Minutes of Special Darnall Area Panel 16 April 2008

 

 

Present:    Councillors Mazher Iqbal (Chair), Harry Harpham and Mary Lea.

                     

Representatives of Panel Partners:-

Lyn Brandon )

Chris Nield   )         Sheffield Primary Care Trust

Sally Slattery -        Sheffield Homes

Lee Garbutt  -       Acres Hill Primary School

Abid Rahim  -        Sheffield Futures

Inspector Tony Dobson  )

PC Craig Adinall               )

PCSO Matt Berry              )             South Yorkshire Police

                                                                     

City Council Officers:-                             

Les Sturch    -        Lead Manager

Sarah Lucas -        Area Co-ordinator

Paul Cooper -        Street Force

Roger White -       Community Safety Team

Ian Blakemore -    Activity Sheffield

Alan Williams -     Parks and Countryside

John Turner   -    Committee Secretariat

                                                                     

    There were approximately 35 local residents and representatives from local community groups in attendance.

                     

…………………..

 

                                   Action

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mick Rooney.

                                             

   Chris Nield, Consultant in Public Health, provided a brief update on the work being undertaken by the NHS to improve health in the Darnall area.  She stated that addressing health inequalities was a priority for the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the City Council and that, whilst people’s health in Sheffield was improving, there was a huge variation between different neighbourhoods.  As a result of this, a need to develop local health agendas had been identified, and this work, together with linking with local fora to build on existing work relating to health issues, would form part of the Programme.

Ms. Nield referred to a number of factors which affected people’s health, relating to living and working conditions.  She also referred to statistical information regarding health issues in the Darnall and surrounding areas, as compared with the City as a whole, including male and female life expectancy and mortality rates through respiratory diseases, cancer and strokes.       

                                             

Lyn Brandon, Programme Leader for Darnall and Acres Hill, reported on the local fora in the Darnall and surrounding areas, which were involved in looking at health issues in the area, focusing specifically on the Healthier Darnall Group, which comprised representatives from various agencies and local community groups.  The main objectives of the Group were to improve access to services and facilities and encourage healthier lifestyles and health choices. Ms. Brandon concluded by displaying a number of photographs highlighting the various health-based activities held in and around the Darnall area.            

The Area Panel (a) noted the information now reported; and              

(b) thanked Chris Nield and Lyn Brandon for attending the meeting.      

                                             

      The Chair reported that the Area Panel would support and recommend that funding, which was ring-fenced for the Bangladeshi community, be transferred to the Bangladeshi Community Neighbourhood Welfare Project, as a lead agency along with the Area Panel.

 

  City Council Officers and representatives of Panel Partners reported on action being undertaken in the area, as follows:-       

                                             

Alan Williams provided an update on the works being undertaken by Parks and Countryside and other Council Services on the Mather Road Pavilion site and surrounding area.  He stated that some years ago, with the assistance of a local Friends Group, a Masterplan had been produced, which included the establishment of a local playground at the top pavilion, together with other refurbishment and landscaping works. Unfortunately, the Friends Group disbanded and efforts were now being made to re-establish a similar group, to enable additional funding to be raised for further improvements.  The Council had obtained half the relevant funding, with the hope of receiving the other half from the Football Foundation, towards extensive refurbishments of the sports pavilion.  It was proposed that two thirds of the sports pavilion would be refurbished for use by the football club, with the remaining third being refurbished and possibly used by Darnall Community Nursery.       

Mr. Williams also referred to the concerns regarding the top pavilion, specifically regarding the lack of a community presence in the pavilion during the day, and reported on plans for Darnall Community Nursery to operate from the pavilion.  Parks and Countryside would also like to re-establish a Friends Group to help with plans for refurbishing both pavilions and the surrounding landscape of the site.       

Linda Edwards, Darnall Community Nursery, reported on the problems regarding the lack of childcare in the area, indicating that such provision in the Darnall, Arbourthorne and Manor areas was the lowest in the City, with only 158 childcare places available for the 1,134 0-4 year old children in these areas.  Darnall Community Nursery had just completed the first draft of its Business Plan, which set out plans to improve the position regarding the provision of childcare in the area in the future, and included proposals regarding the possible provision of sessional care in the sports pavilion to cover both the whole day, from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m., or shorter sessions, from 9.00 a.m. to 12 noon and 1.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.     

