Agenda item

11.1

The Executive Director City Futures submitted a report responding to the request from Full Council that the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield be added to the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee workplan.

The endorsement of Strategy and Resources Policy Committee is requested against the initial actions identified, plus support for exploration into creating and sustaining a Sheffield City Council Heritage Officer post to help continue this work with the sector.

The Strategy and Resourced Committee is also recommended to formally adopt the Joined Up Heritage Sheffield Heritage Strategy.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(i) agrees to adopt the Heritage Strategy appended, as developed by Joined Up Heritage Sheffield;

(ii) notes the progress already being made in embedding heritage in Sheffield City Council policy and activity;

(iii) endorses the initial Heritage Strategy Action Plan actions identified;

(iv) support the exploration of ways to create and sustain a Sheffield City Council Heritage Officer post to help continue this work with the sector; and

(v) notes that implementation of the Heritage Action Plan will be monitored over a 12 month period and future reports will be brought to this committee.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

The motion passed by Full Council noted (in summary) that:

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

·       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;

·       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;

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

·       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.

By formally adopting the Sheffield Heritage Strategy, Strategy and Resources Committee endorses all the benefits set out above.

The attached Action Plan sets out a way forward for Sheffield City Council to fulfil its role and further benefit from the opportunities which heritage offers.

In order to respond most positively to the heritage agenda, additional officer capacity would be needed to fulfil this potential.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Over recent years, Sheffield City Council has come to value the city’s built heritage and distinctiveness through successful developments such as Kelham Island and Heart of the City, as well as community-based projects run by the University of Sheffield like Roots and Futures.

By adopting the Heritage Strategy and Heritage Action Plan, Sheffield City Council demonstrates support and leadership to maximise the benefits of heritage to the city.

While heritage-positive attitudes and priorities can be built into many areas of the Council’s work, we are severely limited by lack of capacity in developing this beneficial area of work.

An alternative approach would be to reject the idea of exploring a dedicated Heritage Officer.  If this approach was taken, much of the activity outlined in 1.13 and the Action Plan will either not take place or will happen slowly and in a piecemeal way.

11.1

The Executive Director City Futures submitted a report responding to the request from Full Council that the Heritage Strategy for Sheffield be added to the Strategy and Resources Policy Committee workplan.

The endorsement of Strategy and Resources Policy Committee is requested against the initial actions identified, plus support for exploration into creating and sustaining a Sheffield City Council Heritage Officer post to help continue this work with the sector.

The Strategy and Resourced Committee is also recommended to formally adopt the Joined Up Heritage Sheffield Heritage Strategy.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(i) agrees to adopt the Heritage Strategy appended, as developed by Joined Up Heritage Sheffield;

(ii) notes the progress already being made in embedding heritage in Sheffield City Council policy and activity;

(iii) endorses the initial Heritage Strategy Action Plan actions identified;

(iv) support the exploration of ways to create and sustain a Sheffield City Council Heritage Officer post to help continue this work with the sector; and

(v) notes that implementation of the Heritage Action Plan will be monitored over a 12 month period and future reports will be brought to this committee.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

The motion passed by Full Council noted (in summary) that:

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

·       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;

·       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;

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

·       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.

By formally adopting the Sheffield Heritage Strategy, Strategy and Resources Committee endorses all the benefits set out above.

The attached Action Plan sets out a way forward for Sheffield City Council to fulfil its role and further benefit from the opportunities which heritage offers.

In order to respond most positively to the heritage agenda, additional officer capacity would be needed to fulfil this potential.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Over recent years, Sheffield City Council has come to value the city’s built heritage and distinctiveness through successful developments such as Kelham Island and Heart of the City, as well as community-based projects run by the University of Sheffield like Roots and Futures.

By adopting the Heritage Strategy and Heritage Action Plan, Sheffield City Council demonstrates support and leadership to maximise the benefits of heritage to the city.

While heritage-positive attitudes and priorities can be built into many areas of the Council’s work, we are severely limited by lack of capacity in developing this beneficial area of work.

An alternative approach would be to reject the idea of exploring a dedicated Heritage Officer.  If this approach was taken, much of the activity outlined in 1.13 and the Action Plan will either not take place or will happen slowly and in a piecemeal way.