Agenda

To identify items where resolutions may be moved to exclude the press and public.

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

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

NOTE: There is a time limit of one hour for the presentation of ordinary petitions and questions or statements submitted by members of the public.  The order for receiving public participations within the allotted time is – 1) Petitions; 2) Agenda-Related Questions; 3) Supplementary Questions to the (Written) Remit Questions; 4) Statements (Agenda-related & Remit).

In accordance with the arrangements published on the Council’s website and contained within the Council’s Scheme “Public involvement in decision making at Sheffield City Council”, petitions, questions and statements are required to be submitted in writing to publicquestions@sheffield.gov.uk, by 9.00 a.m. on the dates set out here:Meeting Dates and Deadlines.

(b)      Petition Requiring Debate

The Council’s Petitions Scheme requires that a petition containing over 5,000 signatures from individuals who live, work or study in Sheffield, be the subject of debate at the Council meeting. A qualifying petition has been received as follows:-

Petition Regarding the Shortage of Burial Space in Sheffield

To debate a joint paper and electronic petition containing 7,000 signatures (4,745 paper and 2,255 electronic signatures, as at 26th November), submitted on behalf of the South Yorkshire Muslim Bereavement Trust, regarding the shortage of burial space in Sheffield.  The petition asks for “immediate action to tackle the dire situation that exists with regard to the depleting burial space/provision in Sheffield by the delivery of available, affordable and appropriate new burial space/provision in Sheffield, for all communities, and particularly for the Muslim community, within the next 24 months”. The online petition - Petition · EMERGENCY PETITION Burial Site Provision - Sheffield - Sheffield, United Kingdom · Change.org - includes further information.

There is a time limit of 25 minutes for this debate.

6.1      Questions relating to urgent business (submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.6).

6.2      Supplementary questions (in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.5) - on the answers, to be circulated at this meeting, provided to written questions (submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.1) to the Leader of the Council, or any Policy Committee (or Sub-Committee) or Regulatory Committee Chair, or a Member appointed by the Council to serve on the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities (under the provisions of Section 41 of the Local Government Act 1985), the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, or any other external body or joint committee, on matters within the functions of that Body.

To approve the updated Statement of Principles (Policy) under the Gambling Act 2005, as set out in the report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhood Services, published with this agenda.  The Statement had been approved for submission to the Council by the Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee at its meeting held on 8th November 2024.

That this Council:-

notes that:-

(a)      from April 2025 National Insurance employer’s contributions (NICs) will rise by 1.2%;

(b)      from April 2025 the secondary threshold will be lowered, meaning that employers will start to pay NICs on employees’ earnings from £5,000 instead of the current £9,100;

(c)      the Chancellor of the Exchequer has recognised “there will be consequences” as a result of the Budget announcements regarding employer NICs;

(d)      analysis from the Nuffield Trust shows that changes to employer NICs will cost the adult social care sector more than £900m next year;

(e)      the same report shows the total burden on the 18,000 independent organisations providing adult social care in England will be £2.8billion in the next financial year;

(f)       Sheffield is grappling with significant financial challenges, and the Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee is forecast to be £9.5m overspent this year;

(g)      in response to the Nuffield Trust’s analysis, the Local Government Association have stated that “immediate adequate investment is needed in order to address unmet and under-met need and ensure timely access to social care for all who need it”;

believes that:-

(h)      subjecting social care providers to higher taxes is counterproductive and will worsen the health and care crisis;

(i)       social care services are provided by a range of organisations including hospices and the voluntary sector, and all but the very smallest will be hit by the employers’ NICs increase;

(j)       the Government’s lack of ambition and deafening silence on social care is disappointing;

(k)      GP surgeries and many health and care providers will not be shielded from the full force of this tax increase and will have no choice but to cut services and staff numbers;

(l)       ultimately, people in care will suffer the consequences of these employers’ NICs rises;

resolves to:-

(m)     call on the Government to exempt social care providers from the increase in employers’ NICs;

(n)      call for cross-party talks on social care immediately to deliver the sector long-term, sustainable funding; and

(o)      ask the Leader of the Council to forward a copy of this motion to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

That this Council:-

(a)      notes Sheffield's identity is directly shaped by our rivers, from powering mills and forges to the historical driving force behind the steel and cutlery industries;

(b)      notes that today our rivers provide natural beauty, recreational opportunities, and habitats for diverse wildlife;

(c)      believes that Sheffield’s rivers play an important part in the city's future;

(d)      celebrates the work to de-culvert the River Sheaf at Castlegate, to open up the River Sheaf at its confluence with the River Don for the first time in over a century, alongside a new public park, Sheaf Fields, celebrating the birthplace of our city;

(e)      believes that the country’s rivers and seas face significant challenges after 14 years of neglect under Conservative-led governments;

