Agenda item

7.1

It was moved by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, and seconded by Councillor Julie Grocutt, that this Council:-

(a)       believes that this Council is committed to securing the immediate growth and improvement of the city’s high streets and notes that this Administration is bidding for significant investment for Fargate/Castlegate, as well as for the main high streets of Stocksbridge and Attercliffe;

(b)       believes that it is a priority of this Administration to support district centres in Sheffield and that every effort will be made to use planning and licensing under local authority control to repurpose sites so they can be reborn, and notes that this Administration is working with landlords, agents and Sheffield BID, to make Fargate a force to be reckoned with again, and seeking to unlock the area’s potential for café terraces, high-end outlets and independent Sheffield businesses;

(c)        notes the successful repurposing of Castle House and the former NUM headquarters, both supported through planning and financially, as well as the former Grosvenor Hotel site for HSBC which is the catalyst for further investment such as Angelo Gordon on Block F and Corem Group on Pinstone Street (with developments to be built out);

(d)       believes, likewise, that the New Era Square is being successfully repurposed through planning and is now acting as a catalyst for further investment interest in Sheffield, as is the continuing growth of the Moor;

(e)       notes that footfall across the city centre is currently up 10.2% this year compared to last year -  Fargate is up 6.1% and the Moor continues to thrive and is currently +1% up (last year was +18.7% compared to 2017);

(f)        believes that a whole host of successful events are helping ensure visitors flock to the city centre - these include Food Festival, Fringe@Tramlines, Invictus Trials, DocFest, World Snooker, Cliffhanger, World Music Day, Pinknic, Sheffield By The Seaside, Bricktropolis, Out of this World, and much improved Christmas Lights, all of which continue to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors per year, and that, however, it is important to not rest on our laurels and ensure that Sheffield continues to grow as a destination for such events;

(g)       notes that, under this Administration, the city has retained its Purple Flag status and the Council are up for two national awards for the city’s Night Time economy and how its managed;

(h)       notes that, in recent years, Sheffield has had the most successful period of inward investment ever – landing households names like McLaren and Boeing, as well as many smaller firms choosing to make Sheffield their home because of the skills of the local workforce and positive business climate here;

(i)         believes that the successes of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Factory 2050 speak for itself, and that the Olympic Legacy Park and the Knowledge Gateway, including the redevelopment of Fitzalan Square, also herald a bright future;

(j)         believes that for every job created by larger companies, the supply chain is positively affected and that Sheffield’s smaller businesses are benefitting from the economic activity generated by larger employers;

(k)        believes, however, that small businesses can only begin to reach their potential if the local authority proactively helps them, and notes that Business Sheffield has worked with over 450 businesses in the last 12 months to support them to start, grow or recruit, including:-

(i)         XLN initially expanded here from London, now doubling their Sheffield workforce from 150 to 300 staff;

(ii)        Clipper Logistics in the former Polestar building, creating 1,400 jobs at date;

(iii)       new specialist social worker regulator, Social Work England, chose Sheffield after considering Manchester and Leeds - creating 120 jobs; and

(iv)       Mindbody, a California-headquartered company, established a new office in Sheffield, creating 45 jobs, with plans to grow considerably;

(l)         further notes that, under this Administration, the Council is also supporting local business through its Ethical Procurement policy that:-

(i)         mandates that one quote must be from a local supplier as a minimum, resulting in half of our contracts being awarded to local business since implementation; and

(ii)        monitoring large contractors’ local sourcing activity as part of contract terms and conditions to encourage engagement with local supply chains;

(m)      notes that the Sheffield City Council programme ‘China 88’ is helping Sheffield businesses break into the Chinese market and more economic activity is expected to come out of this programme as it develops;

(n)       notes that the RISE job scheme has helped more than 300 local small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) recruit over 400 graduates, with 75% of those securing permanent jobs, the economic impact of which is estimated at £7.7million;

(o)       further notes that the Council-led ‘Opportunity Sheffield’ has created 342 apprenticeships working with over 200 SMEs in Sheffield, and that 93 of those were 16-18 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET);

