Agenda item

4.1

Former Councillor Nikki Sharpe

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Vickie Priestley) moved a vote of thanks to former Councillor Nikki Sharpe for her contribution to the work of the Council since May 2011. She had resigned from her office as a Member for the Walkley Ward with effect from 31 March 2014 in the light of her continuing ill health and the demands of her full-time employment. Later in the meeting, Members of the Council paid tribute to her.

RESOLVED: That this Council thanks former Councillor Nikki Sharpe for her contribution to the work of the Council since May 2011.

4.2

Petitions

(a)          Petition Requesting a Plaque, and the Naming of a Street in the City Centre, in Memory of the Late El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

The Council received a joint paper and electronic petition containing 1641 signatures and requesting a plaque, and the naming of a street in the City Centre, in memory of the late El-Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X).

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Mohammed Fiaz Hafiz. He referred to the visit to Sheffield by El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X) in December 1964, at which time he gave a speech at Sheffield University Students Union and to his contribution to human rights and his stance against exploitation and racism. The petition requested the City Council to place a permanent plaque in Sheffield City Centre in memory of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X) and requested that a road in Sheffield City Centre to be named after him.

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Streetscene. Councillor Scott thanked the petitioners and set out current policy guidance relating to street naming, which advised that names should have a proven relevance to the history of the area and any personality must have made a significant contribution to the community or have a historical connection to the area.

Street names should also be easily understood and recognisedin the event of an emergency and by the emergency services and they should generally be easy to pronounce and this may rule out the use of the name “Malcolm X”because a single letter could not be used. Any choice of street name would have to be considered carefully. The Council would not rename an existing street, because of the confusion that can create.

Whilst there were the significant achievements of Malcolm X, he was also, in some respects, a controversial figure and a balanced judgment was needed of his role as an activist and other aspects of his life.

A plaque could be placed on a building, provided the permission of the owner was given and, if necessary, planning permission. Councillor Scott suggested he meet with the petitioners and relevant parties to see how the request might best be accommodated in an appropriate way.

(b)          Petition Objecting to the Proposed Closure of Broomhall Nursery and Children’s Centre

The Council received an electronic petition, containing 203 signatures, objecting to the proposed closure of Broomhall Nursery and Children’s Centre.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Naomi Watkins. She made reference to an Ofsted Inspection which had reported that the Nursery was outstanding. It promoted the all- round development of children, including their physical and emotional needs. Parental comments on the Nursery and Children’s Centre were positive and there was an exceptional team of passionate and dedicated people working there. It was a surprise then that the Centre was faced with closure because of Council budget cuts. It was suggested that there was over-provision, although that did not account for the waiting list of children for the Nursery which offered high quality provision.

The possibility of developing a social enterprise was being explored and she invited the Council to look at this issue to retain the provision, which was of an exceptional standard and to visit the Nursery and Children’s Centre.

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families. Councillor Drayton thanked the petitioners for the invitation to visit the Nursery and Children’s Centre and said she would welcome the opportunity. She explained that a number of years ago, the Government changed the way in which nursery schools were funded. Previously, funding was based on the number of places. It was now based on the number of children. Therefore, some centres were financially unviable. In Broomhill, there were three organisations doing different things for children and young people – these were the Nursery School, City Council Childcare provision and Surestart. In order to protect provision, all of the existing provision would be brought together.

Councillor Drayton explained that she and the Executive Director of Children, Young People and Families had met with the governing body of Broomhill Nursery School to discuss the future following Government changes in funding to Nursery Schools, which made all three Nursery Schools in the City financially unviable. The two other nursery schools had decided to merge with other local schools.  However, the governors at Broomhill Nursery decided not to do this but carry on as an independent nursery. 

The Government’s new  policy of providing free early learning for two, three and four year olds and the funding for that provision was attached to the individual child and Broomhill would receive this funding for the children who attended the nursery. 

The Council officers were working hard to ensure there would continue to be provision in Broomhill. Councillor Drayton confirmed that she would be pleased to meet with representatives of the petitioners should they wish.

(c)           Petition Supporting Fir Vale Welfare Centre

The Council received an electronic petition containing 51 signatures and supporting the building of a new Community Welfare Centre in Fir Vale and the surrounding areas.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Rabia Mirza who stated that the petition was to ask the Council to support the provision of a new Community Welfare Centre in Fir Vale. The aim was to provide welfare in the community and to make optimum use of the facilities to enrich local residents’ lives. It was intended to foster social inclusion and to encourage participation, educate and tackle social issues.

Working with Sheffield City Council aimed to promote the wellbeing and quality of life of the residents in line with the Council’s strategic objectives to provide accessible social, recreational, educational and cultural facilities. The group wished to work with others in the community and the third sector and believed that Burngreave will benefit socially, culturally and economically. There was not a building from which the Welfare Centre could be run and the petitioners would like the Council to help to provide such a place.

