Agenda and minutes

Members to declare any interests they have in the business to be considered at the meeting.

To receive the record of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 1^st October 2014 and to approve the accuracy thereof.

(a)       To receive any questions or petitions from the public, or communications submitted by the Lord Mayor or the Chief Executive and to pass such resolutions thereon as the Council Procedure Rules permit and as may be deemed expedient.

(b)       Petition Requiring Debate

            The Council’s Petitions Scheme requires that any petition containing over 5,000 signatures be the subject of debate at the Council meeting.  A qualifying petition has been received as follows:-

            Petition regarding the Learning Disability Services Residential Contract

            To debate a petition containing just over 5,000 signatures opposing the potential privatisation of the Learning Disability Service.  The wording of the petition is as follows:-

            “We the undersigned are opposed to the potential privatisation of the learning disability service in Sheffield.  This service has been run for nearly 40 years by the health service to a high standard and should not be auctioned off to the lowest tender.  We call upon Sheffield City Council to drop proposals to outsource this service and instead work with the health service to maintain these high standards of care and further improve upon them where possible.  If you agree, we would highly appreciate your signature.”

5.1       Questions relating to urgent business – Council Procedure Rule 16.6(ii).

5.2       Supplementary questions on written questions submitted at this meeting   – Council Procedure Rule 16.4.

5.3       Questions on the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities for Fire and Rescue and Pensions – Section 41 of the Local Government Act 1985 – Council Procedure Rule 16.6(i).

            (NB. Minutes of recent meetings of the two South Yorkshire Joint    Authorities have been made available to all Members of the Council via the following link -

            http://sheffielddemocracy.moderngov.co.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13165&path=0)

To consider any changes to the memberships and arrangements for meetings of Committees etc., delegated authority, and the appointment of representatives to serve on other bodies.

That this Council:

(a)       regrets that after falling sharply for six years, the number of statutory homelessness acceptances across England has risen every year since 2010 and substantially by 34% overall since 2009/10;

(b)       notes that under the previous Government, statutory homeless fell by 70% from 2003/4 to 2009/10;

(c)        opposes the Conservative Party’s plans to restrict access to housing benefit for 18-21 year olds and believes that to present homelessness as choice for young people reveals how out of touch they are;

(d)       notes that 40% of homeless young people who approach local authorities and housing providers are forced to do so because their parents are no longer willing to accommodate them;

(e)       agrees with the view of Centrepoint that the Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP’s policy to axe housing benefit could “do series harm to young people’s futures”;

(f)        notes that rough sleeping has increased by around a third since this Government took office in 2010;

(g)       supports Roundabout’s plan for a “sleep out” on 6th November 2014 to be held at St Andrew’s Church, Psalter Lane, noting that this event will raise both money for this venerable charity and awareness of youth homelessness;

(h)       thanks the organisations in Sheffield that work to prevent, tackle and reduce homelessness in our City; and

(i)         resolves to continue to work with partners and other organisations to help prevent and tackle homelessness in Sheffield.

That this Council:

(a)       condemns the comments of Conservative Welfare Minister, Lord Freud, that people with disabilities are “not worth the minimum wage”;

(b)       condemns the Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP’s failure to sack Lord Freud, which shows his complete lack of leadership and unwillingness to protect the vulnerable in our society;

(c)        believes that Lord Freud’s actions are worse than his words, such as the closure of the Independent Living Fund, a lifeline for 18,000 people with disabilities;

(d)       believes the Government have failed disabled people, as shown in a report by the Centre for Welfare Reform which states that austerity and cuts are hitting disabled people nine times harder than other groups;

(e)       welcomes the Labour Party’s promise to abolish the “Bedroom Tax”, a policy which is a further example of this Government’s attack on people with disabilities; and

(f)        calls for the resignation of Lord Freud.

