Comments to Ecclesall Forum

I was asked to comment on topics supplied by Ecclesall Forum, here are my responses.

Planning and Development and Neighbourhood Plans,

I believe that people should be given every opportunity to participate in any consultation at all levels of planning and development that effects their environment.

I think that the views of local people should be given priority when decisions are to be made in planning decisions that will affect their quality of life. I would also like to see local businesses given a greater say when developments on the high street by larger businesses will directly affect their livelihood.

 I think that that the best way to represent people views is via their elected local representatives, who can take account of the views of all the people in the area and take into account the plans for the whole City.

Roads and Traffic - main and residential streets,
Public Transport

The current plans for Ecclesall Road fail to take into account the large numbers of people in Ecclesall who use public transport. I would like to see a review of the main roads in our area with a consultation on how to ease the congestion at the peak times of the day.

I feel that parts of Ecclesall are very badly served by the current bus services, especially Greystones Road. I am working with local residents in an effort to encourage the local bus company to reconsider the frequency of buses on this route.

Living on Blair Athol Road, I am particularly aware of the problems of parking and speeding on our residential streets. I would like to ask local people for their views on introducing a residents parking scheme that also allows short term parking for shoppers, on the streets closest to the main roads, and a residents only parking on those further away.

Shops and Supermarkets

I have run several small retail businesses, and I currently have a number of clients who work in the retail trade. I have a great concern about the condition of our shopping streets that have suffered years of neglect.

Banner Cross is currently a thriving and popular shopping area. It has in common with other areas in Ecclesall an excellent mix of small retailers predominantly owner run. I have a concern that the current planning rules will allow the larger supermarkets to infiltrate this market and destroy the unique character of our shopping streets.

I would like to see a change in planning legislation that would allow the local council to prevent the large retailers gaining a foothold where consultations with local retailers and residents have shown to be against the proposed development.

Children and schools

Our children deserve to have the opportunity to be given the best schools and education of any City in the UK.  Under the previous Labour government money was invested in Schools in Ecclesall, thanks to that investment we now have some of the most modern Schools in Sheffield.

I would urge all schools to remain within local democratic control and part of the local accountability structure, whilst recognising and respecting the views of parents and local communities. Labour would encourage local schools considering Academy status to sign up to the ‘Sheffield Contract’ that retains land and premises in the ownership of the Council and develops facilities for community use. It protects the pay and conditions of service of staff, and agrees to have community representatives as part of the Governing Body. It also delivers any city wide services in consultation with and on behalf of the Council.

Community Assemblies and Community Participation

I understand that the Community Assemblies are regarded by some people as a way of bringing democracy to more people and making Councillors more accountable to the electorate. I do attend the meetings and what I see is not democracy in action but a façade of democracy where all the decisions have been made by the Councillors and the Officers in a private meeting; the results of this meeting are then announced in public. Labours policy is that we will review the working of these Assemblies with a view to increasing community participation, and ensuring that the whole community is fairly represented.