Minutes of the North Area Panel Meeting held on 18th October 2006

NORTH AREA PANEL


Meeting held 18th October, 2006
at Stocksbridge High School, Shay House Lane, Stocksbridge

PRESENT:		Councillors Trevor Bagshaw (Chair), Alison Brelsford, Martin Brelsford, Martin Davis, Alan Hooper and Vickie Priestley.

		Representatives of Panel Partners
		Sylvia Parry	-	Sheffield Elders Congress
		Councillor Mary Kaye	-	Stocksbridge Town Council
		Councillor Jack Clarkson	-	Stocksbridge Town Council
		Graham Silverwood	-	Stocksbridge Futures Partnership
		Helen Ward	-	Stocksbridge High School, Citizenship Co-ordinator and Head of History

		City Council Officers:-
		Anne Blantern	-	Area Co-ordinator
		Matthew Rush	-	Area Action Officer
		Mike Shaw	-	Street Force
		Debbie Crofts	-	Children and Young People's Directorate
		Andy Bennett	-	Traffic Information and Control
		Jason Dietsch	-	Committee Secretariat
…………………..

1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
	Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Baker, Kathleen Chadwick, Patricia Fox and Graham Oxley.

2.	PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
	A member of Sheffield Canoe Club drew Members' attention to difficulties in relation to signage for the Canoe Club in Oughtibridge and requested that Officers of the Council give consideration to the erection of an appropriate sign which the Canoe Club would fund. Andy Bennett, Traffic Information and Control, responded that Officers could consider the feasibility of introducing such a sign, although it might not be possible to position this on the highway. He agreed to refer the request of the Canoe Club to the appropriate Council Officers.
	A member of the public expressed concern at the use of the weak bridge at Bolsterstone for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and Andy Bennett responded that Officers were aware of the increasing use of the bridge by HGVs. He confirmed that Officers had been in contact with South Yorkshire Police in relation to this issue and stated that he would write to the Chief Constable, asking for appropriate enforcement measures. The Chair, Councillor Trevor Bagshaw, requested that the outcome of Officers’ requests in relation to the bridge be made known to the Area Panel. Another member of the public drew Members' attention to the taking down of signs on the bridge.
	Councillor Jack Clarkson, Stocksbridge Town Council, referred to the meeting of the Area Panel on 20th September, 2006, at which the junction of More Hall Lane and Manchester Road had been discussed and, in particular, the dangerous nature of the junction. Andy Bennett responded that the Council had no plans in relation to the junction and that any requests for improvements should be made through the road safety scheme process, which would be assessed according to the Council's criteria for such schemes. He recommended that a formal request be submitted and this be accompanied by a petition. Councillor Trevor Bagshaw, reported that the letter, previously received by the Panel in relation to More Hill Lane and Manchester Road, had been forwarded for the attention of the Council's Road Safety Section; and, in relation to the request to raise the height of the sign on Manchester Road opposite the junction of More Hall Lane to reduce the likelihood of it being defaced by graffiti, details had been passed to the Signs Manager at Street Force and signs would be repaired and replaced and resited at a higher level.
	A member of the public asked what action was being taken in relation to Frostings Close, Grenoside, and Councillor Trevor Bagshaw recommended that the questioner speak to Councillor Alan Hooper who had attended the relevant Planning and Highways Area Board of the Council, at which this matter was considered.

3.	CITIZENSHIP MANIFESTO PROJECT
	The Panel received a presentation from Helen Ward, Citizenship Co-ordinator and Head of History at Stocksbridge High School, in relation to the introduction of the Citizenship Manifesto Project. The Project would be run for a period of two years to 2008 and 12 schools were participating nationally. Support for the Project had been given by the Department for Education and Skills and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as well as the Citizenship Foundation and the Project was seen as a positive opportunity for Stocksbridge High School.
	Helen Ward explained that Citizenship represented an opportunity for young people to become more active in the life of their community and to gain knowledge of their rights and responsibilities, national debates and global issues. Citizenship encompassed young people's input into their community; the School’s culture, for example to allow debate on issues and exchange and formation of opinions; and taught aspects such as understanding relationships, decision making and conflict resolution, including the criminal justice system.
	At various stages of their school career, young people were given free gifts to support citizenship such as at Year 7 a little book of rights, at Year 8 Houses of Parliament publications, Year 9 a Young Citizen’s Passport and at Year 11 a European Union diary. The citizenship curriculum also encompassed entitlement opportunities, such as learning about Islamic civilisations.
	In Year 8, the Local MP, Angela Smith spent a day in school with young people and at Year 9 a Citizenship Day was held and pupils would visit the Magistrates Court, undertake work with the Steel Valley Project and with local Old People’s Homes such as improving grounds at the Homes and work with organisations such as the Co-op in relation to Fairtrade.
	The Project also involved community partners such as the Governing Body of the School, South Yorkshire Police, the Council's Planning Officer and Stocksbridge District Local History Group.
	It was hoped to formally launch the Citizenship Manifesto Project in February, 2007.
	A member of the public suggested that the Stocksbridge and Upper Don TARA and the Community Health Forum also be involved in the Citizenship Project. In response to a further question in relation to a possible extension of the Project nationally, Helen Ward stated that Citizenship was already compulsory on the 11 to 16 curriculum and a Citizenship GCSE could also be undertaken. She added that the aim of the Project was to pass on best practice and the results would be published by the Citizenship Foundation, as a resource for other schools. Citizenship was taught separately to Religious Education, although some issues did overlap.
	Councillor Trevor Bagshaw expressed thanks to Helen Ward for her presentation and stated that if students from Stocksbridge High School wished to attend a meeting of the Council, Members of the Panel could assist in such arrangements.
	It was agreed to note the presentation now submitted.

