Agenda item

Notice of Motion given by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes with regret the decision by the Government to relocate 247 jobs in the Business, Innovation and Skills office from Sheffield to London and the decision of HSBC to relocate 595 jobs from Sheffield and Tankersley to international locations;

 

(b)       further regrets the redundancies at Polestar, resulting in 613 redundancies and the 831 jobs at risk at TATA in Stocksbridge;

 

(c)       calls on the Administration to do all it can with other partners to support those facing job losses across the city to help them find alternative employment and/or training;

 

(d)       believes that despite these setbacks, Sheffield has a lot of potential to be a great city with great opportunities - in particular:-

 

(i)         two world class universities and one of the highest graduate retention rates in the country;

 

(ii)        a fantastic location close to other northern cities and 25 minutes’ drive to a world class airport; and

 

(iii)       a worldwide reputation as a green city;

 

(e)       believes that this is demonstrated in the new and exciting developments in Sheffield City Region, with the proposed £300 million expansion to Meadowhall;

 

(f)        believes this a crucial time for Sheffield, with the recent devolution deal, which will devolve powers from Westminster to politicians in our region, giving local people more power over our own destiny;

 

(g)       notes the Centre for Cities report “A Century of Cities”, on the importance of knowledge based industries for improving wealth and prosperity in cities, and the Tech North report “The Digital Powerhouse”, on how the public sector can supercharge the tech economy of the north;

 

(h)       believes that both of these issues are vital to Sheffield’s economy due to the abundance of technology and creative companies; and

 

(i)         calls on the Administration to:-

 

(i)         work across political party and with local industry to promote Sheffield more as the place in the north to invest, grow and do business; and

 

(ii)        ensure one full Council meeting a year is a ‘State of Sheffield’ business event, where local business report back on what improvements have been made and what Sheffield City Council needs to do extra in the coming year to support business, enterprise and innovation in the City.

Minutes:

Job Losses and Job Creation

 

12.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, and formally seconded by Councillor Martin Smith, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)      notes with regret the decision by the Government to relocate 247 jobs in the Business, Innovation and Skills office from Sheffield to London and the decision of HSBC to relocate 595 jobs from Sheffield and Tankersley to international locations;

 

(b)      further regrets the redundancies at Polestar, resulting in 613 redundancies and the 831 jobs at risk at TATA in Stocksbridge;

 

(c)      calls on the Administration to do all it can with other partners to support those facing job losses across the city to help them find alternative employment and/or training;

 

(d)      believes that despite these setbacks, Sheffield has a lot of potential to be a great city with great opportunities - in particular:-

 

(i)       two world class universities and one of the highest graduate retention rates in the country;

 

(ii)      a fantastic location close to other northern cities and 25 minutes’ drive to a world class airport; and

 

(iii)      a worldwide reputation as a green city;

 

(e)      believes that this is demonstrated in the new and exciting developments in Sheffield City Region, with the proposed £300 million expansion to Meadowhall;

 

(f)       believes this a crucial time for Sheffield, with the recent devolution deal, which will devolve powers from Westminster to politicians in our region, giving local people more power over our own destiny;

 

(g)      notes the Centre for Cities report “A Century of Cities”, on the importance of knowledge based industries for improving wealth and prosperity in cities, and the Tech North report “The Digital Powerhouse”, on how the public sector can supercharge the tech economy of the north;

 

(h)      believes that both of these issues are vital to Sheffield’s economy due to the abundance of technology and creative companies; and

 

(i)       calls on the Administration to:-

 

(i)       work across political party and with local industry to promote Sheffield more as the place in the north to invest, grow and do business; and

 

(ii)      ensure one full Council meeting a year is a ‘State of Sheffield’ business event, where local business report back on what improvements have been made and what Sheffield City Council needs to do extra in the coming year to support business, enterprise and innovation in the City.

