A message from Cllr Paul Scriven, Leader of the Council

I’d like to express my thanks to you, the people of Sheffield, for all the good will and patience that you showed during the severe weather.  Yorkshire folk are full of true grit, and Sheffielders are no exception.  You rolled up your sleeves and got stuck in. It never fails to impress me how resilient you are and how you rise above challenges such as the big freeze.  Thank you so much.

 

We were doing everything that we possibly could to keep the city going.  Keeping the roads open was our top priority.  We had up to 28 gritters and ploughs working around the clock, and we mobilised staff and vehicles from other services in the Council to help clear the snow and ice.

 

Many people have asked me about the city’s gritting and snow clearance and if we could have an approach more like Canada and Eastern Europe, where they cope with much heavier snow on a regular basis.

 

My honest answer to you, the people of Sheffield, is that it depends on how much you would like us to spend.  It’s a balancing act between investing in extra vehicles that may spend weeks of the year not being used, and the cost to other council services where the money would have to come from.  And we know that all public services are facing the biggest squeeze on finances for years.  I want to have an open and honest debate with you about where this would be on your list of priorities.

 

I would very much welcome your views on this so please do get in touch with me.  My contact details are below.

 

I know that throughout Sheffield, there will be many families and individuals wondering how they’ll cope with paying off the cost of Christmas.  Things will be especially difficult this year because of the toll the recession has taken on many of us.

 

If you need advice on what to do with your debt then we can help you.  We have produced a Recession Survival Guide with useful tips on a range of areas from getting around in the city, money advice, household bills and energy advice, business help and benefits.  There are dozens of phone numbers for services to help you and there’s even a budget planner.

 

If debt is a real headache for you then please do take a look at our credit crunch section, especially the recession guide.  Knowing where to turn can often be the most difficult thing, but please do look at the information.  It could be the first step towards turning things around.

I’m really excited, and I know many of you will be too, about the new recycling collections that we are making available to families across Sheffield.  Over the course of this year we are introducing new recycling collections from your home of plastics, cans and glass every two weeks.  This is in addition to the paper and card that we already collect.

 

You gave us a clear message that you want to be able to recycle more material.  You felt that Sheffield was lagging behind other places when it comes to recycling.  And so I’m delighted that this year we will be bringing more recycling to you at your doorstep, making it so much easier for you to recycle.

 

You can find out more in our waste and recycling section.

I know how hard the recession has hit local people in Sheffield and so our focus is on helping you in these difficult times.  That’s paramount in our work on the Council’s forthcoming budget for next year.