                                             

Abid Rahim reported on the services being provided by Sheffield Futures in the area, referring specifically to provision for 13-19 year olds.  He accepted that there were problems in the area with young people gathering around shops.  Mr. Rahim added that any issues or concerns should be referred to Donna Jones, Sheffield Futures Lead Worker for this area.     

Councillor Harry Harpham reported on the launch of an initiative by the City Council, using Government funding, comprising £3m a year for the next three years, providing free one and a half hour activity sessions for eight to 13 year olds once a week.  The sessions were to be organised and managed through representatives of the voluntary, community and faith sector.         

In response to questions and comments from local residents, namely relating to the free activity sessions for eight to 13 year olds, the following responses were provided:-   

                                             

· The initiative had only recently been launched, on 1st April, 2008, in response to residents’ concerns regarding groups of young people hanging around in public areas, and the Council were talking to Chillipep, a specialist company who work with, and who would be looking to consult with young people.        

·  The funding could only be used towards the organisation of group activities, to be managed by representatives of the voluntary, community and faith sector.         

· Chillipep had a number of Youth Workers, who had experience in delivering frontline services for young people, and had helped to establish a number of Youth Councils across the City.  The Council had worked with Chillipep to undertake a web-based consultation exercise, involving approximately 5,000 young people, and the contacts gained through this exercise would be used to inform the young people of what activities were available in their area.  Young people could also find out such information on the “Ask Sid” website.

· All volunteers wishing to organise activities would be subject to the standard Criminal Records Bureau checks.        

·  The funding for the initiative was £3m for the next three years, commencing this year, with the criteria being set by the Government.  It was hoped that those groups receiving funding would become self sufficient over the years.  Another aim of the initiative was to help those representatives from the voluntary, community and faith sector organising activities to progress into paid employment.

                                             

Paul Cooper reported on the services provided by Street Force in the area, which comprised mainly litter and fly-tipping removal, street sweeping and grass cutting.  Street Force also worked closely with other Council Services, such as Parks and Countryside and Environment and Regulatory Services, and also provided help and advice for residents and community groups to arrange clean-ups in their own neighbourhoods.  Street Force also provided a Lengthsman, with funding from the Area Panel, who carried out regular street cleaning on specific estates in the area.  The Chair confirmed that the Area Panel aimed to provide funding to allow the continuation of the Lengthsman during 2008/09.     

   Mr. Cooper concluded by referring to the potential benefits of the successful bid, by the Council, for approximately £670m PFI funding towards improvements to the City’s highways network.      

  Members of the public raised questions and comments, and the following responses were provided:-   

                                             

· Members of the public were encouraged to contact Street Force on telephone number 273 4567 to report fly-tipping in their local area.  It was hoped that future investment in the locality of the Mather Road Pavilion would minimise the problems of fly-tipping in this area.     

·  All gullies in the City were cleaned once a year. The problems of blocked gullies on Prince of Wales Road were noted and would be referred to the relevant Team dealing with this. Paul Cooper

·    Steps had been taken to improve co-ordination between the different Council Services, which had resulted in improvements in street cleaning and the removal of fly-tipping.  If local residents had any concerns regarding litter or fly-tipping in the area, arrangements would be made for Panel Members and relevant Council officers to accompany them on a walk round the area to identify particular problem locations.    

·  The Council was forced to prioritise works with regard to the pruning of trees due to insufficient funding.  Any particular problem areas would be identified as part of the planned walkabout.  

· Street Force would be happy to discuss the loan of equipment to local residents wishing to organise clean-ups in their neighbourhoods.                

·         Council officers had previously walked round the Greenlands area, accompanied by a number of local residents, and had identified a number of issues, which would be referred to relevant Council Services for action.         

