Agenda Item 8
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Agenda Item 8 C I T Y OF S H E F F I E L D M E T R O P O L I T A N D I S T R I C T MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL – 1ST NOVEMBER, 2017 COPIES OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS THERETO Questions Answers Questions of Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed to the Leader of the Council (Councillor Julie Dore) 1. Since the last City Region Leaders I have not had contact with meeting, what communications have Government since the last City you or your officers had with a Minister Region Leaders meeting which was or Civil Servants about the Sheffield on Monday, two days ago. City Region deal? Please list when and with whom? 2. During September and October, 2017, As I answered last month I am in what communications have you had regular contact with all South with the Mayor of Doncaster Council, Yorkshire Leaders. I do not hold a Ros Jones and the Leader of Barnsley record of every single Council, Sir Steve Houghton in relation communication. to progressing the Sheffield City Region devolution deal? 3. Since the October Full Council meeting, The situation has not changed since I have you had any contact with leaders answered the same question last of Councils within the Yorkshire region month. in relation to a Yorkshire wide devolution deal? 4. Since the October Full Council meeting, As I answered last month I am in have you had any meeting, phone or regular contact with all South email contact with the Leader of Yorkshire Leaders. I do not hold a Rotherham Council about continuing record of every single the Sheffield City Region devolution communication. deal? As you are aware both Sheffield and Rotherham Councils want to continue the South Yorkshire devolution deal, this has always been the position. 1 Page 1 Questions of Councillor Colin Ross to Councillor Ben Curran (Cabinet Member for Planning and Development) 1. Following the collapse of the Sheffield We are still committed to working City Region Deal, what impact will this together on these issues through have on a key proposal within the Deal; Sheffield City Region and also have “Better alignment of planning across the requirements through existing Sheffield City Region and better use of legislation such as the duty to co- publically owned land to enable more operate. houses and more employment sites to be brought forward for development”? 2. The creation of a Housing Investment The current Sheffield City Region Fund to build more homes was another arrangements are still in place. A proposal within the Sheffield City fund has been established for Region Deal; what steps have been Housing that has been planned for taken to plug the gap created by the some time and launched. Sheffield collapse of the deal and loss of £900m City Council is preparing a over the lifetime of the deal? submission to try and secure funding for the city. 3. Will the collapse of the Sheffield City There is still regional co-operation on Region Deal and the consequent loss of housing development within Sheffield regional cooperation on housing City Region. In addition we will be development have an impact upon the using the Duty to Co-operate Sheffield Development Framework? provisions. Questions of Councillor Martin Smith to Councillor Ben Curran (Cabinet Member for Planning and Development) 1. How many planning applications were 5,065 submitted to Sheffield City Council (SCC) in the last 12 months? This figure includes all classes of application – i.e. – planning applications; prior notification applications; advertisement applications etc.) 2. How many planning applications were 285 refused in the last 12 months? 3. How many appeals against SCC 76 planning decisions were lodged in the last 12 months? 4. What proportion of appeals against 80% dismissed SCC planning decisions were upheld? 20% allowed 2 Page 2 Question of Councillor Penny Baker to Councillor Jayne Dunn (Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety) With the night‟s drawing in fast, what The Council, in partnership with plans are there to deal with the South Yorkshire Police, the South associated problems this brings, in Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service particular relating to Bonfire night? (SYFRS), key services, and local businesses and local communities, have been working on the dark nights programme for some months now for key areas affected. Plans are in place to mitigate risks. Additional resources, as always, will be deployed if incidents occur. Questions of Councillor Douglas Johnson to Councillor Jayne Dunn (Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety) 1. At September‟s meeting, you said you Please see the information attached. would provide data on how many high- The database is still in development rise blocks containing residential and numbers will change for many accommodation have been identified in reasons – new blocks being planned, City Ward. When do you intend to conversion of office accommodation provide this data? to residential, validation of the database with SYFRS. 2. How many replies have been received Any information provided to the from organisations that own or manage Director of Housing is commercially high rise residential properties in sensitive between the building Sheffield, in response to letters from the owners, SYFRS and the Council as Director of Housing? part of its regulatory responsibilities this cannot be disclosed without the permission from building owners. However, we can advise that further requests for information are being requested to keep the database updated. Questions of Councillor Magid Magid to Councillor Jayne Dunn (Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety) 1. Can you confirm whether the Council is Yes the Council is in talks with Places in talks with Places For People for People so the community can regarding the future of Sunnybank benefit from these premises. Community Meeting Rooms? And if so, However, in the end, this is a what are their intentions for the privately owned building. premises and will local residents be consulted regarding the matter? 2. Regarding the Hanover Tower Block, A Project Group has been are you planning to hold any further established with Hanover tenants and 3 Page 3 meetings to summarise what has residents to develop proposals for the happened before the end of replacement of the cladding now that the calendar year , as well as send a the cladding has been fully removed, full report of the enquiry to all the and to discuss outcomes from the tenants? review. Once this has been completed, we will make this review publicly available. A further meeting of the Hanover Project Group is planned for November. 4 Page 4 Questions of Councillor Martin Smith to Councillor Mazher Iqbal (Cabinet Member for Business and Investment) 1. With regards to the New Retail Quarter:- (a) What progress has been made in We continue to be in detailed the last 6 months in securing the anchor dialogue with the anchor tenant. tenant? (b) How much has the Council spent I will write to you with a response to thus far on consultancy & legal fees for this question. the New Retail Quarter project (including project Cavendish)? (c) What is the total forecast for I will write to you with a response to spend on consultancy & legal fees to this question. the end of both projects? 2. With regards to the Sichuan Guodong investment deal:- (a) In September you informed me Former Councillor, Leigh Bramall, that you have not attended any attended meetings with Guodong meetings with the Sichaun Guodong earlier in the year. Since then, Group this year. If this is such an officers have been working with important inward investment for the city, Guodong. why not? (b) In September you informed me As has been reported previously, that a number schemes were being Guodong asked to pause other developed as part of the „£220 million in projects whilst they focused on 3 years‟ deal. How many schemes are investigating whether a 5* hotel in the in development? Central Library building, Surrey Street, was viable. This is still the current position. (c) How much did the Council spend I will write to you with a response to in total on negotiating and administering this question. the investment deal with the Sichuan Guodong Construction Company Limited? (d) How much has the Council spent I will write to you with a response to in total thus far on negotiating and this question. administering the investment deal with the Sichuan Guodong Construction Group? 5 Page 5 (e) Have you read the due diligence Yes. reports relating to the Sichaun Guodong investment deals? (f) Are you satisfied that the due The Council‟s financial procedure diligence exercise complied with rules and contract standing orders national and local government incorporate legislative and good guidelines? practice requirements. In addition when dealing with land, the Council assesses each transaction based on its merits to determine the appropriate level of due diligence required. (g) Does Sheffield City Council have See above. a policy on due diligence for high value agreements? (h) When does the 12 month The Exclusivity Agreement for the exclusivity agreement for the Central potential library development has not Library building end? been signed. We continue to work closely with Sichuan Guodong Group to develop the project. 3. Have you written to the Department for At this stage, we understand that the Trade and Industry to express your investment you are referring to is concern at the escalating trade dispute unaffected. between Boeing and Bombardier (and by extension the UK and US Governments) and the long-term risks this may pose for inward investment in the Sheffield City Region? Questions of Councillor Douglas Johnson to Councillor Mazher Iqbal (Cabinet Member for Business and Investment) 1.