Agenda item

5.1

Public Questions in respect of Council Policy regarding Community Groups

Martin Brighton submitted a number of questions in relation to Council policy regarding community groups.

Councillor Leigh Bramall, Deputy Chair and Cabinet Member for Business Skills and Development, responded that Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, could meet if required. It was stated that should he have any evidence of abuse this should be reported to the Police.

5.2

Public Question in respect of Webcasting

Nigel Slack asked if he could have an update on the progress of webcasting for Council meetings?

Councillor Ben Curran, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, commented that he understood that the Council were looking at various options in respect of webcasting such as sponsorship or the use of applications such as Periscope. He would clarify the latest position and respond in writing to Mr Slack.

5.3

Public Question in respect of Devolution

Nigel Slack stated that the City Council and the Sheffield City Region had promised consultation over the ‘devolution’ deal signed recently. He therefore asked will this be by each individual Council or a combined regional consultation? Will the consultation with the public take place before this matter is brought before Full Council for a decision? What is the proposed timetable for the consultation? If the results of the public consultation are negative, will the Council vote against the agreement?

In response Councillor Leigh Bramall commented that the deal had only been announced recently and therefore there was a lot to be discussed. The form of consultation to be undertaken had been discussed but not yet finalised. Whatever the area the consultation would be substantial.

The consultation would take place before the matter is brought to Full Council. The timetable was to be decided and would need to take into account the outcomes arising from the imminent Government Comprehensive Spending Review. If the consultation showed overwhelming opposition to the agreement it was unlikely that it would be taken forward. There was still however a number of things to be agreed in respect of the consultation. The Heads of Terms for the deal had been agreed but there was a lot more work to be done on the precise detail of the agreement.

5.4

Public Question in respect of Devolution and Constituent Members

Nigel Slack commented that, having read the ‘Devolution’ agreement only briefly, one particular paragraph caused concern: ‘The Mayor for the Sheffield City Region will be elected by the local government electors for the areas of the constituent Councils of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority’. The Sheffield City Region Combined Authority website indicated that the ‘constituent’ Councils are the four South Yorkshire Metros. The remaining five Councils from North Notts and North Derbyshire are listed as ‘non-constituent’. Mr Slack also noted that the agreement was signed by the Metro Council leaders and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Chair. Will those Councils now become ‘constituent’ members or will they remain outside the decision making authority?

Councillor Leigh Bramall responded that, because of the way the City Region was split between districts, counties and unitaries, it was much more simplistic at this time to move forward with metro and unitary authorities even though the City Region had a mixture of the two. It should be the responsibility of the Government to facilitate how it worked in the future. The City Council had had to make some compromises to agree the deal so the Government needed to make difficult decisions on their part.

Councillor Bramall did not believe things would move as fast as the Government timetable suggested. The current wording said that constituent authorities could be part of the direct powers of the Mayor so it was up to individual authorities whether they moved to become constituent authorities or not. Many of the powers agreed in the deal were given to the Combined Authority and not the Mayor. There would be no ‘passporting’ down of cuts as the City Region was not taking on health and social care or Police powers.