Agenda, decisions and minutes

1.1

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dawn Dale, Tony Damms and Abtisam Mohamed.

2.1

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

3.1

There were no declarations of interest.

4.1

The minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 20 June 2023 were approved as a correct record.

6

North East Local Area Committee budget report

6.1

The Committee considered a report of the Community Services Manager that advised each Local Area Committee had a £100,000 budget to address local priorities, identified within their respective Community Plans.  The report set out details of the spend in respect of the £100,000 that had been authorised by the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the LAC Chair and in accordance with the delegation granted in September 2021. 

The report showed funding allocated to the North East Local Area Committee for 2023/24, and set out proposals for its allocation and expenditure in line with the North East Local Area Committee Community Plan.

The report noted the expenditure made in 2023/24 used to address local priorities, sought approval of the proposed allocated expenditure against the £100,000 budget to address local priorities in the North East LAC in 2023/24, and included the underspend and committed spend from 2022/23, as detailed in the report. 

An additional proposal was outlined in the report which recommended that 50% (£45,000) of the North East LAC’s allocation from the LAC Cost of Living budget (£90,000) was awarded as a grant to Citizens Advice Sheffield to support its advice line.

6.2

RESOLVED: That the North East Local Area Committee:

6.2.1

(i)    Notes the expenditure against the £100,000 budget to address local priorities in the North East LAC in 2022/3 and includes the underspend and committed spend from 2022/23, as detailed in the report; and

(ii)   Agrees that half (£45,000) of the Cost of Living budget allocated to the North East LAC  be given as a grant to Citizen Advice Sheffield to support its advice line as detailed in the report.  

6.3

6.3.1

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected 

6.4.1

Decisions on any expenditure to support Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers, however, this would restrict the LAC’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.

All decisions on expenditure to support Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers.  However, this would restrict the LAC’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.

5.1

The Committee considered a report of the Community Services Manager that advised each Local Area Committee had a £100,000 budget to address local priorities, identified within their respective Community Plans.  The report set out details of the spend in respect of the £100,000 that had been authorised by the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the LAC Chair and in accordance with the delegation granted in September 2021. 

The report showed funding allocated to the North East Local Area Committee for 2023/24, and set out proposals for its allocation and expenditure in line with the North East Local Area Committee Community Plan.

The report noted the expenditure made in 2023/24 used to address local priorities, sought approval of the proposed allocated expenditure against the £100,000 budget to address local priorities in the North East LAC in 2023/24, and included the underspend and committed spend from 2022/23, as detailed in the report. 

An additional proposal was outlined in the report which recommended that 50% (£45,000) of the North East LAC’s allocation from the LAC Cost of Living budget (£90,000) was awarded as a grant to Citizens Advice Sheffield to support its advice line.

5.2

RESOLVED: That the North East Local Area Committee:

5.2.1

(i)    notes the expenditure against the £100,000 budget to address local priorities in the North East LAC in 2022/3 and includes the underspend and committed spend from 2022/23, as detailed in the report; and

(ii)   agrees that half (£45,000) of the Cost of Living budget allocated to the North East LAC  be given as a grant to Citizen Advice Sheffield to support its advice line as detailed in the report.  

5.3

5.3.1

5.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected 

5.4.1

Decisions on any expenditure to support Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers, however, this would restrict the LAC’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.

All decisions on expenditure to support Community Plan priorities could be delegated to officers.  However, this would restrict the LAC’s ability to monitor its delegated budget and delivery of the Community Plan.

6.1

 Ruth Bell, Head of Service for Parks and Countryside was in attendance with her colleague Stuart Turner, Programme Manager and presented an update to the meeting of current and completed works undertaken by the Service and the consultation and collaborative works with the public and community groups. Comments and questions were invited from the public and the Members present. The presentation showed the range of facilities, parks and small spaces the Service maintained in the City and the budget they held to manage these spaces. The Head of Service informed the meeting that demand on the City’s parks, facilities and small spaces were higher than pre-COVID.

6.2

The Chair thanked Ruth Bell and Stuart Turner for the presentation and invited questions from those present.

6.3

Councillor Dunn raised that residents in her Ward wanted to set up a Friends of Wolf Road Park to look at improving accessibility for all and wanted to know how to initiate this.

Ruth Bell advised that this was great way of linking into the Service and that she would provide details on how to do this following the meeting.  Stuart Turner stated that as equipment was changed and replaced, accessibility friendly equipment would be installed as a matter of course as time goes on. 

6.4

Councillor Jones asked how bio-diversity was improved upon whilst maintaining safe and tidy environments in our green spaces for all to enjoy and stay safe. 

Ruth Bell invited groups and individuals to raise concerns with her and to discuss with the Service how a balance could be achieved and that bio-diversity does not come at the expense of safety. 

