Agenda item

6.1

Urgent Business

With the permission of the Lord Mayor (Councillor Colin Ross), Councillor Mike Chaplin asked the following question relating to urgent business, under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.6(ii):-

“Considering the Prime Minister’s announcement earlier today about the cancellation of HS2 and announcements on several other transport projects, what will the impact be on Sheffield?”

In response, Councillor Ben Miskell (Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee) reported that this announcement at the Conservative party conference in Manchester of the cancellation of the northern leg of HS2 followed on from the previous announcement by the Government to cancel the eastern leg which would also have been of benefit for Sheffield and the wider region.  He believed that most people would agree with the South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, that the move was a catastrophe for the country in its ambitions to deliver growth.

Councillor Miskell advised that the Prime Minister’s announcement of “Network North” consisted of a collection of transport schemes that were either already in progress or where local authorities in the region had already been working on for several years, such as the Don Valley Line.  He added that he welcomed the Government’s support for the Council’s plans for the reopening of passenger services to Stocksbridge, Deepcar and Oughtibridge, where the Council wished to see a tram train connecting to an expanded tram network, and a single project alongside the Barrow Hill line, which would open tram train stops in Darnall, Woodhouse and Beighton.  There had also been announcements about services to Manchester and the Hope Valley Line, where work had started two years ago. 

Councillor Miskell added that he remained determined to see the reintroduction of the direct train service to Manchester Airport. He also expressed frustration that the Government was opting to make announcements at party conference, instead of working collaboratively with northern leaders to deliver infrastructure projects.

6.2

South Yorkshire Joint and Combined Authorities

There were no questions relating to the discharge of the functions of the South Yorkshire Joint Authorities for Fire and Rescue and Pensions and of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.6(i).

6.3

Written Questions

A schedule of questions to Chairs of Policy Committees, submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16, and which contained written answers, was circulated.  Supplementary questions, under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.4, were asked and were answered by the appropriate Policy Committee Chairs until the expiry of the time limit for Members’ Questions (in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.7).