Agenda item

8.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Richard Shaw, and formally seconded by Councillor Andrew Sangar, that this Council:-

(a)      acknowledges and welcomes the diverse range of neighbourhoods and settlements across the Sheffield area, believes that the Covid pandemic has served to remind us all of the range of parks, local shops and leisure facilities available in Sheffield, but recognises that access to these services is often limited by poor mobility, distance, and limited transport options;

(b)      welcomes the latest update to the Highway Code that introduces a ‘hierarchy of road users’, giving more responsibility to operators of motor vehicles to reduce danger towards more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, and includes updates and clarifications such as giving pedestrians greater priority at crossings and junctions;

(c)      believes that traditional zoning of land uses has in many cases led to limited access to services and local amenities by active travel, mass transit or mobility aids;

(d)      therefore believes that as a Council we should work towards the concept of ‘15 minute neighbourhoods’, reducing time and distance to access services; meaning residents should have within a 15-minute journey via foot, cycle or other mobility aid from their home: living, working, commerce, healthcare, education, entertainment, parks and green spaces;

(e)      notes that 15-minute neighbourhoods concept would also support regeneration of district centres and local and independent businesses, something this Council wishes to see across Sheffield;

(f)       believes that the Council’s recently established Local Area Committees provide a great way to work to establish 15-minute neighbourhoods, designed by local communities from the bottom up and believes that Local Area Committees need to be empowered to identify where zoning rules can be changed to make work and leisure sites more accessible to local residents;

(g)      believes the creation of vibrant district centres and neighbourhoods would be supported by greater local retention of the neighbourhood portion of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL);

(h)      notes the EU Objective One investment in 2007 to break up the Parson Cross estate and create hubs around community facilities and shopping centres, which could have led to the creation of 15-minute neighbourhoods, and believes regretfully that the previous Administration did not have the vision to use CIL to enhance the local centres, improve active travel and reduce car dependency;

(i)       believes that the building of up to 2,500 houses in Attercliffe, using the Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order powers if necessary, should be used as an example of how to deliver 15-minute neighbourhoods;

(j)       believes that 15-minute neighbourhoods will also benefit our environment, reducing the reliance on cars for many residents, helping Sheffield reach its goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, alongside the switch to electric vehicles and the decarbonisation of the electricity supply;

(k)      believes that the principles behind 15-minute neighbourhoods could also be adapted to benefit our rural communities by improving access to basic services and amenities;

(l)       acknowledges some of our city’s current policies are a good step towards this, such as the low traffic neighbourhoods where appropriate, but believes that the Council needs to do more to encourage short journeys being made by foot, bicycle, or mobility aids such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters;

(m)     believes we must also recognise that there are many physical and psychological barriers to travel that encourage car dependency, such as lack of pedestrian crossings and dropped kerbs and a lack of joined-up segregated cycle routes, and that we must tackle issues such as these so many more people can easily access essential services and amenities safely and conveniently;

(n)      recognises that active travel options are not always possible for many people with mobility impairments and that provision for public transport and private vehicles is essential; and

(o)      notes Metro Mayor Dan Jarvis’s calls to “transform our infrastructure for cycling and walking, and put in place the building blocks for compact and liveable 15 minute neighbourhoods” and therefore calls on him and his successor to act on this and work with the City Council to make 15-minute neighbourhoods a reality across our area.

8.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, and formally seconded by Councillor Mary Lea, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council”, and the addition of the following words:-

(a)      notes that delivering 15-minute neighbourhoods is not something new for the Council, and that this is something the Co-operative Administration is committed to;

(b)      notes the premise of the Connecting Sheffield Programme is to provide a step change in the ability for people to feel comfortable using active travel, which directly ties into the 15-minute neighbourhood proposals whereby the barriers to use are removed, either through design or behavioural change;

(c)      notes, in addition, the use of Active Neighbourhoods and 20mph zones, policies developed under the previous Administration, are a way to further enhance localised areas by reduced through traffic and prioritising active trips within, helping to create walkable and accessible communities that connect everyday social amenities;

(d)      notes that the Co-operative Administration is continuing ‘school streets’ and other behavioural change programmes which help the public to understand how accessible locations are, and believes this is fundamental to achieving the objectives of a 15-minute neighbourhood;

(e)      believes that the 15-minute neighbourhood theory was effectively incorporated into the current Transport Strategy, developed by the previous Administration, though it was not specifically called 15-minute neighbourhoods, the idea behind the strategy was of creating communities that do not rely on the private car, and integrated with the right services, in the right location with the right connections;

(f)       notes, therefore, that this is all part of planning policy, as well as more broader transport planning and, therefore, at the forefront of future policy development;

(g)      notes that the key principles of 15-minute neighbourhoods are embedded in the Local Plan – to support connected neighbourhoods where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk, cycle or trip by public transport, variously referred to as 20-minute neighbourhoods (meaning a 10 minute journey and return), and 15-minute cities, the core benefits include improving health and well-being, increasing connections, tackling the climate crisis and boosting local economies;