Stuart Turner raised that some designs needed consideration to be given to them to improve those elements.

6.5

Councillor Weatherall thanked local groups for their litter picking efforts and good feedback was received. He stated that the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracey Brabin was involved with a leaflet and video personal safety campaign for young people and suggested that this video be put on the Council’s website.

Councillor Weatherall also raised how members of the public could get a diagnosis for suspected diseased trees, for example those trees with Ash Dieback.

Ruth Bell advised to contact her and the tree team would investigate the concern. 

6.6

Lyn Brandon - Friends of Abbeyfield Park wished to know how decisions were made on the prioritisation of areas to be improved.

Ruth Bell explained that improvements were made on critical need and that some funding the Service received was awarded to deal with specific problems and therefore must be spent on designated issues.  Ruth invited Lyn to contact their project officer to raise any concerns they had.

6.7

Margaret Whelan - Friends of Concorde Park raised that the recent consultation about the park was coming to an end and that she felt that the ‘Pump Track’ was being pushed onto the park, but this was not a priority of the Friends group, as a bike track was already in place and was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1

Laurie Brennan – Head of Policy and Partnerships, invited Members and the public for discussions during the upcoming breakout session about key elements of the Sheffield City Goals project and hoped that participants would leave with an understanding of -

·       What are the City Goals and what will they achieve?

To establish a clear long-term plan for the future of Sheffield by working collaboratively with several partners including the police, the community, teaching hospitals and the voluntary sector organisations to identify what needs to be improved upon.

·       What will the next steps be in October?

Once the information from the above is collated, it would then be put to the           public for consultation around these findings and ideas.  This could be discussed on-line, at the LAC or outside of these meetings. 

·       What will happen after October?

Following this further consultation with the public, this would be articulated in the     plan for Sheffield alongside the budget.

7.2

Cllr Belbin explained that the process was also about trying to reach those in the community that they did not usually hear from including young people.

7.3

Wathek Gabor, the Chair of Wensley Tenants Association asked after all the information is processed, what will be the result?

Laurie Brennan explained that the Council would look at the final expectations and plan and decipher what they were responsible for and what could the Council do to make the real changes that would contribute to these goals, as should the other partners involved.

7.4

Cllr Mark Jones stressed the importance of local people speaking with Laurie, to be involved in the process and to be heard.

8.1

The live webcast was paused, and the public participated in a Roadshow Interactive Session.  There were information stalls situated around the building which contained information relating to the different priorities of the North East Local Area Committee Community Plan.

8.2

After the interactive session, the live webcast of the meeting recommenced.

9.1

Pete Thornett - Scraithwood Estate Tenants and Residents Association.

Mr Thornett described the parking problems for residents and visitors and access for the emergency services on football match days when Sheffield Wednesday played at Hillsborough Stadium. He enquired about possible solutions such as yellow lines, 20 miles per hour limits or closing their road on match days. 

Cllr Dunn suggested that the LAC contact Sheffield Wednesday to make them aware of this issue raised.  Councillor Dunn stated that Sheffield Wednesday worked well and closely with the local community. 

The Chair asked the LAC to pass these concerns to Sheffield City Council Highways department to look at the matter. The Chair advised that an answer would be provided at the next meeting of the LAC.  

9.2

Mohamed Ali - Burngreave Education asked about improving the accessibility to the Vestry Hall for charities, private organisations and the community following liaison with other charity groups such as food banks and warm banks. Mr Ali advised in his experience it was difficult to book and access the building. 

He also suggested that volunteers could collect shopping for the local community who struggle to access Tesco now that the main entrance had been closed and collect the shopping from Vestry Hall.

The Chair advised that the LAC would write to housing and property facilities to see if access and booking  of the Vestry Hall can be improved.

Cllr Belbin added that there was no funding to have a permanent receptionist based at the Vestry Hall. She explained that some funding was available in relation to warm places and suggested that Mr Ali speak with the LAC team for guidance on this.

9.3

Margaret Williams – Burngreave TARA informed the meeting that the Hall was well used.  The TARA were using this Hall as they did not have a building of their own currently and she was having difficulty finding out if the kitchen would be made available again so they could provide a warm space and soup kitchen for the community.

9.4

Cllr Dunn raised a question from Mr Nicholson, one of her constituents who could not make the meeting.  Mr Nicholson wanted to know if there was any funding to support a litter pick at Wolf Road Park?  Cllr Dunn advised that she would relay the answer to him.

Lindsey Hill, LAC Manager, advised that there were funds left from last year to support volunteer litter picks.

9.5

The Chair thanked those present for attending the meeting and advised the next meeting of the North East LAC would be held on Wednesday 22 November 2023 at 5.00 pm, at a venue to be confirmed.