Agenda item

Notice Of Motion Regarding "Sheffield Parks and Open Spaces" - Given By Councillor Mary Lea And To Be Seconded By Councillor Andy Bainbridge

That this Council:-

 

(a)       notes the public responses during the Big City Conversation which showed that a majority of Sheffielders believe one of the best things about the city is its parks and open spaces;

 

(b)       believes the city’s parks should be accessible to everyone and for people of all ages, and this Council remains committed to ensuring this;

 

(c)        believes that Sheffield truly is the Outdoor City, which helps make it such a fantastic place to live, work or study;

 

(d)       believes that despite a decade of austerity and government funding cuts, the city’s parks have continued to go from strength to strength under the current Administration, including:-

 

(i)         creation of the Sheffield Trees and Woodland Strategy; a 15 year programme for Sheffield’s non highway trees which will see a huge 100,000 trees planted over this time, and notes that this target is well on course to being delivered, with over 13,000 trees planted since the strategy launched in December 2018;

 

(ii)        refurbishment of twenty parks in some of Sheffield’s most deprived areas, using contributions from the city’s Public Health budget;

 

(iii)       launch of the Better Parks initiative to develop better facilities and increase income in Sheffield parks and green spaces;

 

(iv)       creation of a new War Memorial in Sheffield parks, with a commitment to plant 300 new protected trees, 200 of which have now been planted and recognised with a dedication plaque;

 

(v)        securing Fields in Trust status for many parks across the city, to ensure the parks’ continued protection for years to come, at sites including Woodhouse Mill Recreation Ground (2014), Weston Park (2016), Ochre Dyke (2017), Stocksbridge Clock Tower (2019), Tinsley Green (2019) & Hollinsend Park (2019);

 

(vi)       securing £3.2m of Lottery Heritage Funding to improve Sheffield’s General Cemetery; and

 

(vii)      working to secure additional funding for sporting and play equipment across the city’s parks, including ten Non-Turf Cricket Wickets, in conjunction with the English Cricket Board, and ten Tennis Courts uplifted and refurbished in conjunction with the Lawn Tennis Association;

 

(e)       believes that Sheffield is not only a uniquely green city, the greenest in Europe, but is also a considerably rural one in parts and it is, therefore, important that this Council’s Cabinet is developing a Rural Strategy to ensure that our rural spaces are supported so they can continue to flourish; and

 

(f)        believes that it is heartening to know that Sheffielders are so fond of their parks and open spaces, and believes this Council must continue to work closely with local communities to ensure their parks and open spaces continue to be such a positive.

 

 

Minutes:

8.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Mary Lea, and formally seconded by Councillor Andy Bainbridge, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       notes the public responses during the Big City Conversation which showed that a majority of Sheffielders believe one of the best things about the city is its parks and open spaces;

 

(b)       believes the city’s parks should be accessible to everyone and for people of all ages, and this Council remains committed to ensuring this;

 

(c)        believes that Sheffield truly is the Outdoor City, which helps make it such a fantastic place to live, work or study;

 

(d)       believes that despite a decade of austerity and government funding cuts, the city’s parks have continued to go from strength to strength under the current Administration, including:-

 

(i)         creation of the Sheffield Trees and Woodland Strategy; a 15 year programme for Sheffield’s non-highway trees which will see a huge 100,000 trees planted over this time, and notes that this target is well on course to being delivered, with over 13,000 trees planted since the strategy launched in December 2018;

 

(ii)        refurbishment of twenty parks in some of Sheffield’s most deprived areas, using contributions from the city’s Public Health budget;

 

(iii)       launch of the Better Parks initiative to develop better facilities and increase income in Sheffield parks and green spaces;

 

(iv)       creation of a new War Memorial in Sheffield parks, with a commitment to plant 300 new protected trees, 200 of which have now been planted and recognised with a dedication plaque;

 

(v)        securing Fields in Trust status for many parks across the city, to ensure the parks’ continued protection for years to come, at sites including Woodhouse Mill Recreation Ground (2014), Weston Park (2016), Ochre Dyke (2017), Stocksbridge Clock Tower (2019), Tinsley Green (2019) and Hollinsend Park (2019);

 

(vi)       securing £3.2m of Lottery Heritage Funding to improve Sheffield’s General Cemetery; and

 

(vii)      working to secure additional funding for sporting and play equipment across the city’s parks, including ten Non-Turf Cricket Wickets, in conjunction with the English Cricket Board, and ten Tennis Courts uplifted and refurbished in conjunction with the Lawn Tennis Association;

 

(e)       believes that Sheffield is not only a uniquely green city, the greenest in Europe, but is also a considerably rural one in parts and it is, therefore, important that this Council’s Cabinet is developing a Rural Strategy to ensure that our rural spaces are supported so they can continue to flourish; and

 

(f)        believes that it is heartening to know that Sheffielders are so fond of their parks and open spaces, and believes this Council must continue to work closely with local communities to ensure their parks and open spaces continue to be such a positive.

 

 

8.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Ian Auckland, and formally seconded by Councillor Roger Davison, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (g) to (m) as follows:-

 

 

 

(g)       requests that Fields in Trust status be secured for all Sheffield parks, including its largest one, Graves Park;

 

(h)       commends the work of Friends’ groups in maintaining, championing and protecting our parks, and will continue to support them;

 

(i)         believes that the nature of the Parks service lends itself to local management and governance arrangements, centred around the leadership of local Members in partnership with the community, and believes that charitable status, where already in place, offers a ready means to improve local involvement and accountability;

 

(j)         requests officers to ensure that the strategy for Better Parks is compatible with the Council’s climate change commitments and targets;

 

(k)        commits to protecting our parks from sale or disposal;

 

(l)         acknowledges the part played by far-sighted 19th and early 20th century Sheffield councillors and philanthropists who purchased or donated parks across Sheffield; and

 

(m)      further acknowledges the part played by early city councillors and philanthropists in planting street trees, making Sheffield one of the greenest cities in Europe.