(p)       notes that, in the last year, the Council has provided sustained employment for over 300 residents from our most deprived areas through planning and procurement powers, as well as ensuing that local jobs are created by developments, for example through the building of new homes in the Manor Top area, providing jobs and apprenticeships to the people who live there and in the surrounding areas;

(q)       welcomes the development of West Bar Square, and changes already seen under the first Grey to Green project, the continuation of which, in Phase 2, will transform Castlegate and link it to the underused Victoria Quays area; transforming the former inner ring road with sustainable drainage, floral meadows, segregated cycle lanes and public art;

(r)        believes that all economic growth needs to be measured against its ‘inclusive growth’ – and that this Administration’s aim is to produce an economic strategy that is concerned with the ‘health’ of the economy, not just the ‘wealth’ of the economy, as that economic growth, although undoubtedly important, is not a final outcome but rather a means to improve people’s lives;

(s)        believes that ensuring Sheffield has a prosperous future, whilst maintaining the city’s fine heritage, is of paramount importance, and welcomes the proposals for the old town hall, which will safeguard the future of the building whilst once again giving it a renewed purpose;

(t)         notes that more and more people are seeking to live in the thriving city centre, with hundreds of new homes planned, including build-to-rents, student homes and homes for sale;

(u)       believes that culture and art play immeasurable importance to the city and notes the recent successes of the Da Vinci exhibition in the Millennium Galleries and the Mausoleum of the Giants by Sheffield- based artist Phlegm, housed at the former Eye Witness Works factory, which brought thousands of visitors into the city; and

(v)        believes that this Administration will always champion the city’s creative industries and support Sheffield as a city of makers, and that by using our planning powers properly we can help give sites a new lease of life, whilst ensuring that the old sits comfortably with the new.

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Ben Curran, seconded by Councillor Dawn Dale, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (w) to (aa) as follows:-

(w)       believes the Universal Basic Income has the potential to improve wellbeing and provide a boost to our local economy;

(x)        welcomes the work done by Sheffield UBI Lab to create detailed plans on how a universal basic income scheme could work in Sheffield;

(y)        will work with Sheffield UBI Lab & other parties to ensure Universal Basic Income can be implemented successfully in Sheffield;

(z)        welcomes the comments by the Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, supporting Sheffield’s inclusion in a Universal Basic Income pilot under the next Labour government; and

(aa)     will send a copy of this motion to the Chancellor, Shadow Chancellor and all Sheffield MP’s.

7.3

It was then moved by Councillor Martin Smith, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, 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)       thanks officers for their work to maintain and grow the local economy;

(b)       notes that the Liberal Democrat Group has consistently supported the redevelopment of the city centre, however;

(c)        notes that the Council is focusing a huge investment in the Heart of the City 2 project which is forecast to cost approximately £470 million gross and that interest payments have already cost the Council several million pounds;

(d)       notes that the Council is also planning a major redevelopment of the Castlegate area, and has approved the taking of a lease on 100,000 sq.ft of the proposed West Bar development for an undisclosed sum and is also acting as a guarantor for loans of £3.6 million to the developer of the former NUM building;

(e)       notes the ongoing restructuring of the UK retail industry and general economic uncertainty due to Brexit;

(f)        is concerned that current Council-led investment is overly focused on the city centre and not enough is being done to support the local business economy across all parts of Sheffield;

(g)       believes this is another example of this Council not listening to local communities and ignoring their pleas for investment in district shopping centres and local high streets;

(h)       directs the Executive Director of Place to commission an immediate and independent review of the financial business case and associated risks for all Council-led investments across the city centre, with a report circulated to all Councillors within six months; and

(i)         directs the Executive Director of Place to review the challenges facing business in each of the LAP areas, develop proposals to support the local economy in each of these areas, and deliver recommendations to the LAP chairs within six months.

