Burngreave Area Panel Minutes 7th August 2003

BURNGREAVE AREA PANEL


Meeting held 7th August, 2003 at Owler Brook Nursery Infant School

PRESENT:			Councillors Jackie Field (Chair), Ibrar Hussain and Steve Jones.

			Also in attendance:-
			Kieron Williams	-	Area Co-ordinator

			Joanne Roney	-	Executive Director, Neighbourhoods (Lead Manager)

			Sarah Nickson David Frith	-	Sport and Community Recreation

			Maria Duffy Shanza Hussain	-	Development Services

			Thom Skelton	-	Sheffield Futures

			John Turner	-	Committee Secretariat

			There were approximately 15 local residents and representatives of local community groups in attendance.

…………….

1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE FROM PANEL MEMBERS
	No apologies for absence were received from members of the Panel.

2.	INFORMATION STALLS
	Three information stalls, which provided information on the Fir Vale Forum, Pakistani Advice Centre and Fir Vale Youth Project, were displayed at the meeting for members of the public.

3.	ACTIVE BURNGREAVE - LOCAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PLAN
	Sarah Nickson, Sport and Community Recreation, reported on the contents of the draft document "Active Burngreave - Local Physical Activity Plan", which was a plan to encourage and support the people of Burngreave to be more physically active through play, sport and exercise.
	Under the Council's Sports Strategy, it had been requested that plans be drawn up for each of the 12 Action Areas, with the aim of the plans being to blend the City-wide priorities for sport and physical activity with local priorities, and to engage local people and agencies with the development and delivery of the plan. The expected outputs of the plan included (a) the creation of a joint list of priorities that were shared and signed up to by key organisations in the area, (b) understanding and co-ordinating the various existing and planned initiatives in the area to create more coherence and build on past and present successes, (c) improve performance by influencing the allocation of existing resources in physical activity and (d) increasing activity by attracting new resources to support increases and/or improvements in services, programmes and facilities. The ultimate outcome of the plan was seen as being to significantly increase the levels of sport and physical activity in the area, especially amongst those persons who were considered least active.
	Ms. Nickson reported on the planning process involved in the development of the plan, referring specifically to a Planning Day which had been held, and which had involved over 30 key agencies and local organisations. The aim of the day had been to establish a collective view on the key issues for the plan and to identify the initiatives needed to tackle them. She referred to a number of findings which had arisen from the Planning Day, which included that there were a large number of facilities in the area, that there were problems with regard to their safety and access, and that there were low participation rates amongst women compared to the national average. A number of key issues had been identified, which included the identification of a lack of involvement of young people in sport and physical activity, a lack of choice as regards sporting activities and a lack of quality services. The overarching theme following the discussions was that there needed to be an element of sustainability, in that people's perception of physical activity needed to be that it was a cultural norm, that there needed to be community leadership and ownership of the sporting facilities, the facilities needed to be of high quality and accessible to all, and the activities needed to be in a clean and safe environment to encourage use.
	Ms. Nickson referred to the recommendations set out in the draft plan, which referred principally to the proposed establishment of a Physical Activity Task Force, accountable to the Area Panel and also required to report to the key regeneration and community agencies in the area, and be charged with a number of objectives. These objectives included the need to (i) produce an Annual Action Plan to implement the agreed priorities within this draft plan and subsequently report on progress to key agencies and the Area Panel, (ii) identify new resources and/or recommend the re-prioritisation of existing resources, (iii) commission research and outstanding review/auditing work identified in the Plan, (iv) hold an annual Community Conference for anyone interested in sport and physical activity in the area, (v) be pro-active and innovative in influencing potential new projects and developments in the area and (vi) support successful projects and programmes to seek to ensure their sustainability and spread good practice.
	It was suggested that members of the Task Force should include representatives from the Area Panel, Burngreave New Deal for Communities, local fora, Surestart, the Local Education Authority and key schools in the area, officers from the Council's Leisure and Development Services and key local providers, including Interserve and the voluntary sector.
	Arising from the presentation, the following questions were asked and responses given:-

	Q:	Had any consideration been given as part of the plan to encouraging residents to take up gardening, particularly older people, as it was a useful way of keeping fit without too much physical exertion?