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Mazher Iqbal, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Inclusion.  Councillor Iqbal stated that the Council does invest in a number of community buildings in the City. He referred to the financial constraints on the Council and to the context of Government funding cuts. The Council was encouraging community groups to work together. He had, with Burngreave Ward Members and Cabinet Members, worked in Page Hall with the Pakistan Advice Community Association (PACA) Centre and there was community space there. The Council wanted to utilise space in existing buildings and to make sure that everybody had access.

(d)          Petition Concerning Somaliland – Supporting the Campaign for Sovereign State Recognition on Behalf of the Burngreave Community

The Council received a petition, containing 130 signatures, supporting the campaign for sovereign state recognition of Somaliland on behalf of the Burngreave Community.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Mohamed Issa. He urged the Council to support the Notice of Motion at item 15 on the Summons and thanked Councillor Mohammad Maroof for bringing the Motion to Council. He also thanked Burngreave Ward Councillors for their support in bringing the matter to Council and the community for lobbying and campaigning. He stated that the petition also requested that the Motion be brought to the attention of the Foreign Secretary, Leaders of Opposition parties in Parliament, the European Parliament and the United Nations.

The Council referred the petition to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Julie Dore.

(e)           Petition Concerning Somaliland - Supporting the Campaign for Sovereign State Recognition

The Council received a petition, containing 1,745 signatures, supporting the campaign for sovereign state recognition of Somaliland.

Representations on behalf of the petitioners were made by Adam Yusuf who thanked all of the people, including City Councillors, who had been involved in bringing the issue of Somaliland to the attention of the Council. Sheffield was the first place to recognise Somaliland, which was of great significance. People in the Somali community believed Sheffield was welcoming and hospitable and people had settled and had families here. There was a strong culture among the community and also respect for the culture in the UK. The Somali community also had good role models, for example, the previous President of the University Student Union was a young Somalian. The Somaliland Foreign Minister had come to Sheffield, travelling from Australia to be at this Council meeting.   Somaliland had co-existed peacefully for 23 years and had developed a strong civil society and had held peaceful elections. It was testament to Sheffield that the City was the first place prepared to support the recognition of Somaliland.

The Council referred the petition to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Julie Dore.

(f)           Petition Concerning Somaliland – Supporting the Campaign for Sovereign State Recognition

The Council received a petition, containing 68 signatures, supporting the campaign for sovereign state recognition of Somaliland.

On behalf of the petitioners, Ibrahim Jama Ali, MP, addressed the Council. He stated that he hoped there would be international recognition of Somaliland as a sovereign state and nation. In 1990 Somaliland declared unilateral independence from Somalia and since that time it had been a de facto independent state. The people of Somaliland had tried to build a peaceful democracy comprising a separation of government into legislative, executive and judicial functions and had achieved much in the past two decades, including holding peaceful elections and a peaceful transfer of power. Somaliland had also developed an active civil society. However, due to a lack of international recognition, the area suffered financial and economic hardship, which he stated, without such international recognition, could not be overcome. He expressed his deep gratitude to people in Sheffield, including Councillors who supported the Motion on the Council Summons and said that he hoped other places would follow Sheffield City Council’s example.

The Council referred the petition to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Julie Dore.

4.3

Public Questions

(a)           Public Questions Concerning Somaliland

Kaltun Elmi asked why the international community was reluctant to recognise Somaliland as a sovereign state.

Mubarak Ismail expressed thanks to the Council and to individual Members who had been especially supportive in supporting the Motion regarding Somaliland and stated that he hoped there was unity in the Council on this matter.

The Lord Mayor welcomed distinguished guests from the Somaliland Parliament, the Right Honorable Abdirahman Mohamed Jama, the Right Honorable Ibrahim Jama Ali and the Right Honorable Nasir Hagi Shire. The distinguished guests addressed the Council:-

The Council was informed that people from Somaliland fought with the British in both the First and Second World Wars and came to Sheffield after the Second World War to support the steel industry. It was felt that Somaliland had fulfilled the requirements of a democratic nation and lived side by side with neighbouring countries. What was required was international recognition, of which the Motion as presented at Council today was an important part. The community in Sheffield was also grateful for the support given to them. Somaliland had been a de facto independent state for over 20 years and had lived in peace and stability. This was an historic day for the Somaliland community. 