7.4

It was then moved by Councillor Paul Turpin, seconded by Councillor Martin Phipps, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

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

(a)       believes that our local economy should be innovative, collaborative, forward facing and for the benefit of communities and the environment, within the parameters of the climate crisis; believes the economy is all of us: our work, our creativity, what we buy, how we spend our time and should allow us to lead happy and fulfilled lives;

2.         the deletion of paragraphs (b), (c) and (d);

3.         the deletion of paragraph (j) and the addition of new paragraphs as follows:-

(i)         believes that independents and small and medium businesses are central to the local economy and should be supported as such;

(ii)        notes with disappointment the Administration’s treatment of businesses on Chapel Walk, where several businesses have closed since a large property developer’s scaffolding was approved to be erected in 2017;

(iii)       believes that, under proper management, Chapel Walk could be a proud beacon of local and independent businesses down one of Sheffield’s most historic walks;

(iv)       believes that the Council should investigate how best to incentivise business to act with low or zero carbon footprints and plastic free in light of the Climate Emergency, and give thanks to those that already do;

3.         the deletion of paragraphs (l) and (m) and the addition of new paragraphs as follows:-

(i)         believes that the ‘trickle down’ theory of economics favoured by this Administration was discredited under the Thatcher Government when Nigel Lawson was Chancellor of the Exchequer and that local small and medium businesses benefit the local economy more than multinational businesses;

(ii)        believes that we can’t have eternal growth in a finite environment; that economists from Adam Smith to Keynes agree that a growth based economy would at some point reach “'full complement of riches” or “saturation point”; and that this Council believes this point has been  reached and that Sheffield and the UK should transition to a steady state economy;

(iii)       believes that the current ‘Ethical Procurement Policy’ could do more to support local businesses; and

(iv)       therefore, asks the Administration to amend this policy to incorporate the Local Multiplier Effect (LM3), as designed by the New Economic Foundation;

4.         the deletion of existing paragraph (r) and the addition of a new paragraph as follows:-

()          believes that the Council should adopt an alternative measurement of the economy such as the Free Time Index or Happy City Index; and therefore asks the Administration to consider suitable mechanisms to achieve this;

5.         following existing paragraph (s), the addition of the following paragraphs:-

(i)         regrets the cancellation of the Castlegate Conservation Area consultation, the view that legal safeguards of the city’s heritage are a “brake on development” and regrets the decision to reject alternative proposals to the demolition of the Old Coroner’s Court;

(ii)        believes that the heritage of Sheffield is not a hindrance in the local economy but is something to be celebrated and can attract investment rather than act as a barrier;

6.         following existing paragraph (t), the addition of the following paragraphs:-

(i)         notes that the effective deployment of concentrated housing, with transport and environmental infrastructure in the city, are critical means to address the climate emergency but bring into play the need for the most careful balance of the needs of different groups of residents and businesses;

(ii)        regrets that this Administration not only voted against carrying out a review of supply and demand of student accommodation but has failed to bring forward a draft Local Plan;

(iii)       therefore calls on the Administration to reconsider both of these requests;

(iv)       further, calls on the Administration to ensure the Local Plan addresses the necessary controls over both the type and range of housing that property developers choose to build, as well as the need for a range of affordable housing;

(v)        notes that residential landlords make up a significant part of the local economy, from large multinational corporations to single-property landlords, and believes that all housing offered to tenants should be of a good standard; and

(vi)       requests that the Administration should investigate undertaking a comprehensive review of the city's housing stock; that information obtained from the review would be used to inform the Administration's Housing Strategy, and support meeting the city's residential housing needs, ensuring that citizens have affordable, secure, sustainable and comfortable places to live; and that the review should include, amongst other things, considering the potential scope of selective licensing for landlords across the city;

7.         the deletion of existing paragraph (v) and the addition of a new paragraph, as follows:-

()          notes the importance of art and culture for community and people’s wellbeing and its value beyond the economy;

8.         the re-lettering of paragraphs accordingly.

7.5

After contributions from two other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Mazher Iqbal, the amendment moved by Councillor Ben Curran was put to the vote and was carried.

7.6

The amendment moved by Councillor Martin Smith was then put to the vote and was negatived.

7.6.1

The votes on the amendment were ordered to be recorded and were as follows:-

For the amendment (22)

-

Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Bob McCann, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Ian Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, David Baker, Penny Baker, Vickie Priestley, Jack Clarkson, Alan Hooper and Mike Levery.