4.	DEVELOPMENT OF STOCKSBRIDGE CHILDREN’S CENTRE
	Debbie Crofts, Children and Young People's Directorate, reported on the development of Stocksbridge Children’s Centre. She explained that Children’s Centres had developed through the Surestart Initiative and, initially, eight such Centres had been planned in the 20% most deprived Wards in the City, with the aim of improving outcomes for children and families and providing and early intervention, as well as high quality integrated services. It was also intended that the Centres provide childcare services and outreach to support parents with children under five years of age. Links would also be made with health services, schools, child minders and Job Centre Plus.
	In the period to April, 2006, 13 Children Centres had been developed and it was intended that the number be expanded to include 30% of the most deprived wards, which would entail the creation of 18 additional Children’s Centres in Sheffield. There will be a total of 31 in the City by 2008. Stocksbridge and Deepcar had been identified as an area of the City where a Children’s Centre would be located, at the site of Stocksbridge Nursery and Infant School and a bid had been submitted for Objective One funding.
	The next steps in the process were to involve families and children and undertake further community consultation; to develop partnership working; secure funding and roll-out the initiative.
	A number of questions were asked in relation to the development of a Children’s Centre in Stocksbridge. Some concerns were expressed at the choice of sites for the Centre and particularly the potential disturbance to school activities if the Centre was based at the Nursery and Infant School and, in response; Debbie Crofts stated that the Government had strict criteria as to where a Children’s Centres could be based as services needed to be developed around existing services such as schools, neighbourhood initiatives or Early Excellence Centres. Councillor Trevor Bagshaw suggested that the criteria upon which the decisions were taken in relation to the location of the Children’s Centre be made available to the Panel.
	Responding to further questions, Debbie Crofts stated that the Centre would be open in March, 2008, in its entirety. Concern was expressed that the Panel and members of the public were not being consulted on the development but were merely being informed of how the Children’s Centre would develop and Debbie Crofts added that she was in attendance to inform members of the public and to ask what additional services would they would like in Stocksbridge and Deepcar.
	The Panel were informed that the Objective One funding bid had not yet been secured and the outcome of the bid should be known within three weeks from the date of the Panel meeting. The amount bid for Stocksbridge was £1.6m and the City Council had contributed an amount to this sum.
	Concern was expressed that potential new housing developments in the Valley, for which there were outline permissions, should be taken into account when consideration was given to the number of childcare places required at the Centre. Debbie Crofts stated that, with the projected increase in housing in the Valley, planners had projected an additional 70 to 100 children aged 0 to 16 and the Children’s Centre focused upon children aged 0 to 3 years. Schools locally had falling numbers enrolled and it was necessary that the number of childcare places should be sustainable.
	Local people were being asked what health services they would like to see and work was being undertaken with the Primary Care Trusts to enable such consultation.
	Responding to further questions Debbie Crofts stated that the Children’s Centre was to be developed on the top playing field of the School, which was only used by the school on a limited number of occasions and for limited activities due to the relief of the land.
	The Government were attempting to develop a mixed economy in relation to childcare provision, including a fee-paying element and where the Centre should be located was determined by the level of local deprivation.
	Concern was expressed at the lack of consultation in relation to the development of the Children’s Centre and particularly concerning parking and traffic which, it was thought, would increase at the school site.
	Councillor Martin Davis requested that consultation be undertaken with people living in the vicinity of the school and with Highways Officers.
	A question was asked in relation to funding and the sustainability of Children’s Centres across the City and Debbie Crofts responded that there was a revenue budget for the Centres through the Surestart grant and a number of agencies were contributing to the work of the Centres in partnership. Childcare would be provided through an agreement between the Children’s Centre and Stocksbridge Training and Enterprise Partnership (STEP) and a Business Plan/Protocol was being developed in relation to how agencies would work together.
	The Panel were informed that STEP would not own the building but effectively had a contract through the Local Authority to provide childcare. The 52 places allotted for childcare would need to be sustainable and at present 30 places were provided by STEP. 750 children up to 5 years of age had been identified as recipients of outreach services.
	Councillor Trevor Bagshaw stated that there were clearly a number of issues upon which the community still required information in relation to the Children’s Centre and he expressed the hope that the Community Forum would help inform local people and offered the support of the Area Panel in facilitating such communication.
	It was agreed to note the report and presentation and the comments thereon.