Thanks were given to members of the Somaliland community in Sheffield who had helped to organise the petitions and to Councillors and Members of Parliament. The historical ties with Sheffield and other cities in the UK were noted. Some of the early African settlers in Sheffield were from Somaliland. Somaliland was independent for a very short time at the end of British colonial rule in 1960 and was then joined with the former Italian colony of Somalia. It declared independence following the overthrow of Siad Barre in 1991. Since then, it had run its own affairs but without international recognition. It was hoped that this would be the start of recognition as a sovereign state by the UK. 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Julie Dore, spoke in response to the petitioners and all those who had addressed the Council meeting. Firstly, she thanked those who had attended the meeting and particularly people who had spoken. She welcomed the Ministers and UK Ambassador to Sheffield and people from the Somaliland community to the Town Hall. Councillor Dore stated that thousands of people from Somaliland had settled in Sheffield and it was especially pleasing to see the celebrations which were taking place in the Peace Gardens. Sheffield has always welcomed the Somaliland community.

In reference to international recognition of Somaliland, she understood that Somaliland was a self-declared, de facto autonomous state. The decision regarding the international recognition of Somaliland was a decision for the United Nations. The Council’s role was to take part in making representations on behalf of its local community. The Council was supportive of the Somaliland community’s cause and would make sure to forward the Motion at item 15 on the Summons to the relevant people, including the Foreign Secretary, as had been requested.  

(b)          Public Question Concerning Pay Negotiations

Josie Paszek made reference to public sector pay negotiations and stated that the Government had attempted to denigrate public sector workers. She stated that the cuts and pay freezes were being imposed at the same time as tax cuts were being given to millionaires. She asked if an update could be provided on the pay negotiations between the Council and the unions. She also asked about the impact of a proposal to cut the pay of other staff, including social workers.

Councillor Ben Curran, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, responded that he agreed that the Government had made an attack on public sector workers. He referred to issues relating to pay in the wider public sector, including for NHS employees.       

Negotiations were taking place with the trades unions and the principles for the negotiations included the national pay bargaining framework and the protection of jobs and protection of low paid workers. The Council had sought to protect incremental progression within a 4 year pay deal. The Council was a responsible employer and wished to remain an employer of choice. He stated that a workforce which was well looked after was ultimately better for services.

(c)          Public Question Concerning Answers to Questions

Peter Hartley asked why he had not received written answers to his last two sets of questions to full Council.

In response, Councillor Julie Dore, the Leader of the Council, stated that she had asked the Cabinet Members to whom Mr Hartley’s questions had been addressed and they had confirmed that written responses had been sent. She would make sure that another copy of the letters was sent to him. 

(d)          Public Question Concerning Libraries

Pauline Rosser stated that in the proposed cuts to libraries, it had been understood that changes would mainly affect branch libraries. However, she was aware that 35 posts were to go in the Central Library. She asked what services were being cut in the Central Library to allow for the reduction in staffing levels; and how can the central services provide support for the rest of the library system if it was losing so many staff?

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Inclusion, responded that the Council was in the fourth year of budget cuts and jobs had been lost across the Council. £1.7 million savings were being made to the Libraries budget and the detail of the decision was available on the Council’s website. Part of the saving was a reduction of 75 full time equivalent posts across the service.

(e)          Public Question Concerning Stocksbridge Youth Centre

Lisa Banes referred to a rumour that the Stocksbridge Youth Centre was to close and asked if this was true. There was reference to closure of the Youth Centre in the minutes of a recent meeting of Stocksbridge Town Council. There was some confusion and young people were not certain whether or not the Youth Centre was open. She asked the Cabinet Member to clarify the matter.

Councillor Jackie Drayton, the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families responded that, despite the cuts, through Sheffield Futures, the Council had managed to maintain certain services across the City and especially those for young people in Stocksbridge. There were sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6pm until 8pm with a professional youth worker. Also, another voluntary youth organisation was delivering activities at the Youth Centre at other times during the week. 

There had been damage to some windows at the Youth Centre and the windows had been boarded up, which might explain why some people believed it was closed.

Due to Government cuts to the budget the Council was under considerable financial pressure.  It was working with partner organisations to maintain services, often in a different way and with a range of providers and wanted the Youth Centre in Stocksbridge to continue to be a resource for the area.

(f)           Public Questions Concerning Council Funding and the ‘City Centred Campaign’

Nigel Slack stated that at the turn of the year 2012/13, the Commons Political and Constitutional Reform Committee produced a plan to give Councils throughout England a comprehensive and permanent solution to Council funding being used as a ‘political football’ by all parties when in Government. This was for a settlement based in law and therefore a permanent rebalancing of the relationship between Town Hall and Whitehall. At the time, the Leader supported the proposal in general, despite that she felt unable to offer the Council’s support to the report, as the financial model was not sufficiently developed.

Mr Slack continued that the Council was being asked to support a plan, promulgated by the Mayor of London, for the ‘City Centred campaign’, which was, by its own admission, only a partial solution to the conundrum of English devolution, will be revenue neutral so will not address the under-funding of those areas with the greatest need and, since it suggests no legal framework for this fiscal model, will be just as vulnerable to changes in Government as the current arrangements.

