Agenda item

Petitions

5.1

Petition against proposed Skate Park at Occupation Lane

A petition was submitted by Jill Burkinshaw containing 38 signatures objecting to the creation of a skate/ BMX park in what was currently a car park, adjacent to the tram stop, main road and the playing fields (Occupation Lane/ Sheffield Road). Ms. Burkinshaw believed that the skate park would encourage youths to congregate, and could exacerbate existing problems with anti-social behaviour in the area, particularly with regard to the throwing of rocks at trams, and increased noise nuisance.

5.2

Petition against proposed Skate Park at Occupation Lane

A petition was submitted by Stuart Askwith containing 68 signatures objecting to the creation of a skate/ BMX park in what was currently a car park, adjacent to the tram stop, main road and the playing fields (Occupation Lane/ Sheffield Road). Mr. Askwith believed that the skate park would encourage youths to congregate, and could exacerbate existing problems with anti-social behaviour in the area. 

5.3

Petition in support of proposed Skate Park at Occupation Lane

A petition was submitted by Luke Hague containing 279 signatures in support of the creation of a skate/ BMX park in the South East of Sheffield. Mr. Hague stated that the skateboarding/ bike park would engage young people into positive activities and exercise, adding to the benefits of healthy living. 

Public Questions

5.4

Question regarding the proposed Skate Park at Occupation Lane

A member of the public asked where the idea for a skate park had originated, and it was confirmed that positive activities for children and young people was a priority within the Community Assembly Plan, and there had been some Section 106 monies available for young people’s facilities from the redevelopment of the Scowerdons estate. BMX and skateboarding was always popular with young people, and the Youth Forum in the local area had put forward the skate park as a suggestion, which had then been costed up, and consulted upon. The Assembly had agreed at its April 2012 meeting to allocate £25,000 from its discretionary budget towards the provision of a BMX facility within the Assembly area. 250 letters had been sent out to local households. Skateboarding happened currently in places that were not specifically designed for it, which was potentially dangerous, so a designated skate park would give the local young people a safe place to carry out these activities. 

It was clarified that the equipment installed would be movable, and that the site would be monitored so as to measure levels of antisocial behaviour. There would also be CCTV at the site. Steve Garlick, Senior Health and Safety Consultant, Sheffield City Council, had given the site the go-ahead in terms of safety issues. Further issues around parking had also been raised, but it was felt that most young people would arrive at the skate park of their own accord.  

5.5

RESOLVED: That the South East Community Assembly;

(a) notes that a public meeting had been held on 26^th September 2012 in relation to the proposed skate park at Occupation Lane, and that all the viewpoints put across had been taken into consideration at this meeting and in prior consultation;

(b) notes the questions and petitions submitted to this meeting in relation to the proposed skate park;

(c) approves the selection of the site identified at Occupation Lane for the location of the skate park, and     

(d) agrees to review the operation of the skate park in 18 months’ time.   

5.6

Question regarding youth provision in Beighton

Heather Rotherham, Methodist Church Circuit Administrator, submitted a question prior to the meeting about youth provision in the Beighton area. She stated that Beighton Youth Club had been meeting at Beighton Methodist Church until recently, when there had been cuts in the provision. The Church was also providing a drop-in centre for teenagers twice a week but this too had temporarily ceased due to lack of youth leaders. It was noted that the main leader had moved away, and the Church had been unable to find a replacement as of yet. Ms. Rotherham asked whether there was any other youth provision elsewhere in Beighton and asked what the Community Assembly was doing to ensure that youth provision was increased, not decreased, in Beighton and the surrounding area. She added that Beighton Methodist Church was very happy to hire their premises out for youth provision but that it did not have the people to staff such provision at present. She added that there had been an increase in anti-social behaviour since the provision had ceased.

5.7

A reply was supplied from John Burke, Sheffield Futures, who stated that there were no longer the resources to run a two night a week youth provision in the Beighton Ward, adding that this had been taken out over two years ago because of the reduction in resources available to Sheffield Futures at the time. Sheffield Futures currently had one night’s detached youth work in the Beighton Ward on a Monday night from 6.30 pm- 8.30 pm.  Sheffield Futures also supported Activity Sheffield in delivering ‘Friday 5’s’ which was a football project operated on Friday nights from 7.00 pm-9.30 pm in the area. It was also noted that Futures operated a two night open access youth club at Westfield School, which young people from the area were encouraged to access. However, he clarified that there were no plans in the near future to increase the provision in the Ward unless extra funding was secured.

5.8

RESOLVED: That the Community Assembly Manager be requested to (a) investigate the possibility of buying in resources from Sheffield Futures and (b) place an advertisement for youth worker volunteers in the next Assembly Newsletter.

5.9

Question regarding proposed changes to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (CAB)

A member of the public asked a question about the proposed changes to the CAB at Mosborough and the involvement of Community Legal Advice Service for South Yorkshire (CLASSY) in the restructuring of CAB offices.

5.10

RESOLVED: That the Assembly expresses its support for the proposed changes to the CAB at Mosborough, and requests that a formal reply on behalf of the Assembly to the Cabinet Member for Communities and Inclusion be submitted by the Assembly Manager.