Agenda item

5.1

The Committee received the following questions from Mike Hodson, a member of the public:-

Accepting that Parks and Countryside Department, along with the rest of Sheffield City Council, has been very damaged by the large reduction in grant income, and accepting therefore that the new Building Better Parks Strategy for seeking to increase income and retain the ability to maintain Sheffield’s parks and green spaces is very welcome; nevertheless does the Scrutiny Committee feel able to whole-heartedly endorse the entire Strategy in the light of the apparent conflict between:

(a)       the Strategy’s proposal that implementation should include “leases and sales of land and/or buildings for new homes or businesses”, and could involve “disposing of low recreational value land or property to generate new income “; and

(b)       the assertions by Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Leisure, and by the Head of Parks and Countryside that “no parks will be sold under, or in the implementation of, this strategy”?

Does the Committee feel that the proposal quoted above is also compatible with the aspirations quoted in the Report, or in public, that the Council should “maintain control of policy and assets”, and “maintain affordable public access under all circumstances”?

Follow-up?  Will the Scrutiny Committee include the Building Better Parks Strategy and its implementation in its Work Programme for 2019/20, in order to monitor the issues highlighted above?

5.2

The Chair informed Mr. Hodson that an item regarding the Building Better Parks Strategy would be added to the Committee’s Work Programme and he will be informed when the item is on the agenda.