Minutes of the Council Meeting held 6th December 2006

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council of the City of Sheffield held in the Council Chamber within the Town Hall, Sheffield, on Wednesday, 6th December, 2006 pursuant to notice duly given and Summonses duly served.

PRESENT

THE LORD MAYOR (Councillor Jackie Drayton)

THE DEPUTY LORD MAYOR (Councillor Arthur Dunworth)

1 Arbourthorne Ward	10 Dore & Totley Ward	19 Mosborough Ward
Tim Rippon	Keith Hill	Sam Wall
Julie Dore	Anne Smith	Mike Peat
John Robson	Mike Waters	David Barker

2 Beauchief/Greenhill Ward	11 East Ecclesfield Ward	20 Nether Edge Ward
Anthony Holmes	Graham Oxley	PatWhite
Simon Clement-Jones	Vic Bowden	Ali Qadar

3 Beighton Ward	12 Ecclesall Ward	21 Richmond Ward
Helen Mirfin-Boukouris	Roger Davison	Liz Naylor
Ian Saunders	Sylvia Dunkley	Martin Lawton
Chris Rosling-Josephs	Michael Reynolds	John Campbell

4 Birley Ward	13 Firth Park Ward	22 Shiregreen & Brightside Ward
Mike Pye	Alan Law	Peter Rippon
Bryan Lodge	Joan Barton	Jane Bird
Denise Fox	Chris Weldon	Peter Price

5 Broomhill Ward	14 Fulwood Ward	23 Southey Ward
Shaffaq Mohammed	John Knight	Gill Furniss
Paul Scriven	Andrew Sangar	Tony Damms
Alan Whitehouse		Leigh Bramall

6 Burngreave Ward	15 Gleadless Valley Ward	24 Stannington Ward
Steve Jones	Garry Weatherall	David Baker
Ibrar Hussain	Terry Fox	Vickie Priestley
	Rosemary Telfer

7 Central Ward	16 Graves Park Ward	25 Stocksbridge & Upper Don Ward
Bernard Little	Bob McCann	Alison Brelsford
Jean Cromar	Peter Moore	Martin Davis
Jillian Creasy	Ian Auckland

8 Crookes Ward	17 Hillsborough Ward	26 Walkley Ward
Sylvia Anginotti	Janet Bragg	Jonathan Harston
Brian Holmes	Robert MacDonald	Diane Leek
John Hesketh	Alf Meade	Veronica Hardstaff

9 Darnall Ward	18 Manor Castle Ward	27 West Ecclesfield Ward
Mazher Iqbal	Pat Midgley	Kathleen Chadwick
Mary Lea	Jan Fiore	Alan Hooper
Harry Harpham
		28 Woodhouse Ward
		Ray Satur
		Marjorie Barker
		Mick Rooney

1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
	Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Trevor Bagshaw, Patricia Fox, Clive Skelton, Janice Sidebottom and Jan Wilson.

2.	DEATHS OF COUNCILLOR ANDREW WHITE AND FORMER COUNCILLORS DON GOW AND GRAHAM TRICKETT
	The Lord Mayor (Councillor Jackie Drayton) referred in sympathetic terms to the recent deaths of Councillor Andrew White and former Councillors Don Gow and Graham Trickett and, after a number of members of the City Council paid tribute to them, a minute’s silence in their memory was observed.

3.	MINUTES OF PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING
	RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Pat Midgley, seconded by Councillor Jean Cromar, that the minutes of the meeting of the City Council held on 1st November, 2006 be approved as a correct record.

