Agenda item

Local District Centres

It was moved by Councillor Diana Stimely, seconded by Councillor Ian Auckland, that this Council:-

(a)       believes thriving high streets across Sheffield’s communities are vital to both the City’s economy and its wellbeing;

(b)       welcomes the actions taken by the previous Administration to support local high streets through the Thriving Local and District Centres programme;

(c)        furthermore, thanks the Government for allocating Sheffield £100,000 through the High Street Innovation Fund, alongside £10,000 for Banner Cross traders;

(d)       feels the current Administration have treated small retailers and local high streets with contempt, demonstrated by their failure to tackle parking problems in both Banner Cross and Millhouses;

(e)       recalls the main opposition group’s budget amendment, which would have doubled investment for local centres, reversed parking permit hikes for small businesses and provided free parking on Saturdays at district centres; and

(f)        urges the Administration to address the issues facing local centres and high streets with an immediate Cabinet Report setting out steps to be taken.

Whereupon it was moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, seconded by Councillor Chris Rosling-Josephs, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (f) and the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (j) as follows:-

(b)       notes that money to support Local District Centres, funded by the previous Government, has been cut by the present Coalition Government;

(c)        recalls that the Liberal Democrat Group have already back tracked on reversing increases in parking permit prices, in addition to their decision to double on street parking charges in permit parking zones in their 2010 budget;

(d)       is currently consulting on a pay back scheme trial in Broomhill, to support local district centres whilst protecting Council budgets;

(e)       notes that the main opposition group’s budget proposal for free parking uses one-off funds allocated by the current Administration for schemes to grow the economy over the medium term, and fails to deliver sustainable support to district centres;

(f)        believes that the best way to help traders during the longest recession on record is to grow the economy – benefiting companies, jobs and trade;

(g)       believes that the local Liberal Democrats have failed to come up with one single initiative over the past two years, as the Government cuts have had to be implemented, that seeks to drive long term sustainable growth while recognising the increasingly difficult budget position the Council faces;

(h)       further notes that the main opposition group’s proposed budget would have moved money away from key schemes to grow the economy over the medium to long term;

(i)         therefore believes that this is yet another example of short term promises made for their own political gain; and

(j)         re-affirms this Administration’s commitment to make decisions for the long term well being of the City and the economy – despite the Government’s focus on cutting local government budgets.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

It was then moved by Councillor Jillian Creasy, seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (f) and the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (j) as follows:-

(b)       notes that the Government has allocated Sheffield £100,000 through the High Street Innovation Fund, alongside £10,000 for Banner Cross traders;

(c)         further notes that £64,000 of this money has already been allocated to fund just four apprentice positions, indicating that, whilst worthwhile, this funding is a drop in the ocean compared to the challenges faced by local high streets;

(d)       notes that, whilst the investment in Banner Cross is very welcome, current construction of a Sainsbury’s store within this local centre threatens the viability of one of the most diverse and thriving District Centres in the City, and that the impact of the proposed Sainsbury's store in Crookesmoor would have a similar impact on that Centre;

(e)       regrets that the Core Strategy (policy CS34) and provisional City Policies and Sites document (policy C4.16) encourages the opening of superstores in District Centres, regardless of need and the importance of diversity in local shops, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 23);

(f)        notes that the impact assessment for a supermarket similar to that currently planned at Banner Cross, adjacent to the District Centre, predicted takings for local shops would fall by around 15% but that no impact assessment for the scheme within the District Centre was required;       

(g)       instructs officers to explore options for the provision of impact assessments for all supermarket developments (or development over an agreed floorspace threshold), whether within or outwith District Centres;

(h)       notes the New Economics Foundation “Reimagine Your High Street” initiative, which seeks to create low carbon, socially vibrant local economies by combating the growth of national chain stores, and asks that officers and Members work with Community Forums and other neighbourhood groups to support this initiative;

(i)         welcomes the new supermarkets watchdog that will regulate how supermarkets purchase their food but believes this will be inadequate, on its own, to keep supermarket growth in check and tackle the perceived abuse of planning procedure, land-banking and product pricing that powerful supermarkets engage in; and

(j)         therefore, asks the Chief Executive to write to Government and request that Councils are indemnified against the legal costs of ‘vexatious’ supermarket planning disputes.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

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

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       believes thriving high streets across Sheffield’s communities are vital to both the City’s economy and its wellbeing;

(b)       notes that money to support Local District Centres, funded by the previous Government, has been cut by the present Coalition Government;

(c)        recalls that the Liberal Democrat Group have already back tracked on reversing increases in parking permit prices, in addition to their decision to double on street parking charges in permit parking zones in their 2010 budget;

(d)       is currently consulting on a pay back scheme trial in Broomhill, to support local district centres whilst protecting Council budgets;

(e)       notes that the main opposition group’s budget proposal for free parking uses one-off funds allocated by the current Administration for schemes to grow the economy over the medium term, and fails to deliver sustainable support to district centres;

(f)        believes that the best way to help traders during the longest recession on record is to grow the economy – benefiting companies, jobs and trade;

(g)       believes that the local Liberal Democrats have failed to come up with one single initiative over the past two years, as the Government cuts have had to be implemented, that seeks to drive long term sustainable growth while recognising the increasingly difficult budget position the Council faces;

(h)       further notes that the main opposition group’s proposed budget would have moved money away from key schemes to grow the economy over the medium to long term;

(i)         therefore believes that this is yet another example of short term promises made for their own political gain; and

(j)         re-affirms this Administration’s commitment to make decisions for the long term well being of the City and the economy – despite the Government’s focus on cutting local government budgets.

(Note: Councillors Robert Murphy and Jillian Creasy voted for paragraphs (a) to (e) and abstained on paragraphs (f) to (j) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)