
 
 
 
·                    What are the penalties for dropping litter and how can such penalties be enforced?
 
 
 
·                    There were no litter bins on long stretches of Firth Park Road - if there were more bins, it may encourage people to dispose of litter correctly.
 
 
 
·                    It was important that local residents saw evidence of action being taken to keep the streets clean or else they would become disillusioned.
 
 
 
·                    When will the blue bins in respect of recycling paper card be introduced in Burngreave?
 
 
 
·                    There were serious problems of dog fouling, particularly on an area of green space off Grimesthorpe Road.  There was a need for notices warning of potential fines for offenders.
 
 
 
·                    There was low self-esteem of residents in the area - if residents' esteem was raised, they would become more proud of their area and take more care of it.
 
 
 
·                    There were major problems with regard to improper waste disposal by shopkeepers on Spital Hill - more emphasis needs to be placed on educating the shopkeepers and local residents with regard to correct methods of waste disposal.
 
 
 
·                    Not every shopkeeper on Spital Hill had been provided with a skip in order for them to clear out all the rubbish at the rear of their shops.
 
 
 
            The following responses were given:-
 
 
 
·                    The majority of the Bring Out Your Rubbish Days funded by the Area Panel, were organised by Street Force.  Recently, however, some events had been organised by Housing Services and there had obviously been a breakdown in the usual communication methods used to advertise the events.  This may also explain why SCRAP had not been informed of a number of recent events.  Usually, local residents in the surrounding area where the event was being held would be leafleted a few days before the event.
 
 
 
·                    With regard to choosing which areas Bring Out Your Rubbish Days were held in, officers looked at which areas had benefited from such events in the past, as well as identifying those areas of need.  It was proposed that the Council, the Area Panel, New Deal for Communities and the Fir Vale Forum could pool their resources and organise a joint strategy with regard to the holding of Bring Out Your Rubbish Days, and with the additional funding available, it was hoped that events could be held all over the area.
 
 
 
·                    The programme in respect of the clean up of the shops on Spital Hill would run until the end of June, 2003, so any shopkeepers who had not been provided with a skip would be provided with one before the end of June.
 
 
 
·                    There was a £50 fixed penalty for people dropping litter on the public highway which, if the perpetrator refused to pay, could possibly be increased to £2,500.  David Bird, Environmental Services, had recently employed a number of Environmental Wardens to walk the streets and hand out fixed penalty fines to people found dropping litter.
 
 
 
·                    The blue recycling bins for paper and card will be provided for residents in Burngreave later this year.
 
 
 
RESOLVED: That (a) the information reported, together with the comments now made, be noted; and
 
            (b) Nick Hetherington be thanked for the presentation now made.
 
 
7.
PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
 
            There were no questions asked by or petitions submitted from members of the public.
 
 
8.
DATE AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING
 
            It was agreed that the next meeting of the Panel will be held on Thursday, 29th May, 2003, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., at a venue to be arranged.
 
 
 
 
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