4.	PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
4.1	Petitions
	(a) Petition concerning traffic problems on Ringinglow Road
	The Council received a petition containing 32 signatures of residents of that part of Ringinglow Road from Castle Dyke Lodge to the Norfolk Arms Public House, drawing attention to traffic problems and accidents on that stretch of the Road and calling upon the Council to (i) introduce a speed limit of 40 miles per hour, from the top of Hangram Lane to Castle Dyke, (ii) visibly reduce the width of the carriageway by the introduction of a cycle lane out of town and solid white lines along each side of the road, (iii) establish double white lines in the centre of the carriageway, (iv) install ‘dummy gates’ with animal and tractor signs attached at several locations and (v) arrange for the Road Safety Partnership to visit and inspect the road at a busy time.
	Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Mr. Nick Robinson, to which the Cabinet Member for Transport (Councillor Terry Fox) responded, emphasising that road safety was one of the Council’s priorities and indicating that the road would be assessed, along with others already on the list, in accordance with agreed criteria and he undertook to keep the petitioners informed.
	The Council referred the petition for consideration by the City Centre, South and East Planning and Highways Area Board.

	(b) Petition concerning targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions
	The Council received a petition containing 1,424 signatures recognising that urgent action was needed to avert catastrophic climate change and calling upon the Council to set targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3% annually.
	Representations on behalf of the petitioners and the Sheffield Campaign Against Climate Change were made by Ms. Rebecca Bryson, to which the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Environment (Councillor Mary Lea) responded, acknowledging the need to highlight the challenge for the City to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and indicating that the Council would lead by example by working with other partners, such as Sheffield First for Environment in implementing the Achieving Environmental Excellence strategy and working with the Local Authority Carbon Management Programme.

	(c) Petition concerning Yemeni Community Drop In Centre
	The Council received a petition containing 110 signatures of members of the Yemeni Community expressing concerning that the City Council had stopped the Community Drop-In Centre services that were provided by the YAFA Charity Organisation at Creswick Street.
	Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Mr. Ali Fadhl, who highlighted the important and valuable services that had been provided by the Organisation, particularly during the middle of the week and weekends from afternoon until late night, which enabled members to use the centre as a focal point and a place to bring people of all ages together in an environment where they could have their concerns and problems shared and solutions found by dedicated volunteers provided by the Organisation. He urged the Council to arrange to ensure the continuation of such services and gatherings during the times mentioned by finding them adequate and suitable alternative premises, which would benefit his members and the community as a whole.
	The Council referred the matter for consideration by the Leader of the Council (Councillor Jan Wilson) and, in her absence, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance (Councillor Steve Jones) referred to the strong links that the Council had with the Yemeni community and agreed to look into the matter and respond to Mr. Fadhl.

	(d) Petition concerning troops in Iraq
	The Council received a petition containing 99 signatures referring to the Early Day Motion 335 submitted to Parliament by John McDonnell, MP and Jeremy Corbyn, MP and calling upon the Council to add its voice to the call for the immediate withdrawal of troops form Iraq and to support to Notice of Motion No. 19 on the Council Summons to be considered later in the meeting.
	Representations on behalf of the petitioners and the Sheffield Stop the War Coalition were made by Mr. Alan Kenny, following which the Council referred the matter for consideration by the Leader of the Council (Councillor Jan Wilson). In her absence, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance (Councillor Steve Jones) stated that the majority party on the Council would be moving an amendment to the Notice of Motion that reflected a consistent line adopted by the Council that it was keen to see a resolution of the conflict in Iraq.

	(e) Petition concerning land in the areas known as Richmond Park
	The Council received a petition containing 236 signatures expressing concern at the Council’s intention to sell land in the area known as Richmond Park and calling on the Council to guarantee that no such sale would take place.
	Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Mr. D. Holberry, who emphasised that the land in question had been gifted to the City.
	The Council referred the matter for consideration by the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Green Spaces, who explained that, as part of its annual review of landholdings, it had been looking at parcels of land including those at Richmond Park. He emphasised that the Council had no intention to sell off Richmond Park but were, in fact, looking at bringing together all the parcels of land into a charitable trust with the intention of improving facilities at Richmond Park.

	(f) Petition requesting pedestrian crossing in Walkley Bank Road
	The Council received a petition containing 194 signatures expressing concern at the lack of a designated pedestrian crossing point on Walkley Bank Road near the junction of Providence Road, indicating that they believed a serious accident was waiting to happen at this junction and calling upon the Council to install a pedestrian crossing at this location.
	The Council referred the petition for consideration by the West and North Planning and Highways Area Board.

