Council Summons 28th January 2004
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, 28th January, 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 7th January, 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 of Boards etc. and the appointment of representatives to serve on other bodies.
5. ITEMS REFERRED TO COUNCIL
BETTER HOMERS, BETTER NEIGHBOURHOODS
To consider any decision which may be referred by the Cabinet at its special meeting on 28th January, 2004.
HOUSING INVESTMENT PROGRAMME FOR SUCCESSFUL NEIGHBOURHOODS
To consider any decision which may be referred by the Cabinet at its special meeting on 28th January, 2004.
HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) REVENUE BUDGET AND RENT INCREASES 2004/05
To consider any decision which may be referred by the Cabinet at its special meeting on 28th January, 2004
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) notes the views of the Local Government Minister that in many areas of the Country, Council Tax levels are reaching the limits of acceptability;
(b) notes that Council Tax represents 5.1% of income for the poorest tenth in society and 1.2% for the richest tenth in society, even after the effects of the Council Tax Benefit system, and is thus the most unfair and regressive tax operating in the UK today;
(c) notes that across the Country, 2 million households qualify for Council Tax Benefit but do not claim it owing to the process being complex and demeaning;
(d) notes that significant sums of money are spent on collecting Council Tax that would be better spent providing front line services;
(e) notes that those who lose out most on Council Tax are amongst the most vulnerable people in society, particularly many pensioners;
(f) believes that taxation should be fair so that hard-working families on ordinary incomes do not have to pay higher percentages in tax than the very rich, as the Council Tax system obliges them to, and accordingly calls on the Government to axe the Council Tax and replace it with a Local Income Tax which would provide a fair way of raising local government funds; and
(g) directs that copies of this Motion be sent to the Balance of Funding Review Group, established by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association to examine Local Government Funding; and to the Minister for Local Government and his opposite numbers in the two main opposition parties at Westminster.
8. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR BOB McCANN
That this Council:
(a) notes the decision of Cabinet on 22nd October, 2003 regarding Park Hill;
(b) welcomes the stance taken by both Groups when in administration that decisions of major significance should be taken by the full Council, regardless of whether there is a statutory requirement for that decision to be made by full Council;
(c) believes that the Park Hill proposals would benefit from having the opportunity to be considered by a meeting of full Council;
(d) deplores the decision of the administration to depart from that principle on this issue and believes that this is due to a lack of confidence in these proposals;
(e) believes that people are more important than buildings, and regrets that these proposals do not place the present residents of Park Hill at their heart;
(f) deeply regrets the decision to list the building, a status that presents a significant obstacle to the effective regeneration of the area and welcomes the foresight shown by the opposition group in 1997 in opposing the granting of listing status;
(g) is concerned that Park Hill runs the risk of becoming the latest case of this administration promising that a project would cost Council Tax payers and Council rent payers £0 but which goes on to cost them millions of pounds;
(h) is sceptical, based on past performance, of this administration’s ability to deliver big projects, such as Park Hill, on time and on budget; and
(i) believes that the English Partnerships appraisal has to be the last chance for Park Hill, to end the uncertainty over its future and to allow the people of Park Hill to get on with their lives and that therefore a full debate should take place at the January 2004 Council meeting.
9. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR ANDREW WHITE
That this Council:
(a) believes that Sheffield's pensioners deserve to be treated with dignity;
(b) believes that they should have a decent income as of right instead of being forced to claim means- tested top-ups just to get enough money to live; and
(c) therefore calls on the Government to build up the value of the state pension and reduce the need for means-testing.
10. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR CHRIS WELDON
That this Council:
(a) welcomes the Council’s vision to create decent sustainable public and private sector homes in successful neighbourhoods across the whole City;
(b) notes that the conditions for successful neighbourhoods are not shared to the same degree across the City and that there are substantial variations in the quality of life people experience;
(c) therefore supports the objective of narrowing the gap between the most successful and most disadvantaged of the City’s neighbourhoods;
(d) recognises that the future of Sheffield’s Council housing is key to the success of many neighbourhoods and to closing the gap;
(e) therefore notes the importance of decisions such as those arising from the report to Cabinet of 22nd October 2003, regarding future arrangements for the regeneration of Park Hill Flats;
(f) confirms its intention to advertise for a development partner on the basis of approximately one third for sale, one third for rent from a Registered Social landlord, and one third for commercial development;
(g) notes that four public meetings have been held for the existing residents who unequivocally supported the proposals outlined above;
(h) notes the ongoing informal discussions with the Park Hill Tenants and Residents Association whereby Councillors and officers deal with enquiries and concerns as they arise;
(i) notes the visit to Park Hill on 5th December by the Deputy Prime Minister and is encouraged by his enthusiasm;
(j) acknowledges that falling demand is a long-term trend and notes that:-
(i) the number of Council homes has fallen from 96,000 in 1980 to just below 56,000 today;
(ii) significant progress has been made towards understanding the causes of and solutions to low demand in the City; and
(iii) this has necessitated:-
(A) a carefully managed stock reduction programme;
(B) re-marketing of the stock; and
(C) the introduction of choice-based letting;
(k) therefore welcomes the establishment of Transform South Yorkshire, the Country’s largest Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, set up to tackle:-
(i) low demand housing; and
(ii) weak and collapsing housing markets;
(l) further welcomes the award of £6.66 million of support to establish the pathfinder and to fund a programme of “early wins” and project acceleration in 2002/03 and 2003/04;
(m) notes that:-
(i) the Transform South Yorkshire’s prospectus is expected to bid for around £100 million over the next two years for the whole pathfinder area; and
(ii) this provides an opportunity for the Council and its partners to use “decent homes” funding such as that generated through the ALMO programme, and market renewal resources in a complementary way to deliver transformational change and holistic regeneration across neighbourhoods;
(n) faces an enormous challenge with 72% of the Council’s stock currently failing to meet the basic decent homes standard;
(o) notes that surveys of stock condition indicate that an investment of just over £1bn is required to create decent sustainable homes;
(p) also notes that:-
(i) the existing financial framework is likely to provide around £400m of the investment required over the next 10 years; and
(ii) the successful Round 3 ALMO submission will provide £145m of funding;
(q) therefore welcomes the Round 4 ALMO submission for £196m, which will enable 21,000 houses to be brought up to decent sustainable standards; and
(r) wholeheartedly thanks the local tenants, residents, Councillors and community representatives who through the neighbourhood commissions framework have:-
(i) looked at the level of investment needed for homes in their area;
(ii) considered how decent homes and sustainability can be achieved in both public and private sectors;
(iii) worked with Area Panels to show how extra investment will complement Area Plans and help deliver Neighbourhood Renewal objectives; and
(iv) ultimately determined the nature of the investment delivery vehicles appropriate for their local area.
11. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR GILL FURNISS
That this Council:
(a) welcomes the Government's proposal to close the legal loophole whereby historical evidence of use by horse and cart, or dedication as a carriageway prior to the invention of the internal combustion engine, can give rise to a claim for a byway open to all traffic which, if successful, allows for use by modern recreational motor vehicles of green lanes and other unsurfaced routes in the countryside;
(b) notes existing byways open to all traffic will still be subject to inappropriate and unsustainable use by recreational motor vehicles;
(c) is concerned that our most precious countryside in the National Parks and areas of outstanding beauty continue to suffer appalling damage;
(d) urges the Government to take action forthwith to protect these areas by reclassifying existing unsurfaced byways open to all traffic as restricted byways and issuing better guidance on enforcement to enable the relevant authorities to take swift and effective action where recreational vehicles are being driven illegally; and
(e) requests the Sheffield Members of Parliament to sign Early Day Motion 380 which supports the above.
12. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR JAN WILSON
That this Council:
(a) acknowledges the major contribution that local and regional rail services play in promoting the economic vitality of South Yorkshire and Britain’s other major conurbations;
(b) believes that the rail network plays a major part in reducing road congestion, in tackling social exclusion, in promoting regeneration and sustainable development and in providing a lifeline service for rural areas;
(c) is concerned about the future of local and regional rail services in the light of the combined effects of the Strategic Rail Authority’s policies and funding decisions, which give priority to Intercity and commuter services in London and the South East; and
(d) therefore calls upon the Government to provide the funding and direction necessary for the SRA to ensure that local and regional rail services play their full part in providing the nation with the integrated public transport network it needs.
13. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PETER MACLOUGHLIN
That this Council:
(a) is deeply concerned by the prospect of levying a Council Tax increase of up to 8% for Sheffield’s tax payers;
(b) recognises that under the current and previous two administrations, significant improvements have been made to the efficiency and value for money of Sheffield’s services;
(c) welcomes the fact that these improvements have been publicly recognised by its customers and by independent and Government assessments of the City’s services;
(d) accepts that Sheffield is not complacent about its services and that efforts will continue to be made to improve even more;
(e) firmly believes that, in view of such improvements, the people of Sheffield are entitled to expect a settlement from the Government, which fairly and adequately contributes towards efficient services;
(f) also believes that Sheffield tax payers should not be forced to pay the price for a below average Government contribution, when Sheffield’s services are clearly rated better than this;
(g) acknowledges that on the tenth anniversary of the last campaign, it is time for all Parties, interested organisations and the public to lobby once again for a ‘Fair Deal for Sheffield’;
(h) requests that the outcome of this lobby be reported to all Members at least seven days before the annual budget setting Council meeting; and
(i) requests that copies of this Motion be sent to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Local Government Minister, the six Sheffield Members of Parliament and the Local Government Association.
14. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PETER PRICE
That this Council:
(a) congratulates the Sheffield Sharks on their recent magnificent victory over the Scottish Phoenix Honda Record Rocks in the HARIBO Cup in Birmingham;
(b) notes that the Sharks are the current BBL Championship Champions and that they are currently top of the table once more; and
(c) wishes the Sharks and all of the other sporting teams in the City, well in 2004.
15. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR PAUL SCRIVEN
That this Council:
(a) notes:-
(i) the Government’s intention to break its Manifesto commitment of not introducing university top-up fees;
(ii) that the Government wishes to now impose variable top-up fees, which will create a market approach to higher education;
(iii) that a large number of the Government’s backbench MPs do not support the proposals put forward by their own Government; and
(iv) many of the brightest local students would no longer be able to afford a university education;
(b) believes that:-
(i) access to higher education should be based on a students ability and not on their or their families ability to pay to get into the university of their choice;
(ii) the Government’s proposals will create a two tier system of higher education based purely on money and ability to pay;
(iii) that students debt will increase due to the Government’s proposals;
(iv) the Government’s proposals amount to a “poll tax” on learning which will burden students with mortgage style debts of up to £35,000;
(v) the Government’s proposals are bad for students, parents, the economy and the Country;
(vi) these proposals will create a further gap between those from poor backgrounds and those from more wealthy backgrounds in terms of access and take up to higher education places; and
(vii) that student top-up fees including variable top-up fees should not be introduced as a way of funding higher education; and
(c) determines that copies of this Motion to be circulated to all local Members of Parliament and to the three national Parties’ Spokespersons on Education in Parliament, the two local universities and the Students Unions.
16. NOTICE OF MOTION GIVEN BY COUNCILLOR SYLVIA DUNKLEY
That this Council:
(a) supports the concept of local sustainability as envisaged in the Local Sustainability Bill, namely:-
(i) the promotion of local economies;
(ii) the promotion of local services;
(iii) the protection of the environment;
(iv) the reduction of social exclusion; and
(v) measures to increase involvement in the democratic processes;
(b) accordingly, resolves to:-
(i) support the Local Sustainability Bill which would require Government support for measures to increase sustainable local communities;
(ii) ask the local Members of Parliament to sign Early Day Motion No. 169 in support of the Bill; and
(iii) let the New Economics Foundation know of its support; and
(c) directs that copies of this Motion be sent to the Sheffield Members of Parliament and to the relevant Minister and the Opposition Spokespersons in Parliament.
Dated this 20th day of January, 2004
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