(f)       condemns the record levels of sewage pumped into Britain’s rivers in 2023, with Yorkshire Water discharging sewage into Sheffield’s rivers 4,781 times, a 33% increase from the previous year, totalling over 18,000 hours of discharge;

(g)      notes that earlier this year, Yorkshire Water paid a penalty of £150,000 for pollution incidents affecting the River Don;

(h)      thanks the many local organisations and volunteers throughout the city who commit time and effort to protect and celebrate our waterways;

(i)       welcomes the Government's announcements to crack down on polluting water companies, increasing the ability of the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against water executives, increased penalties for polluters, and independent monitoring of every sewage outlet;

(j)       welcomes the launch of a new Independent Water Commission to review the water industry and ensure that regulations necessary to clean up our waterways are introduced;

resolves to:-

(k)      call for Yorkshire Water to be transparent and make a firm commitment to reducing sewage discharges into Sheffield’s rivers and streams;

(l)       request that the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee adds river quality and restoration to its work programme;

(m)     continue celebrating and supporting the invaluable work of local groups protecting our rivers, ensuring they are central to Sheffield’s climate and environmental priorities; and

(n)      ask the Chief Executive to forward a copy of this motion to Yorkshire Water.

That this Council:-

(a)      supports the Government’s new landmark Employment Rights Bill that will help workers in Sheffield by taking steps to make work pay and upgrade workers’ rights;

(b)      welcomes measures in the Bill to provide protection against unfair dismissal from day one, establish parental and bereavement leave from day one, end unscrupulous practices of fire and rehire and fire and replace, make flexible working the norm where practical, deliver stronger protections for pregnant women and new mothers, and strengthen statutory sick pay;

(c)      notes that thousands of workers in Sheffield are currently employed on a zero-hour contract, and believes that the ending of exploitative zero-hour contracts and strengthening of employment rights will be a big help to many;

(d)      supports the measures in the Bill to establish a new Fair Work Agency to enforce employment rights, such as holiday pay, and to provide support and guidance for employers;

(e)      supports the Government’s commitment to increasing the national living wage by 6.7% to increase pay for thousands of working people in Sheffield;

(f)       supports measures in the Bill to modernise trade union laws to help unions in their vital role representing workers’ interests and improving working conditions, including introducing rights for trade unions to access workplaces and repealing restrictive legislation;

(g)      recognises analysis by the Trades Union Congress which shows the benefit to the economy of reducing workplace stress, improving staff well-being, improving minimum wage compliance and increasing labour market participation;

resolves to:-

(h)      thank trade union convenors for their work at Sheffield City Council, noting the positive work they do for both employees and employer, including promoting workplace wellbeing and providing representation, support and advocacy;

(i)       commit to work with businesses, partners, unions and residents to grow the economy of Sheffield and increase productivity, wages and jobs growth; and

(j)       affirm our commitment to promoting fair and equitable employment practices in Sheffield.

That this Council:-

notes:-

(a)      the ongoing bus reform consultation by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) towards bus reform, including initiating a public consultation with franchising as the preferred option;

(b)      that South Yorkshire only receives £10 per resident of funding towards buses, compared to almost £40 in West Yorkshire;

(c)      that the bus fare cap will be raised nationally from £2 to £3 from January which would mean the average commuter who takes the bus every working day of the week would face an extra £448 bill in 2025;

(d)      that local leaders in Liverpool, Manchester, and West Yorkshire have pledged to keep the £2 fare cap for at least three months of next year, but that the Mayor of South Yorkshire has not made the same pledge;

(e)      that South Yorkshire received less Bus Service Improvement Plan revenue funding for 2025/26 than Liverpool City Region, despite having a similar total population;

believes that:-

(f)       the current system of deregulated buses has failed our city, and improvements to our bus network are desperately needed;

(g)      local authorities should be granted the powers they need to restore bus routes and add new ones where there is local need;

(h)      the fare cap increase is like a bus tax for people across Sheffield which will impact users struggling to make ends meet as well as local businesses and high streets;

(i)       the money received through Bus Service Improvement Plan revenue funding should be used to restore routes that have been previously cut;

resolves to:-

(j)       call on the Mayor of South Yorkshire to retain the £2 bus fare cap until at least December 2025;

(k)      encourage members of the public to take part in the bus reform consultation which can be accessed at the SYMCA website; and

(l)       ask the Chief Executive to forward a copy of this motion to the Mayor of South Yorkshire.

To approve a new politically proportionate scheme of seat allocations on the Council’s Committees, in accordance with details to be circulated at the meeting, following a change to the composition of the Council resulting from the By-Election held in the Woodhouse Ward on 28th November 2024.

A report of the Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement on the review of the allocation of seats on the Council’s Committees, will be published prior to the meeting.

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, which may be proposed at the meeting.

To receive the record of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 6th November 2024 and to approve the accuracy thereof.