	(g) Petition concerning new houses in the Loxley Valley
	The Council received a petition in the form of individual representations from 324 people expressing their opposition to the proposed building of new houses in the Loxley Valley.
	The Council referred the petition for consideration by the West and North Planning and Highways Area Board.

4.2	Public Questions
	(a) Public questions concerning reduction of Greenhouse Gases, Sustainable Development and, Prioritisation of Public Transport
	Heather Hunt asked, in order to be effective in reducing greenhouse gases across the City, would the Council engage partners in the City to bring about affordable and efficient public transport, offer grant aid and energy advice to all homes and promote local and healthy foods. Josie Wexler, in referring to latest scientific reports that supported the urgency of reducing carbon emission, asked if the Council would consider setting annual targets for carbon emission reductions across the City, as detailed in the Notice of Motion No.13 on the Council Summons to be considered later in the meeting, as part of the plans for the regeneration of the City. Jenny Patient asked if the City Council would engage partners to draw up effective action plans with targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions for the City as a whole.
	Susannah Diamond asked if the Council could explain how it would ensure that new developments are sustainable in terms of embodied energy, ongoing efficiency, a localised economy and prioritisation of public transport. Abby Wilson asked if the Council could give a commitment that bus fares in the City would be kept down and that there would be a further development of efficient, inexpensive public transport.
	In response, the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Environment (Councillor Mary Lea) stated that she had discussed energy conservation issues with Sheffield Homes in relation to the housing stock and was looking at how to deliver energy advice to homeowners. The Council had a policy of providing healthy food for schoolchildren and would look at all the issues raised by the questioners as part of the whole strategy against climate change. She added that the Council was already working with partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, for example, bio-mass boilers had been installed to heat 400 homes in the City and feasibility plans were being drawn up to extend this programme.
	The Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Culture and Planning (Councillor Robert MacDonald) pointed out that in the submission of planning applications, applicants and developers were specifically requested to outline their approach taken to reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption, including travel plans and that the Sheffield Development Framework contained robust statements relating to sustainability and other measures to address climate change.
	The Cabinet Member for Transport (Councillor Terry Fox) commented on measures being taken to reduce vehicle emissions and promote public transport, including education and training, promoting the use of car clubs and the rolling out of green parking in the City Centre and, working with schools on travel plans. He agreed with the questioner about the need to keep bus fares down and referred to the introduction of a statutory quality bus partnership in the north of Sheffield and quality contracts to protect the local bus network. He also referred to the recent consultation exercise in Fargate on the Council’s Plan for Transport, when a number of questions were raised concerning bus reliability, frequency and prices, which would be followed up.

	(b) Public Questions concerning land at Richmond Park
	Geraldine Machin stated that she had intended to ask the Council to confirm or deny that there were plans to sell land known as Richmond Park for development, but that question had already been answered in response to the petition submitted earlier. However, Sandra Bradley asked, if there were no plans, could the Council explain statements made by officers in a memorandum dated 23rd August, 2006 which was amongst deed packets relating to Richmond Park that had been inspected on the 27th November, 2006 saying “ask your colleagues not to sell the land without first checking with me” and “before any action is taken to dispose of the land”. She also referred to comments made by a Council spokesman at the inaugural meeting of the Friends of Richmond Park concerning the sale of part of the land at Richmond Park and using Section 106 monies for improving facilities.
	In response, the Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Green Spaces (Councillor Bryan Lodge) reiterated that the Council had no plans to sell land at Richmond Park, but was looking to consolidate all land into one charitable trust. He explained that the statements in the memorandum were standard legal comments that had been made to protect the Council. Officers had been looking at reinvestment in parks and selling off parts of land at Richmond Park was an option that had been dismissed. He added that he would be very happy to meet with the Friends Group to discuss the best way forward for improving Richmond Park.