 

 

8.3

It was then formally moved by Councillor Alison Teal, and formally seconded by Councillor Paul Turpin, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraph (e), the addition of new paragraphs (e) and (f) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraph (f) as a new paragraph (g):-

 

 

 

(e)       believes that with an ambitious programme of planting, Sheffield could become the greenest city; Sheffield has rural land within its boundary which provides opportunities to achieve net zero carbon targets, through rewilding and planting the right species of trees; in urban areas we must preserve our existing green spaces and increase green coverage in every ward;

 

(f)        believes that reassessing some decisions to fulfil the Council’s ambition to be the greenest city could help, such as:-

 

(i)         retaining Owlthorpe Fields as a greenfield site;

 

(ii)        not building a car park in Sheffield General Cemetery or breaking its historic perimeter;

 

(iii)       ensuring officers always bid for Government grants for pocket parks, so opportunities like Duchess Road Open Space in the deprived Highfields part of City Ward, are not missed;

 

(iv)       streamlining and encouraging the access to grants from members of the public wanting to create pocket parks and community gardens in their communities;

 

(v)        ensuring safeguards against damage to green spaces so that situations like Fire in the Park Festival event at the Ponderosa will not deprive local residents of its full use;

 

(vi)       gradually increasing the number of meadows and, where appropriate, ‘rewilding’ land which is currently grass requiring regular maintenance, in order to increase biodiversity and reduce costs and use of chemical pollutants;

 

(vii)      providing more green spaces in the city centre, with it being the most polluted area in Sheffield, including the original plan for a park on the historic site of Sheffield Castle; and

 

(viii)     committing to stopping the routine use of toxic chemicals, including glyphosate.

 

 

8.4

The amendment moved by Councillor Ian Auckland was put to the vote and was carried, except for paragraphs (g) and (i) which were negatived.

 

 

8.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Alison Teal was then put to the vote and was negatived.

 

 

8.5.1

(NOTE: The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Gail Smith) and Councillors Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Bob McCann, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, David Baker, Penny Baker, Vickie Priestley, Alan Hooper and Mike Levery voted for paragraph (e) and paragraphs (f)(i), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vii), and abstained from voting on paragraphs (f) (ii), (vi) and (viii) of the amendment, and asked for this to be recorded.)

 

 

8.6

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

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

 

 

 

(a)

notes the public responses during the Big City Conversation which showed that a majority of Sheffielders believe one of the best things about the city is its parks and open spaces;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

believes the city’s parks should be accessible to everyone and for people of all ages, and this Council remains committed to ensuring this;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

believes that Sheffield truly is the Outdoor City, which helps make it such a fantastic place to live, work or study;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(d)

believes that despite a decade of austerity and government funding cuts, the city’s parks have continued to go from strength to strength under the current Administration, including:-

 

(i)          creation of the Sheffield Trees and Woodland Strategy; a 15 year programme for Sheffield’s non-highway trees which will see a huge 100,000 trees planted over this time, and notes that this target is well on course to being delivered, with over 13,000 trees planted since the strategy launched in December 2018;

 

(ii)         refurbishment of twenty parks in some of Sheffield’s most deprived areas, using contributions from the city’s Public Health budget;

 

(iii)        launch of the Better Parks initiative to develop better facilities and increase income in Sheffield parks and green spaces;

 

(iv)        creation of a new War Memorial in Sheffield parks, with a commitment to plant 300 new protected trees, 200 of which have now been planted and recognised with a dedication plaque;

 

(v)         securing Fields in Trust status for many parks across the city, to ensure the parks’ continued protection for years to come, at sites including Woodhouse Mill Recreation Ground (2014), Weston Park (2016), Ochre Dyke (2017), Stocksbridge Clock Tower (2019), Tinsley Green (2019) and Hollinsend Park (2019);

 

(vi)        securing £3.2m of Lottery Heritage Funding to improve Sheffield’s General Cemetery; and

 

(vii)       working to secure additional funding for sporting and play equipment across the city’s parks, including ten Non-Turf Cricket Wickets, in conjunction with the English Cricket Board, and ten Tennis Courts uplifted and refurbished in conjunction with the Lawn Tennis Association;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(e)

believes that Sheffield is not only a uniquely green city, the greenest in Europe, but is also a considerably rural one in parts and it is, therefore, important that this Council’s Cabinet is developing a Rural Strategy to ensure that our rural spaces are supported so they can continue to flourish;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(f)

believes that it is heartening to know that Sheffielders are so fond of their parks and open spaces, and believes this Council must continue to work closely with local communities to ensure their parks and open spaces continue to be such a positive;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(g)

commends the work of Friends’ groups in maintaining, championing and protecting our parks, and will continue to support them;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(h)

requests officers to ensure that the strategy for Better Parks is compatible with the Council’s climate change commitments and targets;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(i)

commits to protecting our parks from sale or disposal;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(j)

acknowledges the part played by far-sighted 19th and early 20th century Sheffield councillors and philanthropists who purchased or donated parks across Sheffield; and

 

 

 

 

 

 

(k)

further acknowledges the part played by early city councillors and philanthropists in planting street trees, making Sheffield one of the greenest cities in Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.6.1

(NOTE: The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Gail Smith) and Councillors Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Bob McCann, Tim Huggan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, David Baker, Penny Baker, Vickie Priestley, Alan Hooper and Mike Levery voted for paragraphs (a) to (c) and (e) to (k), and abstained from voting on paragraph (d) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)