 

 

12.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, and formally seconded by Councillor Lewis Dagnall, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

 

 

 

1.       the deletion of paragraph (c) and the addition of a new paragraph (c) as follows:-

 

 

 

(c)      notes that the Council is working with partners to put in place a programme of immediate support, linking staff affected to other job vacancies, providing training opportunities and supporting people that may wish to start their own business;

 

 

 

2.       the deletion of paragraph (i) and the addition of new paragraphs (i) to (k) as follows:-

 

 

 

(i)       recalls the harm the previous Coalition Government inflicted on the local economy when it:-

 

 

 

(i)       cut funding for regional economic growth through the abolition of Yorkshire Forward; and

 

 

 

(ii)      cut the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative which has dramatically reduced the amount of funding available for the Council to support local businesses;

 

 

 

(j)       notes that the Council is already engaging with local businesses to develop its understanding of what more the Council can do to support business, including engagement through the Business Advisory Panel, the Sheffield City Region Growth Board and regular contact with the Chamber of Commerce and the Cutlers Company; and

 

 

 

(k)      further notes that the Administration is  working with partners to grow the local economy and working with industry to promote Sheffield as a place to invest and notes:-

 

 

 

(i)       that over the past 12 months the inward investment team have supported five new significant investments and expansions which will create up to 400 new jobs in the city, including global law firm, Fragomen, who have created 100 new jobs; and

 

 

 

(ii)      the recent North Shoring event, held on Tuesday 24th May 2016 at the Law Society which raised awareness of the benefits Sheffield has for legal services firms and was attended by intermediaries who work alongside law firms and foreign direct investment agencies whose clients are looking to expand into the UK.

 

 

12.3

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

 

 

(NOTE: Councillors John Booker, Jack Clarkson and Keith Davis abstained on paragraph (k) and voted for the remainder of the amendment, and asked for this to be recorded.)

 

 

12.4

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

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes with regret the decision by the Government to relocate 247 jobs in the Business, Innovation and Skills office from Sheffield to London and the decision of HSBC to relocate 595 jobs from Sheffield and Tankersley to international locations;

 

(b)       further regrets the redundancies at Polestar, resulting in 613 redundancies and the 831 jobs at risk at TATA in Stocksbridge;

 

(c)       notes that the Council is working with partners to put in place a programme of immediate support, linking staff affected to other job vacancies, providing training opportunities and supporting people that may wish to start their own business;

 

(d)       believes that despite these setbacks, Sheffield has a lot of potential to be a great city with great opportunities - in particular:-

 

(i)       two world class universities and one of the highest graduate retention rates in the country;

 

(ii)      a fantastic location close to other northern cities and 25 minutes’ drive to a world class airport; and

 

(iii)     a worldwide reputation as a green city;

 

(e)       believes that this is demonstrated in the new and exciting developments in Sheffield City Region, with the proposed £300 million expansion to Meadowhall;

 

(f)        believes this a crucial time for Sheffield, with the recent devolution deal, which will devolve powers from Westminster to politicians in our region, giving local people more power over our own destiny;

 

(g)       notes the Centre for Cities report “A Century of Cities”, on the importance of knowledge based industries for improving wealth and prosperity in cities, and the Tech North report “The Digital Powerhouse”, on how the public sector can supercharge the tech economy of the north;

 

(h)       believes that both of these issues are vital to Sheffield’s economy due to the abundance of technology and creative companies;

 

(i)        recalls the harm the previous Coalition Government inflicted on the local economy when it:-

 

           (i)       cut funding for regional economic growth through the abolition of Yorkshire Forward; and

 

           (ii)      cut the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative which has dramatically reduced the amount of funding available for the Council to support local businesses;

 

(j)        notes that the Council is already engaging with local businesses to develop its understanding of what more the Council can do to support business, including engagement through the Business Advisory Panel, the Sheffield City Region Growth Board and regular contact with the Chamber of Commerce and the Cutlers Company; and

 

(k)       further notes that the Administration is working with partners to grow the local economy and working with industry to promote Sheffield as a place to invest and notes:-

 

(i)       that over the past 12 months the inward investment team have supported five new significant investments and expansions which will create up to 400 new jobs in the city, including global law firm, Fragomen, who have created 100 new jobs; and

 

(ii)      the recent North Shoring event, held on Tuesday 24th May 2016 at the Law Society which raised awareness of the benefits Sheffield has for legal services firms and was attended by intermediaries who work alongside law firms and foreign direct investment agencies whose clients are looking to expand into the UK.

 

 

 

(NOTES: 1. Councillors Andy Nash, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Adam Hanrahan, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, David Baker, Penny Baker and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) to (h) and against paragraphs (c) and (i) to (k) of the substantive motion and asked for this to be recorded;

 

2. Councillors John Booker, Jack Clarkson, Keith Davis, Douglas Johnson, Magid Magid, Robert Murphy and Alison Teal voted for paragraphs (a) to (d) and (g) to (k) and abstained on paragraphs (e) and (f) of the substantive motion and asked for this to be recorded.)