Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Pinstone Street, Sheffield, S1 2HH

Contact: Paul Robinson, Democratic Services  Email: paul.robinson@sheffield.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Chair of Meeting

Minutes:

2.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

3.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Members to declare any interests they have in the business to be considered at the meeting.

Minutes:

4.

Minutes Of Previous Council Meeting pdf icon PDF 235 KB

To receive the record of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 7th September 2016 and to approve the accuracy thereof.

Minutes:

5.

Public Questions and Petitions and Other Communications

(a) To receive any questions or petitions from the public, or communications submitted by the Lord Mayor or the Chief Executive and to pass such resolutions thereon as the Council Procedure Rules permit and as may be deemed expedient.

 

(b) Petition Requiring Debate

 

The Council’s Petitions Scheme requires that any petition containing over 5,000 signatures be the subject of debate at the Council meeting.  A qualifying petition has been received as follows:-

 

Petition regarding Road Safety on Hangingwater Road/Safe Walking to School Route

To debate an electronic petition (https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/safe-footpath-crossing-at-the-junction-of-hangingwater-whiteley-wood-road-sheffield-1) containing 6,332 supporters (as at 27th September) calling on the Council to implement road safety measures on Hangingwater Road including a footpath and crossing at the junction of Hangingwater Road and Whiteley Wood Road.   There is also an e-petition on this issue on the Council’s website, and the wording on that e-petition is as follows:-

 

We the undersigned petition the Council to 1. Implement road safety measures on Hangingwater Road including a footpath and crossing at the junction of Hangingwater Road and Whiteley Wood Road and 2. Provide school bus transport from Fulwood / Nether Green to High Storrs School.

 

High Storrs is the closest catchment school for Nether Green and Fulwood.  However the walking route has no footpath in places and no crossings. There is concern amongst parents about the safety of this route, which is likely to lead to increased traffic congestion in the area if parents decide to drive their children to school.”

Minutes:

6.

Director of Public Health Report for Sheffield (2016) pdf icon PDF 245 KB

To receive a presentation by Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, on his annual report for 2016 on the health of the people of Sheffield.

 

A background report is attached. A copy of the Director’s Annual Report is also attached for Members of the Council, and an electronic version of the Annual Report has been published with this agenda.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

7.

Members' Questions pdf icon PDF 146 KB

5.1       Questions relating to urgent business – Council Procedure Rule 16.6(ii).

 

5.2       Supplementary questions on written questions submitted at this meeting – Council Procedure Rule 16.4.

 

5.3       Questions on the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities for Fire and Rescue and Pensions – Section 41 of the Local Government Act 1985 – Council Procedure Rule 16.6(i).

 

            (NB. Minutes of recent meetings of the two South Yorkshire Joint Authorities have been made available to all Members of the Council via the following link -

            http://sheffielddemocracy.moderngov.co.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13165&path=0)

Minutes:

8.

Allocation of Seats on Council Committees in 2016-17 - Update pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Report of the Acting Executive Director, Resources.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

9.

Representation, Delegated Authority and Related Issues pdf icon PDF 36 KB

To consider any changes to the memberships and arrangements for meetings of Committees etc., delegated authority, and the appointment of representatives to serve on other bodies.

Minutes:

10.

Annual Scrutiny Report 2015-16 pdf icon PDF 61 KB

To receive the annual report providing an overview of scrutiny activity undertaken by each of the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committees during the 2015/16 Municipal Year, and proposed activity for 2016/17.

 

Councillor Tony Damms, Lead Member for Scrutiny, will introduce the report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

11.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Robert Murphy

That this Council:-

 

(a)       believes Sheffield's once famous bus service is a shadow of its former self following 30 years of declining patronage under different council administrations and national governments;

 

(b)       notes the recent rise in child fares on Sheffield's bus network which has resulted in a 100% increase since 2011;

 

(c)        believes the rise hits hardest a group that has no independent income and the fewest alternative travel options, a group that it is critical to educate and encourage to use public transport as a long-term way of sustaining services;

 

(d)       notes that the Sheffield Bus Partnership has abandoned its original target of increasing bus patronage in favour of a policy of managing decline, and believes it has therefore failed on its own terms;

 

(e)       believes with sufficient funding and the right approach, Sheffield's buses could once again become a very positive and well-used public service, and this should improve public health, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, and improve access for everyone to key facilities and services such as schools, colleges, shops, employment locations, hospitals and other health services; and

 

(f)        calls on the City Region to make full use of forthcoming devolved powers included in the Bus Services Bill, including franchising of bus services.

