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Council Agenda 3rd September 2008
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, 3rd September, 2008 at 2.00 p.m.
Public Inspection Of Documents And Access To Meetings
Council Meetings are open to the public. Admittance to the public gallery can be gained via the First Point Reception, Old Town Hall, Pinstone Street. Details of the business to be transacted can be viewed in advance at the First Point Reception which is open between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Monday – Thursday and between 9.00 a.m. and 4.45 p.m. on Friday, or you can ring on telephone no. 2734552. A copy of the Council Summons and any reports are also available on the Council’s website at www.sheffield.gov.uk.
The Following Business Is Proposed To Be Transacted-
1. Minutes Of Previous Council Meetings
To receive the record of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 30th July, 2008 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
3.1 Questions relating to urgent business - Standing Order No. A18(6).
3.2 Supplementary questions on written questions submitted at this meeting - Standing Order No. A18(4).
3.3 Questions on the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities for Fire and Rescue, Passenger Transport, Pensions and Police - Section 41 of the Local Government Act, 1985 - Standing Order No. A18(6).
3.4 Questions on the discharge of the functions of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly – Standing Order No. A18(6).
4. Items Referred To Council
4.1 Revised Arrangements For Council Meetings
To consider a report and recommendation referred by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 20th August, 2008
4.2 Appointment Of Substitute Members For Scrutiny And Policy Development Boards
To consider a report and recommendation referred by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 6th August, 2008.
4.3 Post Office Closures
To consider a report and recommendation referred by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 20th August, 2008
4.4 Building Schools For The Future Programme
To consider a report and recommendation referred by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 20th August, 2008
4.5 Regional Scrutiny Of South Yorkshire Tourism
To consider a report and recommendation referred by on the Culture, Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny and Policy Development Board at its meeting held on 29th July, 2008
5. Representation, Delegated Authority And Related Issues
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.
6. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Paul Scriven
That this Council:
(a) notes the recent debate over the controversial proposal to relocate St Luke's Hospice onto the Norton Nurseries part of Graves Park and believes that the damaging and unhelpful episode was created by the previous administration, who supported moves to develop on a local park that was given to the people of Sheffield by J.G.Graves;
(b) is committed to seeing St Luke's Hospice prosper and continue to provide an excellent service to the people of Sheffield but is also committed to protecting all our local parks from development;
(c) is therefore delighted that the new administration have found a positive way forward for all sides and therefore welcomes the agreement to look at alternative sites for the relocation for St Luke's Hospice;
(d) notes that the identified potential site is the former Bluestones Infant School next to Norfolk Park, furthermore notes that any relocation of the Hospice will be subject to full consultation with local people as part of the planning process;
(e) welcomes the change of direction and potential positive way forward brought about by the new administration and looks forward to a report coming forward to Cabinet and Council which will look at the potential terms to be agreed, including a lease, subject to any planning application being agreed that would include consultation with local people;
(f) is disappointed that the Labour Group are still showing resistance to this solution despite the fact that in a recent Sheffield Telegraph poll, 95% of Sheffielders wanted this new home for St Luke's; and
(g) notes that the new administration will take a very different approach from the previous one with regard to parks and green spaces and, whilst every case will be judged on its merits, resolves to take any action it can to prevent inappropriate development on our local parks and commits to rigorously protect the green belt.
7. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Jan Wilson
That this Council:
(a) opposes the proposal by East Midlands Trains to implement automatic ticket barriers at Sheffield Station;
(b) in opposing this move, does however fully support improvements in public transport;
(c) notes that the recent internal station improvements cost £16m, comprising £15,070,000 public funding (Strategic Rail Authority – Rail Passenger Partnership, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Railway Heritage Trust) and £820,000 funding from the rail industry (Network Rail and Midland Mainline);
(d) further notes that the external improvements to the station forecourt were funded entirely by the public purse, at a cost of £20m;
(e) notes that the South Yorkshire Supertram stop has been relocated to the rear of the station to assist in integration of the tram with other transport modes;
(f) further notes that this tram stop is named ‘Sheffield Hallam University’ because one of its principle purposes is to serve this University, which is located directly across the passenger footbridge;
(g) notes the value placed on the footbridge by people with disabilities, because the level access enables people with impaired mobility to travel entirely independently;
(h) further that the route through the station provides a vital link for the local residents of Norfolk Park and Manor Castle to both job opportunities and other amenities in the city centre;
(i) notes that this route links two of Sheffield’s major regeneration projects; the Digital Campus and Park Hill;
(j) notes also that in the national ‘Passenger Focus’ survey of stations, the customer satisfaction for feeling safe is higher at Sheffield station than the stations located in any of the other Core Cities, and believes that this is because of the open nature of Sheffield station;
(k) appreciates that it is important to reduce the incidence of ticketless travel, and fully supports East Midlands Trains seeking measures to achieve this;
(l) however, regrets that although East Midlands Trains has attended several community meetings, there does not appear to be any willingness to discuss any option for revenue protection, other than closing the station to members of the public not travelling by train;
(m) therefore resolves that this Council should work with East Midlands Trains to find a suitable alternative to gating the station, which meets East Midlands Trains’ objectives of reducing ticketless travel but allows vital pedestrian access through the station to continue; and
(n) directs that a copy of this motion is sent to Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP, Secretary of State for Transport, Tom Harris MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP, Minister of State for Transport, Tim Shoveller, Managing Director of East Midlands Trains, David Brown, Director General of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, and all Sheffield Members of Parliament.
8. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Ian Auckland
That this Council:
(a) notes that many people currently use the East Midlands Trains Sheffield Station footbridge for easy access to the City Centre;
(b) notes a substantial sum of public money was invested in Station improvements, including the footbridge and public realm;
(c) notes that local residents from communities on the hill above the station find it the most convenient way of getting into the City Centre;
(d) furthermore notes that tram users getting off at the back of at the station use the footbridge for access to the City Centre in order to switch travel modes, and students from Castle College and Sheffield Hallam University frequently travel through the station;
(e) notes that access through the station makes a significant contribution to regeneration through improving access to employment, retail and leisure opportunities and believes that to prevent access would have a detrimental effect on the city centre and connected communities;
(f) is therefore opposed to East Midlands Trains installing a gating system; and
(g) welcomes the fact that the present administration will continue to put this case to East Midlands Trains on behalf of the Council and local people and hopes that a solution can be reached which satisfies all sides.
9. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Jan Wilson
That this Council:
(a) was concerned to learn that sponsors 888.com have terminated their contract with the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association after three of their scheduled five years of sponsoring the World Snooker Championship;
(b) notes that the World Snooker Championship, which is the highlight of the snooker calendar, has been held in Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre since 1977;
(c) notes the huge value and importance of retaining the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible, both in terms of the positive benefits for the local economy in promoting Sheffield as a world-class city, and the fact that the snooker is so well-loved and cherished by local people; and
(d) believes that Sheffield is the true home of the World Snooker Championship and confirms that this Council will fight to keep the snooker at the Crucible.
10. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Sylvia Anginotti
That this Council:
(a) notes that Women make up half the population, half the workforce and half the university population, furthermore notes that girls statistically outperform boys at school and yet women are half as likely as men to start a business or become self employed;
(b) recognises the important role that women play in our city's economy but notes with regret that rates of female entrepreneurship in Sheffield are just 85% of the national average;
(c) therefore welcomes the “Celebration of Achievements of Women Entrepreneurs” event at the Millennium Galleries on 10th September;
(d) is determined, in cooperation with local partners and stakeholders, to work towards unlocking the full potential of women as entrepreneurs irrespective of age, ethnicity, social status in order to make Sheffield an outstanding place for women to succeed as entrepreneurs in the business world; and
(e) therefore instructs officers, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Employment and Enterprise and appropriate partners and stakeholders, to prepare a report on how best to achieve this which will be brought to a future meeting of Cabinet.
11. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Mike Pye
That this Council:
(a) wishes to congratulate Team Great Britain for their outstanding performance in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games; and
(b) recognises that this exceptional level of performance represents a huge long-term commitment from all the athletes and sportspersons involved and applauds them for their achievements.
12. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Jillian Creasy
That this Council:
(a) accepts the following hierarchy of best practice for waste management as set out in the Waste Strategy for England 2007: reduction, re-use, recycling and composting, energy reclamation and finally landfill;
(b) aims to push the management of Sheffield’s domestic waste further up this hierarchy;
(c) believes that the same principles should be applied to industrial and commercial waste, which accounts for two thirds of Sheffield’s waste;
(d) could offer leadership within the region, using its influence and resources to assist neighbouring Local Authorities to follow the above principles;
(e) notes that the terms of the 35-year PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contract with Veolia (signed in 2001 and extended in 2004) place the city in the bottom half of the hierarchy, but could be varied to promote the above principles;
(f) regrets that the council is once again considering a planning application from Veolia without the benefit of an up-to-date waste strategy;
(g) recognises that any environmental benefit from importing waste for incineration which would otherwise have been landfilled would be negated an equivalent amount of waste which would otherwise have been incinerated were to be exported to landfill;
(h) also recognises that there are financial benefits to Veolia and the council from this swap as other local authorities will pay to avoid landfilling domestic waste; and
(i) will therefore:-
(i) press Veolia to spend any increase in profits on delivering more reduction, re-use and recycling of domestic waste in the city;
(ii) request that commercial waste (which is currently incinerated by Veolia) does not slip down the hierarchy of waste management;
(iii) ask the Chief Executive to approach his counterparts in other South Yorkshire Local Authorities to discuss implementing the Regional Waste Strategy (“Let’s take it from the tip”, 2003);
(iv) be open and honest about the outcome of the negotiations proposed in (i), (ii) and (ii) above; and
(v) ask officers to investigate the feasibility of other means of transporting waste than road haulage, for instance by canal or rail, and to bring back a report to Full Council within 3 months.
13. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Roger Davison
That this Council:
(a) on behalf of the people of Sheffield congratulates Team Great Britain on their excellent performance in the Beijing Olympics;
(b) sends particular congratulations to those athletes who have trained at facilities in Sheffield in preparation for the Olympics;
(c) celebrates the fact that Sheffield born Paul Goodison won gold in the Laser Class Sailing event and resolves to write to Paul to congratulate him;
(d) recognises the dedication of those athletes in attaining the goals they set out to achieve and further acknowledges that they are role models for young people, encouraging them to push their own personal boundaries for each to achieve personal fulfilment; and
(e) recognises the potential benefits that Sheffield can reap from the 2012 London Olympic Games and welcomes the ongoing work being carried out by officers to ensure that Sheffield makes the most out of every opportunity.
14. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Bernard Little
That this Council:
(a) is concerned about the decline in local services and facilities which:
(i) affects local communities, especially the elderly and those on low incomes;
(ii) damages local jobs and local economies;
(iii) increases traffic and pollution due to the need to travel further; and
(iv) adds to people’s feelings of exclusion and lack of involvement;
(b) welcomes the Sustainable Communities Act, which sets up a new process whereby local communities and their local authorities can drive central government policy and action on reversing community decline and promoting local sustainability;
(c) notes that Local Authorities will be invited by central Government to “opt in” from October 2008 and to make proposals on how central Government can help promote local sustainability in their local areas;
(d) notes that a key element of this process is for representative Citizens’ Panels to be established, consisting of representatives of local people and that Local Authorities must reach agreement with the proposals made by their communities via these panels, thus increasing citizen involvement in democracy;
(e) notes that central Government is required to provide financial support for this process;
(f) notes that the Act will enable local authorities to request the transfer of functions from government or government agencies to themselves, and provide public information about the extra money spent locally which they can access if such functions are transferred; and
(g) therefore resolves to
(i) opt in to the provisions of the Act from October 2008; and
(ii) use every effort to ensure that the new Community Assemblies in Sheffield are established in such a way as to incorporate and enable the successful working of Sustainable Communities Citizens’ Panels.
15. Observations
To receive observations on the minutes of the meetings of the various Council bodies for the period 14th July to 15th August, 2008.
Chief Executive
Dated this 26th day of August, 2008
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