5.	PARKING ON THE STUBBIN ESTATE, STOCKSBRIDGE
	Councillor Martin Davis informed the Panel that the Town Council had made a request some two years previously that action be taken such as the installation of parking restrictions on the Lee Avenue/Hills Road roundabout on the Stubbin Estate, Stocksbridge and that kerb repairs be undertaken. Andy Bennett responded that he would make enquiries as to the status of this request but underlined that the best course of action would be to submit a request through the road safety scheme process.
	Councillor Martin Davis also pointed to the general wish to improve the environment on the Estate, stating that an amount of the highway was being transferred to Housing Associations, including responsibility for the verges and highways. Andy Bennett stated that highway related law was complex but that Highways Regulation Officers did regularly meet with Officers with responsibility for housing and that a new verge parking strategy had been developed in 2001 and a verge hardening solution had been instigated in some areas.
	Councillor Trevor Bagshaw stated that there was also a community safety dimension in relation to highways matters and inappropriate parking. Councillor Martin Brelsford stated that there was correspondence with bus companies, particularly concerning the change of bus routes which meant that in some places, the No. 57 service had two buses passing each other which had damaged the verge and he was concerned that there would be an accident and that correspondence had not been undertaken between the bus companies and Highways Officers.
	Andy Bennett stated that there had been no correspondence, to his knowledge, from the relevant bus companies and Councillor Martin Brelsford stated that, although there had not been injury accidents, there had been a number of people having to make insurance claims because of damage to vehicles resulting from accidents.
	The Stocksbridge Forum had met with representatives of Street Force in relation to the Stubbin Estate and particularly environmental improvements such as the planting of flowers on the roundabout. It was requested that this matter be investigated further and Mike Shaw, Street Force, agreed to action this item.
	Suggestions were made in relation to using some areas for residents parking and in response Andy Bennett stated that the status of the land particularly its ownership would need to be established before any such scheme could be considered. He also pointed to the potential detrimental effects of removing parking from highways, such as increasing vehicle speeds and the difficulties in installing double yellow lines, which might adversely affect some residents.
	A member of the public expressed particular concern at damage to verges caused by buses on Lee Avenue and the obstruction caused by buses using certain stretches of highway.
	Councillor Martin Davis referred to Carr Road and Coultas Avenue, Stocksbridge, and the requirement for markings on the carriageway denoting a 30 mph speed restriction.
	Councillor Martin Davis also referred to resurfacing work on Edward Street and the limited extent to resurfacing on that stretch of highway.
	Councillor Martin Brelsford expressed thanks on behalf of the Panel to Andy Bennett in relation to his attendance and conduct at meetings of the Area Panel.
	It was agreed that a report should be made to a future meeting of the Area Panel in relation to the parking and bus related issues on the Stubbin Estate.

6.	PARISH COUNCIL MATTERS
	Councillor Mary Kaye, Stocksbridge Town Council, drew the Panel's attention to the condition of pedestrian guarding railings at Deepcar and requested that these be repainted. Mike Shaw, Street Force, stated that this matter would be investigated.

7.	MINUTES
	The minutes of the meeting held on 20th September, 2006 were agreed as a true record and arising therefrom, Councillor Jack Clarkeson, Stocksbridge Town Council stated that he still awaited the breakdown of monies spent in the North area in relation to highways and particularly the proportion of this spent in Stocksbridge requested at the last meeting. The Chair, Councillor Trevor Bagshaw stated that a list of answers to questions raised at the last meeting had been made available by Street Force and further details would be appended to information circulated as part of the next meeting of the Panel, which would take place in November, 2006. He summarised that the highway maintenance issues in the North area equated to 15.2% of the total work issued throughout the City for 2005/6. In the current financial year (2006/7) highway maintenance issues in the North area (Area 1) equated to 13.5% of the work issued to date.
	Anne Blantern, Area Co-ordinator, stated that in relation to the verges on Low Road, Oughtibridge, these had been strimmed and soiling and seeding work had been undertaken and the verges would also be stone-picked.

8.	DATE OF NEXT MEETING
	It was noted that the next meeting of the Area Panel would be held on Wednesday, 15th November, 2006, at 6.30 p.m. at St. Saviour Church Hall, Mortomley Lane, High Green.

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