Agenda and minutes

1.1

RESOLVED: That Councillor Kurtis Crossland be appointed as Chair of the South East Local Area Committee for the remainder of the municipal year 2023/24.

1.2

RESOLVED: That Councillor Gail Smith be appointed as Deputy Chair of the South East Local Area Committee for the remainder of the municipal year 2023/24.

2.1

An apology for absence were received by Councillor Paul Wood.

3.1

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

4.1

There were no interests declared at the meeting.

5.1

The minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 28 June 2023 were approved as a correct record.

6.1

The committee received 1 question in advance of the meeting. The Chair (Councillor Kurtis Crossland) stated that this question along with the response will be included in the minutes.

6.2

Roger Marsh

By the way of introduction, for those that do not know me, my name is Roger Marsh. I have been a resident of Owlthorpe since 2003. I helped found Owlthorpe Community Forum, and was Chair from 2008 to 2012.  In 2012 I formed and chair Owlthorpe Local & Natural History Group.  I received a certificate from the South East Community Assembly – Roll of Honour 2010 in recognition of outstanding contribution to the community. Also, its appreciation of the efforts I had made to improve the lives of the people who live in the area. In 2011 Yorkshire in Bloom awarded me a Discretionary Rose Award in the category ‘Community Champion’ the only award of this type in the whole of Yorkshire that year. Over these 15 years we have carried out numerus environmental projects in Owlthorpe in conjunction with Sheffield City Council (SCC). These projects have created a green oasis, in an increasing urban development, for the local residents and visitors to enjoy the green lungs of Owlthorpe. These projects are important to their mental, physical health and wellbeing. Organised health walks continue to take place every Thursday for both striders and strollers. I ask this question on behalf of the many voluntary community volunteers and the then primary school children who have worked tirelessly on these projects. Who are probably not aware of the plan to vandalise their hard work. The agreement that we had with SCC was that we would be supported in this environmental work on the understanding that we would not carry out any work or object to the building of houses on Sites C, D, and E. With regards to Site F also designated SES 10 in the new Sheffield Draft Local Plan, a statement attributed to SSC on the BBC Website stated that the location had been proposed as a housing site for many years. (bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-66582292). This statement is demonstrably untrue. Following detailed research carried out by Celia Jackson then Secretary of the Moss Valley Wildlife Group, she presented a petition to have Site F removed as a planned housing site. SCC agreed to her petition and accordingly removed Site F as housing land from the current Local Plan. Subsequently I lobbied SCC to get the release of outstanding Section 106 monies (retained by the builder of Woodland Heights housing development at Owlthorpe for 10 years). Once the £67,455 Section 106 monies had been released, we completed many planned environmental projects, all in conjunction with Sally Pereira the then SCC Landscape Planning Officer. The first project we undertook together with SCC was the Owlthorpe Grasslands Grazing Project. Once Phases 1 and 1a had been completed we moved on to Phase 2. The site for Phase 2 was the site previously designated Site F that had earlier been removed as a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1

Members of the Committee introduced themselves individually to the attendees and gave some background to who they were and what wards they covered.

8.1

In 2021 each LAC was allocated an initial budget of £100,000 to be spent in line with their Community plan. The South East LAC Community Plan was agreed in March 2022 and the unspent portion of the £100,000 budget was carried forward to 2022/23. A new community plan has been drafted to for 2023/24 and was presented at the meeting.

8.2

Each Local Area Committee has a budget to address local priorities. The report set out details of the spend in respect of the initial budget of £100,000 for 2022/23 that has been authorised by the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the LAC Chair and in accordance with the delegation granted in September 2021 and described funding allocated to the LAC for 2023/24 and sets out proposals for its allocation and expenditure for 2023/24 in line with the South East LAC plant.

8.3

RESOLVED: That the South East Local Area Committee:

(1)      notes the expenditure against the £100,000 budget to address local priorities in the South East LAC as detailed in the report;

(2)      agrees the use of the 2023/24 LAC budget of £100 000 for the South East area as described in the report;

(3)      agrees the use of the 2023/24 £44,918 LAC Cost of Living budget as described in the report namely that 50% of the South Easts allocation (£22,459) is awarded as a grant to Citizens Advice Sheffield to support its advice line with the remaining 50% (£22,459 used to create a new South East Cost of Living fund); and

(4)      authorises the Community Services Manager, in consultation with the Local Area Committee Chair, to finalise the eligibility criteria and make decisions, following engagement with the relevant Ward Members, on the award of the grant funds proposed of up to £5,000 per individual award.

8.4

Reasons for Decision

The South East LAC is asked to note the use of funding as per the previous decision of September 30th 2021 and agree further expenditure to address the identified local priorities so the community plan is not delayed.

8.5

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

This report is in line with the previous decision of September 30th 2021, regarding expenditure below £5000, the South East Community Plan agreed on March 9th 2022 and the proposed new South East Community plan for 2023/24.

9.1

The Committee and members of the public in attendance received an update from South Yorkshire Police. Two South Yorkshire Police Officers were in attendance to give that update.

9.2

South Yorkshire Police Officer encouraged attendees to speak with them during the next item of the agenda. He explained that there was a high number of burglaries reported in this area and that 3 people had recently been arrested.

9.3

Councillor Gail Smith encouraged people to report any crime so that Officers could gather as much information as possible in order to prevent these acts of crime from occurring. She added that this could be done anonymously. Councillors Ian Horner and Tony Downing echoed these comments. Councillor Alison Norris mentioned that another way of reporting crime can be done by going into libraries and reporting online.

9.4

Councillor Karen McGowan thanked the Police Officers for attending this LAC meeting and mentioned that it was not only LACs where Police Officers were present.

9.5

The Committee and members of the public in attendance received a presentation from the Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team. Amanda Perrot and Sharon Ward were in attendance to give the presentation. The presentation will be uploaded to the Council’s meeting pages, along with the minutes.

9.6

Councillor Bryan Lodge thanked Amanda and Sharon for the work their team had carried out in tackling issues in the community.

9.7

The Committee and members of the public in attendance received a presentation from the Council’s Housing Team. Rachel Dawson was in attendance to give the presentation. The presentation will be uploaded to the Council’s meeting pages, along with the minutes.

9.8

Councillor Mick Rooney explained that it was not the Council who evicted tenants instead that was a process for court.

9.9

The Committee and members of the public in attendance received a presentation from the Council’s Tenancy Enforcement Team. Matthew Sutton was in attendance to give the presentation. The presentation will be uploaded to the Council’s meeting pages, along with the minutes.

10.1

Following the presentations, Members of the Committee, Officers and members of the public in attendance were given the opportunity to remain in the meeting venue to meet each other and network.