Agenda item

Notice Of Motion Regarding "Driving Forward the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield" - Given By Councillor Janet Ridler And To Be Seconded By Councillor Tom Hunt

That this Council:-

 

(a)      believes the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield is unique in being a community-led strategy, created from the ground up by grass roots organisations;

 

(b)      notes that this Council has been involved in driving the Heritage Strategy forward since its earliest stages, welcoming the completed Strategy in January 2021, and subsequently joining the Heritage Partnership Board in February 2021 as a first step towards implementation;

 

(c)      believes that the aim of a Heritage Strategy is to protect and enhance a city’s heritage and invigorate interest and development; believing that Sheffield’s heritage is defined in its widest sense including not only physical assets such as historic buildings and structures, archaeological sites, historic townscapes and landscapes, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, but also museums and art galleries and their collections, archives, libraries, public art, natural habitats, people and communities, spoken stories and much more;

 

(d)      further, believes that Sheffield’s unique heritage is particularly inclusive, embracing the customs, traditions and skills developed locally, such as the 107 languages spoken, radicalism, anti-slavery campaigning, music, our working men’s clubs, and Sheffield as the Home of Football;

 

(e)      notes the importance of Heritage to our city and recognises its social, environmental, educational and well-being benefits and its economic potential;

 

(f)       celebrates and champions Sheffield's diverse heritage;

 

(g)      notes that Sheffield hosts the largest Heritage Open Days festival in the country;

 

(h)      believes that the Heritage sector is an important source of economic prosperity and growth with a total GVA (Gross Value Added) of £36bn, supporting over 500,000 jobs nationally;

 

(i)       also believes that the impact of Heritage as a means to stimulate investment is evident in the huge success of the Kelham Island development and the redevelopment of the City Centre; 

 

(j)       further, believes adopting the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield will demonstrate the Council’s strategic approach and commitment to Heritage, and that having this strategic approach will greatly improve the Council’s ability to attract external funding for a wide range of heritage projects;

 

(k)      notes that this city’s heritage does not belong to the city council, but to the people of Sheffield; and

 

(l)       resolves, therefore, to ask the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee to add the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield to its work programme and request that, within the next 3 months, the Committee calls upon the Sheffield Heritage Partnership Board to report on progress and co-develop a programme of actions which will drive forward the implementation of the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield.

 

Minutes:

7.1

At this point in the proceedings (5.20 p.m.), the time for terminating the meeting (5.30 p.m.) was approaching, meaning that all unfinished business would be voted on without debate.  Prior to the commencement of this item of business, it was moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, and seconded by Councillor Joe Otten, that in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 4 (Suspension and Amendment of Council Procedure Rules) and 11 (Motions which may be moved without notice), the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 5.5 be suspended and the termination of the meeting be extended by 30 minutes. On being put to the vote, the motion was negatived.

 

 

7.2

It was then moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, and seconded by Councillor Joe Otten, that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons be altered by taking item 8 (Notice of Motion Regarding “The Local Plan in Beighton”) as the next item of business. On being put to the vote, the motion was negatived.

 

 

7.3

It was moved by Councillor Janet Ridler, and seconded by Councillor Tom Hunt, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)      believes the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield is unique in being a community-led strategy, created from the ground up by grass roots organisations;

 

 

 

(b)      notes that this Council has been involved in driving the Heritage Strategy forward since its earliest stages, welcoming the completed Strategy in January 2021, and subsequently joining the Heritage Partnership Board in February 2021 as a first step towards implementation;

 

 

 

(c)      believes that the aim of a Heritage Strategy is to protect and enhance a city’s heritage and invigorate interest and development; believing that Sheffield’s heritage is defined in its widest sense including not only physical assets such as historic buildings and structures, archaeological sites, historic townscapes and landscapes, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, but also museums and art galleries and their collections, archives, libraries, public art, natural habitats, people and communities, spoken stories and much more;

 

 

 

(d)      further, believes that Sheffield’s unique heritage is particularly inclusive, embracing the customs, traditions and skills developed locally, such as the 107 languages spoken, radicalism, anti-slavery campaigning, music, our working men’s clubs, and Sheffield as the Home of Football;

 

 

 

(e)      notes the importance of Heritage to our city and recognises its social, environmental, educational and well-being benefits and its economic potential;

 

 

 