Against the amendment (43)

-

Councillors Chris Rosling-Josephs, Sophie Wilson, Denise Fox, Bryan Lodge, Karen McGowan, Jackie Drayton, Talib Hussain, Mark Jones, Anne Murphy, Mazher Iqbal, Mary Lea, Zahira Naz, Andy Bainbridge, Moya O’Rourke, Abdul Khayum, Alan Law, Abtisam Mohamed, Lewis Dagnall, Cate McDonald, Bob Johnson, George Lindars-Hammond, Josie Paszek, Terry Fox, Pat Midgley, Sioned-Mair Richards, Julie Dore, Ben Miskell, Dianne Hurst, Peter Rippon, Dawn Dale, Peter Price, Garry Weatherall, Tony Damms, Jayne Dunn, Julie Grocutt, Francyne Johnson, Olivia Blake, Ben Curran, Neale Gibson, Adam Hurst, Mick Rooney, Jackie Satur and Paul Wood.

Abstained from voting on the amendment (8)

-

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Tony Downing) and Councillors Angela Argenzio, Kaltum Rivers, Douglas Johnson, Martin Phipps, Paul Turpin, Peter Garbutt and Alison Teal.

(Note: The recorded vote above incorporates the alterations made at the meeting of the Council held on 3^rd July 2019 when approving the minutes of its meeting on 12^th June.)

7.7

The amendment moved by Councillor Paul Turpin was then put to the vote and was also negatived.

7.8

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

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       believes that this Council is committed to securing the immediate growth and improvement of the city’s high streets and notes that this Administration is bidding for significant investment for Fargate/Castlegate, as well as for the main high streets of Stocksbridge and Attercliffe;

(b)       believes that it is a priority of this Administration to support district centres in Sheffield and that every effort will be made to use planning and licensing under local authority control to repurpose sites so they can be reborn, and notes that this Administration is working with landlords, agents and Sheffield BID, to make Fargate a force to be reckoned with again, and seeking to unlock the area’s potential for café terraces, high-end outlets and independent Sheffield businesses;

(c)        notes the successful repurposing of Castle House and the former NUM headquarters, both supported through planning and financially, as well as the former Grosvenor Hotel site for HSBC which is the catalyst for further investment such as Angelo Gordon on Block F and Corem Group on Pinstone Street (with developments to be built out);

(d)       believes, likewise, that the New Era Square is being successfully repurposed through planning and is now acting as a catalyst for further investment interest in Sheffield, as is the continuing growth of the Moor;

(e)       notes that footfall across the city centre is currently up 10.2% this year compared to last year -  Fargate is up 6.1% and the Moor continues to thrive and is currently +1% up (last year was +18.7% compared to 2017);

(f)        believes that a whole host of successful events are helping ensure visitors flock to the city centre - these include Food Festival, Fringe@Tramlines, Invictus Trials, DocFest, World Snooker, Cliffhanger, World Music Day, Pinknic, Sheffield By The Seaside, Bricktropolis, Out of this World, and much improved Christmas Lights, all of which continue to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors per year, and that, however, it is important to not rest on our laurels and ensure that Sheffield continues to grow as a destination for such events;

(g)       notes that, under this Administration, the city has retained its Purple Flag status and the Council are up for two national awards for the city’s Night Time economy and how its managed;

(h)       notes that, in recent years, Sheffield has had the most successful period of inward investment ever – landing households names like McLaren and Boeing, as well as many smaller firms choosing to make Sheffield their home because of the skills of the local workforce and positive business climate here;

(i)         believes that the successes of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Factory 2050 speak for itself, and that the Olympic Legacy Park and the Knowledge Gateway, including the redevelopment of Fitzalan Square, also herald a bright future;

(j)         believes that for every job created by larger companies, the supply chain is positively affected and that Sheffield’s smaller businesses are benefitting from the economic activity generated by larger employers;

(k)        believes, however, that small businesses can only begin to reach their potential if the local authority proactively helps them, and notes that Business Sheffield has worked with over 450 businesses in the last 12 months to support them to start, grow or recruit, including:-

