Agenda and minutes

1.1

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Baker, Mike Drabble, Alan Law, Shaffaq Mohammed, Kaltum Rivers and Jack Scott.

2.1

Councillor Angela Argenzio declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 – Notice of Motion regarding Recognising Palestine As A Full State – on the grounds of being a Trustee of Sheffield City of Sanctuary.

3.1

Petitions

3.1.1

Petition Objecting to the Poor Bus Service Between Totley and the City Centre

The Council received a petition containing 53 signatures, objecting to the poor bus service between Totley and the City Centre.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Sudir Narraidoo who said that the matter had also been raised with the operator First Bus. He explained that Totley had a population which included a large number of older people who relied upon buses and it was frustrating that buses were late or did not arrive and people were left stranded or buses were too full to take more passengers. The Council was urged to confront First Bus about these concerns and it was also pointed out that people should be encouraged to use buses rather than cars due to concerns regarding climate change and a comment was made on the state of the public transport system.

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Bob Johnson, the Cabinet Member for Transport and Development and Councillor Johnson responded to the petition, together with two other petitions relating to bus services (see below).

3.1.2

Petition Requesting the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive to Save the No. 56 Bus Service, Linking Gleadless Valley and Heeley to the City Centre

The Council received a petition containing 449 signatures, requesting the SYPTE to save the No. 56 bus service, linking Gleadless Valley and Heeley to the City Centre.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Nadia Jama (see below).

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Bob Johnson, the Cabinet Member for Transport and Development and Councillor Johnson responded to the petition, together with two other petitions relating to bus services (see below).

3.1.3

Petition Requesting the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority to Save the No. 31 Bus Service

The Council received a petition containing 138 signatures, requesting the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority to save the No. 31 bus service.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners and in respect of the No.31 and No.56 Bus Services were made by Nadia Jama. The No. 31 service connected Walkley with Hillsborough but was cancelled as at 31 August, particularly affecting people living between Langsett Road and South Road and including older people that may find it difficult to get up and down hill to go to the doctors, friends or local shops. The Council was urged to lobby the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority regarding this matter and to help reinstate the bus services.

Similar problems had been experienced in relation to other bus services with most places having been affected by alterations to routes or the cancellation of bus services. The petitioners called upon the Cabinet Member to work with Louise Haig MP with regard to the introduction of bus franchising by the City Region Mayor. She commented that change was needed if there was to be a bus service which was led by peoples’ needs, rather than profit.

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Bob  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.1

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Tony Downing) announced the proposal that an urgent item of business be considered at this point in the proceedings. Council Procedure Rule 26 states that “An item of business may be considered at a meeting of the Council as a matter of urgency, where it has not been possible to give five clear working days’ notice, on the recommendation of the Chair, but the reason for such urgency must be recorded in the minutes. Any non-confidential or non-exempt report relating to such item must be made available for public inspection once it has been issued.”.

4.2

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Julie Dore) had requested that the Council considers an additional Notice of Motion regarding the Proroguing of Parliament, following the Prime Minister’s decision made after the Council agenda had been published in the previous week. In view of the nature and timing of the issue, the Lord Mayor stated that he was satisfied that there were clear reasons for taking the Notice of Motion as an urgent item of business.

4.3

The proposed Motion was circulated to all Members of the Council on 3^rd September 2019 and was published on the Council’s website. Copies of the Motion were made available in the Council Chamber and Public Gallery.

4.4

It was moved by Councillor Julie Dore, and seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, that this Council:-

(a)       profoundly opposes the decision made by the Prime Minister last week to prorogue Parliament, believes that this is a cynical tactic attempting to facilitate a no-deal Brexit and is an affront to our parliamentary democracy;

(b)       believes this is compounded by the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP refusing to rule out the Government ignoring legislation that could be passed by Parliament and believes this would be an unprecedented move and undermine the principle of parliamentary sovereignty;

(c)        urges all Members of Parliament – from all parties – to work together in the national interest to stop the devastating effects of a reckless, divisive and destructive no-deal Brexit; and

(d)       asks that a copy of this motion is sent to all Sheffield Members of Parliament and the Prime Minister to reverse this appalling decision.