	(c) Public questions concerning the possible closure of Wisewood Secondary School
	Robert Palmer mentioned that the Local Education Authority had spent several months carrying out a consultation into secondary education at schools in the north west area of Sheffield and that a key person in the consultation exercise was a Governor at one of the schools involved and asked whether this should have been permitted as it surely was a conflict of interest.
	Byron Robinson asked what would be the effect on the community if the proposal to close Wisewood School went ahead. Mr. Darren Webb asked if the Council was aware of the total opposition to trust schools. Mrs. Susan Smith asked what the Council proposed to do about the traffic congestion at Malin Bridge that would be exacerbated by the closure of Wisewood School and the building of the new school at Myers Grove.
	In response, the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services (Councillor Harry Harpham) stated that the officer referred to by Mr. Palmer had played a minor role in the consultation and had been removed when it was known he was a Parent Governor at one of the schools. However, he stressed that the decisions were taken by the Council’s Cabinet. As regards the effect on the community if the proposal to close Wisewood School went ahead, Councillor Harpham felt that the community would still be a well-liked vibrant place to live, with brand new state of the art learning and sports facilities. In response to Mr. Webb’s question, he was aware of some opposition to trust schools, but he felt it unfair to say there was total opposition. As regards traffic congestion at Malin Bridge, he stated that officers were working on solutions to address the traffic problems if the school proposals went ahead.

	(d) Public question concerning withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq
	Angela Shann asked if the Council would join the increasingly loud call for the immediate and unequivocal withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.
	In response, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance (Councillor Steve Jones) referred to his comments on the petition that had been submitted earlier and stressed that the Council’s consistent message was to promote community cohesion in the City and to support the international community in the resolution of conflicts in areas such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Israel.

	(e) Public questions concerning asylum seekers
	Peter Scruton asked why an asylum seeker known to him could not receive an income to support his wife and two children and why was he not allowed to work. Father Shaun Smith asked if the Council recognised that the Government policy of not allowing asylum seekers to work undermined the Council’s stance and good work carried in promoting community cohesion. Ibrahim Karsha asked how he could survive, as he had no status in the country.
	Polly Blacker asked how the Council could help a young man she had been supporting who had been looked after the Unaccompanied Children Section of the Asylum Team since he arrived in Britain when he was 16 and would be 21 at the beginning of January. She stated that both his parents were dead and that any other children in Sheffield’s care would be helped towards independent living during the time until they became 21 but, although people in his situation were not being deported, he was not allowed to continue at Castle College after he was 18 and was not allowed to work legally because of the current Government policy. As the Council was responsible for him at the moment she asked what the Council would do for him, and many others in Sheffield like him, after his 21st birthday.
	Stuart Crosthwaite asked why the Council did not support the right to work for asylum seekers, given the record of many members in probably advocating this policy. He also quoted an extract from a letter from Burngreave Councillors Jackie Drayton, Steve Jones and Ibrar Hussain to the then Home Secretary Charles Clarke supporting asylum seekers’ right to work which was published in the Burngreave Messenger in December, 2005 which asked people “to consider the possibility of asylum seekers working whilst waiting to hear if they had ‘leave to remain’ granted. The majority of asylum seekers, from whatever background living in our community do not want handouts but want to work legitimately”. He asked if those Councillors would be supporting Notice of Motion 15 on the Summons to be considered by the Council later in the meeting. Mr. Brocklebank, in referring to the letter published in the Burngreave Messenger, stated that he and his wife had been helping asylum seekers and who were waiting to hear if they had ‘leave to remain’ granted but the waiting list was so large that it would be at least five years for their case to be heard. In the meantime, no Government support was available to them and they would have to rely on charity. He called upon the three Councillors to explain what they had committed themselves to and asked why people who were willing to work should not be able to do so due to Government programmes.
	In response to the question from Polly Blacker, the Cabinet Member for Adult Services (Councillor Mick Rooney) stated that he received advice from Council officers in relation to the person concerned and undertook to speak privately with Mrs. Blacker about the situation to see what help could be given. In a general response to the other questions, he stated that the issues were not straightforward and emphasised the need for some form of control governing asylum seekers so that decisions could be applied fairly and transparently. He acknowledged that it could not be easy for people to leave their homes and countries for whatever reason and was not unsympathetic to asylum seekers seeking work. However, this had to be considered in the context of other issues such as taxation, national health service, voting rights, erosion of nationality, immigration quotas and visa control systems.

	(f) Public questions concerning remarks made by Jack Straw MP
	Maxine Bowler asked why Notice of Motion No.6 on the Council Summons given by Councillor Steve Jones did not include words deploring the remarks made by Jack Straw MP concerning the veil worn in public by some Muslim women and to condemn the Department for Education’s proposals to spy on Asian looking students. She also asked what time timescale was envisaged for the Chief Executive to submit a report on a strategy for moving forward on the issue of community cohesion.
	The Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance (Councillor Steve Jones) referred to the response that the Leader of the Council (Councillor Jan Wilson) had given to Maxine Bowler when she had presented a petition on the same issue at the last Council meeting.

5.	ORDER OF BUSINESS
	RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Paul Scriven, seconded by Councillor Pat Midgley, that the Council does now proceed to the consideration of Notice of Motion No.7 on the Summons given by Councillor Paul Scriven.

6.	TWO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE NORTH WEST OF THE CITY
	It was moved by Councillor Sylvia Anginotti, seconded by Councillor Paul Scriven, that this Council:-

	(a) notes that the present administration have been secretly planning to close two secondary schools in the North West of the City for nearly a year;

	(b) believes that the present administration have already taken the decision to close the schools behind closed doors regardless of views expressed by local people; and

	(c) calls on the present administration to genuinely listen to the views and concerns of local people before coming to a decision on the issue.

	Whereupon it was moved by Councillor David Baker, seconded by Councillor Diane Leek, 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 that the present administration are proposing to close two secondary schools in the North West of the City;

	(b) supports the arguments being put forward by local parents, residents and staff campaigning against the proposals which include:-

	(i) Myers Grove School has been improving and agreeing to close it in 2011 could undo much of the good work;

	(ii) Wisewood has recently seen excellent GCSE results, an improvement of 27% over four years, closure would mean the community lose a successful and popular local school;

	(iii) the Council make a number of false assumptions when calculating pupil projections for the local area;

	(iv) a new school on the Myers Grove site would likely be run by an independent private trust which could implement its own policies including on admissions which will unfairly penalise local children; and

	(v) the proposal is driven by financial pressures rather than sound educational reasons;

	(c) believes that honest and genuine consultation with local parents, residents and staff is of the utmost importance when dealing with such an important and sensitive issue;

	(d) believes however that the present administration have already taken the decision to close the schools behind closed doors regardless of views expressed by local people, and notes this has been demonstrated by:-

	(i) the present administration secretly working on the plans for over 10 months;

	(ii) selected members of this Council, including the majority group’s Members for Hillsborough and Walkley, being secretly consulted on the plan months before the closures were made public, who refused to let the local community know of the plans;

	(iii) the Council never officially asking the DfES in writing if funding could be secured to improve both schools and keep them open;

	(iv) the consultation only including the option of closing both schools;

	(v) five days before the consultation began the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services declaring that the closure of both schools was the ‘only option’ and a local Councillor for Hillsborough saying that no other options were on the table; and

	(vi) the Council already submitting a bid for funding from the DfES assuming that both schools will close;

	(e) is therefore appalled at the manner in which the present administration is conducting the sham consultation;

	(f) notes that closure of both Wisewood School and Myers Grove School is not the only viable option and therefore condemns the present administration for attempting to mislead local people;

	(g) directs that the Chief Executive commission a public report which outlines all options including keeping both schools open; and

	(h) furthermore directs that the report is brought back to the next meeting of Council for approval to circulate to all relevant local parents, residents and staff in order to give them a real say in the future of education provision in their local area.