Minutes:

12.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Ben Miskell

That this Council:-

 

(a)       reiterates support for previous resolutions calling on the government to give local authorities the powers they need to respond to concerns from their local communities and stop the proliferation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminal (FOBT) machines and betting shops;

 

(b)       notes that each betting outlet can provide four FOBT machines which offer casino style content including games such as roulette at up to £100 a spin, which can be wagered every 20 seconds, and believes (i) it is in response to the cap that bookmakers have opened multiple premises in clusters to facilitate more machines as a fixed margin product guarantees bookmakers a return and (ii) as a result, FOBTs have become a significant part of their business operations which has led to betting shops proliferating on high streets and licenses being moved from tertiary locations to clusters;

 

(c)        further notes there are now more than 33,400 FOBTs offering casino content on high streets, illustrating this is a nation-wide issue, and that there are also more than twice as many betting shops in the poorest 55 local authority areas compared with the most affluent 115, which are equivalent by population;

 

(d)       notes the campaign led by the London Borough of Newham, with support from a number of local authorities, to support the Sustainable Communities Act (SCA) submission to reduce the stakes on category B2 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) in on-street betting outlets from £100 to £2 per spin;

 

(e)       wholeheartedly supports this campaign, which will help to tackle the proliferation of betting shops throughout Sheffield, an issue which the Council is hamstrung to tackle; and

 

(f)        directs that a copy of this motion is sent to the Government and the London Borough of Newham to convey Sheffield’s full support for the campaign.

Minutes:

13.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Olivia Blake

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes that:

 

(i)         in Sheffield it is estimated that 6,099 people over the age of 65 are living with dementia; 80.3% of those living with dementia have received a formal diagnosis; and diagnosis can often be the key to accessing appropriate support services;

 

(ii)        two thirds of those living with dementia are living in the community, and nearly 70% of people with dementia feel lonely and trapped in their own homes, with limited or no social networks;

 

(iii)       a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, and avoiding smoking and drinking may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease and vascular dementia, but 64% of people are not aware of this; and

 

(iv)       the societal cost of dementia in the UK is estimated at an average cost per person of £32,250; and of the total estimated cost of dementia in the UK, it is estimated that £11.6billion is contributed through the work of unpaid carers;

 

(b)       welcomes the long standing commitment of the present Administration to making Sheffield a Dementia Friendly City, driven by the work of the Sheffield Dementia Action Alliance;

 

(c)        commits to appointing an Elected Member to the position of ‘Dementia Champion’ for the Authority; and

 

(d)       supports this Administration’s commitment to:-

 

(i)         work towards making Council practices more dementia friendly, encouraging staff and Members to become a ‘Dementia Friend’ through the Dementia Friends Programme and committing to making Council buildings dementia friendly;

 

(ii)        run local risk reduction campaigns, including clear messaging in ongoing campaigns regarding exercise, alcohol, smoking or diet that ‘what’s good for your heart is good for your head’; and

 

(iii)       make information about local dementia services as accessible as possible, embedding the free Dementia Connect database on the local authority website.

Minutes:

14.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Adam Hanrahan

That this Council:-

 

(a)       welcomes the many students at both Sheffield University and Sheffield Hallam University who have recently come to Sheffield for the new academic year;

 

(b)       recognises the massive economic, social and cultural contribution Sheffield’s student population makes to our city;

 

(c)        notes Sheffield’s reputation as a safe city and recognises that this reputation is a factor in many students’ decisions to come and study here;

 

(d)       expresses concern that in our city, students may be at a particular risk of crime, as burglary is on the increase in areas such as Broomhill, Crookesmoor and Broomhall, and there have been a number of recent high profile sexual assaults in student areas and the city centre;

 

(e)       believes that this poses a threat to the safety of our student population, a threat to the vitality of Sheffield’s night-time economy and may potentially lead to a fall in student numbers; and

 

(f)        calls on the Administration and the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to set up a task force with students and staff from both Universities to ensure that all of our institutions are sharing best practice and are doing everything we can to keep students safe within the city.

Minutes:

15.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Neale Gibson

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes the importance of Sheffield’s two universities to the city and welcomes all new students arriving in Sheffield in the past month;

 

(b)       further notes a number of national campaigns have been launched against the high level of student rents which risks making the accommodation unaffordable for many students;

 

(c)        believes that many students are charged high rents by multinational student accommodation companies who provide residential units of purpose built student accommodation and supports students in fighting for fair rents, and notes many of these companies have been well documented to make huge profits;

 

(d)       notes that these companies are exempt from paying business rates, which is also taking money away from local councils to fund vital public services and believes, like all businesses, student accommodation companies should be required to pay business rates to contribute to the funding of local services in cities like Sheffield where they make huge profits; and

 

(e)       directs that a copy of this motion is sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Shadow Chancellor for consideration.

