Council Summons 1st October, 2003
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, 1st October, 2003, 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 3rd September, 2003, 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 of Boards etc. and the appointment of representatives to serve on other bodies.
5. ITEMS REFERRED TO COUNCIL
HOUSING INVESTMENT PROGRAMME 2003/04 - REVISIONS
To consider a decision which was referred by the Cabinet at its meeting on 10th September, 2003.
SCHOOL ORGANISATION PLAN 2003
To consider a decision which was referred by the Cabinet at its meeting on 10th September, 2003.
DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
To consider any decision which may be referred by the Cabinet at its meeting on 24th September, 2003
INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES
To consider any decision which may be referred by the Cabinet at its meeting on 24th September, 2003
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND ANNUAL COUNCIL MEETING 2004
To consider any decision which may be referred by the Cabinet at its meeting on 24th September, 2003
6. OBSERVATIONS
To receive observations on the minutes of the meetings of the various Council bodies.
7. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PAUL SCRIVEN
That this Council:
(a) believes that the current voting system for local government acts as a barrier to participation in local democracy;
(b) believes that unjustified outcomes such as entrenched one party dominance, greatly exaggerated Council majorities and 'losers' in popular votes winning over-all control on the Council, feeds the belief that voting doesn't make a difference;
(c) believes that more representative Councils would be more involving of and more
accountable to local communities;
(d) notes the Scottish Executive's proposals to introduce voting reform for local government;
(e) calls on the Government to take steps to introduce a more representative voting
system for Local Government in England; and
(f) directs that a copy of this resolution be sent to the 'Make Votes Count' coalition,
which is comprised of organisations such as Charter 88 and the Electoral Reform
Society, and to the Sheffield Members of Parliament.
8. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JAMES HANSON
That this Council:
(a) notes that Sheffield is a vibrant multicultural City;
(b) is proud that the City itself has an excellent race relations record;
(c) notes the cross party condemnation of the British National Party and its tactics;
(d) deeply regrets that certain elements of the national press and extremist parties have exploited this issue for their own political gain;
(e) notes that asylum seekers are fleeing from persecution and very often are in fear of their lives; and
(f) accordingly resolves:
(i) to continue to work together to promote racial harmony across the City;
(ii) to call upon the all political parties to deal with the facts and act responsibly when dealing with such an emotive issue;
(iii) to call upon the Chief Executive to put a web page on the Sheffield City Council website detailing the facts about asylum issues; and
(iv) to send a copy of this Motion to the Home Secretary and other Sheffield
Members of Parliament.
9. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JAN WILSON
That this Council:
(a) notes Sheffield's membership of the Core Cities group, a strategic alliance of the largest Cities in England outside London, which has been making a major contribution to developing plans for linking our urban renaissance with a more competitive Regional and National economy;
(b) believes that successful Cities and a successful Sheffield are of critical importance for the other communities in their Region, and our Region respectively, and ultimately for the vigour and ambition of our Nation;
(c) welcomes the presentation of "Creative Sheffield - a Prospectus for a Distinctive European City in a Prosperous Region" to the June 2003 Core Cities Conference;
(d) believes that the term 'Creative Sheffield' reflects a City which is innovative on a wide front and in particular notes:
(i) our Universities that are leaders in their specialisms;
(ii) that Sheffield is one of the most popular cities with students;
(iii) the businesses renowned for innovations in technology, and innovations which have won world wide acclaim;
(iv) public realm innovations which have won world wide acclaim;
(v) nationally recognised community enterprise initiatives; and
(vi) a City Council which scores consistently highly for current performance and which has excellent prospects for further improvements; and
(e) recognises that whilst UK regional cities such as Sheffield, have recently made substantial progress, they still lag behind their continental counterparts in both the productivity and renaissance agendas and that closing this gap is an essential pre-requisite to creating more prosperous Regions.
10. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR ROGER DAVISON
That this Council welcomes the efforts made to increase the visitor spend in Sheffield but would welcome greater recognition of the inventors and philanthropists whose vision gave Sheffield and the World a rich inheritance and accordingly directs the Chief Executive to prepare a report as to how this can best be achieved.
11. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PAUL SCRIVEN
That this Council:
(a) notes the valuable work performed by the Sheffield Central Deaf Club, supporting thousands of deaf people on a daily basis and believes that a City Centre location significantly enhances the service they can offer;
(b) deplores the proposals to increase the Clubs rent by 67% and notes that this flies in the face of the administration's professed commitment to social inclusion;
(c) suspects that the administration are attempting to force the Club to vacate their present premises so that it can be let to a more high profile tenant in a better position to pay high rents than the Deaf Club;
(d) believes that these actions are particularly inappropriate during the European Year of People with Disabilities;
(e) directs the Chief Executive to circulate to all Members a list of organisations upon whom the Council is imposing a 67% rent increase; and
(f) resolves to ensure that the Deaf Club can continue its work from its present facilities and that the Council continues to levy a rent of £18,000 pa, increased each year by the rate of inflation, over the next 5 years.
12. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR MAUREEN BRELSFORD
That this Council:
(a) notes the recent publication of the 'Children's Green Paper';
(b) welcomes many of the proposals in the Green Paper but in particular the envisaging of the appointment of a Director of Children's Services in each local authority, responsible for Children's Social Services and Education and able to lead a combined `Children's Services Department';
(c) believes that such a proposal would significantly improve the quality of service provided to all children, but particularly more vulnerable children, by this Council; and
(d) directs the Chief Executive to present to the next meeting of this Council, a report detailing the organisational changes necessary to meet the aspirations of the Green Paper.
13. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR CHRIS WELDON
That this Council:
(a) welcomes the conclusions of the first two Neighbourhood Commissions;
(b) notes that Commissions were set up to look at ways of bringing homes up to a decent and sustainable standard and that:
(i) the key features of stock transfer, arms length management and private finance initiative were examined;
(ii) Commission members were able to compare the advantages and
disadvantages of the options using a comprehensive checklist;
(iii) other concerns of tenants were also addressed including:
(A) who was the landlord;
(B) rents;
(C) tenancy rights;
(D) whether there was a ballot;
(E) whether there was a board with tenants on it;
(F) how far the option had been tried and tested elsewhere; and
(G) the future of the Right to Buy; and
(iv) there have been visits to other organisations to look at the various options in Derby, Bradford, Liverpool and Wilmslow;
(c) recognises that this Administration's continued commitment to listening to the people of Sheffield is crucial if the Council is to achieve successful neighbourhoods;
(d) affirms the resolution of the Council of 4th June, 2003, which requested the Chief Executive to call a meeting of representatives of all parties so that they can agree to work together on the Administration's approach to achieving decent homes and sustainable neighbourhoods;
(e) notes that as a result of the resolution, a meeting did take place in July 2003 with representatives of the two main parties and that some of the following areas of agreement were reached:
(i) it is a priority to achieve decent homes by 2010 and to have a plan in place to meet this target by 2005;
(ii) tenants should be involved in option appraisal through neighbourhood commissions;
(iii) there should be a ballot for any stock transfer or ALMO;
(iv) there is a need for demolition and stock reduction strategies to address low demand; and
(v) that some areas need wider regeneration which includes creation of mixed tenure estates and provision of new forms of housing;
(f) notes that the current Administration's strategy addresses all of the above;
and
(g) therefore calls upon all Members to work together as agreed and ensure that it is clear to the people of Sheffield that the right strategy to achieve successful neighbourhoods is now in place and that all parties support it.
14. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JAN WILSON
That this Council:
(a) notes that like most big cities, Sheffield has some of the most deprived Wards in
the Country and that in the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000:
(i) ten of Sheffield's 29 Wards are in the top ten percent of most deprived
Wards in England;
(ii) seven Wards are in the top five percent of most deprived Wards; and
(iii) three Wards are in the top one percent of most deprived Wards;
(b) further notes that Sheffield also has some of the most affluent areas in England
and that:
(i) two of Sheffield's Wards are in the ten percent least deprived in the
whole Country;
(ii) Sheffield differs from several other big cities in that its affluent suburbs
are largely within the City Council's boundaries; and
(iii) a map of social indicators for Sheffield shows the same broad pattern; a
deprived North-East and an affluent South-West;
(c) wholeheartedly supports the aim of increasing the prosperity of the whole City and notes that:
(i) research shows that this is a precondition for achieving greater equality within
cities; and
(ii) to close the gap and ensure that every neighbourhood is successful, the Council needs to improve the more deprived areas faster than the City as a whole;
(d) believes that the City can point to a number of significant successes in neighbourhood renewal and notes that:
(i) there are many examples of pioneering approaches to regeneration in Sheffield that have subsequently been taken up by others;
(ii) unemployment has fallen fastest in the areas where it was highest, reducing the wide gap that opened up in the 80's and early 90's;
(iii) secondary schools performance has improved fastest in the inner city
areas;
(iv) targeted action on crime in deprived areas such as the burglary initiative in Foxhill has had a significant impact; and
(v) in common with the position nationally, the health of the City has improved generally, but the gap between the most healthy and least healthy areas has widened; and
(e) recognises that Councillors are elected to represent the whole City and that Members of all parties should therefore wholeheartedly support the Council's new approach to closing the gap, which was endorsed by Cabinet on 20th August, 2003.
15. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR VIC BOWDEN
That this Council:
(a) congratulates the British Stammering Association on its 25th Anniversary, in the
European Year of People with Disabilities;
(b) welcomes the production of and distribution to all LEA schools in England of CD-
ROMS which provide authentic material and useful suggestions for teachers and
other members of school staff when working with dysfluent pupils and notes the
national launch of their CD-ROMS on October 22nd 2003;
(c) notes that October 22nd is International Stammering Awareness Day and further
notes the various associated fundraising initiatives taking place on this day; and
(d) directs that the BSA be written to, congratulating them on (i) their valuable work
raising awareness of the communication difficulties experienced by 1% of the
population; and (ii) the launch of the CD-ROMS.
16. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR BOB McCANN
That this Council notes and welcomes the success of many present and former Sheffield residents in the field of motorsports, particularly Justin Wilson and James Toseland who are competing at the highest international level and further notes and welcomes the significant contribution to the Sheffield economy of motorsport industries, both traditional and high technology, over many years.
Dated this 23rd day of September, 2003