The Green Group on Sheffield City Council has set out it’s priorities in the debate on Sheffield City Council’s budget last Wednesday.
Leader of the Green Group Douglas Johnson said,
“Sheffield City Council’s budget has been brought together through collaboration – through some excellent work by a committed staff team – and in the context of a sensible approach by a 3-party administration.
“ It shows the benefits of a politically balanced council – and a council that is now led by an overarching vision.
“It is very different to the approach to the budget when I was first elected in 2016 – a closely guarded number of cuts to services kept secret until the last minute by a small bunch of cabinet members and senior officers.
“ Of course, it is not perfect and is far from where we would like to be. It is important to recognise this council remains in an incredibly challenging financial position and that things are hard.
“There is some welcome money from the government, but it is still so hard to plan ahead when it is stop-gap funds for one year only.
“We still have 22% less spending power than we did in 2010, even after shifting a lot more of the burden of raising money onto local council taxpayers.
“Continued austerity is a political choice. I hardly need say the government has big choices to make – and funding the huge range of important local services delivered by councils is one of them.
The Green Party would like government to tax the super-wealthy and tax exiles and to stop making cuts to the poorest. I need hardly mention winter fuel payments – and today the government is introducing a further cut of billions of pounds of welfare benefits going to the poorest in society.
“This will have an impact in Sheffield where we estimate £230 million of entitlement is already going unclaimed every year. If we could bring in that money, it would be a significant boost to our local shops and businesses.
The Green Group submitted a textual amendment to the Council’s budget which set out priorities and initiatives to pursue in the forthcoming municipal year,
Proposing the Green Group Amendment, Councillor Angela Argenzio, Chair of the Adult Haelth and Social Care Committee said,
“Our biggest concern is the rise in demand for Adults and Children’s Services, the rising costs of delivering them and no prospect of reform, from the Government, on Adult Social Care for at least 3 years. The crisis in Adult Social Care is now, and with the rise in Employers National Insurance costs that crisis has been made much worse.
“National Government told us that they would help the public sector cover the costs of the rise in Employers National Insurance but in fact have left us £3 million short. That is £3 million less for the public services that many Sheffielders rely on.
“The Government has chosen to tax work rather than the wealthy and this will drive inflationary pressure on the Council’s partners and contractors.
“The Committee System offers all Councillors input in developing the Councils policies and shaping Sheffield’s future, well before the theatre of a budget meeting.That is why we have indicated in our amendment the areas we would like to see progress in and to provide the impetus needed to deliver real progress for our city.
“We want to explore using South Yorkshire Pension Authority funding to support the installation of renewables on our schools and other public buildings.
“We have agreed as a Council that we want to be a Pedestrian Friendly City now we need to develop an implementation plan to make that a reality,
“I am pleased that the Green Party Administration of Bristol City Council is now seeking to introduce an Employers Workplace Parking Levy. Sheffield should do the same. This could bring millions into Sheffield to improve and extend public transport, improve provision for pedestrians
“Municipal Climate Bonds were a Green Group proposal to mobilise investment from local people and businesses to fund the installation of renewable technology, like solar panels, on Council Buildings like schools and offices. The Council has accepted this initiative and we want to ensure it is properly promoted so we can attract significant investment at a lower cost than funding from the Public Works Loan Board.
“Following a demonstration of infrared graphene heating by the Green Group the Council has now installed this technology in one council depot and one council house. We want to see how this alternative air sourced heat pumps works in real life situations. It offers the prospect of helping us reach our net zero target at a much lower capital cost.
Labour, Liberal Democrats and Sheffield Community Councillors all voted against the Green Party amendment. Greens vote for the Labour Amendment.