Minutes:

16.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Richard Crowther

That this Council:-

 

(a)       welcomes the recent installation of new lift facilities at Stocksbridge Library, which will improve access to the facility by providing help to wheelchair users, people with walking difficulties and people with pushchairs;

 

(b)       thanks the approximately 500 people who attended the open day at Stocksbridge Library on Saturday 17 September 2016, which was held to promote new groups being held in the Library and show people its new facilities, including lifts to all floors;

 

(c)        notes these new developments were completed three weeks ahead of schedule and underneath the planned budget;

 

(d)       commends the use of the Library for community purposes such as the weekly babytime group and the sporting memories group for older people;

 

(e)       believes that Stocksbridge Library is an important community facility for residents and hopes local people will use the service; and

 

(f)        directs that a copy of this motion be sent to the Library and to Stocksbridge Town Council.

Minutes:

17.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Colin Ross

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes with great concern that the current government is considering bringing back grammar schools and allowing Free Schools to introduce academic selection;

 

(b)       believes that there is no such thing as an ‘inclusive grammar school’ and this policy is an unwelcome step backwards to a more unequal, divided society;

 

(c)        notes that the re-introduction of grammar schools necessitates the re-introduction of secondary moderns;

 

(d)       believes that the Government’s plan to lift restrictions on faith schools, allowing schools to select 100% of their pupils based on faith, will lead to further division within communities;

 

(e)       notes that increasing academic selection in schools was not in the 2015 Conservative Party manifesto and believes the unelected Prime Minister has no mandate to put this policy into force;

 

(f)        notes the comments of the former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. David Cameron, “I think it is delusional to think that a policy of expanding a number of grammar schools is either a good idea, a sellable idea or even the right idea.”;

 

(g)       notes the efforts of the previous Government to close the gap in inequality in education through targeted investment towards poorer pupils, such as the pupil premium, free early years education and free school dinners;

 

(h)       regrets that since 2015, schools have seen a real term cut in their budgets, undermining efforts of the previous Government;

 

(i)         believes that young people have varied and complex aptitudes and abilities and believes that our young people’s potential can be best achieved in good comprehensive schools where they are allowed to flourish at their own pace and mix with peers from all walks of life; and

 

(j)         therefore calls on the Administration to write to the Secretary of State for Education calling for the Government to abandon these plans.

Minutes:

18.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor John Booker

That this Council:-

 

(a)       supports Mick Cash, General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), in his argument that there is no basis for cost cutting on the North's railways, and notes that, according to Rail North's own estimates, passenger demand for the North's railways will soar by 50% over the next fifteen years, and despite this, and the clear need for investment, the Government has stated that annual subsidy will be cut by £160m, or 53% by the final year of the franchise;

 

(b)       believes there must be strong opposition to the cuts programme, attacks on supervisory and clerical jobs, the introduction of driver-only operation and increased casualization, arising from the re-franchising processes;

 

(c)        further, supports a publicly owned “People's Railway for the North”;

 

(d)       believes that, for too long, British workers involved in the traditional industries have been ignored and not treated with the respect they deserve;

 

(e)       further believes we must invest in more training of our youth to meet future needs, especially in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), increase places for medical training so we can be less reliant on foreign nurses and doctors, and provide more meaningful apprenticeships to support future growth; and

 

(f)        pays tribute to the men and women that drive forward British industry and undertakes to do all within its power to protect workers’ rights from this Government’s cuts.

Minutes:

19.

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Robert Murphy

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes the HS2 Route Change announced on 7th July 2016 would result in the loss of hundreds of homes in the city region and a likely reduction in services stopping in Sheffield City Region compared to the original proposal;

 

(b)       is concerned that the proposal will not provide the benefits of 'substantially reduced journey times' or 'release space on the conventional rail network for new commuter, regional and freight services,' the statements used as justification for Sheffield City Council supporting the concept of High Speed Rail;

 

(c)        believes that the proposed HS2 spur to Sheffield Midland Station will not provide the economic benefits, capacity and connectivity improvements that a Sheffield Victoria option claimed;

 

(d)       believes that the huge amount of infrastructure investment tied up in HS2 is not good value for money for Sheffield City Region and the money would be better spent on improvements to the local and regional train network, in particular the overcrowded cross-Pennine routes;

 

(e)       believes that, for the North to be more successful, it is more important to improve connections between northern cities than those between these cities and London; and

 

(f)        calls on the Administration, for the reasons above, to withdraw this Council’s support for the HS2 project, and resolves to send a copy of this motion to the Department of Transport and HS2 Ltd.

Minutes: