Agenda item

Responses to public questions were provided as follows:-

Litter

Councillor Jayne Dunn, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene, stated that there was no excuse for litter and made reference to a community clean-up week.  She added that people from the Roma community had organised their own litter picks and she encouraged other groups to do the same.  She also encouraged people to report issues regarding litter and flytipping.  Councillor Dunn also informed the meeting that Amey would pick up any litter collected by individuals.  The Chair, Councillor Peter Price, commented on the use of the Communication Bus to spread the word about reducing litter, particularly to schools in the area.  He added that there were proposals to put skips in various locations for people to use and that litter wardens were to be appointed.  There was also a need for people to help themselves, due to Council budget restrictions, through such means as hiring skips.  He also encouraged people to report any incidences of where Amey weren’t fulfilling their contractual obligations and this would be followed up.

Parking on Grass Verges

Councillor Jayne Dunn asked the questioner to speak to her after the meeting.  Councillor Harry Harpham, Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, commented that parking on grass verges had always been an issue and that the introduction of a bye-law had been explored but that the cost of undertaking Court proceedings had been found to be prohibitive.  Councillor Julie Dore, Leader of the Council, added that Transport for London had the relevant legal powers and funding to be responsible for towing vehicles away which were blocking the pavement and that the Council were asking for the same powers to apply to Sheffield.  The Chair indicated that officers would check on the situation reported on Galsworthy Road.

Page Hall Selective Licensing Scheme

Councillor Harry Harpham explained that the scheme stopped landlords letting out properties without first approaching the Council and made breach of this a criminal offence, thereby giving the Council some element of control.  He added that the scheme would take time to work and emphasised that it would not tackle issues such as littering and groups of people congregating, which were a problem in Page Hall.  It was hoped though, that the scheme would play a part in getting rid of rogue landlords.  A voluntary scheme, which had been requested by landlords, had not worked, so options were being considered and a report was to be presented shortly to the Cabinet Member.  There were obstacles which had to be overcome regarding the introduction of a Selective Licensing scheme, but these would be tackled.  If the scheme was to be extended to an area wider than Page Hall, then further consultation would have to take place.

Housing+

Councillor Harry Harpham explained that the aims of Housing+ were to get officers out of the office and on to the estates, thus enabling them to get to know the area and the relevant issues and it was hoped that this would prove a forerunner to getting services out to people.  Lessons were being learnt from the operation of the pilot scheme in the South East of the City, with most people considering that it was working well and there had been no reports of a lack of patch officers.  It was recognised that there was a need to ensure that staff were ready and suitably trained for this new way of operating.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Councillor Harry Harpham considered that the Police did a good job despite the cuts which the service had suffered and that was the reason why Police Officers were not as visible on the streets.  During the next year there would be 180 fewer Police Officers on the streets in South Yorkshire.  He did feel though that the Police had changed to becoming a more neighbourly service, more so in fact than any other service.

Parkwood Landfill

Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, and Councillor for the Burngreave Ward, stated that the intention for this site was to convert it to be a country park and commended the work of the Parkwood Landfill Liaison Group and the Friends of Parkwood Springs in monitoring the operation of the site over the years.  A planning application had been submitted for the site and this was being closely monitored by those two groups and local Councillors.  She added that the area had great potential.  Councillor Isobel Bowler, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, made reference to the Ski Village and indicated that the Council were looking for similar sorts of activity at that location, with proposals such as mountain biking trails and the development of an urban park, which could serve the City and the region. 

The Effects of Unemployment on Different Groups in the Community

Councillor Julie Dore indicated that unemployment statistics were available through the Local Area Partnership updates and the labour market bulletin, and that these had not identified a particular demographic apart from age, but she would check to see if the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) community were disproportionately affected.  She added that monitoring was carried out on the 100 apprenticeship scheme, which was now into its fifth batch of recruits, and these showed that 25% of the apprentices were from a BME background.  The Level 3 apprenticeship scheme, which recruited 16 to 19 year olds with Level 2 qualifications, was also monitored.  Councillor Dore emphasised that an important Council priority was promoting jobs and skills and that any inequalities in this process would be addressed.

Councillor Jackie Drayton highlighted the need to make a difference in schools so that young people had the qualifications and skills to obtain employment.  She added that 1 in 12 young people in the North East of the City were Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs) and that there was a need to drill further down into the data to see if there was a disproportionate number from the BME community in these figures.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health, made reference to targeted programmes which were operating in the Burngreave and Parson Cross areas, which provided support in assisting people to find work, but added that resources were an issue.

Members’ Challenges

Councillor Julie Dore stated that continuing to provide the services that people expected from the Council, at a time of unprecedented cuts, was a significant challenge.  It was important that the Council continued to find new ways of engaging with the people of Sheffield when making these decisions.

Councillor Harry Harpham regarded the implementation of the Bedroom Tax as being unfair and attacking the vulnerable, whilst on a personal level he cited privatisation in the NHS as a challenge.

Councillor Ben Curran, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, referred to staff job losses which resulted in more pressure on existing staff and added that the Council had lost 2,000 staff since 2012.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal referred to the libraries restructure and commended the volunteers who were showing great spirit in continuing the service.  He also referred to the restructuring of advice services and the increased use of food banks which he considered to be a result of benefit sanctions.  He added that the benefits safety net appeared to be no longer there and that he was trying to ensure that this was restored.

Councillor Jayne Dunn explained that, as a result of her experience as a single mother living on benefits, she had wanted to put something back into the system and was committed to fighting inequality and unfairness.  In relation to her Cabinet duties, she indicated that decisions on Winter gritting were the most difficult issue she had had to deal with.  In terms of finance, she indicated that the challenge was how to bridge the gap between income and spending requirements.

Councillor Jackie Drayton explained that she had not expected to make cuts against those who were in most need and made particular reference to the effect of Government policies on poverty, youth services and grants for families with children with disabilities.  She was proud that the Council had decided to pay the living wage and that its contractors were encouraged to do likewise.  She made particular reference to her involvement in negotiations with the school meals contractors to pay the living wage.

Councillor Isobel Bowler referred to the closure of the Stocksbridge Leisure Centre and the Don Valley Stadium but added that there was alternative provision for athletics in the City.  Other challenges which she had had to face were the removal of the adventure playground funding in Burngreave, Parks service cuts and staff reductions which had resulted in a lack of people to support volunteers.

Rooms in Firth Park Library

Councillor Mazher Iqbal indicated that the rooms were currently occupied but may become vacant in the next month, although there were other parties interested in occupying them.  He recognised the importance of ensuring that community groups were able to use these rooms, but felt it was unfair to allocate these to the Brushes Tenants’ and Residents’ Association without a proper assessment.

The Link Between Green Issues and Highway Schemes

Councillor Jayne Dunn asked the questioner to speak to her about this issue after the meeting, but added that the Green Commission had not yet finished its work, having held only two out of a planned six meetings to date.