Minutes of the Darnall Area Panel

DARNALL AREA PANEL


Meeting held 25th September, 2003 at Darnall Health Centre, York Road


PRESENT:		Councillors Mohammad Altaf (Chair), Harry Harpham and Mary Lea

		Officers in attendance:-
		David Curtis	-	Head of Development Services
		Debbie Merrill	-	Development Services
		Andy Shallice	-	Area Co-ordinator
		Mark Swancott	-	Area Support Officer
		Val Hughes	-	Darnall Library
		Daniel Swaine	-	Committee Secretariat

		Also in attendance:-
		Insp Tony Dobson	)	South Yorkshire Police
		PC McNamara	)

		Kate Chilton	)
		Chris Sargeant	)	South East Primary Care Trust
		Rosie Trainer	)

		Chris Crake	-	Sheffield Futures

…………………..

1.	APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR
	In the absence of the Chair, Councillor Terry Barrow, it was agreed that Councillor Mohammad Altaf would act as Chair.

2.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE PANEL
	An apology for absence was received from Councillor Terry Barrow.

3.	PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
	The following questions were raised by members of the public and responses were provided as follows:-

	Q. Could the Area Co-ordinator provide a progress report with regard to the bus service for pupils travelling to Hinde House School?

	R. The Area Co-ordinator stated that he had made enquiries with the School and the Education Directorate and he confirmed that a Service Level Agreement (SLA) was now place with First Mainline. It was anticipated that this agreement would ensure the provision of a reliable bus service for children travelling to the School. It was also acknowledged that there had been some problems in the past with the bus service but recently the service had improved. The Area Co-ordinator further commented that any complaints regarding the service should be referred to John Bigley, Education Directorate who would act as a contact with First Mainline on issues of this nature. In conclusion, he added that it was not anticipated that changes would be made to where the route started due to the financial implications of such changes.

	Q. A local resident expressed concern regarding the route of the school bus to Hinde House School and commented that a number of issues regarding the route had been outstanding for some time and sought clarification as to when these issues would be resolved.

	R. The Area Co-ordinator acknowledged the issues raised and Members of the Panel recognised that the provision of a bus service for schoolchildren needed to give consideration to safety issues. The Chair added that it would be appropriate for the Area Co-ordinator to make further enquiries regarding this issue and provide an update at a future meeting of the Panel.

	Q. Could measures be implemented to restrict access to the former Kettlebridge School site to prevent vandalism and instances of alleged flytipping?

	R. The Area Co-ordinator acknowledged the concerns now expressed and stated that with regard to the Kettlebridge site a local residents group had met with the East End Quality of Life Group to discuss funding sources that could be used to finance the implementation of measures to restrict access to the site.

	Q. What action could be undertaken to quicken the process for the implementation of a pedestrian crossing in Main Road, Darnall?

	R. The Area Co-ordinator confirmed that this issue would be given consideration by the City Centre and East Planning and Highways Area Board on 6th October, 2003 and the Board would give consideration to any objections in their determination of the scheme.

	Q. Could action be taken to remedy the flytipping problems in areas surrounding the cemetery, the land in front of Greenland school and sites within the proximity of Acres Hill School. These problems had been recurring for a period of three years and local residents were regularly having to request that Street Force attend to remove rubbish and also remove the blue bins provided for recycling.

	R. Councillor Harry Harpham explained that he was the Cabinet Member for Streetscene issues and with regard to the concerns expressed relating to the removal of blue bins he stated that it would be necessary to make further enquiries regarding this issue particularly in respect of the legal obligations for the removal of these bins. Commenting on the flytipping issues he acknowledged the questioners concerns and referred to the Cleaner Sheffield initiative, which indicated a significant financial commitment by the Council to implement measures which would help to remedy problems of this nature. He stated that it was anticipated that the first round of this initiative would include the Darnall area and would focus on extra provision with regard to flytipping, roadsweeping and the development of a rapid response team to ensure action was taken quickly to remedy problems associated with litter. The Chair acknowledged that there were specific problem sites in the Darnall area and that action should be taken to remedy the problems at these sites however the issue of litter and flytipping required education to ensure that people were aware of their responsibilities. In conclusion Councillor Harry Harpham stated that the Council was keen to ensure that enforcement action was taken with regard to illegal flytipping and stated that local residents could contact Street Force on telephone number 273 4567 to report problems of this nature.

	Q. Could action be taken to remove the oil drums allegedly left at certain sites within the Darnall area by food retailers?

	R. Councillor Harry Harpham stated that action would be taken in cases of this nature when the alleged offender could be identified and sufficient evidence was available on which to base a prosecution. However, in many cases of this nature it was difficult to identify the individual responsible but if the issue was reported to Street Force then action would be taken to remove the litter as soon as possible.

	Q. With regard to vacant buildings within the Darnall area could the Panel give consideration to the implementation of measures to restrict access to these sites to prevent illegal flytipping particularly as the presentation of these sites made it difficult to attract investment and could be detrimental to the regeneration of the area.

	R. The Chair acknowledged the points now made and stated that the Council was committed to resolving problems associated with flytipping and litter. He added that with regard to vacant premises and areas of land it was necessary to ensure these sites did not remain vacant for any longer than necessary as they could become a focus for flytipping and litter problems. He stated that the Council would take action to remedy problems of flytipping and litter but that education was required to raise the people's awareness of their responsibilities, particularly with regard to flytipping. He added that it would be necessary to identify priority areas to ensure that resources were properly allocated to remedy "hotspots" in the Panel's area.

	Q. Could bins be provided on Fisher Lane to enable children from Greenlands School to dispose of their litter correctly, particularly as there were seven take-away food outlets in the area and the number of bins was inadequate?


	R. Councillor Mary Lea acknowledged the concerns expressed and referred to the system for prioritising the location of bins. Councillor Harry Harpham referred to the resources available to the Area Panel to finance projects of this nature and stated that the questioner should discuss this matter with the Area Co-ordinator.

	In conclusion a local resident referred to the Bring Out Your Rubbish Days organised by the Area Panel and stated that these events had been very successful and had given local people an opportunity to dispose of large items of rubbish.

4.	YOUTH PROVISION IN THE DARNALL AREA
	Chris Crake, Sheffield Futures reported on the work of Sheffield Futures in the Darnall area. He outlined the background to the establishment of Sheffield Futures, which was an independent charity that had been formed by combining the Sheffield Careers Guidance Services with the Council's Youth Service. With regards to youth provision he indicated that resource implications had required reductions to the staffing budget and this meant that a number of short-term contracts for provision in the Darnall area had not been renewed. However the majority of staff who were on temporary contracts had now received permanent contracts.
	With regard to youth provision in the Darnall Area, Chris Crake commented that Sheffield Futures provided 22 sessions per week and these included seven youth club sessions, normally conducted in the evening, five sessions specifically for girls and young women and 10 evening detached or street work sessions. These sessions operated on 38 weeks of the year and in addition to this level of provision staff carried out other work particularly in the school holidays and weekends. Sheffield Futures had other contracts such as Connexions South Yorkshire and Positive Activities for Young People and these added to the existing provision in the local area. It was anticipated that changes to the staffing arrangements would mean that one of the 10 sessions of detached or street work would stop and a review would be undertaken in order to prioritise the location of street work in the area.
	Referring to the importance of the provision of services for girls and young women, Chris Crake stated that existing services had been prioritised and changes would ensure a modest increase in service provision with this being be supported by closer partnership working with the Council's Sport and Community Recreation Unit. He added that partnership working with Darnall Forum, Sport and Community Recreation, the Community Cohesion Project and the Youth Association of South Yorkshire had helped to involve young people in the decision making processes of Sheffield Futures. It was anticipated that a leaflet providing details of the range of youth work in the Darnall/Tinsley/Handsworth area, the contact details for staff co-ordinating activities, where the service was provided and its frequency would be available in the near future .
	Arising from the information now reported the following questions were asked and responses given:-

	Q. Didn't the charitable status of Sheffield Futures Limited increase access to funding opportunities?

	R. Chris Crake acknowledged that the charitable status of Sheffield Futures increased opportunity to alternative funding sources however at the moment budgetary restrictions had reduced funding and this meant that service provision had to be reviewed due to the limited financial resources available.

	Q. A Residents Association in the Bowden Wood area had been working with youth workers regarding the development of a youth project but after preliminary discussions with Sheffield Futures no further progress had been made. Could action be taken to ensure that a response was provided from Sheffield Futures?

	R. Chris Crake acknowledged the questioners concerns and stated that it would be necessary to speak to the questioner regarding this issue so that proper enquiries could be made.

	Q. Were there any proposals to reduce the level of service provision in the Staniforth Road area.

	R. Chris Crake stated that it was not anticipated that any reductions to service provision in the Staniforth Road area would be made.

	Q. Had consideration been given to using alternative venues in the area for the provision of services for young people?

	R. Chris Crake stated that the provision of services for young people was often dependent on the availability of suitable premises and he added that discussions had undertaken with Phillimore School regarding the availability of a venue for the provision of services for young people.

	Members of the Panel thanked Chris Crake for his report and noted the information contained therein.

5.	MINUTES
	The minutes of the Panel's meetings held on 15th and 17th July, 2003 were approved as a correct record.

6.	RETAIL PROVISION AND HEALTH SERVICES IN THE DARNALL AREA
	Consideration was given to a report of the Area Co-ordinator regarding changes in retail provision and health services in the Darnall area. The report commented that in Autumn, 2002 Wm Morrisons plc had announced that it would close their store in Darnall and open a store at a site in Catcliffe. The Area Panel had been extremely active in exploring the reasons behind the decision to close the Darnall store and acknowledged the concerns of residents at the potential impact of the loss of a major food retailer in the area. Enquiries had been made with a number of major food retailers regarding the potential development of retail provision in the area and as a result of these enquiries discussions had taken place with Sheffield Co-Op with regard to retail provision in the Darnall area.
	Referring to the relocation of the Morrisons Store to a site at Catcliffe, discussions had been undertaken with Wm Morrisons Limited with regard to the provision of a bus service to enable local residents to travel to the new store. Wm Morrisons Ltd had indicated that they did not intend to provide such a bus service due to a lack of customer demand but, if there was a demand for public transport provision it anticipated that bus operators would re-route existing services or introduce additional services to accommodate this.
	The Area Co-ordinator indicated that representatives from Sheffield Co-op were unable to attend the meeting and it was anticipated that a presentation outlining their intentions for the Darnall area would be provided at a future meeting of the Panel.
	Referring to the provision of Health Services in the Darnall area the Area Co-ordinator introduced Kate Chilton and Chris Sargeant f, rom the South East Primary Care Trust. Chris Sargeant referred to the Local Improvement Finance Trust, (LIFT) initiative which provided a public/private partnership agreement for the provision of primary health care services. He added that it was anticipated that the LIFT initiative would enable a project to be developed in the Darnall area that would facilitate the amalgamation of the three existing GP services and the introduction of a new primary care facility serving local residents. The South East Primary Care Trust had given consideration to a number of sites within the Darnall area that could be used for the location of the project and the preferred site was an area of open space within close proximity of Prince of Wales Road. In order for the project to develop the South East Primary Care Trust was anxious to acquire the site so that a detailed design could be developed in consultation with the local community.
	Arising from the information now reported a number of questions were asked and responses provided as follows:-

	Q. Could further information be provided regarding Sheffield Co-ops intentions for the introduction of retail facilities in the Darnall area.

	R. The Chair stated that representatives from the Co-op would provide further details of their intentions at a future meeting of the Panel.

