Agenda item

Tinsley Recreational Ground

It was moved by Councillor Penny Baker, seconded by Councillor Ian Auckland, that this Council:-

(a)       notes that building has begun of the new Tinsley School on Tinsley Recreational Ground;

(b)       notes that this was the only publicly accessible green space in the Tinsley area and was a part of our city’s heritage as the park that Gordon Banks, England’s 1966 World Cup winning team goalkeeper played on as a child;

(c)        notes that there were alternative sites and options which could have been considered but believes the Administration refused to listen to public opinion;

(d)       believes that our city’s green reputation and treasured open spaces are not safe in the hands of our current Administration;

(e)       notes that last January, Ochre Dike Playing Fields, Waterthorpe was designated as a ‘Fields in Trust’ protected site to allow it to be further protected and managed as a public park and playing field in perpetuity; and

(f)        therefore calls on the Administration to:-

(i)         award the remainder of Tinsley Recreational Ground ‘Fields in Trust’ status to protect this community asset from this current Administration and in perpetuity; and

(ii)        resolve that not one blade of grass of designated public open space or park land in Sheffield will be sold off or developed further.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, 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)         recalls that the decision to amalgamate Tinsley Nursery Infant and Junior schools to create Tinsley Meadows Primary School was agreed by Cabinet on 16th April 2014 and planning permission was granted in July 2015, and is surprised that if the main opposition group have genuine concerns they have not raised them until now;

(b)         believes that it is imperative that the school is moved away from the motorway in order to alleviate noise and air pollution issues and the overwhelming evidence concerning air quality and children’s health development;

(c)         recalls that none of the other options to relocate the school were viable and the decision facing the Administration was to leave the school where it was with the danger that presented to the health of local children or relocate it to the chosen site, and believes that the main opposition group should check their facts before making misleading assertions;

(d)         recognises the importance of protecting the local green space and notes that all efforts were made to keep the development to a quarter of the green space and commits to protecting the rest of the site from development;

(e)         notes that the school will continue to work with the community and offer community activity and support on the site, alongside providing a great inclusive education for children in Tinsley, in line with our corporate mission to make every school a great school;

(f)          commits to work with local young people to ensure they get best use of the pavilion, noting that the Administration has given Tinsley Forum a grant for the provision of activities for young people; and

(g)         recalls that Ochre Dike Playing Fields, Waterthorpe was protected due to plans to develop whilst the previous Administration was in control and is therefore astounded at the hypocrisy of the main opposition group.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-