	R:	Whilst there was no reference to encouraging people to take up gardening in the plan, Council officers were looking at this issue.

	Q:	Would officers in Sport and Community Recreation, or any other relevant Council officers, be willing to work with the Fir Vale Forum, in connection with an initiative devised by the Forum, whereby residents could identify small areas of open space which they would maintain and have play facilities on for local children?

	R:	This matter would be referred to relevant Council officers for consideration.

	Q:	There was a need for at least one cricket pitch and a number of tennis courts in the area, as it was important that there was a variety of sports available for local residents - had consideration been given to this as part of the plan?

	R:	This would be an issue for the Physical Activity Task Force to consider.

	Q:	Had the Local Education Authority given consideration to making schools in the area more accessible to local residents?

	R:	If schools were able to open and make their sports pitches and other play facilities available for local residents outside normal school hours, this would certainly assist in increasing the level of sporting participation in the area. However, due to a number of reasons, which include issues relating to insurance and funding, it was not possible for schools to do this. Firs Hill NIJ School was to operate an open access scheme with regard to its playing areas with effect from September, 2003, whereby a range of sports facilities would be available to the local community.

	RESOLVED: That (A) the contents of the draft plan "Active Burngreave - Local Physical Activity Plan", together with the comments now made, be noted; and
	(B) the thanks of the Panel be conveyed to Sarah Nickson, Sport and Community Recreation, for the presentation now made.

4.	SPORT AND COMMUNITY RECREATION
	David Frith, Sport and Community Recreation, reported on the following projects/initiatives relating to sporting activities in the Burngreave and Fir Vale area:-

	Burngreave New Deal for Communities - Sports Development Project
	Mr. Frith reported on the Burngreave New Deal for Communities Sports Development Project, which was a pilot project, funded by New Deal, and which would run from January to December, 2003.
	As part of the Project, two Workers had been employed to develop sports opportunities in the area. Part of their work would include focusing on young people, organising participation sports and competitions, and looking for local people to volunteer to assist with the organisation of some of the activities. The Project was line managed by Sport and Community Recreation, but had a local Steering Group, known as The Burngreave Network. New Deal had also funded a Play Development Project, which supported out of school activities for 4 to 15 year olds, as well as delivering a range of training opportunities for staff, volunteers and local parents. New Deal had also provided funding for improvements to the Pitsmoor Adventure Playground, which involved the laying of a new kick pitch and the building of new structures with the help of local people. Mr. Frith reported that discussions were being held with New Deal with regard to obtaining funding for the construction of a new building on the grounds of the Pitsmoor Adventure Playground and the development of the Verdon Street Recreation Centre, which had proved very positive.
	The Panel noted this information.

	Go For It - What's On Guide 2003
	Mr. Frith referred to the brochure "Go For It - What's On Guide 2003 - Sheffield's Summer of Sport and Play for Young People", making specific reference to the events/activities being organised in the Burngreave and Fir Vale areas. This included sporting activities being organised at Fir Vale Secondary School, the visit by the Community Sports van to Osgathorpe Park, Wensley Park and the Verdon Street Recreation Centre and a variety of sports, arts and crafts and traditional playground games, trips and excursions and competitions being organised at the Pitsmoor Adventure Playground.
	Mr. Frith also referred to a separate brochure entitled "What's Going On?", which contained information on activities for children and their families in Burngreave during Summer 2003 and beyond.
	The Panel noted this information.

