Council Agenda 6th February 2008
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 February, 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 Meeting
To receive the record of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 9th January, 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
(a) Questions relating to urgent business - Standing Order No. A18(6).
(b) Supplementary questions on written questions submitted at this meeting - Standing Order No. A18(4).
(c) 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).
(d) Questions on the discharge of the functions of the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly – Standing Order No. A18(6).
4. 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.
5. Item Referred To Council - Housing Revenue Account, Rents And Capital Programme 2008/09
To consider a report and any recommendation arising therefrom which may be referred by the Cabinet at its meeting to be held on 30th January, 2008.
6. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Harry Harpham
That this Council:
(a) is delighted that the administration’s budget proposals include a new offer of positive activities for all children and young people in the City aged 8-13;
(b) notes that this will be a completely new offer of provision which will consist of access to at least one and a half hours of additional activity per week, building on what is already provided for young people through existing schemes like the extended schools programme;
(c) believes that this provides an excellent opportunity to engage young people across the City in sports and leisure activities, arts, games, as well as educational and recreational activities;
(d) notes that this project is supported by significant investment estimated at about £2.8 million; and
(e) very much hopes that other parties will give their support to this proposal which would see the City-wide activities start to be ‘rolled out’ this summer, with all children and young people in the City aged 8-13 expected to be able to access this offer by no later than summer 2009.
7. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Paul Scriven
That this Council:
(a) is concerned at the recent reports in the local press which reveal that Burngreave New Deal for Communities (NDfC) hired the services of individuals just over a year after one of the same individuals was found guilty of gross misconduct and the other individual resigned before disciplinary action was taken against him, whilst running a similar agency in London;
(b) believes that, as the accountable body for Burngreave NDfC, this Authority must ensure that the agency is working to the highest standards;
(c) furthermore believes that the people of Burngreave and Sheffield deserve to know that an agency in charge of a multi-million pound budget, with the key task of alleviating deprivation, is working to the highest standards;
(d) believes that an internal investigation carried out by Burngreave NDfC into Burngreave NDfC presents a clear conflict of interest and is not sufficient;
(e) therefore resolves that this Authority carries out a full and transparent independent investigation into the agency on this issue through the Council’s internal auditor and that the investigation covers three areas:-
(i) the general governance arrangements of the organisation;
(ii) the letting and tendering of contracts by Burngreave NDfC and, in particular, the letting of the contract to JMJ Group whose Managing Director is Mr Davies; and
(iii) the recruitment of Mr Husband as the Acting Deputy Chief Executive and, in particular, reference checks and past employment checks;
(f) that the investigation is funded by existing Council budgets or as a direct charge on Burngreave NDfC and is overseen by a working party consisting of one representative from each Group on the Council; and
(g) directs the Chief Executive to make the necessary arrangements for this investigation to take place, taking into account the recommendations from the aforementioned working party, with the aim of reporting back to Council within three months.
8. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Bryan Lodge
That this Council:
(a) notes that Sheffield provides more public parks and open spaces per head of population and has more tree cover than any other City in the Country, making it the greenest City in the United Kingdom and a great place to live;
(b) confirms that the Council has a commitment to protect the City’s parks land, and further notes that during the last 10 years the total number of public parks and green spaces directly managed by the Council’s Parks & Countryside Service has increased by 90, from 640 to 730, with at least another 20 plus areas currently under consideration;
(c) notes that occasionally small pieces of land which have become wasteland are decommissioned and are disposed of, and confirms that all capital receipts received from these disposals are reinvested into other parks and open spaces in the City, as part of a strategy to target the investment of financial resources for the regeneration of parks, open spaces, woodlands and countryside identified as being of greatest need, highest use and/or providing best opportunity, resulting in a substantial net increase to the public parks and green spaces in the City, as outlined in paragraph (b) above;
(d) is very fortunate to have so many Friends groups across the City, working with us to improve the City’s parks and green spaces and thanks all these groups for their hard work and commitment;
(e) notes that, through working in partnership with Friends groups, we have won Green Flag status - the national standard for parks and green spaces – for Norfolk Heritage Park, the Cholera Monument, Ecclesall Woods, the Peace Gardens and the Winter Gardens;
(f) notes also that we have seen much investment into the City’s parks in recent years, with the completion of a £3.6 million restoration project in Norfolk Heritage Park, £2.5 million invested in improvements at Manor Fields Park, an investment of almost £3 million in Weston Park, as well as extensive improvements in Hillsborough Park through its regeneration project;
(g) confirms that a total sum of over £30 million has been invested into the City’s parks and open spaces in the past decade; and
(h) reaffirms the Council’s steadfast commitment to improving the parks and green spaces across the City, and safeguarding them for future generations.
9. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Andrew Sangar
That this Council:
(a) reaffirms the resolution passed at the 25th July 2007 Council meeting regarding the floods in Sheffield and the excellent response of the people of Sheffield and our local services in the immediate aftermath;
(b) notes that the total cost for this Local Authority as a result of last year’s floods is projected to be £22m in the 2008/09 budget;
(c) notes that despite assurances from Government Ministers and officials, the Government have failed to cover the total cost and have left local taxpayers having to foot a large part of the bill, including those who are still waiting for their home to dry out as a result of the flood;
(d) notes that the most recent budget projections show that more than £6m of these costs will have to funded directly by local taxpayers;
(e) believes that this is unacceptable given that at least part of the reason why Sheffield suffered so badly in the floods was down to inadequate flood defences and a poor flood warning system;
(f) is disappointed that, unlike other Local Authorities, the present administration has failed to make any sort of public protest against the lack of financial support in the wake of the flooding;
(g) demands that the Government provide Sheffield with financial aid for the entire cost of the flooding so that local people do not lose out through no fault of their own; and
(h) resolves to send a copy of this motion to the Prime Minister and all the Sheffield Members of Parliament and directs the Chief Executive to make sure all local Members are provided with the responses.
10. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Jan Wilson
That this Council:
(a) congratulates the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam on recently becoming Leader of the Liberal Democrats;
(b) believes that it will be positive for the City to have one of the Sheffield Members of Parliamant as the leader of a national political party;
(c) observes with interest the new policy statements made by the Leader of the Liberal Democrats;
(d) is especially interested and intrigued about his recent policy statements on Education, particularly the following comments made at the Liberal Democrat Party's Manifesto Conference on 12th January, 2008:
“I want us to look at establishing a new liberal model of schools that are non-selective, under local government strategic oversight but not run by the council, and free to innovate to drive up standards for all our children. They could be established by any suitable sponsor, including parents, educational charities, voluntary and private organisations with the right credentials.” and
(e) awaits with interest to see whether or not the policies of the Sheffield City Council Liberal Democrat Group accord with those of their new Leader.
11. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Sylvia Dunkley
That this Council:
(a) notes with concern, the increasing amount of old age poverty within the United Kingdom and furthermore, notes that the majority of pensioners are women;
(b) notes that only a quarter of retired women are entitled to a full state pension and is concerned by statistics which show that one in four single women pensioners lives in poverty;
(c) recognises that many women lose entitlement to pension benefits because of their role as carers which saves the State some £87bn a year;
(d) is dismayed at the Government's u-turn on women's pensions when it was revealed in the House of Lords, just as Westminster was going into recess for Christmas, that Government support for a plan which would have allowed women to top up their National Insurance contributions, to cover as many as nine missing years, had been withdrawn;
(e) notes that such a scheme would only have cost the Treasury an estimated £200,000;
(f) agrees with Age Concern that this was a slap in the face that would condemn many more women to poverty in old age;
(g) is further dismayed that the Government has failed to advise women born between April 1938 and October 1944 of gaps in their National Insurance record and how they could take steps to fill such gaps;
(h) notes the proposed Pension Bill but recognises that any changes are some way off which doesn't help women who are living in poverty because of low state pension provision at the moment;
(i) calls upon the Government to think again on the issue of carers' pensions and to ensure that all women pensioners receive full information about the benefits they are entitled to; and
(j) directs that copies of this Motion be sent to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to his opposite numbers in the two main Opposition Parties, the Elders Congress, all the Sheffield Members of Parliament and appropriate pressure groups such as Age Concern, Help the Aged and Sheffield Pensioners Action Group.
12. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Bernard Little
That this Council:
(a) congratulates Sustrans Connect2 on winning the £50million People's Lottery to fill gaps in a 10,000-mile national network benefiting six million people in 79 communities across the United Kingdom to secure routes for walkers and cyclists by building bridges and restoring old tunnels;
(b) notes that Sheffield City Council worked in particular with Rotherham MBC and N.E. Derbyshire for a new safe walking and cycling route between Halfway and Killamarsh that will link up to the Trans Pennine Trail and Rother Valley Country Park;
(c) notes that walking and cycling activity is healthy, low carbon, strengthens community cohesion and sustainable local economies and should therefore receive more mainstream funding; and
(d) nevertheless congratulates Council officers and the Cycle Forum for backing the Sustrans Connect2 Lottery bid.
13. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Mike Reynolds
That this Council:
(a) deplores the decision by Arts Council England to axe its grant to the Sheffield based ‘Compass Theatre Company’, thus endangering the very existence of this valuable touring Company;
(b) notes with disappointment that the ‘Compass Theatre Company’ have only been given three months notice of the proposed cut despite over 26 years of good work;
(c) urges Arts Council England to rescind its decision and to continue to support this outstanding local arts organisation;
(d) urges all the Sheffield Members of Parliament to write to Arts Council England in support of the ‘Compass Theatre Company’; and
(e) directs that a copy of this motion is sent to all the Sheffield Members of Parliament and Arts Council England.
14. Notice Of Motion Given By Councillor Peter Moore
That this Council:
(a) is aware that some Sheffield Citizens who are in the Territorial Army recently served, or are currently serving, in Afghanistan and other conflicts; and
(b) believes that, irrespective of anyone’s personal views on the rights or wrongs of the current conflicts or any other particular conflict, that people of Sheffield who have served with the TA in these conflicts should be publicly recognised within the City of Sheffield and therefore resolves that:
(i) a small cross-party working group be set up to seek appropriate ways to recognise this service and to liaise with the Lord Mayor’s Office; and
(ii) report back to a meeting of the full Council within the next three months.
15. Observations
To receive observations on the minutes of the meetings of the various Council bodies for the period 15th December, 2007 to 18th January, 2008.