(i)         XLN initially expanded here from London, now doubling their Sheffield workforce from 150 to 300 staff;

(ii)        Clipper Logistics in the former Polestar building, creating 1,400 jobs at date;

(iii)       new specialist social worker regulator, Social Work England, chose Sheffield after considering Manchester and Leeds - creating 120 jobs; and

(iv)       Mindbody, a California-headquartered company, established a new office in Sheffield, creating 45 jobs, with plans to grow considerably;

(l)         further notes that, under this Administration, the Council is also supporting local business through its Ethical Procurement policy that:-

(i)         mandates that one quote must be from a local supplier as a minimum, resulting in half of our contracts being awarded to local business since implementation; and

(ii)        monitoring large contractors’ local sourcing activity as part of contract terms and conditions to encourage engagement with local supply chains;

(m)      notes that the Sheffield City Council programme ‘China 88’ is helping Sheffield businesses break into the Chinese market and more economic activity is expected to come out of this programme as it develops;

(n)       notes that the RISE job scheme has helped more than 300 local small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) recruit over 400 graduates, with 75% of those securing permanent jobs, the economic impact of which is estimated at £7.7million;

(o)       further notes that the Council-led ‘Opportunity Sheffield’ has created 342 apprenticeships working with over 200 SMEs in Sheffield, and that 93 of those were 16-18 year olds Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET);

(p)       notes that, in the last year, the Council has provided sustained employment for over 300 residents from our most deprived areas through planning and procurement powers, as well as ensuing that local jobs are created by developments, for example through the building of new homes in the Manor Top area, providing jobs and apprenticeships to the people who live there and in the surrounding areas;

(q)       welcomes the development of West Bar Square, and changes already seen under the first Grey to Green project, the continuation of which, in Phase 2, will transform Castlegate and link it to the underused Victoria Quays area; transforming the former inner ring road with sustainable drainage, floral meadows, segregated cycle lanes and public art;

(r)        believes that all economic growth needs to be measured against its ‘inclusive growth’ – and that this Administration’s aim is to produce an economic strategy that is concerned with the ‘health’ of the economy, not just the ‘wealth’ of the economy, as that economic growth, although undoubtedly important, is not a final outcome but rather a means to improve people’s lives;

(s)        believes that ensuring Sheffield has a prosperous future, whilst maintaining the city’s fine heritage, is of paramount importance, and welcomes the proposals for the old town hall, which will safeguard the future of the building whilst once again giving it a renewed purpose;

(t)         notes that more and more people are seeking to live in the thriving city centre, with hundreds of new homes planned, including build-to-rents, student homes and homes for sale;

(u)       believes that culture and art play immeasurable importance to the city and notes the recent successes of the Da Vinci exhibition in the Millennium Galleries and the Mausoleum of the Giants by Sheffield- based artist Phlegm, housed at the former Eye Witness Works factory, which brought thousands of visitors into the city;

(v)        believes that this Administration will always champion the city’s creative industries and support Sheffield as a city of makers, and that by using our planning powers properly we can help give sites a new lease of life, whilst ensuring that the old sits comfortably with the new;

(w)       believes the Universal Basic Income has the potential to improve wellbeing and provide a boost to our local economy;

(x)        welcomes the work done by Sheffield UBI Lab to create detailed plans on how a universal basic income scheme could work in Sheffield;

(y)        will work with Sheffield UBI Lab & other parties to ensure Universal Basic Income can be implemented successfully in Sheffield;

(z)        welcomes the comments by the Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, supporting Sheffield’s inclusion in a Universal Basic Income pilot under the next Labour government; and

(aa)     will send a copy of this motion to the Chancellor, Shadow Chancellor and all Sheffield MPs.

7.8.1

(NOTE: Councillors Angela Argenzio, Kaltum Rivers, Douglas Johnson, Martin Phipps, Paul Turpin, Peter Garbutt and Alison Teal voted for paragraphs (e) to (i), (k), (n) to (q), (s) to (u) and (w) to (aa), and against paragraphs (a) to (d), (j), (l), (m), (r) and (v) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)