That this Council:-

(a)       notes that privately-rented housing in Sheffield has more than doubled in size since 2001, with some 35,670 Sheffield households now living in private-rented housing, and that nine million people now live in rented housing in England;

(b)       notes with concern that in England some landlords use legitimate possession powers to evict their tenants for speaking up about bad conditions;

(c)        is alarmed that Shelter estimates that 200,000 tenants have been evicted in these circumstances in the past year;

(d)       is dismayed that Shelter’s research suggests that one in twelve private tenants have avoided asking for repairs in case they are evicted;

(e)       believes that the law needs to be changed to end such evictions, and to give renters back the confidence they need to ask for basic repairs;

(f)        welcomes the Tenancies (Reform) Bill, presented by Liberal Democrat MP, Sarah Teather, which will, if enacted, change the law to stop landlords issuing an eviction notice when the tenant has made a legitimate complaint about conditions;

(g)       notes that the bill will have its second reading on 28^th November 2014;

(h)       therefore expresses its support for the Bill; and

(i)         instructs that a copy of this motion be sent to all Sheffield MPs.

That this Council:

(a)       welcomes the successful participation of 16-17 year olds in the referendum on Scottish Independence, in which over 109,000 16-17 year olds registered to vote;

(b)       notes that currently 16 and 17 year olds are eligible for service in our armed forces, eligible for tax credits and welfare, and eligible to pay income tax and national insurance, yet are barred from electing their representatives;

(c)        notes that 16 year olds are already able to vote in the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, as well vote at many levels of government in other countries such as Austria, Germany and Norway;

(d)       notes that a survey by the Electoral Commission found 74% of respondents to be in favour of lowering the age at which the franchise is awarded at age 16;

(e)       believes that votes at 16 will make politics more democratically accountable and will empower a voiceless section of our society;

(f)        welcomes the decision of the Sheffield Youth Cabinet to make Votes at 16 in UK parliamentary and local elections a priority for 2015;

(g)       welcomes the Labour Party’s pledge to include votes at 16 in its 2015 manifesto; and

(h)       directs that a copy of this Motion be forwarded to the Sheffield Youth Cabinet, Sheffield Youth Council and Sheffield Members of the Youth Parliament.

That this Council:

(a)       welcomes the campaign of the United Nations Secretary General to UNiTE to End Violence Against Women on the 25th of each month;

(b)       further welcomes that 25th November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and also marks the start of 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence;

(c)        believes an International Day to End Violence Against Women is important because:

(i)         violence against women is a human rights violation;

(ii)        violence against women is a consequence of discrimination against women, in law and also in practice, and of persisting inequalities between men and women;

(iii)       violence against women impacts on, and impedes, progress in many areas, including poverty eradication, combating HIV/AIDS, and peace and security;

(iv)       violence against women and girls is not inevitable; prevention is possible and essential; and

(v)        violence against women continues to be a global pandemic; up to 70 per cent of women experience violence in their lifetime;

(d)       supports the efforts of One Billion Rising – Sheffield, to raise awareness of violence against women and support them with their plans for a flash mob in the Peace Gardens on 14th February 2015;

(e)       welcomes the decision of the Labour Party to appoint a Shadow Minister for Violence against Women and Girls and a commitment to include a Violence against Women and Girls Bill with national standards for tackling the issue in the first Queen's speech if they are elected to Government in 2015;

(f)        thanks the efforts of Sexual Health Sheffield in their community engagement work in educating young people on issues of consent and healthy relationships, which no doubt link to violence against women and girls and recognises that Sheffield is the only city with a Sexual Health Champion;

(g)       urges everyone to take responsibility for tackling violence against women and girls; and

(h)       calls on all Councillors to sign the petition by the European Women’s Lobby calling on the future European Commission President to establish 2016 as the European year to end violence against women and girls.

That this Council:-

(a)       recognises the vital importance to local retail business in the City Centre and District Shopping Centres, of the Christmas Trading period;

(b)       notes nearby competing shopping centres such as Rotherham and Chesterfield are offering free car parking incentives in the run up to Christmas;

(c)        therefore calls on the Administration to offer free Christmas Parking incentives applicable to the City Centre and district centres, during the forthcoming Festive Season; and

(d)       believes that this can be financed this year by using savings made during the recent industrial action.

