Council Agenda 6th October 2004

 

COUNCIL SUMMONS

 

Notice is hereby given that a Meeting of the Council of the City of Sheffield will be held in the Council Chamber within the Town Hall, Sheffield, on Wednesday, 6th October, 2004, at 2.00 p.m.

 

THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS IS PROPOSED TO BE TRANSACTED-

 

1.         MINUTES OF PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING

 

To receive the record of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 1st  September, 2004 and to approve the accuracy thereof.

 

2.         PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

 

To receive any questions or communications from the public, or communications submitted by the Lord Mayor or the Chief Executive and to pass such resolutions thereon as the Standing Orders permit and as may be deemed expedient.

 

3.         MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

 

(a)       Questions relating to urgent business - Standing Order No. A18(4).

 

(b)       Questions on the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities for Fire and Civil Defence, Passenger Transport, Pensions and Police - Section 41 of the Local Government Act, 1985 - Standing Order No. A18(4).

 

(c)        Questions on the discharge of the functions of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly – Standing Order No. A18(4).

 

(d)       Supplementary questions on Written Questions submitted at this meeting - Standing Order No. A18(1).

 

(e)       Verbal questions to Cabinet Members and Chairs of Scrutiny Boards and Regulatory Boards - Standing Order No. A18 (3).

 

4.         REPRESENTATION

 

To consider any changes to the memberships and arrangements for meetings of Boards etc., delegated authority, and the appointment of representatives to serve on other bodies.

 

5.         ITEMS REFERRED TO COUNCIL

 

CORPORATE CODE OF CONDUCT AND MONITORING OFFICER PROTOCOL

To consider a decision which was referred by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 22nd September, 2004.

 

6TH FORM ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS 2005/2006

To consider a decision which was referred by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 22nd September, 2004. 

 

6.         OBSERVATIONS

To receive observations on the minutes of the meetings of the various Council bodies for the period 14th August to 17th September, 2004.

 

7.         NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JACKIE DRAYTON

That this Council:

 

(a)       welcomes the introduction of the Government’s new Fireworks Regulations 2004 and its aim to tackle the anti-social and unsafe use of fireworks;

(b)       notes that these Regulations make provisions in relation to fireworks in order to minimise the risk that fireworks will be used with harmful consequences for people, animals or property and in particular welcomes:-

(i)         Regulation 4 which prohibits persons under eighteen from possessing an adult firework in a public place and makes the offence punishable by a fixed penalty notice of up to £80;

(ii)        Regulation 7 which prohibits persons from using adult fireworks during night hours (namely a curfew between 11.00 p.m. and 7.00 a.m.) but exceptions allow such use until 1.00 a.m. on the nights of the Chinese New Year, Diwali and New Year's Eve and until midnight on 5th November;

(iii)       Regulation 8 which prohibits the supply, purchase or possession of fireworks whose noise levels exceed 120 decibels and includes provision for measuring these noise levels; and

(iv)       Regulation 9 which requires suppliers of adult fireworks to hold a licence, except at certain times of year, where licences are granted by the local authority, which must refuse a licence unless the applicant complies with relevant statutory requirements and may refuse a licence (or revoke a licence previously granted) if the applicant has committed any of the new fireworks related offences;

(c)        notes that the enforcement of the controls on using fireworks outside the permitted times and possession by people under eighteen will be enforced by the Police; and

(d)       encourages the people of Sheffield to attend and enjoy organised displays and hopes that these Regulations make the period around Bonfire Night safer and quieter than in recent years.

8.         NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR GILL FURNISS 

That this Council:

 

(a)       is delighted that Sheffield has been selected to represent the United Kingdom in next year’s Europe in Bloom competition - the Entente Florale;

 

(b)       also welcomes the receipt of Britain in Bloom ‘Gold’ awards for the new permanent landscape feature for the Peace Gardens and the Local Heritage Award for the finalist that best represented their local history and culture;

 

(c)        notes that the City just missed out on being made the overall winner of the Large City category and received a ‘Silver Gilt’; and

 

(d)       congratulates all those who have worked so hard all year round, including City Council staff, local residents, businesses, community groups and schools, to make the city cleaner, greener and a better place to live work and play.

 

9          NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR  PETER PRICE

That this Council:

 

(a)       congratulates H.M. Government on honouring its election pledge in introducing the ‘Right to Roam’ legislation, giving open access to moor and heathland in this Country, to its citizens;

 

(b)       thanks and congratulates the Ramblers Association, the Woodcraft Folk and all other organisations who have campaigned for over seventy years to achieve this goal;

 

(c)        thanks and congratulates all those Sheffield stalwarts, past and present, who have fought long and hard on behalf of Sheffield people and kept our City at the forefront of this campaign;

 

(d)       calls upon the people of Sheffield to protect, preserve and defend this right, but above all enjoy it; and

 

(e)       directs that copies of this Motion be sent to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and all the Sheffield Members of Parliament.

 

10.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR CHRIS WELDON

 

That this Council:

 

(a)       welcomes the announcements in recent years of unprecedented investment in housing in this City;

 

(b)       believes that putting tenants at the heart of the better homes and better neighbourhoods strategy has and will be crucial to the future success of the strategy;

 

(c)        thanks Sheffield Homes for their work to date in their first 6 months of existence and notes their rigorous efforts to ensure that they continue to offer a 2 star service to Sheffield tenants and strive for 3 stars; and

 

(d)       directs the Chief Executive to request that Sheffield Homes make an annual presentation to a Scrutiny Council.