(h)      notes that draft policies in the Local Plan will include a range of measures that underpin the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods, and in particular believes that the Local Plan should include a policy that details the 20-minute neighbourhood approach in relation to access to key local services and community facilities for new residential developments;

(i)       believes that the ambition in the draft Local Plan is for new residential developments within ‘easy walking distance’ of a shop and other types of community facilities, as well as a minimum service frequency public transport stop and, in addition to this, new homes will have to be within a specified maximum travelling time by cycle or public transport to a primary health care centre, as well as a primary school and a secondary school;

(j)       notes that a critical component of the Local Plan is the focus on delivering homes in the Central Area, and the role of the emerging City Centre Strategic Plan is to maximise delivery of new homes; ensuring that new and growing communities evolve sustainably to make best use of this highly accessible location;

(k)      believes that the Local Plan will maximise new housing delivery in sustainable urban locations, including Attercliffe which has significant potential to be an important location for growth over the Local Plan period and beyond, with opportunities to draw on existing public transport and active travel connectivity in that area and, with a greater focus on the role of Attercliffe as a centre, will support delivery of a more sustainable neighbourhood utilising the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods;

(l)       notes the support given to the city’s district centres via the £2 million budget amendment proposed by the previous Administration, and notes that this helped projects in Hillsborough, Firth Park, Walkley, Broomhill, Mosborough, Totley and Chapeltown, and that opposition parties at the time voted against this investment;

(m)     believes that district centres play a crucial role within the concept of 15-minute neighbourhoods and that their continued development is essential to the future prosperity of Sheffield as we recover from the pandemic; and

(n)      believes that the Local Area Committees must play an important part in the development of 15-minute neighbourhoods, and delivering services locally, and helping to make sure our staff work more closely in the communities they serve.

8.3

It was then formally moved by Councillor Paul Turpin, and formally seconded by Councillor Brian Holmshaw, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the addition of a new paragraph (b) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (b) to (o) as new paragraphs (c) to (p):-

(b)      believes that Option 4 in the Local Plan spatial options will best protect our urban green spaces, which are not only some of the green spaces of highest ecological value but are also the spaces with the highest social value as they are situated where people live;

2.       the addition of a new paragraph (q) as follows:-

(q)      requests the Administration to:-

(i)       promote and celebrate the changes to the Highway Code hierarchy of road users; and

(ii)       ensure designs for new housing must include schools, shops, services and open green space; and be carbon-neutral.

8.4

The amendment moved by Councillor Mazher Iqbal was put to the vote and was carried on the basis that the paragraphs in the amendment [paragraphs (a) to (n)] were not to replace paragraphs (a) to (o) of the Motion but instead were to be additional paragraphs to those in the Motion. 

8.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Paul Turpin was then put to the vote and paragraph (q)(i) of Part 2 of the amendment was carried and Part 1 and paragraph (q)(ii) of Part 2 of the amendment were negatived.

8.6

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      acknowledges and welcomes the diverse range of neighbourhoods and settlements across the Sheffield area, believes that the Covid pandemic has served to remind us all of the range of parks, local shops and leisure facilities available in Sheffield, but recognises that access to these services is often limited by poor mobility, distance, and limited transport options;

(b)      welcomes the latest update to the Highway Code that introduces a ‘hierarchy of road users’, giving more responsibility to operators of motor vehicles to reduce danger towards more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, and includes updates and clarifications such as giving pedestrians greater priority at crossings and junctions;

(c)      believes that traditional zoning of land uses has in many cases led to limited access to services and local amenities by active travel, mass transit or mobility aids;

(d)      therefore believes that as a Council we should work towards the concept of ‘15 minute neighbourhoods’, reducing time and distance to access services; meaning residents should have within a 15-minute journey via foot, cycle or other mobility aid from their home: living, working, commerce, healthcare, education, entertainment, parks and green spaces;

(e)      notes that 15-minute neighbourhoods concept would also support regeneration of district centres and local and independent businesses, something this Council wishes to see across Sheffield;

(f)       believes that the Council’s recently established Local Area Committees provide a great way to work to establish 15-minute neighbourhoods, designed by local communities from the bottom up and believes that Local Area Committees need to be empowered to identify where zoning rules can be changed to make work and leisure sites more accessible to local residents;

(g)      believes the creation of vibrant district centres and neighbourhoods would be supported by greater local retention of the neighbourhood portion of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL);

(h)      notes the EU Objective One investment in 2007 to break up the Parson Cross estate and create hubs around community facilities and shopping centres, which could have led to the creation of 15-minute neighbourhoods, and believes regretfully that the previous Administration did not have the vision to use CIL to enhance the local centres, improve active travel and reduce car dependency;

(i)       believes that the building of up to 2,500 houses in Attercliffe, using the Council’s Compulsory Purchase Order powers if necessary, should be used as an example of how to deliver 15-minute neighbourhoods;

(j)       believes that 15-minute neighbourhoods will also benefit our environment, reducing the reliance on cars for many residents, helping Sheffield reach its goal of being carbon neutral by 2030, alongside the switch to electric vehicles and the decarbonisation of the electricity supply;