That this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the ongoing public debate about the future of the city centre which is important to the people who live and work in it as well as visitors from the rest of Sheffield, the city region and beyond;

(b)       recognises the calls for:-

(i)            a greater focus on micro and small independent businesses;

(ii)        more residential development which caters for a wider mix of households;

(iii)       more green spaces;

(iv)       a more coordinated approach to balancing the night time entertainment with the need to sleep; and

(v)        ongoing support for the vulnerable people who gravitate to the city centre;

(c)        notes that the Cultural Industries and Devonshire Quarter Action Plans set out just such a vision and specifically sought to protect and promote the businesses and communities which created them;

(d)       notes that elements of these plans have been carried through into the 2010 draft City Policies and Sites and 2013 draft City Centre Masterplan, both of which have been approved by Cabinet;

(e)       therefore welcomes recent initiatives which foster these aims, for instance:

(i)         the support by the Council and Sheffield University for “meanwhile” use of buildings in the city centre;

(ii)        the Star newspaper’s call for an overhaul of the business rates system which is crippling small traders;

(iii)       the Inside-Out festival on 25th October 2014 organised by Sheffield City Centre Residents Action Group to celebrate community in the city centre;

(iv)       the proposed development and application for funding for a wildflower meadow at Love Square on West Bar; and

(v)        the efforts to improve joint working between Planning, Licensing and the public to ease issues around late night opening and alcohol related problems, including the Central Local Area Partnership public meeting on 4th November 2014; and

(f)        asks officers to reconsider the City Centre vibrancy measures used by Sheffield City Council in order to broaden the definition of vibrancy; currently these measures focus on spend and visitors include footfall in the main shopping streets, visits to the largest galleries and hotel occupancy, and it is suggested that they be broadened to include measures around the variety of businesses, for example measuring size by turnover, “localness” (i.e. registered in city region or outside) and at what times the organisations are open for business.

That this Council:-

(a)       notes with disappointment that since the start of roadworks taking place in the vicinity of Halifax Road / Leppings Lane, this appears to have had a catastrophic effect to local businesses and residents alike;

(b)       recognises the stress and the loss of business to traders i.e. lack of income, due to no ‘right turn’ into Leppings Lane, resulting in highway users having to travel towards Owlerton Stadium before enabling them to turn around, and travel back towards Catch Bar Lane;

(c)        believes that there has been a lack of urgency by the Administration to deal with this issue by challenging the contractors appointed by Sainsbury’s;

(d)       notes that a visit by a UKIP Councillor to business premises along Leppings Lane has highlighted that there has been an apparent lack of ongoing consultation with business owners / managers, and residents, resulting in a total lack of understanding of the needs of local businesses and residents by the contractors appointed to the scheme;

(e)       notes that what was proposed as a two week closure of Leppings Lane, now appears to have over run its course, resulting in even more hardship for local traders and residents;

(f)        believes that inconsiderate and inconvenient working practices have resulted in local residents suffering sleep deprivation, due to the constant noise throughout the early hours of the morning and evenings, and whilst it is appreciated that this work has to be carried out, more consideration and pre-planning for local people should have been put at the forefront;

(g)       calls on the contractors to compensate traders for loss of business;

(h)       believes it is important that the Council keep local people updated as to how the works are progressing, which would minimize disruption; and

(i)         notes the impact on daily commuters whilst travelling on a main arterial road towards and away from Sheffield, who use this route, who are often delayed for excessive periods of time whilst trying to get to work.

That this Council:

(a)       registers its opposition to the Northern and Transpennine Express franchise requirement for driver only trains, and the Government’s plans to make driver only trains mandatory;

(b)       supports the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’) campaign to protect on-board conductors on the Northern and Transpennine routes and hundreds of essential rail jobs;

(c)        believes that, if implemented, the plan would result in cuts to funding, fare rises, service and timetable cuts and the loss of hundreds of essential rail jobs;

(d)       also believes that in addition to the loss of skilled jobs, passenger service and passenger safety will be worsened by this plan to remove guards and conductors from services and introduce Driver-Only-Operation;

