Burngreave Area Panel Area Coordinators Report

BURNGREAVE AREA PANEL, 30TH JUNE 2005

AREA CO-ORDINATOR’S REPORT

Off road vehicles

1 The Panel has received a number of reports over the past few months about the inappropriate use of green and open public space by a variety of vehicles. This includes 4x4s on Wincobank Hill, Wensley estate and Wincobank Lane; scrambler bikes on Parkwood Springs; and mini motorbikes on Osgathorpe Park. A recent survey reported to councillors of this Area Panel showed that seven other Area Panels had had to deal with similar problems.

2 Off roaders use of public green/open space requires a number of, considerations, which do not lend themselves to locality responses:

· Provision of realistic alternatives

· Enforcement

· Education

· Management of Sites – including access controls

3 The Panel has received reports of some enforcement action by the Police at Parkwood Springs; access control measures at/around Wincobank Hill; a very recent initiative between City Council (Streetforce), other agencies and North Area Panel at Westwood Country Park.

4 In view of the citywide nature of this issue, it is recommended that this Area Panel request the Chair of the Culture, Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny and Policy Development Board to give consideration to the range of issues associated with unauthorised use of green/open spaces by a variety of vehicles.

5 Additionally, Viridor (the operators of Parkwood Landfill site) have agreed to co-finance with the Area Panel the installation of signage around Parkwood Springs informing offroaders that their presence on the site is prohibitive. It is therefore recommended that the Area Panel approve the allocation of £1,200 from the NRF Streetscape programme as contribution towards signage.

Parking services

6 The Area Panel has had a wide range of representation about vehicle parking – particularly on Page Hall Road, Owler Lane, Wensley Street and on Spital Hill and around Ellesmere Green. This has come from community consultations around Fir Vale and Page Hall, Fir Vale Forum and the Fir Vale Friday meetings, South Yorkshire Police, and in Burngreave from the New Deal for Communities theme groups.

7 As you will be aware, responsibility for parking enforcement moved from South Yorkshire Police to the City Council (Streetforce) in April 2005. After approaches to Streetforce, Parking services have agreed that from later in the summer when they will have recruited more staff, there will be regular enforcement patrols in Fir Vale and Burngreave. It is recommended that in advance of this action, there is a joint educational programme aimed at those motorists who might be in danger of experiencing enforcement action when the mobile patrols arrive in this area. In particular, publicity material is to be produced which clearly explains lawful and unlawful street parking. It is recommended that the Area Panel approve this initiative and welcomes the area-focus that Streetforce (Parking Services) will provide in the near future. In particular, high quality maintenance of off road City Council parking sites in the areas will need to be continued.

Neighbourhood Renewal Funding

8 The Area Panel is responsible for four programmes supported by Neighbourhood Renewal Funding (NRF). These are (with 2005-6 budget):

Community Chest (£4,500)
Cleanup campaign (£14,950)
Streetscape project (£44,189)
Burngreave in Bloom (£4,000)

9 Recent advice from Legal & Governance section of the City Council is that Area Panels should endorse all direct NRF expenditure where the Area Panel is the applicant agency.

10 Community Chest. Eight local projects (£1,580) have been successful in receiving small grants (up to a maximum of £200). These include;

a Library/reading with self-help guides referral project fro people with mild/moderate depressive conditions from a local GP practice
support for three school-based ‘out of school’ programmes (St Catherine’s organic gardening; Firshill After School club; Byron Wood summer scheme)
SADACCA men’s club
Women’s taster day run by Reach 2 High

11 Clean up project. This has supported 11 bring out your rubbish Tuesdays in Carwood, Ellesmere Rd, Earldom/Malton, Scott Rd, Osgathorpe, Abbeyfield, Brunswick, Pye Bank, Catherine, Burngreave and Cookswood areas (£11,650). The remaining areas of Pitsmoor and Fir Vale were completed last winter (2004-5)

12 Streetscape project. This has supported the establishment of flower tubs, hanging baskets and window boxes on Ellesmere Green, Spital Hill, Barnsley Road and Page Hall (£11,275). The floral displays in the centre of the Green, on Barnsley Rd and at Page Hall are new additions to previous activity. A small contribution has been made for the improvement of the Library frontage on Spital Hill (£200). The major expenditure from this programme will be the extension of the winter lights on/around Ellesmere Green and Spital Hill.

13 Burngreave in Bloom. Expenditure (£3,000) to Green City Action towards costs of the Environment Day (14th May) and Verdon St afternoon (9th June) for the materials, preparation and labour for free hanging baskets/planters for front gardens/balconies in the area. Over 250 people received baskets and planters at the Abbeyfield Park day and 30 tenancies received troughs at Verdon St afternoon. Also to green City Action (from Streetscape programme budget) £2,000 towards the employment costs of an experimental gardens worker to help try and guarantee the success of the above front garden scheme.

Green Environment Programme

14 From the last Area Panel meeting (28tyh April) which was inquorate, there was a presentation from Sheffield Wildlife Trust (SWT) about the Burngreave Green Environment Programme. This also involves City Council (Parks, Woodland, Countryside) service and Green City Action. SWT wanted the Area Panel to approve the proposals identified in the Green Environment Programme. It is recommended that the Area Panel approve this programme as presented to the 28th April 2005 meeting.

Andy Shallice

24TH June 2005

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