	Q. With regard to the LIFT initiative and the development of a Primary Care facility in the Darnall area who would be able to influence the design process.

	R. Chris Sargeant referred to the development of a stakeholder group and stated that it was anticipated that this process would enable the views of local people to be integrated into the development. He added that the South East Primary Care Trust was keen to ensure that health providers worked in partnership with stakeholders in the development of proposals

	Q. If the project was located at the preferred site at Prince of Wales Road what would happen to the services provided from the Social Services building located there?

	R. The Area Co-ordinator referred to discussions that had taken place between Social Services and the South East Primary Care Trust regarding this issue. Social Services had indicated that this site did not provide a high level of service delivery and any relocation of the services would be done in consultation with service users.

	Q. Would the consultation undertaken by the South East Primary Care Trust, regarding the LIFT project, be similar to that which was undertaken in the Tinsley area?

	R. Chris Sargeant indicated that the provision of facilities in the Darnall area presented a number of different issues and therefore the consultation process would enable the provision of services related to the needs identified within the area.

	Q. Certain members of the community felt that the Council was not receptive to the LIFT initiative and therefore the project could be unnecessarily delayed.

	R. David Curtis stated that the Council was committed to the projects development and would provide assistance and guidance in the determination of a site and any proposals to provide a valuable community facility.

	Q. Was consideration being given to the development of integrated public services with the LIFT initiative particularly the provision of a new library at the preferred site?

	R. Val Hughes, Darnall Library indicated that she was not aware of any intended proposals to relocate the existing library and David Curtis confirmed that any such relocation had significant resource implications and would require detailed consideration.

	Q. With regards to the LIFT initiative had consideration been given to the traffic implications of locating the project at the Prince of Wales site, particularly accessing the site via a three -lane carriageway?

	R. David Curtis stated that it was anticipated that the design process would help to develop safe routes to the site and he added that the process would help to ensure safe methods of accessing the site for pedestrians and motorists.

	Q. What would happen to the premises that would become vacant when the three doctors surgeries were relocated?

	R. In response the Chair stated that the agency who owned these buildings would be responsible for their future usage however, the Council would work in partnership with all the appropriate agencies to ensure these premises were best used for the benefit of the local community.

	Q. Did patients at the Doctors surgery at 246 Darnall Road, support the proposals for the location of the LIFT project?

	R. The Doctor providing services from this surgery stated that he was unable to provide an indication of patients views however, he was aware of the reasons for the provision of a new health facility in the Darnall area.

	Arising from the information now reported the following comment was made:-

	· Consideration should be given to the development of a master planning to ensure that vacant premises throughout the Darnall area were best used for the development of community facilities and did not remain vacant for any longer than necessary. This process would ensure that the opportunities presented by vacant properties were fully utilised and linked to the regeneration of the Darnall area

	In conclusion, the Area Co-ordinator referred to a report submitted to the Council's Cabinet on 24th September, 2003 regarding the development of a First Point Strategy which would help to integrate Council services. It was anticipated that this strategy would help to develop a multi-agency approach to service provision in the area integrating housing, transport, education, health and community facilities. With regard to the development of a masterplanning process for the Darnall area, the Area Co-ordinator confirmed that the Darnall Dialogue Group had given consideration to this issue and it was anticipated that the issue would be given further consideration at future meetings of the Group.
	Members of the Panel thanked Kate Chilton and Chris Sargeant for their report and noted the information contained therein.

7.	PROPOSALS FOR YOUTH SERVICES IN THE DARNALL AREA
	The Area Co-ordinator referred to proposals for the development of an East Sheffield Link bus Route connecting the Darnall area to retail developments. He added that any comments on this proposed service should be passed to him so that they could be forwarded to the appropriate agencies.

8.	DATE OF NEXT MEETING
	It was noted that the next meeting of the Area Panel would be held on Thursday, 27th November, 2003 at 6.00 p.m. at a venue to be confirmed.

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