Minutes of Burngreave Area Panel 17 April 2005

BURNGREAVE AREA PANEL


Special Meeting held 17th April, 2005, at Fir Vale Secondary School

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

		Also in attendance:-

		Andy Shallice	-	Area Co-ordinator

		Marilyn King	-	Area Support Officer

		Joanne Roney	-	Executive Director, Neighbourhoods (Lead Manager)

		Karl Tupling David Shepherd Wendy Foster Sam Sykes Amanda James Martyn Wragg Rob Slow Caroline Stiff Hannah Yorke Hannah Gibbins	) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )	Neighbourhoods Directorate

		Maria Duffy Shanza Hussain Anna Hawkins	) ) )	Development Services

		Inspector Jon Ekwubiri	)	South Yorkshire Police
		Leanne Brown	)

		John Turner	-	Committee Secretariat

		There were approximately 300 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.	MASTERPLANNING IN FIR VALE
	The Chair reported that this special meeting of the Panel had been arranged in order to inform, and seek further comments from local residents, traders and business owners in connection with the Masterplanning in Fir Vale. She stated that following previous consultation meetings, as part of the Masterplanning process, a revised model had been produced, incorporating some of the comments made by local residents, traders and business owners. She stated that the comments received at this meeting would also be taken into consideration, and following a further special meeting of the Area Panel on 3rd May, 2005, at which the residents, traders and business owners in Burngreave would have an opportunity to comment on the revised proposals in that area, a report on the Burngreave/Fir Vale Masterplan, which would contain a summary of all the comments received, would be submitted for approval to the Cabinet on 11th May, 2005.
	The Chair concluded by thanking all those residents, traders and business owners who had taken part in the Masterplanning process, by attending the various consultation meetings and putting forward their views.
	David Shepherd gave a presentation on the progress of the Masterplanning process, reporting on the purpose of the meeting and on the proposed changes to the model.
	Mr. Shepherd reported that the meeting would give local residents, traders and business owners an opportunity to view the amended plans and to ask questions or provide comments on the final proposals. He made reference to the background to the Masterplanning exercise and to how Fir Vale had been identified as an area to receive funding, indicating that from data held by the City Council, the area had been identified as being amongst the most deprived neighbourhoods in Sheffield, and the results of the House-hold Survey undertaken in 2002 had indicated that there was a need to radically upgrade the quality of housing in the area. Consultation on the proposed development framework had commenced in Spring 2004, through to March, 2005. During October and November, 2004, there had been a series of consultation meetings held in the area. Due to the nature of the proposals, and as a result of the level of concerns expressed by residents, traders and business owners, the consultation period was extended to January, 2005. As part of the extended consultation during this period, 70 people had attended one-to-one drop-in sessions, two meetings had been hosted by the Multi-Cultural Advice Centre and a meeting had been arranged solely for traders and business owners. Also, a household survey had been undertaken by local residents, trained by the Fir Vale Vision Project at the request of the community, from which 430 completed questionnaires had been received. A petition containing 338 signatures of residents had been received, opposing the demolition proposals in Page Hall.
	Mr. Shepherd reported on the revised proposals in the Page Hall/Fir Vale East area, which had included the withdrawal of the wholesale clearance proposals, the establishment of Community Project Groups to develop a community plan, and the consideration of options such as two into one property conversions, selective demolition, public space/environmentals, Home Zones, off-road car parking and refurbishment. As there had been no general agreement from residents on the proposals for this area, it had been agreed that there would be further consultation over the next 12 months to consider the above options. With regard to the Owler Lane/Skinnerthorpe Road/Bagley Road and Earl Marshall Road area, Mr. Shepherd reported that in general, the principles remained the same, but the changes included an improved road layout at the Owler Lane junction, a slightly altered road layout around Skinnerthorpe Road and Bagley Road, and the possibility of providing space for community facilities at the junction of Herries Road and Barnsley Road. Mr. Shepherd also proposed that Community Project Groups would be established in order to guide the implementation of the Masterplan proposals for the Skinnerthorpe Road/Bagley Road/Earl Marshall Road and Owler Lane area. These groups, which would comprise Council officers, local residents, traders and business owners, could provide input into the detail of the plans, such as phasing, design and developer recruitment. The proposals in respect of the Upwell Street area remained unchanged.
	Mr. Shepherd concluded by referring to the next stages of the process, which would involve recording the views and opinions on the revised proposals at this meeting, collating and sharing the feedback with Councillors next week, establishing Community Project Groups in conjunction with the Fir Vale Forum and Fir Vale Vision and the submission of the final Masterplan, for approval, to the Cabinet on 11th May, 2005. Following the presentation, the following questions were asked and responses given:-

	Q. The general condition of properties in Fir Vale was no worse than some other areas of the City - why has this area been targetted above others?

	R. The decision to target Fir Vale was based on a number of factors, and not simply based on the results of the Household Survey. A Housing Market Study was undertaken in 2003, and indicated that demand for housing in the area was low (Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, University of Birmingham, South Yorkshire Housing Market Study), and a survey had been undertaken into people’s attitudes to living in the area, which had highlighted that the majority of residents were dissatisfied with the condition of their properties, and with the area in general. There was also the highest uptake within the City with regard to improvement grants from residents living in Fir Vale.

	Q. Were the results of the Household Survey undertaken in 2002 available for inspection by members of the public?

	R. The results of the Household Survey were contained in a lengthy document, which was available for inspection, by appointment, at the Town Hall.

