SOUTH WEST COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY Meeting Held 30Th
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SOUTH WEST COMMUNITY ASSEMBLY Meeting held 30 th September , 2010, at Bents Green Methodist Church , Ringinglow Road PRESENT: Councillors Mike Reynolds (Chair), Mike Davis, Roger Davison, Sylvia Dunkley, John Hesketh, Keith Hill, Brian Holmes, Andrew Sangar and Janice Sidebottom. 1. WELCOME AND HOUSEKEEPING ARRANGEMENTS The Chair, Councillor Mike Reynolds welcomed members of the public to the meeting and outlined basic housekeeping and fire safety arrangements. 2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Sylvia Anginotti and John Knight. 3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. 4. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING The minutes of the meeting held on 24 th June, 2010, were approved as a correct record, subject to (a) the substitution of the word “Whirlow” for the word “Willow” (page 2, line 8) and (b) the substitution of the name “Kewley” for the name “Smith” (page 3, line 18). Arising therefrom (i) the Community Assembly Manager confirmed that the financial information for each of the Assembly’s four Wards and in respect of ‘You Choose’ funding had been circulated to Members (item 6(a)), (ii) Councillor Mike Reynolds informed the meeting that £3,000 had now been set aside for tree planting in the Fulwood Ward (Item 7, page 4, line 16), and (iii) Councillor Mike Reynolds confirmed that the appointment of a further Member of the Assembly to the Sheffield Homes South West Board was still to be considered. 5. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS (a) Petitions The Assembly received, for investigation by the appropriate Council officers (i) petitions:- (A) containing 26 signatures requesting traffic lights at the crossroads with Sandygate Road, Coldwell Lane and Carsick Hill Road; (B) containing 245 signatures objecting to the development of Mickley Allotment site and requesting that (1) allotments not being worked across the City be identified and steps be taken to put them into use before money is spent on new sites, (2) alternative sites be identified and for a feasibility/cost benefit analysis to be conducted compared to the proposed Mickley Lane site, (3) a comprehensive appraisal and risk assessment be undertaken on the Mickley Lane site and (4) no further money be spent on the Mickley Lane Meeting of the South West Community Assembly 30.09.2010 Page 2 allotment site until after a full consultation had been undertaken. The Assembly heard from Terry Rich highlighting the need to improve the usage of existing allotments/identify alternative sites and raising concerns of potential anti-social behaviour if land off Mickley Lane was used as an allotment site; and (C) containing 540 signatures opposing a large commercial agricultural development in the woods behind St. Anthony Road, Tinker Lane, Bentley Road and Bole Hill Road. The Assembly heard from Dominic Gregory opposing the development of the land by Crosspool Harvest, as it was perceived it would destroy a tranquil area, harm wildlife habitat and that the effects of the development wou ld be detrimental to local people and the land. An objection was also raised to City Council funding being used for the project; and (ii) an on-line request, containing 50 names, calling for the traffic priorities at the junction of Prospect Road, Bradway Road, Rod Moor Road (Tinkers Corner) to be clarified. The Assembly heard from Fiona Barry, Vice- Chair of Bradway Action Group, highlighting the dangers of the junction. (b) Public Questions The Assembly received a number of questions and comments from members of the public at the meeting which included:- (i) Climate Change Fund (Item 8) (A) Dominic Gregory referred to the assessment criteria for the Climate Change Fund and asked how the Assessment Panel was satisfied that there was a local need for the Crosspool Harvest Project, as there had been no interaction with local people and also why other similar local groups to Crosspool Harvest had not been considered when the Assessment Panel considered local need when allocating the funding. (B) Karen Green sought reassurance from the Chair that the Assembly would be impartial when considering the proposed grant funding and asked (1) how Council officers could recommend the grant for Crosspool Harvest to be approved without the residents of Crookes being asked their views, (2) why Crookes residents had not received Council support in the same way that had been offered to Crosspool Harvest, (3) why had there been a total lack of consultation undertaken by the City Council, (4) for clarification on the exact legal status of Crosspool Harvest, in particular, whether it was a ‘for profit’ or a ‘not for profit’ organisation, and (5) why it was proposed that public money be granted to a perceived private enterprise. (C) a local resident, in referring to the Climate Change Fund criteria, asked how local need had been identified. (D) James Higgins advised that people didn’t