4.5

After contributions from eight other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Julie Dore, the Motion was put to the vote and carried as follows:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       profoundly opposes the decision made by the Prime Minister last week to prorogue Parliament, believes that this is a cynical tactic attempting to facilitate a no-deal Brexit and is an affront to our parliamentary democracy;

(b)       believes this is compounded by the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP refusing to rule out the Government ignoring legislation that could be passed by Parliament and believes this would be an unprecedented move and undermine the principle of parliamentary sovereignty;

(c)        urges all Members of Parliament – from all parties – to work together in the national interest to stop the devastating effects of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.1

Urgent Business

There were no questions relating to urgent business under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.6(ii).

5.2

Written Questions

A schedule of questions to Cabinet Members, submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16, and which contained written answers, was circulated.  Supplementary questions, under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.4, were asked and were answered by the appropriate Cabinet Members until the expiry of the 30 minute time limit for Members’ Questions (in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.7).

5.3

South Yorkshire Joint Authorities

Questions relating to the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities for Fire and Rescue and Pensions (under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.6(i) were not able to be asked before the expiry of the 30 minute time limit for Members’ Questions (in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.7).

6.1

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Julie Dore and seconded by Councillor Peter Rippon, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons be altered by taking item 6 on the agenda (Notice of Motion Regarding “Recognising Palestine As A Full State”) as the next item of business.

6.2

It was moved by Councillor Julie Dore, and seconded by Councillor Adam Hurst, that this Council:-

(a)       believes that there must be recognition of the rights of Palestinians to their own state, and thanks the petitioners for bringing this important issue to Full Council in July;

(b)       notes that 138 nations of the UN, out of 193 (71.5%), recognise Palestine as a state and in 2012 the UN General Assembly moved to do so - though this was blocked from full UN membership by the Security Council;

(c)        notes that the current UK Government appears to have no intention of recognising Palestine, and notes that this is in contrast to the Labour Party’s commitment to recognise Palestine as a full state as part of the United Nations and under UK law;

(d)       believes that the recognition of Palestine as a state is one step towards a genuine two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict;

(e)       believes there has to be a peace process and there has to be a right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and security as well as the right of Israel;

(f)        believes that whilst Sheffield is just one city, it is important to make this symbolic gesture to formally recognise Palestine as a full state, and hope that this will increase pressure on the UK Government to do likewise; and

(g)       requests that this Motion is submitted to the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

6.3

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Joe Otten, and seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (h) to (m) as follows:-

(h)       recognises that, in 2005, the EU monitoring centre on Racism and Xenophobia (now the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights) adopted the following working definition of antisemitism:

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

(i)         notes that the working definition has become the standard definition used around the world;

(j)         notes that this definition has been adopted by the European Parliament, the UK College of Policing, the US Dept of State, the US Senate and the 31 countries comprising the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance;

(k)        recognises that, in 2016, the British Government also formally adopted this working definition of antisemitism;

(l)         in view of recent controversy over the precise definition of antisemitism, this city with its proud history of religious tolerance and the first UK City  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1

It was moved by Councillor Ian Auckland, and seconded by Councillor Mohammed Maroof, that this Council:-

(a)       notes the request of the Economic and Environmental Wellbeing Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee that the consultation period in respect of proposals for a clean air zone be extended beyond August, was declined by the Cabinet Member;

(b)       in contrast, welcomes the decision of Mayor Dan Jarvis to extend the period for consultation in respect of Bus Services, particularly noting yet another round of damaging service reductions taking place with effect from 1st September, and would urge especially passengers finding their service have disappeared, to make their opinions plain;

(c)        repeats the call (last made by the Liberal Democrat Group at the Council meeting in February 2019) for the Council to give notice to terminate the Sheffield Bus Partnership Agreement, as improved bus services will be an essential requirement if the Council is to secure cleaner, greener, safer travel, reducing the number of cars on the road and encouraging cycling and walking;

(d)       deplores the fact that the opportunities for involvement in decision making by citizens and Members have been much reduced by the current Administration;

(e)       accepts that it is not possible to be exactly prescriptive with regard to the time period for consultation exercises, but agrees that major consultations require a minimum period of 8 weeks and that 12 weeks should be considered desirable, in the interest of Truth, Trust, and Transparency;

(f)        declares that for the purposes of calculating the desired period for public consultation, the month(s) of August and the Christmas and New Year period, be disregarded;

(g)       further notes that Part 2 Article 3 of the Constitution of the Council "Citizens and the Council" makes no reference to the Right of Citizens to be consulted, and the Council duty to consult;

(h)       notes that the duty to consult may be prescribed by legislation specifically, or be necessary to meet the requirements of Section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010, or from the common law duty of a public authority to act fairly, and the public law principle of legitimate expectation; and

(i)         calls on the Director of Legal and Governance to bring forward proposals to incorporate a "Citizens Right to be consulted" in Article 3, and address the other provisions in this Motion.

7.1.1

(NOTE: With the agreement of the Council and at the request of the mover of the Motion (Councillor Ian Auckland), the Motion as published on the agenda, was altered by the substitution of the words “be necessary to meet the requirements of” for the words “generally under” in the 2^nd line in paragraph (h).)

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Bob Johnson, and seconded by Councillor Mark Jones, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council”, and the addition of the following words:-

(a)       notes the success of recent Clean Air Zone  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Jackie Drayton, and formally seconded by Councillor Dawn Dale, that this Council:-

(a)      notes that following three weeks of inspection by Ofsted, they have noted that ‘Children’s Services in Sheffield are good’;

(b)      notes that the report detailed that, despite 10 years of austerity, Sheffield had made steady progress since the last inspection in 2013, by working through our comprehensive improvement plan, that has children and young people at the heart of it:-

(i)       securing significant additional corporate investment;

(ii)      support from Senior Management and Leaders across all areas of the Council and Partner Organisations; and

(iii)      as noted in the report, ‘Corporate parenting is ‘highly effective and emulates what a good parent should be’ and that ‘the local authority sense of corporate responsibility for children in care and care leavers is unambiguous’ and senior leaders provide proactive and committed corporate parenting; the report also highlights examples of practice that ‘exemplifies excellence in corporate parenting’;

(c)      notes that, in addition, the Council was commended for putting children at the centre of practice, with children and young people across the city benefiting from child focused staff and services and that the views of children and young people are valued at all levels, and the Local Authority has created an environment in which good social work is nurtured and celebrated, with a skilled and confident workforce;

(d)      notes that, although Ofsted highlighted many positive areas of practice, they also highlighted some areas that ‘requires improvement to be good’, which we identified in our self-assessment form sent to the Inspectors prior to their visit, but that the report also acknowledged in all those areas of concern senior management and leaders were aware of those weaknesses, had effective plans in place to mitigate risk and were taking action to improve each area of practice;

(e)      believes that this is a fantastic achievement, and all the more remarkable given increasing financial difficulties and increasing demand as more children and young people are coming into care with more complex needs, and thanks must go to the dedicated staff in children’s services, all council staff, foster carers, adopters, our agency partners, the community sector, Councillors, and all corporate parents who work so hard to ensure our children and young people and their families are safe, happy, secure, and achieve their full potential; and

(f)       notes that under this Administration the aim is to continue to improve the service the Council provides and reach ‘outstanding’, and believes that by working together we will achieve this in the future.

8.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Sue Alston, and formally seconded by Councillor Mike Levery, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the deletion, from paragraph (b), of the words “despite 10 years of austerity”;

2.       the deletion of paragraph (f) and the addition of a new paragraph (f) as follows:-

(f)       resolves to continue to work with partners with the aim to continue  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Ruth Mersereau, and formally seconded by Councillor Douglas Johnson, that this Council:-

(a)       notes that, despite the destructive cuts inflicted by the policy of austerity, this Administration is still responsible for spending hundreds of millions of pounds each year;

(b)       believes this Administration should get the best value for money it can because, if money is wasted, this means cuts to other areas of spending, especially at a time when budgets are under pressure;

(c)        also believes that a failure to do routine work quickly and cheaply leads to inertia and a lack of action;

(d)       notes the following examples of work that this Council believes is over-priced:-

(i)         £3,500 to install just two cycle parking hoops; and

(ii)        installation of park benches at £1,100 each; and

(e)       therefore calls on the Administration to examine areas of spending where more might be obtained for the Council’s resources.

9.1.1

(NOTE: In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.3(e) (Scope of Notices of Motion), paragraphs (d)(i), (ii) and (iv) of the Motion, as published on the agenda, were rejected at the meeting by the Chief Executive on the grounds of being factually inaccurate.  This followed the Council agreeing not to give its consent (under Council Procedure Rule 17.10(a) – Alteration of Motion or Amendment) to a request made on behalf of the mover of the Motion to alter the wording of those three paragraphs in order to make them factually accurate.)

9.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Bob Johnson, and formally seconded by Councillor Mary Lea, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words:-

(a)       unequivocally condemns what has now been nearly a decade of austerity inflicted on this Council and believes that it is a matter of plain fact that it is not possible to impose the level of cuts that have been forced on this Council without having a significant impact on services and the projects delivered by the Council;

(b)       believes that public money should always be spent wisely and confirms that the present Administration is continuously maximising value for money and the amounts delivered for the Council’s resources, and believes that nine years into austerity it is incredulous that the Green Group have called on “the Administration to examine areas of spending where more might be obtained for the Council’s resources”, as this is, of course, already done through the budget process;

(c)        regrets that the politics of this motion is akin to the language used by former Conservative Minister, the Rt. Hon. Lord Eric Pickles when the Coalition government first began austerity and the attack on local government funding, and also of the tactics of the Tax Payers Alliance, and implies that the Green Party feel that it is not austerity that is the problem, but how councils spend money based on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

11.1

RESOLVED: On the Motion of Councillor Peter Rippon, seconded by Councillor Dianne Hurst, that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 3^rd July 2019, be approved as a true and accurate record.

12.1

RESOLVED: On the Motion of Councillor Peter Rippon, seconded by Councillor  Dianne Hurst, that:-

(a)        it be noted that the Leader of the Council had appointed (i) Councillor Mark Jones to serve as Cabinet Member for Environment, Streetscene and Climate Change, with effect from 29^th August 2019, (ii) Councillor Terry Fox to serve as Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Governance, with effect from 3^rd September 2019, and (iii) Councillor Terry Fox to serve as Deputy Leader of the Council (the appointment to take effect on 11^th September 2019), following the resignations from those positions of Councillors Olivia Blake and Lewis Dagnall on 23^rd and 25^th August, respectively;

(b)        it be noted that the Leader of the Council had appointed Councillors Terry Fox and Mark Jones to serve on the Cabinet Highways Committee, in place of Councillors Olivia Blake and Lewis Dagnall;

(c)        it be noted that, in accordance with the authority given by the City Council at its annual meeting held on 15^th May 2019, the Chief Executive had authorised the appointment of Councillor Tony Damms to serve on the South Yorkshire Local Pension Board;

(d)        it be noted that Lucy Davies had been appointed as a HealthWatch observer on the Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee, with effect from 15^th July 2019, and that Margaret Kilner and Clive Skelton are no longer serving in that role;

(e)        it be noted that Gillian Foster had resigned as the Church of England Diocese representative on the Children, Young People and Family Support Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee;

(f)         approval be given to the following changes to the memberships of Committees, Boards, etc.:-

Children, Young People and Family Support Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee

-

Councillor Joe Otten to fill a vacancy; Councillor Olivia Blake to replace Councillor Andy Bainbridge

Healthier Communities & Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee

-

Councillor Lewis Dagnall to replace Councillor Mark Jones

Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee

-

Remove Councillor Terry Fox and create a vacancy

Audit and Standards Committee

-

Councillors Pat Midgley, Josie Paszek and Sioned-Mair Richards to replace Councillors Francyne Johnson, Mark Jones and Alan Law

Senior Officer Employment Committee

-

Councillors Terry Fox and Mark Jones to replace Councillors Olivia Blake and Lewis Dagnall

Access Liaison Group

-

Councillor Neale Gibson to fill a vacancy

Corporate Joint Committee with Trade Unions

-

Councillors Terry Fox and Mark Jones to replace Councillors Olivia Blake and Lewis Dagnall

Corporate Members Group

-

Councillor Terry Fox to replace Councillor Olivia Blake, and Councillor Simon Clement-Jones to replace Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed

Joint Commissioning Committee

-

Councillors Terry Fox and Mark Jones to replace Councillors Olivia Blake and Lewis Dagnall

Place Portfolio Joint Consultative Committee

-

Councillor Mark Jones to replace Councillor Lewis Dagnall

Resources/CEX Portfolio Joint Consultative Committee

-

Councillor Terry Fox to replace Councillor Olivia Blake

(g)         representatives be appointed to serve on other bodies  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.