(f)       celebrates and champions Sheffield's diverse heritage;

 

 

 

(g)      notes that Sheffield hosts the largest Heritage Open Days festival in the country;

 

 

 

(h)      believes that the Heritage sector is an important source of economic prosperity and growth with a total GVA (Gross Value Added) of £36bn, supporting over 500,000 jobs nationally;

 

 

 

(i)       also believes that the impact of Heritage as a means to stimulate investment is evident in the huge success of the Kelham Island development and the redevelopment of the City Centre; 

 

 

 

(j)       further, believes adopting the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield will demonstrate the Council’s strategic approach and commitment to Heritage, and that having this strategic approach will greatly improve the Council’s ability to attract external funding for a wide range of heritage projects;

 

 

 

(k)      notes that this city’s heritage does not belong to the city council, but to the people of Sheffield; and

 

 

 

(l)       resolves, therefore, to ask the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee to add the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield to its work programme and request that, within the next 3 months, the Committee calls upon the Sheffield Heritage Partnership Board to report on progress and co-develop a programme of actions which will drive forward the implementation of the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield.

 

 

7.4

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Barbara Masters, and seconded by Councillor Ian Auckland, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

 

 

 

1.       the addition of new paragraphs (j) to (n) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (j) to (l) as new paragraphs (o) to (q):-

 

 

 

(j)       believes that strong partnership between local business, the Council and heritage organisations is vital to Sheffield’s economic future, and especially welcomes the third aim of the Heritage Strategy to build on the contribution of Sheffield’s heritage to the city’s economic wellbeing;

 

 

 

(k)      notes the adoption by the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee of the Sheffield Culture Collective Strategy last September, and the work currently being undertaken to develop a full city Culture Strategy, and welcomes the critical role this will play in securing future Arts funding for Sheffield;

 

 

 

(l)       believes that there are many cases where the City’s industrial and craft heritage have been neglected, such as the loss of industrial heritage and craft trades for housing development in Kelham Island, and the continuing threat to heritage as demonstrated by the recent demolition of the Plough Inn, the continuing neglect of the Old Town Hall and Crown Court, and the repeated delays to the Castlegate site, and actively supports local listing of heritage assets;

 

 

 

(m)     believes that previous administrations have failed to develop and implement a coherent and economically viable plan for the Graves building, and requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers adding this issue to its work programme;

 

 

 

(n)      notes that the Council has left many buildings it owns which are of heritage value to fall into a poor state of repair, such as Birley Spa Bath House and the Rose Garden Café, and believes that the Council must invest more in proactive maintenance in order to protect heritage buildings in its possession;

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

(r)       believes that the recently listed John Lewis building is another critically important Heritage asset, believes that it is incredibly important to ensure that the right decision is taken on its future and to avoid poor project outcomes such as those seen in the Fargate Container project, and requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers whether public consultation on any proposal would be beneficial to achieve this.

 

 

7.5

It was then moved by Councillor Brian Holmshaw, seconded by Councillor Angela Argenzio, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

 

 

 

1.       the deletion of paragraphs (b), (g) and (l), and the re-lettering of paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f), (h), (i), (j) and (k) as new paragraphs (b) to (i); and

 

 

 

2.       the addition of new paragraphs (j) to (r) as follows:-

 

 

 

(j)       notes the positive tone of this motion, congratulates the volunteers at Joined Up Heritage Sheffield on their long standing efforts to place heritage at the centre of our cultural landscape and applauds the long-overdue emphasis finally being placed on the power of heritage to do good in the city;

 

 

 

(k)      welcomes the significant shift in attitude towards heritage since the Cabinet Member described heritage disparagingly as a “barrier to development” in 2019;

 

 

 

(l)       believes that Sheffield City Council needs to:-

 

 

 

(i)       abandon its risk-averse approach to heritage in the city and embrace the environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits of heritage in all its forms; and

 

 

 

(ii)       nurture better working relationships with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England and other large-scale national and regional funding bodies, as an essential part of being able to fund the type of heritage projects the city has missed out on over the years;

 

 

 

(m)     requests that the Governance Committee look at the place of heritage within the committee system within their Governance Review;

 

 

 

(n)      requests that whichever committee is responsible for heritage considers establishing a cross-party task and finish working group to work with Sheffield Heritage Partnership Board, and make recommendations to the relevant Policy Committees or to this Council on the implementation of the grassroots Joined Up Heritage Sheffield Heritage Strategy;