(e)       notes that these proposals come on top of rail fare hikes and the pre-existing understaffing of many stations and the closure of ticket offices, making guards and on-board conductors even more essential to passenger safety;

(f)        believes that protecting and increasing staffing levels are the most effective way of improving security and passenger safety;

(g)       notes that the driver is responsible for safe operation of the train and the on-board conductor for the protection of passengers;

(h)       notes that currently, guards and on-board conductors are fully trained in operational safety, route knowledge, including safely securing doors, protecting the train and acting in emergencies such as driver incapacity;

(i)         believes that these types of cuts to rail services particularly have an impact on disabled, older and women passengers, and go against the wishes of passengers who value proper staffing of trains and stations; and

(j)         urges the Government and Rail North to protect passengers and the communities who rely on these rail services by withdrawing these proposals and instead hold meaningful consultations to deliver properly funded, properly staffed and affordable railways in the North.

That this Council:-

(a)       notes that:-

(i)            an estimated one in four people will experience a mental health problem in their lives;

(ii)        there is often a relationship between mental health problems and issues such as housing, employment and family problems; and

(iii)       when the previous Government introduced waiting times for physical health, mental health conditions were excluded;

(b)       welcomes:-

(i)         the announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Sheffield Hallam, The Rt. Hon. Nick Clegg, MP, that treatment for mental health conditions will be brought into line with other NHS services with the introduction of waiting time standards;

(ii)          the additional investment in psychiatric services in acute hospitals for people admitted via Accident and Emergency Departments to ensure that these patients receive the most appropriate treatment; and

(iii)         the £7 million investment into mental health services for children and young people;

(c)        believes that:-

(i)         all Councillors can play a positive role in championing mental health issues on an individual and strategic basis; and

(ii)        Councillors should use every opportunity to tackle discrimination on grounds of mental health and promote positive mental health in schools, colleges and places of employment.

That this Council:-

(a)       welcomes the campaign by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association to install equipment to provide audio announcements of bus stops on buses; so called “Talking Buses”;

(b)       notes that in surveys, drivers too often forget to inform blind bus users when they reach their destination, and that this has sometimes had serious repercussions for the passenger;

(c)        notes that some parts of the country already have talking buses, notably London, of which 100% are talking, but also Nottinghamshire, Reading, Coventry, Birmingham and others;

(d)       welcomes the competition launched by Liberal Democrat Transport Minister, Baroness Kramer, to invite students to devise more cost effective ways of providing such equipment;

(e)       agrees that this facility will not only benefit the blind, but improve the travelling experience for all bus users, and that this will encourage use of buses over cars, with associated environmental impact; and

(d)       therefore calls on the Chief Executive to write to South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, First Bus Company and Stagecoach encouraging them to implement talking buses as soon as practicable.

That this Council:-

(a)       notes the continuing problems within the National Health Service that affects all those who work and who are treated within it;

(b)       recognises that GP’s have had a pay increase of 40%, and have been released from their out of hours contracts, while the rank and file staff within the service are expected to work harder and harder without a pay increase;

(c)        regrets that midwives and nurses are striking for a miserly 1% pay increase, recommended by the independent pay body, which the Coalition Government is refusing to pay;

(d)       further notes that people can wait for up to ten days to see a GP, waiting times for physiotherapy can take up to three months, operations are cancelled on a regular basis, there is low morale across the NHS, plus a deficit of £30 Billion;

(e)       is saddened by a weekly influx of over 5000 people into this country, which puts immense pressure on this service, and believes that however bad it is today, it will be worse tomorrow;

(f)        realises money in this Country is very tight, yet the European Union demands an extra £1.7 billion from the UK tax payers to be paid by December 2014;

(g)       is staggered to note that the Labour Party sides with the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, to start once again hostilities in the Middle East, depriving much needed monies that could indeed go towards the easing of problems in the NHS;

(h)       wishes for once in this Country we could try ‘welfare not warfare’; and

(i)         confirms its belief that the NHS should always be free at the point of admission, and regrets the campaign of disinformation emanating from the media and main political parties.