He asked: (1) why is the Council backing this reportand (2) why is the Council supporting a plan that will create an elite league of rich and powerful City Councils, whilst leaving their neighbours to ‘wallow in the mud’ of Central Government control.

Councillor Julie Dore, the Leader of the Council, stated that the issue of the City Centred campaign was also the subject of the Notice of Motion numbered 12 on the Council Summons. The Powerful Cities report not only concerned the campaign. It also recognised that the UK was centralised and the Core Cities performed below national averages. The vast majority of revenue from taxation went to central government and was then redistributed. The Core Cities had demonstrated that when this redistribution took place, it was done unfairly and did not recognise local need. It also put forward that cities should have some control of their own economic destiny. The Minister for Cities, Greg Clark MP had worked with the City Council in relation to the transfer of some powers, which represented small steps in the right direction. The City Deal was for the Sheffield City economic Region, which included 9 local authorities.

(g)          Public Question Concerning the Police and Crime Commissioner

Nigel Slack stated that the Police and Crime Commissioner had been in post for some time and, presumably, the Scrutiny Panel has been meeting with him on a regular basis. He said that, throughout, there has been no report back from Councillors on that Panel as to the business conducted and how they have represented the public, at those meetings.  He asked if that was ever likely to happen.

Councillor Harry Harpham, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, responded that the role of the Police and Crime Panel was quite different from that of the former Police Authority. The Panel’s role was one of scrutiny and it had little direct power with respect to the Police and Crime Commissioner. The Panel had the power to veto the proposed precept and may make recommendations with regard to the proposed appointment of the Commissioner’s Chief Executive. The Panel had relatively few other powers.

Rotherham Borough Council was the local authority in South Yorkshire with responsibility for the administration of the Police and Crime Panel and details such as agenda documents and independent and elected Panel Members, including their interests, were available to view on Rotherham Borough Council’s website.

Sheffield City Council meetings included an agenda item giving the opportunity for Members’ questions on such matters. The Government established the Police and Crime Commissioner model and the Commissioner was directly accountable to the electorate, which would have the opportunity to judge them at the end of their term of office. This represented a shift of power from the previous Police Authority model. Councillor Harpham suggested that if people had questions, they should contact him or one of the other members of the Police and Crime Panel. 

(h)          Public Questions Concerning Tenants and Residents Participation

Martin Brighton asked the following questions:

1          Does this Council believe that it is respecting democracy at its lowest practicable level when volunteer residents who are also levy payers, and who are elected to a Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) committee and also to represent a tenant and resident community, are excluded from sitting on the Council’s various city-wide tenant and resident management groups?

2          If the new Council housing consultations are claimed by the Council to be tenant-led, and residents are to be excluded from their previously held equivalent positions as described above, does this Council believe it is respectful of tenants if any elected member driving the Council’s agenda can also be a resident?

3          There are volunteer residents, often past tenants, who have given decades of service to their community via their respective TARAs, to the extent that several TARAs would have folded long ago but for their dedication. What does it say about this Council when those residents are to be excluded from the same level of engagement, and to the serious detriment of their communities?

4          Will this Council please provide an explanation as to why it refuses to allow the District Auditor to inspect the books of a TARA, when such an action would show once and for all that, even as publicly admitted by this Council, there is no evidence whatsoever to justify the allegations made against the TARA.

5          Does this Council have any plans, however tentative, for the management of, or which effect in any way, TARAs – that it has not yet shared with TARAs – and if so, what are these plans?

Councillor Harry Harpham, the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, responded to the questions.

He stated that the newly established Housing and Neighbourhood Advisory Panel would be limited to tenants and leaseholders. These were the people that paid rent and which funded housing services. It was right that those people should be the decision makers. There were many opportunities for citizens to get involved in other aspects of service delivery.

If there are any concerns about the conduct of an elected Member, these should be brought to the attention of the appropriate officer and the matter would be investigated. If there were concerns about the service not meeting the required standard, these should be brought to the attention of the Housing Ombudsman.

There was currently a review of the Recognition Policy and the Council was talking to partners and others. The review is ongoing and when there is more detail, the Council will speak with the TARAs, tenants and others.

4.4

Petition Requesting a Pedestrian Crossing on Beech Hill Road/Glossop Road

The Council received an electronic petition containing five signatures requesting a pedestrian crossing on Beech Hill Road/Glossop Road.

The Council referred the petition to Councillor Leigh Bramall, the Cabinet Member for Business, Skills and Development.

4.5

Order of Business

In accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons was altered and item 15, the Notice of Motion given by Councillor Mohammad Maroof concerning Somaliland, was taken as the next item of business.