	Q. As part of the Household Survey, it had been reported that 47% of residents were in favour of demolition. In fact, of the 1,300 residents who responded, 430 were in favour of demolition - how does this equate to 47%?

	R. The Household Survey included 826 properties. Each property was visited six times following prior written notice of the survey. 430 households participated in the survey, making the participation rate 52%. The responses in favour or against demolition varied for each street. The greatest support was from Skinnerthorpe Road residents at 75% of those surveyed. Overall, 47% of respondants thought some replacement was necessary.

	Q. What does selective demolition mean?

	R. As part of the consultation on the Masterplan, a number of residents expressed a wish for more green, open spaces and more car parking spaces in the area. As there was very dense housing in the area, the only way for this to be achieved would be through demolition. This would be termed as selective demolition as opposed to wholesale demolition. The Council would only propose demolition where there was community support for the end result.

	Q. The residents of Skinnerthorpe Road were opposed to all the proposals set out in the Masterplan relating to their road, they felt that they had been misled and forced into accepting something against their wishes by the Council. A petition had been submitted to the Council in November, 2004, objecting to the proposals. The only option the residents would be happy with would be a home for home exchange in the area. Could the Council withdraw the proposals with regard to Skinnerthorpe Road from the Cabinet report, and undertake further consultation with residents to find out what they wanted? The residents of Skinnerthorpe Road were also setting up their own protest group to oppose the plans.

	R. It was suggested that residents on Skinnerthorpe Road may wish to contact the Fir Vale Forum, who are the representative group in that area, as a way of ensuring that best use is made of existing representation arrangements, rather that create a new group. In a previous survey, 75% of residents on Skinnerthorpe Road had expressed their support for the demolition proposals. The Council would look at the residents’ home for home request.

	Q. How widely had the Household Survey questionnaire been circulated on the basis that a number of residents had not seen it?

	R. Officers had visited each property in the area up to six times in an attempt to contact the occupants.

	At this stage of the meeting, the residents, traders and business owners split into groups, to discuss the revised proposals with Council officers in more detail. After approximately one hour, the meeting was re-convened.
	The Chair thanked the residents for attending what she believed had been a very constructive event. She stated that following comments received from residents, traders and business owners, particularly those on Skinnerthorpe Road, and the traders and business owners on Owler Lane, there would be a need for further consultation meetings, and added that arrangements would be made for independent evaluations to be made in respect of properties on Skinnerthorpe Road. She stated that all the feedback received at today’s event would be collated and forwarded for consideration by Councillors next week, and reference would be made to the above-mentioned principles relating to particular neighbourhoods affected by the demolition proposals and the need for independent evaluation of properties, in the final report on the Burngreave/Fir Vale Masterplan to be submitted to the Cabinet on 11th May, 2005.
	Following further discussions, residents made the following comments:-

	· The information disseminated from the Fir Vale Forum had been very slow. There were a number of revised proposals in respect of the Masterplan that had only come to light to a number of residents at this meeting. It would not be fair if these proposals were included in the Cabinet report, particularly those proposals relating to demolition, if residents had not had the opportunity to discuss them further.

	· A number of residents considered that there had been movement towards what they wanted, and they appreciated the opportunities, such as this meeting, to be able to put forward their views on the proposals. However, a number of residents were still of the opinion that if the revised proposals were included in the Cabinet report, the report would be flawed, particularly in the light of the level of opposition to some of the proposals. On this basis, it was considered that the Area Panel should vote to object to the Masterplan in its current format. There had been problems with a number of other similar schemes across the Country. The Council should take the comments made at this meeting into consideration and draft a revised scheme for consultation in June, 2005.

	In response to these comments, Joanne Roney stressed the importance of the Cabinet making a decision on the Masterplan in May, 2005, indicating that if such a decision was not made, the Council would miss out on the funding. If the opportunity was lost on this occasion, it could be another two or three years until similar funding could be available. She stated that the Cabinet would be requested to agree the Masterplan, which would contain a summary of all the comments received from residents, traders and business owners as part of the extensive consultation exercise undertaken as part of the Masterplanning process. This would enable the Council to draw down the funding required in respect of the proposals in the Masterplan. Further, a number of Community Project Groups would be established, to work together on the detailed implementation plans for each neighbourhood.
	The Chair stated that a further special Area Panel meeting had been arranged on 3rd May, 2005, in Burngreave, at which residents, traders and business owners in that area would be given the opportunity of commenting on the revised proposals on the Masterplan for that area.
	RESOLVED: That (a) the information reported as part of the presentation, together with the responses to the questions asked and the comments now made, be noted;
	(b) the thanks of the Panel be conveyed to David Shepherd for the presentation now made, to all the Council officers present for their involvement at this meeting, and to the local residents, traders and business owners who had attended the meeting to put forward their comments and play their part in the overall Masterplanning process; and
	(c) approval be given (i) so far as this Panel is concerned, to the revised proposals to be included in the Masterplan, as shown on the exhibited plans and as now reported, subject to further discussions on those elements of the model causing particular concerns for a number of local residents, (ii) to the establishment of a number of Community Project Groups, comprising Council officers, residents, traders and business owners, to work on the detailed implementation plans for each neighbourhood and (iii) following this, and the special Panel meeting to be held in Burngreave on 3rd May, 2005, for a Burngreave and Fir Vale Residents’ and Businesses’ Charter to be drawn up, and appended to the Cabinet report.

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