·  The Council had issued a number of fixed penalty notices on people caught dropping litter or fly-tipping, and a number of people had received prison sentences for fly-tipping.  The Council was very strict on taking such action and every attempt would be made to prosecute those people caught  dropping litter, fly-tipping or undertaking any other form of enviro-crime.

                                             

       Inspector Tony Dobson provided an update on police activity in the Sheffield 1 East Safer Neighbourhood Area (SNA), together with details of the priorities of the local Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) and the staffing of the local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT).          

The priorities of the NAG included improving community cohesion and dealing with auto-crime, enviro-crime, predominantly graffiti and fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour and motor cycle nuisance.    

  He reported that his SNT comprised himself, Sergeant Mick Allot, Police Community Support Officers’ (PCSO) Supervisor Bernita Mumby, PC Craig Adinall, PCSOs Gary Abbey and Matt Berry and the Council’s Safer Neighbourhood Officer, Roger White.  In terms of present action, the Team attended Acres Hill Primary School on a regular basis, visited the local Brownie Group and the Children’s Home on Mather Road, were involved in joint work with Sally Slattery, Sheffield Homes, addressing graffiti and looking at developing a tenants’ organisation, undertook regular high visibility foot and car patrols in the area, identified and engaged with local young people regarding anti-social behaviour and had supported a request from local residents for speed humps on Mather Road.          

       Inspector Dobson concluded by reporting that there had been a 9% reduction in crime across the City, which had been achieved by the Police receiving valuable help from its partner agencies.    

  Members of the public raised questions and comments, and  the following responses were provided:-   

                                             

·  The Council had obtained funding to enable the continuation of the 101 Non-Emergency Number for a further year.  Funding had also been obtained by Sheffield Homes towards the provision of additional Wardens.    

·       The SNT would welcome any news regarding problems of vandalism or intimidation at meetings of local groups in the Mather Road Pavilion and other locations within the area.            

·       The SNT aimed to direct additional resources to the Mather Road area to deal with problems of young people gathering on the streets on Friday and Saturday nights.  Local residents were encouraged to contact the police, informing them of exactly where the problems were.           

·   There were around 10 Special Constables working in the City.  There had recently been a recruitment campaign, with advertisements on public transport and on local radio.           

·  The request for speed cameras on the uphill stretch of Prince of Wales Road, heading to the Parkway, would be referred to the Council’s Road Safety Adviser, and assessed in accordance with the Council’s criteria.  Area Co-ordinator

                                             

   In response to a query by a member of the public regarding the future of the No.6 bus service, it was reported that Sheffield First Group had, after a meeting with local Councillors, promised to respond, providing some possible solutions, and that this information would be reported to a future meeting of the Area Panel.    Area Co-ordinator

     It was also reported that Clive Betts, MP, had contacted the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive to arrange a meeting at which residents could discuss any general concerns/issues regarding public transport in the area.      

The Panel noted this information. 

   In response to a query by the Headteacher of Acres Hill NIJ School on what action was being taken by the Council’s Children and Young Peoples Directorate regarding potential problems relating to a lack of school places in the area, Councillor Harry Harpham reported that, whilst it had been reported at a previous special meeting of the Panel that there would be no problems in terms of lack of school places in the area for the next two years, officers would continue to monitor the position, particularly in the light of the planned residential developments in the area.  He added that, in his position as Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, he had met with the Headteachers of Greenlands J and Phillimore NIJ Schools and Clive Betts, MP, to discuss this issue.  Reference was made to the obligations on the property developers to fund the provision of additional capacity in schools if their developments were to have an impact on capacity.     

The Panel (a) noted the information reported by all the above City Council Officers and representatives of Panel Partners, together with the comments now made; and              

                  (b) requested, in the light of the concerns now raised, that arrangements be made for relevant officers in the Children and Young People’s Directorate to attend a future meeting of the Panel to report on this issue regarding capacity at schools in the area.      Area Co-ordinator

                                             

            It was noted that the next meeting of the Panel would be held on Thursday, 22nd May, 2008 at 6.30 p.m., at a venue in Tinsley to be confirmed.