(k)      believes that the principles behind 15-minute neighbourhoods could also be adapted to benefit our rural communities by improving access to basic services and amenities;

(l)       acknowledges some of our city’s current policies are a good step towards this, such as the low traffic neighbourhoods where appropriate, but believes that the Council needs to do more to encourage short journeys being made by foot, bicycle, or mobility aids such as wheelchairs and mobility scooters;

(m)     believes we must also recognise that there are many physical and psychological barriers to travel that encourage car dependency, such as lack of pedestrian crossings and dropped kerbs and a lack of joined-up segregated cycle routes, and that we must tackle issues such as these so many more people can easily access essential services and amenities safely and conveniently;

(n)      recognises that active travel options are not always possible for many people with mobility impairments and that provision for public transport and private vehicles is essential;

(o)      notes Metro Mayor Dan Jarvis’s calls to “transform our infrastructure for cycling and walking, and put in place the building blocks for compact and liveable 15-minute neighbourhoods” and therefore calls on him and his successor to act on this and work with the City Council to make 15-minute neighbourhoods a reality across our area;

(p)      notes that delivering 15-minute neighbourhoods is not something new for the Council, and that this is something the Co-operative Administration is committed to;

(q)      notes the premise of the Connecting Sheffield Programme is to provide a step change in the ability for people to feel comfortable using active travel, which directly ties into the 15-minute neighbourhood proposals whereby the barriers to use are removed, either through design or behavioural change;

(r)       notes, in addition, the use of Active Neighbourhoods and 20mph zones, policies developed under the previous Administration, are a way to further enhance localised areas by reduced through traffic and prioritising active trips within, helping to create walkable and accessible communities that connect everyday social amenities;

(s)      notes that the Co-operative Administration is continuing ‘school streets’ and other behavioural change programmes which help the public to understand how accessible locations are, and believes this is fundamental to achieving the objectives of a 15-minute neighbourhood;

(t)       believes that the 15-minute neighbourhood theory was effectively incorporated into the current Transport Strategy, developed by the previous Administration, though it was not specifically called 15-minute neighbourhoods, the idea behind the strategy was of creating communities that do not rely on the private car, and integrated with the right services, in the right location with the right connections;

(u)      notes, therefore, that this is all part of planning policy, as well as more broader transport planning and, therefore, at the forefront of future policy development;

(v)      notes that the key principles of 15-minute neighbourhoods are embedded in the Local Plan – to support connected neighbourhoods where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk, cycle or trip by public transport, variously referred to as 20-minute neighbourhoods (meaning a 10 minute journey and return), and 15-minute cities, the core benefits include improving health and well-being, increasing connections, tackling the climate crisis and boosting local economies;

(w)      notes that draft policies in the Local Plan will include a range of measures that underpin the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods, and in particular believes that the Local Plan should include a policy that details the 20-minute neighbourhood approach in relation to access to key local services and community facilities for new residential developments;

(x)      believes that the ambition in the draft Local Plan is for new residential developments within ‘easy walking distance’ of a shop and other types of community facilities, as well as a minimum service frequency public transport stop and, in addition to this, new homes will have to be within a specified maximum travelling time by cycle or public transport to a primary health care centre, as well as a primary school and a secondary school;

(y)      notes that a critical component of the Local Plan is the focus on delivering homes in the Central Area, and the role of the emerging City Centre Strategic Plan is to maximise delivery of new homes; ensuring that new and growing communities evolve sustainably to make best use of this highly accessible location;

(z)      believes that the Local Plan will maximise new housing delivery in sustainable urban locations, including Attercliffe which has significant potential to be an important location for growth over the Local Plan period and beyond, with opportunities to draw on existing public transport and active travel connectivity in that area and, with a greater focus on the role of Attercliffe as a centre, will support delivery of a more sustainable neighbourhood utilising the principles of 20-minute neighbourhoods;

(aa)    notes the support given to the city’s district centres via the £2 million budget amendment proposed by the previous Administration, and notes that this helped projects in Hillsborough, Firth Park, Walkley, Broomhill, Mosborough, Totley and Chapeltown, and that opposition parties at the time voted against this investment;

(bb)    believes that district centres play a crucial role within the concept of 15-minute neighbourhoods and that their continued development is essential to the future prosperity of Sheffield as we recover from the pandemic;

(cc)     believes that the Local Area Committees must play an important part in the development of 15-minute neighbourhoods, and delivering services locally, and helping to make sure our staff work more closely in the communities they serve; and

(dd)    requests the Administration to promote and celebrate the changes to the Highway Code hierarchy of road users.

8.6.1

(NOTE: Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Richard Shaw, Bob McCann, Ann Woolhouse, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Vic Bowden, Alan Woodcock, Roger Davison, Barbara Masters, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Kevin Oxley, Penny Baker, Vickie Priestley, Richard Williams, Alan Hooper, Mike Levery and Ann Whitaker voted for paragraphs (a) to (o), abstained from voting on paragraphs (p) to (cc), and voted against paragraph (dd) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)