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Council Minutes 3rd December 2003

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held 3rd December, 2003

Meeting of the Council of the City of Sheffield held in the Council Chamber within the Town Hall, Sheffield, on Wednesday, 3rd December, 2003, pursuant to notice duly given and Summonses duly served.

PRESENT

THE DEPUTY LORD MAYOR (Councillor Mike Pye)

1 Beauchief Ward	11 Firth Park Ward	20 Nether Shire Ward
Mike Davis	Alan Law	Jane Bird
Peter Moore	Joan Barton	Peter Rippon
Andrew Sangar

2 Birley Ward	12 Hallam Ward	21 Netherthorpe Ward
Angela Smith	John Knight	Sylvia Anginotti
Bryan Lodge	John Hesketh	Steve Ayris
		Brian Holmes

3 Brightside Ward	13 Handsworth Ward	22 Norton Ward
Peter Price	Mick Rooney	Chris Tutt
Alf Meade	Ray Satur	Garry Weatherall
John Webster	Marjorie Barker	Beverley Wright

4 Broomhill Ward	14 Heeley Ward	23 Owlerton Ward
Alan Whitehouse	Tessa Hainey	Mark Wilde
Paul Scriven	Ian Richardson	Chris Weldon
Janice Sidebottom	Terry Fox	James Hanson

5 Burngreave Ward	15 Hillsborough Ward	24 Park Ward
Ibrar Hussain	Janet Bragg	Elizabeth Taylor
Steve Jones	Robert MacDonald	John Robson
Jackie Drayton	Peter MacLoughlin

6 Castle Ward	16 Intake Ward	25 Sharrow Ward
Jan Wilson	Martin Lawton	Jean Cromar
Mike King	John Campbell	Mohammad Nazir
Pat Midgley	Bob McCann	Basheer Khan

7 Chapel Green Ward	17 Manor Ward	26 South Wortley Ward
Kathleen Chadwick	Harry Harpham	Vic Bowden
Graham Oxley	Jan Fiore	Arthur Dunworth
Pat Fox	Gill Furniss	David Baker

8 Darnall Ward	18 Mosborough Ward	27 Southey Green Ward
Mary Lea	Chris Rosling-Josephs	Tim Rippon
Mohammad Altaf	Barbara Belcher	Tony Damms
	Sam Wall	Steve Wilson

9 Dore Ward	19 Nether Edge Ward	28 Stocksbridge Ward
Colin Ross	Andrew White	Maureen Brelsford
Keith Hill	Pat White	Martin Brelsford
Anne Smith	Ali Qadar

10 Ecclesall Ward		29 Walkley Ward
Roger Davison		Jonathan Harston
Sylvia Dunkley		Veronica Hardstaff
Kate Dawson

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from the Lord Mayor (Councillor Diane Leek), and Councillors Terry Barrow, Julie Dore and Doreen Newton.

MINUTES OF LAST MEETING

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Pat Midgley, seconded by Councillor John Webster, that the minutes of the meeting of the City Council held on 5th November, 2003, be approved as a correct record, with the inclusion of the name of Councillor Bob McCann in the list of Members present.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS

Petitions

The Council considered petitions (a) containing 379 signatures requesting that Sheffield City Council declare Sheffield a "Genetically Modified Free Zone" and, after hearing representations made by Dr. Jillian Creasy, referred the petition to Councillor Gill Furniss, the Cabinet Member for Development, Environment and Leisure, who stated that the issues had been debated by the Council in April, 1999, leading to the adoption of a policy to eliminate genetically modified food from the Council's food operations and that the Council had lobbied the Government on the issue and had recommended the adoption of a cautionary approach to the development of genetically modified food;

(b) containing 416 signatures of residents of Ecclesall and surrounding districts served by the Ringinglow Fire Station, expressing opposition to the proposed closure of the Fire Station and, after hearing representations made by Mrs. Marian Parker, referred the petition for consideration by the South Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority, with Councillor Jan Wilson, the Leader of the City Council indicating that five Members represented the City Council on the Fire and Civil Defence Authority that would take the ultimate decision, taking cognisance of the points raised at this meeting and issues raised in discussions on the Notice of Motion to be debated later in the meeting;

