Agenda, decisions and minutes

1.1

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Julie Grocutt, Francyne Johnson and Moya O’Rourke.

2.1

No items were identified where resolutions may be moved to exclude the public and press.

4.1

The Committee received the following questions from members of the public who were in attendance to raise them: -

(a)           Peter Morgan, Chair of Friends of Hollins Busk:

Following the successful appeal by developers at Hollins Busk, local people feel let down and disappointed. This now opens up Stocksbridge and Deepcar for further development. The lack of a local plan and the failure to demonstrate a five year housing supply contributed to this decision.

1.                      Could planning officers attend a future North Local Area Committee meeting to update residents?

In response, the Chair noted the urgent need to approve a Local Plan and he had pushed for this. He agreed to investigate attendance of a planning officer at a future North Local Area Committee meeting.

Councillor Lewis Chinchen agreed that the decision to uphold the appeal was disappointing and stressed the importance of completing the Local Plan by the deadline of 2023 in order to protect other sites. He also noted that representations on the Hollins Busk development could still be made on reserved matters via the planning process.

2.             Could a Neighbourhood Plan be developed for this local area, as has happened in other parts of Sheffield?

The Chair noted that these comments would be passed on to Stocksbridge Town Council to assist in putting a plan together.

(b)           Public Questioner 2:

Does Sheffield City Council have any way of putting pressure on builders of new houses to install renewable heat pumps instead of gas-fired boilers?

In response, the Chair agreed that alternatives to gas should be considered in line with climate change measures and stated that this issue would be referred to Planning Services for a full response.

(c)           Public Questioner 3:

The questioner highlighted concerns about road safety on Jeffcock Road in High Green. The road is narrow and winding and parking difficulties often leads to children and parents with prams having to walk on the road. There is also an entrance to the park with no barrier and people often walk straight into the road. Other roads in the area with similar issues had been closed off. Could this option be considered for Jeffcock Road?

The Chair advised that he was aware of this and similar issues throughout the local area. He confirmed that Ecclesfield Parish Council would shortly be contacting residents of Jeffcock Road to seek views and suggestions.

A Councillor from Ecclesfield Parish Council added that a letter would be sent out to residents of Jeffcock Road within the next few weeks. It was also planned to contact the Parks and Countryside Team at Sheffield City Council to consider the potential for a barrier at the entrance to Mortomley Park.

The Chair noted that liaison would be needed with Highways for traffic/volume concerns, and with Parks and Countryside for barrier options and costings.

5.1

The minutes of meetings of the Committee held on 19th May and 7th July 2021 were approved as correct records.

7.1

The Community Services Manager, submitted a report setting out the mechanism for the Local Area Committee to enable decisions to be taken quickly and to respond to emerging issues by authorising the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure between Committee meetings, subject to certain conditions.

7.2

RESOLVED: That the North Local Area Committee authorises the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure from any budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee provided that:

·       The decision is taken in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair

·       Spending is in line with any specific purposes of the allocated budget

·       The decision may not approve expenditure of more than £5,000

·       A report detailing the delegated spending decisions taken by the Community Services Manager is presented to the next Local Area Committee meeting.

7.3

Reasons for Decision

The proposal to authorise decisions on any budgets allocated to the Committee can be discharged, in part, by the Community Services Manager will ensure the Committees can respond quickly to emerging local issues.

7.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

All decisions relating to budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee

could be decided at Formal Committee Meetings only. Whilst this approach would ensure the involvement of all members of the committee, it would mean that decisions to allocate spending for emerging and urgent local issues may not be made in a timely fashion.

7.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

7.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

7.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Executive Director People Services

7.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

6.1

The Community Services Manager submitted a report setting out the mechanism for the Local Area Committee to enable decisions to be taken quickly and to respond to emerging issues by authorising the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure between Committee meetings, subject to certain conditions.

6.2

RESOLVED: That the North Local Area Committee authorises the Community Services Manager to make decisions on expenditure from any budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee provided that:

·       The decision is taken in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair

·       Spending is in line with any specific purposes of the allocated budget

·       The decision may not approve expenditure of more than £5,000

·       A report detailing the delegated spending decisions taken by the Community Services Manager is presented to the next Local Area Committee meeting.

6.3

Reasons for Decision

The proposal to authorise decisions on any budgets allocated to the Committee can be discharged, in part, by the Community Services Manager will ensure the Committees can respond quickly to emerging local issues.

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

All decisions relating to budgets allocated to the Local Area Committee could be decided at Formal Committee Meetings only. Whilst this approach would ensure the involvement of all members of the committee, it would mean that decisions to allocate spending for emerging and urgent local issues may not be made in a timely fashion.

6.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

6.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

6.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Executive Director People Services

6.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

7.1

The Committee received a presentation from the Community Services Manager on Local Area Committees (LACs), as part of the Empowering Communities Programme.

7.2

David Luck reported on the operation and role of LAC, the initial funding allocation for the Committees, engagement activity, how the public could get involved, details of the Members of the Committee and the North Local Area Committee Team and contact details relating to the LAC.

7.3

7.4

The Committee noted the information now reported as part of the presentation.

Following the presentation, a number of questions and observations from members of the public were noted.

(a)  Question from Dorothy Whittaker, Deepcar:

The North Local Area Committee is the largest of the seven Local Area Committees, so why doesn’t it receive a larger share of the designated funding?

In response, the Chair noted that Local Area Committees had been divided by population and wards.

Dave Luck added that each Local Area Committee had four wards and a similar population. The split was based on population rather than deprivation level.

The Chair advised that boundary reviews took place periodically. The North Local Area Committee wards covered a population of between 70,000 and 80,000 people. He expected rural issues to arise whereas other Local Area Committees might experience more ‘inner city’ issues. He also acknowledged that highways/gritting concerns would arise due to the large geographical area covered by the North Local Area Committee.

(b)  Question from a member of the public:

A member of the public noted some of the difficulties facing Stocksbridge, including some areas of Stocksbridge that experience deprivation, and some elements of digital exclusion to the distance from the city centre. Is this recognised?

In response, the Chair noted that Stocksbridge was in a unique situation due to its distance from the city centre and he also recognised that there were other areas of deprivation within the North Local Area Committee boundary.

(c)  Nigel Clark, Bradfield Parish Council:

Nigel Clark was concerned about the lack of inclusion of affordable housing in recent planning applications, making it difficult for local young people to stay in the area. He noted that many people in the area are working from home but with poor broadband. He also believed that people would have no option but to commute to employment in Leeds as this might be the only way they could afford to buy local houses.

The Chair recognised the concerns raised by Mr Clark.

(d)  Doris Denton, Friends of Chapeltown Park:

Doris Denton queried whether projects funded by the North Local Area Committee would have to be completed by the end of the year or could the money be carried over?

The Chair noted that decisions on funding allocations could not be made until the Local Area Committee Community Plan had been formally agreed. However, he hoped that funding would be able to be carried over to ensure longer term commitment to projects where appropriate.

The Chair advised the Ms Denton that discussions around potential Local Area Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.