Agenda item

7.1

The committee received question from the public. Two members of the public asked their question via hybrid connection.

Jane Mason (hybrid) - Could the community centres in the S12 area be opened up more as warm places and to have drop in centres for citizens advice?

What is happening regarding the Anti-Social behaviour at Base Green, and can assurances be given that it is being dealt with?

The questioner was advised that all the community centres were being considered and reviewed.  There was space available at Crystal Peaks and a neighbourhood support team was available to help.  An application form would need to be completed to explain why the space was needed and if anyone was interested in this to contact the team at Crystal Peaks. There was a telephone number available that could be given out or found online.

In terms of the Anti-Social behaviour, councillors were aware of this and had been walking around Base Green to look at the problem and this was being monitored by the Council at a cost by CCTV. Meetings have been set up between the Police and the Safer Neighbourhoods Team, who meet regularly to identify why ASB was gaining momentum in that area.  It was advised that there was a reliance on the public to report the issues, so that these could be dealt with. Another meeting was due to take place with partners.

Gill Green (hybrid) – Is anything being done about the litter and the fly tipping; it was raised at an earlier LAC meeting and at the recent meeting in February.  There is fly tipping on the highway on Bochum Parkway and Donetsk Way and A57 out towards the M1 and Sheffield Parkway.  These roads don’t have footpaths and lots of litter and fly tipping is thrown from moving cars into the hedgerows and it looks horrendous and looks like no one cares. I keep reporting it on the council’s website.  In the breakout room with Gail, I mentioned the success of the litter cams that detect people throwing litter out of vehicles.  I asked for a feasibility study on how much can be saved, if we could reduce or prevent the issue but had no feedback.

The Chair firstly thanked the litter pickers for all the hard work they do on a voluntary basis.

Gillian Fairbrother from Amey advised that they did do litter picks on the A57 twice a year.  Amey could not have workforce there on a regular basis as they had to apply for permits to close the road, so it was not a straightforward case.  Bochum Parkway and Mosborough Bypass were a little bit more straightforward as the gateway team go out and collect the litter, but there was the problem of the team could pick up litter on a Monday and by Tuesday it was the same, there was not the resources to be following people around, collecting litter, so they did the best they can.  In terms of the cams, this was something for the LAC team to answer, but they did have the allocation of money, when the LAC’s were set up to identify things to spend the fly tipping money on.  It was advised that it was a huge cost impact because of the amount of roads in Sheffield.  The litter pickers do a lot of work in the remote places which was a huge benefit to the community, but again no matter how many times the teams collect, it was as bad again.  Regular meetings were being held with the Sheffield litters pickers, which people were more than welcome to attend and cover your own patch, equipment was supplied for people to assist on litter picks.

Questions were asked by members and the following key point were raised –

·    The litters pickers did a fantastic job, but it was a battle to keep on top of the issue, there were bins for people to use, so it was more about educating people to use these.

·    It would be helpful to know what the general public could expect from AMEY and this should be put on the LAC webpages.

·    Thanks to all the litter pickers in Mosborough.  We need to think how we could stop this from happening, maybe use the Primary Schools to do some ticketing for us.

A member of the public mentioned that there was not one bin at the top of Drakehouse Crescent and the litter there was horrendous.

Councillor Gail Smith, requested to know where it would be a good place to have a bin, she would talk to her after the meeting to sort it out.

A member of the public advised that regular litter picks would be taking place at Waterthorpe, through the Community Centre.

Sheila Dyson – I am associated with the Hackenthorpe litter pickers who do a fantastic job and are out every week, it is a problem, but I feel very optimistic about Hackenthorpe and the area that I do on Mansfield Road and Birley Moor Road, we do it every week and it is not a mess.  My main problem is getting fly tipping picked up and AMEY have told me they will only do fly tips on the street or pavement, if it isn’t they have no interest whatsoever, so it’s also getting the council, the parks and countryside department.  I’ve reported things on Birley Vale Avenue and Shire Brook for weeks and weeks and nothing has happened, so I would really like fly tipping to be picked up much more regularly, by whoever does it because it is an eyesore and health hazard.

The Chair advised that as environment is one the themes that came out of the consultation, there are so many fantastic groups dealing with orchards and tree planting and litter picking.  There was an environmental group for the South East, and these issues could be discussed and moved forward.  If anyone was interested in this group, they should share their details at the end of the meeting.

It was advised that the details of the litter picking groups would be included on the LAC website.

Kay Pinder- We live on the shops that suffer with the anti-social behaviour, but the litter bins are full, they are emptied on a Tuesday and are full and overflowing by Thursday.  Is there anything that the owners of the shops can do, such as the take-away and convenience store, to help with the waste.

Dan – we had a conversation about the shops on Hackenthorpe, Frecheville and Base Green about if they can have conversations with customers about what to do with their waste when they leave the stores.

A member of the public who was trying to rescue our trees asked if anyone was aware of the Mark Lowcock report.  I’ve come to an area I don’t live in, but I do visit because so much propaganda was put out which was misleading and wrong and I would like people all over Sheffield to know the report vindicated the people who tried to save the trees, but for four and half years had a huge battle and the report seriously questions the behaviour of councillors from this area and that there are serious and systemic failings within the council that needed addressing. So I would be very grateful if people who perhaps read the star and heard radio who think we’re all a load of middle-class baddies, would make time to actually read what Mark Lowcock has said and for councillors to read it and address the hurt and the problems that were caused over for and half years in our area and on our streets with 35 policemen and 20 security guards and mayhem.  The Council were asking for custodial 2-year sentences for people who stood peacefully under trees. Thank you.

The Chair advised that it is up to anyone at the meeting if they wish to read the report, which is on the Council’s website from which people could make up their own minds.

Luke – How much money was given to the LAC to invest, and can we be assured that we are getting a good return on the investment and assurances on outcomes?

The chair advised that the agenda would move onto that, and it would explain what the LAC has had throughout the year from different pots.  £100,000 was received in total.