(c) containing 320 signatures supporting the proposal that if the proposed Supertram extension from Sheffield to Dore goes ahead, it should remain on the railway track bed for its entire route and not deviate on to Abbeydale Road South at any stage and, after hearing representations made by Mr. Nick Cole, referred the petition for consideration by the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, with Councillor Jan Wilson, the Leader of the City Council and Deputy Chair of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority offering to pass on the information provided by Mr. Cole as a contribution to the debate and consultation process on the proposed extension;

(d) containing 77 signatures of residents of Jedburgh Street and Standwell Close, Wincobank, asking that the steps on the Estate be widened from 10 inches to 12 inches as many elderly people on the Estate are finding it difficult to be able to walk on them as the footspace is not wide enough to place their whole foot on and referred the petition for consideration by the City Centre and East Planning and Highways Area Board; and

(e) containing 37 signatures from residents of Stannington Road asking why they were not informed about the road scheme which is taking place in front of their properties and referred the petition for consideration by the North and West Planning and Highways Area Board.

Public Question Re: Social Services Contract

Mr. Wrottesley referred to the Notice of Motion on the Council Summons given by Councillor Mick Rooney concerning the Social Services Directorate and, in highlighting difficulties that had been experienced with the Disabled Persons’ Home Support contract, enquired what choices disabled people actually had regarding their care.

In response, Councillor Mick Rooney, the Cabinet Member for Social Services and Health stated that additional money had been invested in the Equipment and Adaptation Services and Home Support, in replacing Old People's Homes with new build and extra care facilities and were developing a number of other initiatives. With particular reference to the Disabled Persons’ Home Support Contract in the South West of the City that had been awarded in April, he stated that the contractors had experienced difficulties in fulfilling the contract and had relinquished it in November. The basic needs of the people covered by the contract had been identified and, through a combination of in-house service provision and use of other contractors, the service had been covered whilst the new contract was sorted out. He had received a great deal of correspondence at the time and, as no enquiries had been received recently, he had assumed that the problems had been solved. However, he invited Mr. Wrottesley to contact him if he was still experiencing problems with the support contract.

Public Questions Re: Ringinglow Fire Station

Mr. P. Matthewman asked if Members would be mandated to oppose the closure of Ringinglow Fire Station, should agreement be reached on the Notice of Motion given by Councillor Kate Dawson to be debated at the meeting.

In response, Councillor Jan Wilson, the Leader of the Council, stated that the Members of the South Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority would take a decision based on all relevant information presented to them at the appropriate meeting. She added that it was not possible to mandate the City Council's representatives and the Chief Executive confirmed that it was not possible to fetter the discretion of another Authority.

Mr. P. Willers asked if the Council was aware that the statistics within the Integrated Risk Management Plan contained errors and had been wrongly used to make it appear that Ringinglow Fire Station was under utilised. He asked if the Council would ask the Fire and Civil Defence Authority to test the validity of its statistics through independent scrutineers.

Councillor Jan Wilson, the Leader of the Council stated that she would pass on Mr. Willers’ request to the Fire and Civil Defence Authority.

Mrs. Cole, in voicing the worries and concerns of local people, drew attention to the amount of building development taking place in the area, particularly for elderly people and claiming that if fire engine call out times were longer lives would be lost, asked the Council to make a plea to the Fire and Civil Defence Authority to find additional money to retain Ringinglow Fire Station rather than lose the facility.

Councillor Jan Wilson, the Leader of the Council replied that, whilst she was reassured by the greater emphasis to be placed on fire safety work, she understood the concerns that had been raised by members of the public at the meeting and thanked them for putting the case before the Council.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

Urgent Business

There were no questions relating to urgent business under the provisions of Standing Order A18(2).

South Yorkshire Joint Authorities

No questions were asked on the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities under the provisions of Standing Order A18(4).

Yorkshire and Humber Assembly

No questions were asked on the discharge of the functions of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly under the provisions of Standing Order A18(4).

Written Questions

Members asked supplementary questions on written questions submitted at the meeting under the provisions of Standing Order A18(1).

Verbal Questions

No verbal questions were asked of Cabinet Members, Chairs of Scrutiny Boards and Regulatory Boards.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

It was moved by Councillor Peter MacLoughlin, seconded by Councillor Peter Moore, that the Council does now proceed to the consideration of Notice of Motion 8 regarding Park Hill flats.

