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Council Minutes 30th July 2003

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held Wednesday, 30th July, 2003.

Meeting of the Council of the City of Sheffield held in the Council Chamber within the Town Hall, Sheffield, on Wednesday, 30th July, 2003, pursuant to notice duly given and Summonses duly served.

PRESENT

THE LORD MAYOR (Councillor Diane Leek)

THE DEPUTY LORD MAYOR (Councillor Mike Pye)

1 Beauchief Ward	11 Firth Park Ward	20 Nether Shire Ward
Peter Moore	AlanLaw	Jane Bird
Andrew Sangar	Joan Barton	Doreen Newton
	Ilyas Khan	Bill Eddison

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	Michael 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	John Robson
Steve Jones	Robert MacDonald	Julie Dore
Jackie Field	Peter MacLoughlin

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

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

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

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

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

PERSONAL STATEMENTS BY COUNCILLORS HARRY HARPHAM AND JOHN HESKETH

The Council noted the terms of personal statements made by Councillors Harry Harpham and John Hesketh with regard to matters which had arisen at the meeting of the City Council held on 4th June, 2003.

COUNCILLOR ELIZABETH TAYLOR

Councillor Maureen Brelsford referred to the recent operation undergone by Councillor Elizabeth Taylor and from which she was now making a recovery and to the expressions of best wishes received by Councillor Taylor from Members of the City Council and arising therefrom it was:-

RESOLVED: That the best wishes of this Council be conveyed to Councillor Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor for a speedy recovery to full health following her recent operation.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Baker, Terry Barrow, Martin Davis, Pat Fox, Basheer Khan, Martin Lawton, Colin Ross, Elizabeth Taylor and Chris Wheldon.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

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 2nd July, 2003, be approved as a correct record with the addition of the names of Councillors Tessa Hainey and Ian Richardson to the list of those present.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS

Petitions

The Council considered petitions (a) containing 686 signatures calling upon the Council to assist in preventing the scourge of trials bikers, who daily terrorise and intimidate both young and old whilst training or playing soccer on the Thorncliffe playing fields, by constructing a security fence around the perimeter of the site and, after hearing representations made by Mr. B. Shaw on behalf of the petitioners, referred the petition for consideration by Councillor Tim Rippon, the Cabinet Member for Community Safety; and

(b) containing 1,793 signatures of residents of Wincobank protesting strongly at the proposal to close Wincobank Post Office on Barrow Road, pointing out that the alternatives suggested by the Post Office are difficult to reach, particularly by the elderly, and calling upon the Council to request the Post Office to review its decision with a view to keeping the Wincobank branch open and referred the petition for consideration by Councillor Harry Harpham, the Cabinet Member for Streetscene.

Public Question - Illegal Motor Cycling at Thorncliffe and Mortomley Parks

Dr. Trevor Bagshaw asked if Councillor Jan Wilson would investigate why he had not received an answer to the question which he posed at the last meeting of the City Council held on 2nd July, 2003, and which concerned illegal motor cycling in parks and other Council owned pedestrian areas and the apparent lack of progress by the City Council in implementing planned improvements to both Mortomley and Thorncliffe Parks in High Green.

Councillor Tim Rippon, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, agreed to respond on this matter to Dr. Bagshaw as a matter of urgency.

Public Question Re: Youth Services

Dr. Trevor Bagshaw referred to a "front page" item in the Sheffield Star on the 21st July, 2003, concerning possible job losses in the Youth Service provided by Sheffield Futures which, he understood, was funded in part by Sheffield City Council and asked (a) if Councillor Jan Wilson would assure all the citizens of Sheffield that provision of support services for all young people in the City was a high priority for the Council, (b) if the Cabinet Member dealing with Youth Services would make detailed enquiries with Sheffield Futures and seek an assurance from them that the meagre but greatly valued services available to the young people in the North of Sheffield and elsewhere in the City would not be cut, (c) in the event of inadequate assurances being given, what action would the Cabinet take to sustain youth services across the City, and (d) the Cabinet Member with responsibility for this area write to him responding to these questions when enquiries have been made and also submit copies of this response to the Chairs of each Area Panel.

Councillor Angela Smith, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Education and Training undertook to respond to Dr. Bagshaw on these matters and also to send copies of her response to the Chairs of the Area Panels.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

Urgent Business

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

South Yorkshire Joint Authorities

Councillors Sylvia Anginotti and Paul Scriven asked questions of Councillor Jan Fiore with regard to the response of the South Yorkshire Police Authority on the success of "Operation Impact" and the effect of moving police resources into that Operation and away from other types of crime.

Councillors Paul Scriven and Sylvia Dunkley asked questions of Councillor Jan Wilson in connection with the view of the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority on the response of consumer groups to the awarding of the Northern Rail franchise and the improvement of rail and other transportation links in South Yorkshire.

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(2).

Written Questions

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

Verbal Questions to Cabinet Members and Chairs of Scrutiny Boards and Regulatory Boards

In accordance of the provisions of Standing Order A18(5) no verbal questions were asked of Cabinet Members and Chairs of Scrutiny Boards, as the time limit of 30 minutes allocated for Members' written and oral questions had expired.

ORDER OF BUSINESS

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Pat Midgley, seconded by Councillor John Webster, that the Council do now proceed to the consideration of Item 5 on the agenda - "Items Referred to Council".

ITEMS REFERRED TO COUNCIL

Financial and Service Strategy

It was moved by Councillor Steve Jones, seconded by Councillor Jan Wilson, that the following minute of the Cabinet held on 23rd July, 2003, relating to the Financial and Service Strategy be approved:-

RESOLVED: That (a) the information contained in the report now submitted be noted;

(b) the key policy issues for the Financial and Service Strategy for the City Council, as set out in the report, be noted;

(c) the Officers concerned be requested to develop policy choices to reduce the projected Council Tax increase of 7.7% and 7.2% for 2004/5 and 2005/6 respectively; and

(d) approval be given to the timetable for the preparation of the 2004/5 Budget and for the development of the Financial and Service Strategy, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, and in particular, authority be given for the Budget and Service Implementation Plans to be prepared by Executive Directors during the period July to September, 2003.

Whereupon it was moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar, seconded by Councillor Paul Scriven, as an amendment that:-

That so much of the minutes of the Cabinet meeting of 23rd July, 2003, as relates to the Financial and Service Strategy, be amended by the addition of the following paragraphs at the end of the resolution:-

(e)

notes that the Financial and Service Strategy makes no mention of the need to repay the £2.7m debt to the Health Service;

(f)

notes that the Strategy shows that the next 2 years, combined with the last year, will see a cumulative increase in Council Tax in Sheffield of 20%;

(g)

regrets that the Strategy does not encompass the funding recommendation of the Best Value Review of Parks, Woodlands and Countryside;

(h)

notes that the Strategy is predicated on Sheffield receiving grant settlements in line with the national average, and that Sheffield has received grant settlements significantly below the national average in recent years; and

(i)

future financial and service strategies will encompass a sum of £420,000 for the provision of Ecclesall Library.

On being put to the vote the amendment was negatived.

The original motion, was then put to the vote and carried.