 

 

 

(o)      recommends that if a task and finish working group is established, that its programme of work includes looking at the possibilities for:-

 

 

 

(i)       providing financial and organisational support for the work of the Sheffield Heritage Open Days volunteers who, with over 130 free walks, talks, tours and exhibitions across the Sheffield region between 9 – 18 September 2022, have made the festival one of the biggest and best in the country; and

 

 

 

(ii)       employing additional SCC conservation staff, community heritage officers and planning enforcement officers to support the implementation of the heritage strategy;

 

 

 

(p)      affirms support for the inspiring Harmony Works project team in their bid for national public funds to move the Music Hub to a heritage building in Castlegate in the heart of the city;

 

 

 

(q)      recommends that relevant Committees should use the mechanism of the Corporate Opportunities Register to identify and put in funding bids and establish partnerships to support heritage in the city; and

 

 

 

(r)       requests that the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee adds the future of the city’s paused Conservation Areas, such as the one at Castlegate, to its work programme, as this Council believes they can bring positive economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits, together with heritage funding, to the communities they serve.

 

 

7.6

Following a right of reply from Councillor Janet Ridler, the amendment moved by Councillor Barbara Masters was put to the vote and was carried.

 

 

7.6.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 70 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members. Although Labour Group Members voted for, they voted against paragraphs (l) to (n) in Part 1 of the amendment.)

 

 

7.7

The amendment moved by Councillor Brian Holmshaw was then put to the vote and was carried, but in part.  Part 1 of the amendment was lost, and Part 2 of the amendment was carried.

 

 

7.7.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 12 Members; AGAINST - 33 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 24 Members. Although Labour Group Members voted against, they voted for paragraphs (j) and (l) to (r) in Part 2 of the amendment. Liberal Democrat Group Members abstained from voting on paragraphs (l) to (o) and (r) in Part 2 of the amendment, but voted for paragraphs (j), (k), (p) and (q) in Part 2 of the amendment, and voted against Part 1 of the amendment.)

 

 

7.8

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

 

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)

believes the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield is unique in being a community-led strategy, created from the ground up by grass roots organisations;

 

 

 

 

(b)

notes that this Council has been involved in driving the Heritage Strategy forward since its earliest stages, welcoming the completed Strategy in January 2021, and subsequently joining the Heritage Partnership Board in February 2021 as a first step towards implementation;

 

 

 

 

(c)

believes that the aim of a Heritage Strategy is to protect and enhance a city’s heritage and invigorate interest and development; believing that Sheffield’s heritage is defined in its widest sense including not only physical assets such as historic buildings and structures, archaeological sites, historic townscapes and landscapes, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, but also museums and art galleries and their collections, archives, libraries, public art, natural habitats, people and communities, spoken stories and much more;

 

 

 

 

(d)

further, believes that Sheffield’s unique heritage is particularly inclusive, embracing the customs, traditions and skills developed locally, such as the 107 languages spoken, radicalism, anti-slavery campaigning, music, our working men’s clubs, and Sheffield as the Home of Football;

 

 

 

 

(e)

notes the importance of Heritage to our city and recognises its social, environmental, educational and well-being benefits and its economic potential;

 

 

 

 

(f)

celebrates and champions Sheffield's diverse heritage;

 

 

 

 

(g)

notes that Sheffield hosts the largest Heritage Open Days festival in the country;

 

 

 

 

(h)

believes that the Heritage sector is an important source of economic prosperity and growth with a total GVA (Gross Value Added) of £36bn, supporting over 500,000 jobs nationally;

 

 

 

 

(i)

also believes that the impact of Heritage as a means to stimulate investment is evident in the huge success of the Kelham Island development and the redevelopment of the City Centre;

 

 

 

 

(j)

believes that strong partnership between local business, the Council and heritage organisations is vital to Sheffield’s economic future, and especially welcomes the third aim of the Heritage Strategy to build on the contribution of Sheffield’s heritage to the city’s economic wellbeing;

 

 

 

 

(k)

notes the adoption by the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee of the Sheffield Culture Collective Strategy last September, and the work currently being undertaken to develop a full city Culture Strategy, and welcomes the critical role this will play in securing future Arts funding for Sheffield;

 

 

 

 