On being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Pat Midgley, seconded by Councillor John Webster, that the Council does now proceed to the consideration of Notice of Motion No. 15 relating to Fire Service Provision in South Yorkshire and the proposed closure of Ringinglow Fire Station.

NOTICE OF MOTION RE: FIRE SERVICE PROVISION IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE AND THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF RINGINGLOW FIRE STATION

It was moved by Councillor Kate Dawson, seconded by Councillor John Hesketh that this Council:-

(a) is of the view that Sheffield deserves a high quality Fire and Rescue Service and that this will not be achieved through the non-strategic closure of fire stations in Sheffield;

(b) believes that improvements to Fire Service provision in other areas of South Yorkshire should not be at the expense of provision in Sheffield;

(c) is opposed therefore to the proposed closure of Ringinglow Fire Station, a move which has been encouraged by changes in Government policy; and

(d) directs that copies of this resolution be sent to South Yorkshire's Chief Fire Officer, the South Yorkshire Fire and Civil Defence Authority, the Sheffield Members of Parliament, the Minister of State responsible for the Fire Service and his opposite numbers in the two main opposition parties at Westminster, and the South Yorkshire branch of the Fire Brigades’ Union.

Whereupon it was moved by Councillor Mohammad Nazir, seconded by Councillor Jane Bird, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted, be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the substitution of the following words therefor:-

(a)

notes the release for consultation of “In The Right Place At The Right Time”, the Draft Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service;

(b)

notes that the IRMP does the following things:-

(i)

identifies existing and potential risks to the community;

(ii)

evaluates the effectiveness of current Fire and Rescue Service preventative and response arrangements;

(iii)

identifies opportunities for improvement and determines policies and standards for Fire and Rescue Service prevention and intervention; and

(iv)

determines resource requirements to meet these policies;

(c)

further notes that the IRMP puts people first, rather than buildings and assesses the risks arising from the full range of fires and emergencies, looking at the options for their prevention, reduction and management;

(d)

believes that the IRMP will contribute to a safer environment by integrating community safety, fire safety inspection and enforcement and emergency response arrangements;

(e)

notes that the proposals submitted for consultation were given all party support by the Fire Authority;

(f)

welcomes the fact that an integral component of the process leading to the implementation and continual review of the IRMP will be the consultation of the relevant stakeholders; and

(g)

urges the Fire Authority to ensure due attention is given to the views of all consultees.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

The votes on the amendment were ordered to be recorded and were as follows:-

For the Amendment (45)

The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Mike Pye), Councillors Bryan Lodge, Angela Smith, John Webster, Peter Price, Alf Meade, Steve Jones, Ibrar Hussain, Jackie Drayton, Pat Midgley, Jan Wilson, Mike King, Mary Lea, Mohammad Altaf, Alan Law, Joan Barton, Mick Rooney, Ray Satur, Marjorie Barker, Terry Fox, Janet Bragg, Robert MacDonald, John Campbell, Martin Lawton, Gill Furniss, Harry Harpham, Jan Fiore, Chris Rosling-Josephs, Barbara Belcher, Sam Wall, Peter Rippon, Jane Bird, Beverley Wright, Garry Weatherall, Mark Wilde, Chris Weldon, James Hanson, John Robson, Mohammad Nazir, Basheer Khan, Jean Cromar, Tony Damms, Tim Rippon, Steve Wilson and Veronica Hardstaff.

Against the Amendment (32)

Councillors Andrew Sangar, Mike Davis, Peter Moore, Janice Sidebottom, Alan Whitehouse, Graham Oxley, Kathleen Chadwick, Pat Fox, Keith Hill, Anne Smith, Colin Ross, Sylvia Dunkley, Kate Dawson, Roger Davison, John Hesketh, John Knight, Tessa Hainey, Ian Richardson, Peter MacLoughlin, Bob McCann, Ali Qadar, Andrew White, Steve Ayris, Sylvia Anginotti, Brian Holmes, Chris Tutt, David Baker, Arthur Dunworth, Vic Bowden, Maureen Brelsford, Martin Brelsford and Jonathan Harston.