	Sheffield Children's Fund - Area Plans for Holiday Play in Burngreave
	Mr. Frith referred to the document "Sheffield Children's Fund - Area Plans for Holiday Play in Burngreave 2003/04", which had been produced in conjunction with the Area Panel's Area Action Plan 2003/04.
	He reported that Burngreave had been allocated approximately £16,000 from the Children's Fund, towards funding holiday play activities during the 2003/04 financial year, and referred to a list of groups which had benefited from receipt of the funding.
	Mr. Frith added that, in addition to the Council-funded activity sessions, the monies from the Children's Fund had enabled an extra 300 activity sessions to be organised.
	Arising from the presentations, the following questions were asked and responses given:-

	Q:	It appeared that most of the projects which had received funding through the Children's Fund were based in Burngreave - had any consideration been given to the allocation of funding to projects in Fir Vale?

	R:	It was accepted that the meetings held to discuss the allocation of funding from the Children's Fund for holiday play activities had been held in Burngreave, and, as a result, funding had been mainly targeted to projects in that area. This had been due partly to the very tight timescales involved in submitting the bid for funding in respect of the 2003/04 financial year. In future years, meetings would be held in different venues in the Burngreave and Fir Vale areas, and consideration would be given to the allocation of funding on a wider scale.

	Q:	What was the mechanism for making applications for funding in respect of holiday play activities from the Sheffield Children's Fund?

	R:	Application forms were available from either David Frith or Pauline Hurst. Pauline Hurst was based at the Verdon Street Recreation Centre. Officers were looking at the possibility of working in conjunction with the Area Panel with regard to applications for funding for the 2004/05 financial year. It was suggested that the Area Panel may be able to work in partnership with the relevant organisations in an attempt to obtain more funding in respect of play activities during the holidays.

	It was mentioned that there was very little detail in the brochures relating to the costs of the play activities during the Summer holidays and it was suggested that such details should be included as, particularly in those cases where the cost of the activities was minimal or free of charge, this would increase the level of participation. It would also be viewed as being useful for those parents having several children, and for whom it could potentially be very costly.
	Mr. Frith stated that there were insufficient details of costs in the brochures, and that he would look at including more details with regard to costs in future editions.
	RESOLVED: That (a) the information now reported, together with the comments now made, be noted; and
	(b) the thanks of the Panel be conveyed to David Frith, Sport and Community Recreation, for the presentation now made.

5.	SHEFFIELD FUTURES - BURNGREAVE SUMMER PROGRAMME
	Thom Skelton, Sheffield Futures (Burngreave/Fir Vale), reported on Sheffield Futures' Positive Activities for Young People programme, which comprised a number of projects/activities for young people in Burngreave and Fir Vale during 21st July to 29th August, 2003.
	Mr. Skelton reported on activities being undertaken at the Earl Marshal Youth Centre, work in connection with the Fir Vale Youth Project, activities at the Caribbean Sports Club, Verdon Street Recreation Centre and the All Saints Centre. The activities included various sports and other activities at the Centres, trips and visits, arts and craft classes, music/DJ workshops and some evening activities.
	The activities were primarily aimed at "targeted" young people in the area, who had been referred to Sheffield Futures by various agencies and local communities/parents. Under the programme, resources and funding had also been provided to support a Summer activities programme for some local groups working with young people in the area. There was also a detached team, who were responsible, in partnership with local resident groups throughout the area, for working with Yemeni and Somali young people, and refugees and asylum seekers.
	Mr. Skelton concluded by stating that whilst the workers accepted that, due to the level of demand, it was not possible to meet the needs of all young people in the area, attempts were made to ensure that the funding was targeted to ensure as many young people as possible benefited under the activity programmes.
	It was stated that a number of young people were involved in projects in the area, by undertaking activities, helping to make Burngreave a cleaner and more attractive place to live, with such projects as improving the parks and green open spaces, although more work was required to encourage other young people to undertake such duties. Whilst it was acknowledged that there was a need to encourage more young people to become involved in such projects, it was not always possible to fund workers, or find suitable volunteers with the relevant expertise who could pass on advice or provide the relevant equipment required, to enable more such projects to be undertaken.
	Joanne Roney queried whether Sheffield Futures had any data on the attendance at the sessions held during the Summer holidays, as this would enable officers to determine which sessions were over subscribed, and enable further work to be undertaken to identify additional sources of funding to meet this demand. It was suggested that members of the City-wide Youth Forum be asked for their views on this issue.
	RESOLVED: That (a) the information now reported, together with the comments now made, be noted; and
	(b) the thanks of the Panel be conveyed to Thom Skelton, Sheffield Futures, for the presentation now made.