(l)

believes that there are many cases where the City’s industrial and craft heritage have been neglected, such as the loss of industrial heritage and craft trades for housing development in Kelham Island, and the continuing threat to heritage as demonstrated by the recent demolition of the Plough Inn, the continuing neglect of the Old Town Hall and Crown Court, and the repeated delays to the Castlegate site, and actively supports local listing of heritage assets;

 

 

 

 

(m)

believes that previous administrations have failed to develop and implement a coherent and economically viable plan for the Graves building, and requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers adding this issue to its work programme;

 

 

 

 

(n)

notes that the Council has left many buildings it owns which are of heritage value to fall into a poor state of repair, such as Birley Spa Bath House and the Rose Garden Café, and believes that the Council must invest more in proactive maintenance in order to protect heritage buildings in its possession;

 

 

 

 

(o)

further, believes adopting the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield will demonstrate the Council’s strategic approach and commitment to Heritage, and that having this strategic approach will greatly improve the Council’s ability to attract external funding for a wide range of heritage projects;

 

 

 

 

(p)

notes that this city’s heritage does not belong to the city council, but to the people of Sheffield;

 

 

 

 

(q)

resolves, therefore, to ask the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee to add the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield to its work programme and request that, within the next 3 months, the Committee calls upon the Sheffield Heritage Partnership Board to report on progress and co-develop a programme of actions which will drive forward the implementation of the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield;

 

 

 

 

(r)

believes that the recently listed John Lewis building is another critically important Heritage asset, believes that it is incredibly important to ensure that the right decision is taken on its future and to avoid poor project outcomes such as those seen in the Fargate Container project, and requests that the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee considers whether public consultation on any proposal would be beneficial to achieve this;

 

 

 

 

(s)

notes the positive tone of this motion, congratulates the volunteers at Joined Up Heritage Sheffield on their long standing efforts to place heritage at the centre of our cultural landscape and applauds the long-overdue emphasis finally being placed on the power of heritage to do good in the city;

 

 

 

 

(t)

welcomes the significant shift in attitude towards heritage since the Cabinet Member described heritage disparagingly as a “barrier to development” in 2019;

 

 

 

 

(u)

believes that Sheffield City Council needs to:-

 

(i)        abandon its risk-averse approach to heritage in the city and embrace the environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits of heritage in all its forms; and

 

(ii)       nurture better working relationships with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England and other large-scale national and regional funding bodies, as an essential part of being able to fund the type of heritage projects the city has missed out on over the years;

 

 

 

 

(v)

requests that the Governance Committee look at the place of heritage within the committee system within their Governance Review;

 

 

 

 

(w)

requests that whichever committee is responsible for heritage considers establishing a cross-party task and finish working group to work with Sheffield Heritage Partnership Board, and make recommendations to the relevant Policy Committees or to this Council on the implementation of the grassroots Joined Up Heritage Sheffield Heritage Strategy;

 

 

 

 

(x)

recommends that if a task and finish working group is established, that its programme of work includes looking at the possibilities for:-

 

(i)        providing financial and organisational support for the work of the Sheffield Heritage Open Days volunteers who, with over 130 free walks, talks, tours and exhibitions across the Sheffield region between 9 – 18 September 2022, have made the festival one of the biggest and best in the country; and

 

(ii)       employing additional SCC conservation staff, community heritage officers and planning enforcement officers to support the implementation of the heritage strategy;

 

 

 

 

(y)

affirms support for the inspiring Harmony Works project team in their bid for national public funds to move the Music Hub to a heritage building in Castlegate in the heart of the city;

 

 

 

 

(z)

recommends that relevant Committees should use the mechanism of the Corporate Opportunities Register to identify and put in funding bids and establish partnerships to support heritage in the city; and

 

 

 

 

(aa)

requests that the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee adds the future of the city’s paused Conservation Areas, such as the one at Castlegate, to its work programme, as this Council believes they can bring positive economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits, together with heritage funding, to the communities they serve.

 

 

 

 

7.8.1

(NOTE: The result of the vote was FOR - 69 Members; AGAINST - 0 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 0 Members.  Although Liberal Democrat Group Members voted for, they abstained on paragraphs (u) to (x) and (aa) of the Substantive Motion. Although Green Group Members voted for, they voted against paragraphs (b), (g) & (q) of the Substantive Motion.)