find out about Crosspool Harvest’s plans until they were well in advance and had only 3 weeks to put their case together to object to the project. He further stated that people on St. Anthony Road and in the Crookes area were opposed to the scheme. (E) Simon Poutney, in referring to 2010 being the International Year of Biodiversity, stated that the City was required to provide a local biodiversity plan. He asked how land clearing could be part of biodiversity, with the clearing of allotments, woodland and hedgerows and wildlife being put at risk. He further stated that a suitable alternative site should be found for Crosspool Harvest without affecting the proposed site. Meeting of the South West Community Assembly 30.09.2010 Page 3 (F) A local resident advised the Assembly that leaflets about the project had only been received by residents and stated that the grant award should be conditional on planning application for the site being approved. (G) Janet Limb raised concerns that the clearing of land would have to be carried out by mechanical means and the use of lorries would be required, necessitating the construction of an access road. It was stated that this was unnecessary for the type of project being envisaged. (H) John Joel raised highway and pedestrian safety issues for people using the car park off Bole Hill Road. He stated that this was a narrow road with no pavement and that with increased use of the car park, there was no warning signs for car users approaching the car park entrance from the brow of a hill on the road. He also raised concerns over parking on Back Lane for events that Crosspool Harvest would be organising, which he suggested, would prevent local residents gaining access to the garages and caravans stored at that location. (I) A local resident asked if public rights of way would be maintained if the development went ahead and asked that, as an alternative use, the land be used for community allotments. She also raised public health concerns in the event that the project went ahead without running water/toilet provision. In response to questions and comments made, Nick Rousseau, Crosspool Harvest, stated that he was disappointed in respect of the strong feelings now raised by residents and that he had undertaken a number of conversations with local residents concerning the project and received messages of support from people in the area. He stated that he was committed to work with local residents and building positive relationships. It was explained that the group was made up of 20 residents from the S10 area, with the membership including two local primary schools and that they were looking to build-up their membership base locally. It was also confirmed that the organisation was a not for profit enterprise and wanted to grow local food in a more sustainable way. As such, chemicals/fossil fuels would not be used, with work being undertaken in harmony with the eco-systems, with lessons learned from the project shared with the community and schools. It was confirmed by Crosspool Harvest that whilst the grant funding was under consideration, work on the project would halt for the time being. Councillor Mike Reynolds, in response to the issues raised, outlined the Climate Change funding process and the role of the ‘Sifting Panel’ and confirmed that the Crosspool Harvest application had been considered in accordance with the Climate Change Fund criteria. He acknowledged that, in light of the issues now raised, consultation needed to be undertaken and that a site visit would be arranged to the location of the proposed project. He informed the meeting that the local concerns over the funding application had been brought to his attention by a local councillor a few days before this meeting and gave an assurance that the Assembly would give impartial consideration to the request for funding by Crosspool Harvest. (ii) Further questions were raised later by Members of the public concerning the Climate Change Fund following the decision to defer the application for the Crosspool Harvest Project:- In response to a question raised by a local resident, the Community Assembly Manager and Councillor Mike Reynolds advised that the guidance Meeting of the South West Community Assembly 30.09.2010 Page 4 on the Climate Change Fund criteria for selecting projects, needed to be revised to include public consultation and that this would be raised accordingly. Wes Hedge asked that it be made clear at the special meeting of the Community Assembly, which was to consider the Crosspool Harvest funding application, if the involvement of Council officers in the project had been solely in respect of the Statutory planning application process. (iii) Peak District National Park In response to a question raised by Neil Fitzmaurice concerning consultation being undertaken by the South West Community Assembly in respect of the proposed disposal of land within the Peak District National Park concerning Burbidge, Houndskirk and Hathersage Moor, the Chair asked him to provide further details on this matter.