6.	BURNGREAVE AND FIR VALE COMMUNITY BUS SERVICE
	The Chair referred to the proposed establishment of a Burngreave and Fir Vale Community Bus Service, which would be funded from a bid for funding from the Urban Bus Challenge and Objective One, with additional funding, if required, provided by New Deal and the City Council. It was proposed that the new bus service would fill the gaps left by existing services, and make it easier for residents of Burngreave and Fir Vale to access jobs, health services and leisure facilities. There would be two buses, one running each way round a loop of the area on an hourly basis. It was reported that details of the progress of the bid for funding would be reported at a future meeting of the Area Panel.
	The Panel noted and welcomed the information now reported.

7.	MINUTES OF LAST MEETING
	The minutes of the special Area Panel meeting held on 3rd July, 2003, were approved as a correct record, with the exception of (a) the substitution of the words "Design and Property Services" for the words "Sheffield Design and Print" following the two references to Howard Saffer and (b) the addition of the following words to the final paragraph in Item 5 - Proposed Road Safety Improvements for the Barnsley Road/Scott Road/Firshill Avenue Area, "the Panel also suggested that, due to the continued requests from local residents for improved road safety measures in this area, and the consequent delays in any action being taken, any proposed scheme, once approved, be fast-tracked.

8.	PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
	Extension of the New Deal Area
	A member of the public referred to an article which he had seen in a recent edition of the "Burngreave Messenger", in which there was mention of a possible extension of the New Deal area, to include areas of Firth Park, Parson Cross and Shirecliffe, and questioned whether there was any truth in this.
	Joanne Roney stated that this was not the case and that the New Deal funding could only be spent to benefit those residents who live within the defined boundary. She added however, that it was possible that New Deal funding could be matched with other sources of funding in respect of projects which would benefit the wider area, such as those mentioned in the "Burngreave Messenger".

	Physical Exercises for People Leaving Hospital
	A member of the public questioned whether the Council had any advice on what physical exercises people who had left hospital, and were recovering from a serious illness/operation, could do in the comfort of their own home.
	The Chair stated that, whilst the officers from Sport and Community Recreation would probably be able to provide a more detailed response to this particular question if they were still present at the meeting, simple chair exercises, which those officers had given a demonstration of earlier in the meeting, would most probably be the best form of exercise for people leaving hospital, and recovering from a serious illness/operation.
	Joanne Roney added that it was important that there is representation from the National Health Service on the Physical Activity Task Force which is to be established under the Active Burngreave - Local Physical Activity Plan, as they would be able to comment and provide advice on this particular issue.

	Attendance at Mosques by Muslim Schoolchildren
	A member of the public queried whether the Local Education Authority had given any consideration to allowing Muslim schoolchildren time off school on a Friday to attend the Mosque for prayers.
	The Panel accepted that this was an issue which required consideration and that the matter would be referred to the Cabinet Member for Education and Training (Councillor Angela Smith), and relevant officers in the Local Education Authority.
	Joanne Roney added that there was an officer in the Local Education Authority who examined issues such as this, and that it may be suitable to have a discussion of this issue at a future meeting of the Area Panel.

9.	DATE OF NEXT MEETING
	It was noted that the next meeting of the Panel would be held on Thursday 2nd October, 2003, from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., at the Verdon Street Recreation Centre.

How useful is this page?

[ Comment On This Page? ]

Browsealoud |