 

11.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JILLIAN CREASY

That this Council:

(a)       notes that people on very low incomes cannot access mainstream banking facilities and often resort to loan sharks, driving them into worse debt;

 

(b)       notes that Sheffield has pockets of wealth and poverty and that the City would be healthier, wealthier and happier as a whole if these could be evened out;

 

(c)        applauds the efforts of local Credit Unions, Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and Debt Advice Services which have worked for many years, at grass roots level, to involve, educate, advise and assist people on the poverty line;

 

(d)       recognises the value of working at a very local as well as a City-wide level in order to maximise the sense of involvement, self-help and mutual support;

 

(e)       welcomes the Cabinet’s in principle support for the merging of three existing Credit Unions into a single Credit Union for Sheffield and the arrangements being made to encourage Council employees to join it; and

 

(f)         trusts that this new organisation will engage with and support other existing Credit Unions whether as local branches or free-standing organisations.

 

12.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JANICE SIDEBOTTOM

That this Council:

 

given the widespread public concern over the effects of the proliferation and siting of third generation telecommunications masts: -

 

(a)       determines to reinstate the moratorium on the erection of telecommunications masts on Council land and property which was put in place by the previous administration;

 

(b)       requires that submitters of all planning notifications for masts which give rise to public concern, and are not to be refused, should apply for full planning permission;

 

(c)        in light of the recent expansion of 3G planning applications, requires that all planning applications for telecommunications masts should be referred to the appropriate Planning and Highways Area Board;

 

(d)       shall inform telecommunications operators that they should, where possible, share masts and seek out sites that are not situated in residential areas and, where necessary, use measures to disguise the masts to reduce their visual impact;

 

(e)       due to the potential health risk to local communities, especially young people, and the non-conclusive evidence of the Stewart Report, shall take a precautionary approach to the placement of telecommunication masts which is evident in other European countries such as Sweden and in Australia;

 

(f)         shall take a lead from authorities such as Watford Borough Council, who have published supplementary planning guidance on their website which includes the promotion of mast sharing and states that health considerations will be taken into account when considering planning applications for telecommunication masts;

 

(g)       instructs that a City-wide forum be set-up which considers the siting of telecommunications masts and acts as a cross-City lobby for looking at issues, including health concerns; such forum to be co-ordinated by the Council and to be a partnership between the Council and groups across Sheffield who are campaigning on telecommunication mast issues; and

 

(h)        determines to lobby Government with the aforementioned City-wide forum in order to demand a change in legislation which considers health risks, aims to protect communities and particularly looks at exclusion zones around schools.

 

13.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PAUL SCRIVEN

That this Council:

 

(a)       notes the deterioration of bus services in Sheffield brought about by both the previous and present Governments’ failures;

 

(b)       is concerned at the reduction of people who choose to travel by bus in South Yorkshire and Sheffield;

 

(c)        believes that bus operators in Sheffield continue to provide a sub-standard service to residents of our City, recently highlighted by: -

 

(i)         the reduction of bus services to Westfield school; and

 

(ii)        the reduction of services in July of this year;

 

(d)       further notes that the Leader of the City Council on 16th July stated in “The Star” newspaper that an opinion gathering exercise of local people would take place during September 2004, due to unsatisfactory levels of improvement;

 

(e)       therefore regrets that the Leader of the City Council has failed to keep her word and offered no explanation as to why no such exercise has taken place during September;

 

(f)         in light of the present administration’s failure to take action as promised, instructs that: -

 

(i)         the Chief Executive carry out the opinion gathering exercise of local people regarding the performance of local bus services;

 

(ii)        the exercise will take place within the next two months;

 

(iii)       the completed full report be brought back to the 5th January 2005 Scrutiny Council and not to Cabinet; and

 

(iv)       an action plan is agreed by Council to improve the bus network in Sheffield which should include a public hearing; and

 

(g)       requests that the Leader of the City Council notes the subject for consultation is an important one for local people throughout the City and in future does not make promises to the people of Sheffield which are subsequently broken.

 

14.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR MARTIN BRELSFORD

That this Council:

 

(a)       notes the European Mobility week which was held between the 16th and 22nd of September 2004 and culminated in the promotion of an “In Town Without My Car” day;

 

(b)       further notes that many towns and cities across Europe, including a number of places in the UK such as Liverpool and Stockport, took part in the week and successfully promoted a car free day in order to highlight the benefits of reducing car use, creating a cleaner, healthier, quieter environment for everyone;

 

(c)        is saddened that Sheffield decided not to fully take part in a car free day and lost a valuable opportunity to promote less reliance on the car and its associated benefits;

 

(d)       instructs that the Chief Executive submits a report to Council which makes provisions for Sheffield to take an active role in next years European Mobility week, including a car free day which targets more than just a few institutions and looks at the possibility of bus and tram companies taking part by offering free fares for that day; and

 

(e)       further instructs that the aforementioned report should include an analysis of practical ways in which we can reduce short journeys having to be made by cars within the City.

 

15.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PAUL SCRIVEN

That this Council:

(a)       congratulates all the staff, community groups and people of Sheffield for contributing to the success of “Sheffield in Bloom”, at a regional and national level;

 

(b)       thanks the former Lord Mayor for 2001/ 2002 for having the foresight during his year of office to start the process which allowed Sheffield to become involved in the initiative;

 

(c)        notes that all parties have supported the initiative and should continue to do so on a non-political basis;

 

(d)       believes all members should do what they can to ensure we do well in the European awards;

 

(e)       believes that “Sheffield in Bloom” should be a City-wide initiative that brightens up the whole City.

 

16.       NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PETER MOORE

That this Council:

(a)       notes the indicative ballot  on whether or not to close the smoking room in the old Town Hall building;

 

(b)       believes that any change to the status quo can only be by a vote in full Council; and

 

(c)        therefore determines that the status of the smoking room  shall remain unchanged.