Agenda item

5.1

Mike Hodson, Secretary of the Carter Knowle & Millhouses Community Group, raised the following questions:-

(a)            accepting that the Parks and Countryside Service, 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:

(i)       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

(ii)      the assertions by Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Leisure, and by the Head of Parks & Countryside, that ‘no parks will be sold under, or in the implementation of, this Strategy’?

(b)            Does the Committee feel that the proposal quoted above is also compatible with the aspirations quoted in the report, and/or in public, that the Council should ‘maintain control of policy and assets’, and ‘maintain affordable public access under all circumstances’?

(c)            Will the Scrutiny Committee recommend the withdrawal of the Strategy, and its rewriting, in the light of the issues raised above, and in the light of criticisms of the lack of due consultation?

5.2

In response, James Barnes (Parks and Countryside Service) confirmed that the Council was not proposing to sell any of its park land or buildings to raise income, and that any income raised as part of the Strategy would be re-invested into the Parks and Countryside Service.  

5.3

Mr Barnes referred to the Assessment Criteria, set out in the report, highlighting the point that it would provide a formal process that would bring both accountability and guide the decision-making on the use and management of the Parks and Countryside Service’s land and property portfolio. Furthermore, the decision-making process included consultation with all relevant stakeholders. 

5.3

Councillor Mary Lea added that there had been a 30% reduction in the City’s park’s income, and that it was hoped that the proposals set out in the Strategy would address this.