Graham Wroe | Sheffield Green Party

This statement on Hillsborough Park and Tramlines is issued by the three ward councillors for Hillsborough ward: Christine Gilligan Kubo, Henry Nottage, and Toby Mallinson.

Cllrs Henry Nottage, Christine Gilligan Kubo and Toby Mallinson at Hillsborough Park — Cllrs Henry Nottage, Christine Gilligan Kubo and Toby Mallinson

Tramlines is an event many people really look forward to and enjoy each year. It’s loved by large numbers of local residents and those from further afield. But this year, Hillsborough Park became a mud-bath. Restoring the park is going to take a very long time, with current estimates suggesting barriers will remain up until the end of October.

We are closely monitoring the repair and restoration work and are very concerned about the significant impact the required closure of large areas is having on park use during the summer holidays and on local businesses that rely on visitor numbers.

We are seeing more extreme rainfall events in the climate emergency. There is an increasing likelihood that similar weather will affect future festivals with similar impacts.

The park is important for the health and well-being of many Hillsborough residents. However, many community and sports groups, including Parkrun, have been unable to use the park, while families or friends have been unable to enjoy spending time together in the main grassed area.

We view Hillsborough Park as a public asset that should be used for public recreation – most of the park should not be closed during the summer school holiday period by large-scale commercial activities.

Tramlines arrived in Hillsborough Park in 2018 promising a boost to local businesses and community. Businesses close to the park struggle during the 18-day set-up and takedown period as park visitor numbers drop significantly while the fences are up – a drop currently continuing through the summer holidays and well beyond. The more recent removal of re-entry additionally prevents many businesses from seeing any benefits during the festival weekend.

There is a lack of transparency on the council’s contractual relationship with Tramlines with commercial confidentiality cited. We believe the economic and cultural benefits of the festival no longer outweigh the negative impacts combined with the risk of park damage.

We have requested an urgent meeting with the relevant Committee Chairs and council officers responsible for the Tramlines contract. We are also seeking urgent answers from council officers on how payments received from hiring the park to Tramlines will be used to compensate community groups and teams unable to use the park.

Consideration must now be given to finding suitable alternative venues in the Sheffield area to host the event. If that were to happen, we would seek support for Tramlines fringe events to be held in Hillsborough venues. That would boost local businesses and provide options for local people to enjoy, including those who can’t afford Tramlines ticket prices.

Finding an alternative venue may take time and it must be considered likely that Tramlines will be in Hillsborough Park next year. If this is the case, we are demanding:

– A robust weather action plan that kicks in based on forecasts – not when forecast heavy rain has started to fall.

– More temporary surfacing and walkways during the festival to protect the park surface.

– A lower capacity. The park is not big enough to hold events attended by 40,000 people. Fewer people attending would help reduce the risk of damage and the areas removed from public use.

– No additional similar-sized events. The Arctic Monkeys’ hometown return concerts were joyful, but these increased the total time when access was restricted to the parkland, and risked similar damage if there had been bad weather.

– Restore the right of re-entry to all ticket holders to help local residents and businesses.

Our belief that an alternative site is found is not made without full consideration – we know that many people love having a big festival within walking distance. But most of the park has been damaged this year and access will have been lost to many areas for close to 4 months in total.

We will update local residents on Hillsborough area social media groups on a regular basis as our enquiries continue and the repair work progresses. As always, we will take into account comments posted comments and discussions with local people and organisations across the Hillsborough council ward.

In the ongoing disaster that is South Yorkshire’s bus services, I welcome all efforts by the Mayor, Oliver Coppard, to fight for better funding. The previous Labour mayor, Dan Jarvis, massively underachieved in building, or even protecting public transport infrastructure.

In Hillsborough, the frequent and well-used 52A service now goes no further than Hillsborough Interchange. It has been replaced by the unreliable, hourly, 31 through to Wisewood and Loxley with no evening or Sunday service. Similar changes have happened to many services across Sheffield and South Yorkshire damaging the economy and people’s lives.

Now, with South Yorkshire’s Bus Services Improvement Plan receiving no government funding in 2022, there’s not only a huge public transport funding gap between the South and the North. There’s a growing divide between northern regions too and South Yorkshire faces yet more cuts.

Lessons can be learnt from other councils to help fund public transport. A workplace parking levy in Nottingham has raised almost £90 million over the last 10 years which has been re-invested into sustainable transport across the city. Green Party proposals to explore this in Sheffield continue to be blocked by Labour and Lib Dem councillors.

We must get buses back under local control. Dan Jarvis dithered before finally starting the legal process in March 2022, the last month of his 4-year term. Greater Manchester begins to get services back into public control this September. It’s going to take time in South Yorkshire and the Mayor must work hard to secure the funding needed for a successful transition when it finally happens.

The Tory government has created an appalling system that pits regions against each other. It causes great economic and social problems for those areas that lose out. We have no choice but to radically improve the quality of our funding bids and negotiation skills with the Government. But we also need to reverse a decade of tax cuts for the rich to properly fund all public services, including a public transport system in meltdown.

Find out more about the Green Party’s vision for transport in Sheffield and South Yorkshire here www.getsheffieldmoving.org

Councillor Toby Mallinson, Hillsborough Ward Green Party

July 2023 was the hottest month on record. In Southern Europe, there were wildfires near Athens in Greece and in Rhodes, Switzerland, Croatia and the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma with temperatures in some places in the mid-40s.

While global temperatures soar and the UN Secretary-General has said we are in an era of “global boiling”, Rishi Sunak has just approved hundreds of new gas and oil licences.

You might think that Labour, the official opposition, would oppose this and the Tory race to “cut the green crap”. It seems an obvious position to take, given the deteriorating state of the climate, that building onshore wind is the cheapest way to generate electricity and that mass insulation is the best way to lower heating bills and reduce household emissions – but you would be wrong.

Labour have said they will not revoke the gas and oil licences. They’ve also said they can’t commit to their already-too-small green investment plans, as they need to stick to their fiscal rules. Never mind that the cost of inaction on the climate emergency comes with staggering environmental, human and financial costs.

It’s not just nationally that Labour is siding with the Tories on fuelling the climate crisis. Here in Sheffield, Labour is well known for the tree-felling saga when thousands of healthy street trees were felled unnecessarily and against residents’ wishes by a Labour majority council.

What Sheffield Labour may not be as well known for is their politicking on transport. Labour say they want better public transport, walking and cycling. But when it comes to it, they tried to axe schemes that improve bus times and reliability. They campaigned against low-traffic neighbourhoods and red routes. At a South Yorkshire level, they failed to attract funding for bus improvement plans that were so unambitious they aimed for a reduction in passengers even if successful. And Labour repeatedly voted against investigating a workplace parking levy that would fund millions of pounds for public and active transport each year.

Whether it’s in Sheffield or Westminster, it’s clear that only the Green Party will act on the climate emergency.

Martin Phipps, Green councillor for City ward

Sheffield Green Party

The Chile 50 Years campaign is a national initiative with a strong Sheffield basis. Details can be found here but, please, also follow us on Twitter @chile50yrsUK and Facebook . The campaign aims to commemorate the victims of the September 11th 1973 coup and celebrate the solidarity that the Chilean exiled community received from the labour and freedom movements in the UK. We must, however, not forget that, at the same time, Pinochet was protected and supported by successive British governments, most prominently the one led by Margaret Thatcher.

The military coup in Chile was supported by the American government and unseated the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende. It was a crime against the Chilean people and instigated 17 years of oppression led by the dictator General Pinochet. It dragged the nation towards an economic path that increased inequality and social division.

The economic system imposed with extreme brutality by Pinochet and his allies was led by fanatic neoliberal economists, who religiously believed that an economy based on competition, greed and infinite growth would have brought freedom and welfare. This ideology was eventually adopted across the world, with disastrous consequences. The social and climatic catastrophe that we are currently experiencing is the result of such dogmatic thinking.

It is vital that we remember the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chilean military regime as well as its dark legacy for the future of the world as sadly seen nowadays in several countries across the world, including Britain. Please come along to our day of commemoration on the 9th of September (details in the poster).

You are invited to an open meeting hosted by Sheffield Green Party from 7 until 8 pm on Monday 17th July.

In-person, at Central United Reformed Church, S1 2JB (entrance on the corner of Chapel Walk and Norfolk Street). We will be in the downstairs room, immediately to the right after you enter the building.

In this meeting, we’ll hear from members of the Hong Kong community in Sheffield. There are now about 800 Hong Kongers in Sheffield, so far quite a low-profile community. We have invited Clara Cheung, a former Hong Kong district councillor, to come and speak to us about her community and its concerns. Clara is a director of Re-Water CIC, a Sheffield Hongkongers support group, and will tell us about their art and food projects (‘Add Oil!’), their interest in recycling and libraries, and their concerns about training and employment opportunities. She will also talk about political persecution in Hong Kong and would like Sheffield Green Party to formally ask Sheffield Council ‘to de-twin with Anshan and Chengdu in the People’s Republic of China under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party.

This meeting will be followed by a members-only meeting. Please join if you would like to attend the second half of the meeting.

Refreshments will be available.

Natalie Bennett has just written about the Hong Kong situation in Green World. The Guardian recently highlighted that Hong Kong police have issued arrest warrants for eight overseas activists. So we will have lots to talk about!

A beautiful green area, which has been a playground for generations of children, was once present in the High Storrs area in Ecclesall. The playground is still there but a few years ago it was substantially reduced by a highly controversial school merger and now, not content with the damage that has already been done, the school has submitted a planning application for the construction of a new Multi Use Sports Area (MUGA), which will cover most of the remaining green area. Basically, grass will be replaced by whatever synthetic material they will decide to use. It is an environmental crime, which we can hardly tolerate in view of the current climatic crisis and due to serious concerns about the loss of biodiversity in Sheffield and elsewhere. The educational message that the school is giving to its students by wiping out most of its green area is very concerning.

Peter Gilbert from Ecclesall Greens said “Most parents, pupils, and residents are appalled as many highly articulate and deeply felt objections demonstrate (versus only a handful of messages of support). Parents and residents have pointed out the educational and health benefits of children enjoying creative play in green spaces. Many chose Ecclesall just because it had this green space.”

It is also highly questionable that primary school children will benefit from a hard eight-lane athletics track more than from an open green field to run in and explore. There is also a great deal of perplexity about the behaviour of the school management, which has failed to consult children and their parents before moving forward with their planning application.

One further consideration is that a large amount of money is going to be spent on an unpopular project in a relatively affluent area, while many schools in Sheffield cannot even afford to repair their often-derelict buildings and facilities.

People in the community are very concerned about the gradual disappearance of green spaces in Ecclesall and are determined to object to this further assault on the natural world in all possible ways.

Please, do register your objection by logging in here, where you’ll also be able to check previous comments. The current deadline for comments is 26 July but the sooner the comments are sent the better.

Sheffield Green Party are supporting Park Hill Residents campaigning to stop their green space from being turned into a car park. All three City Ward Councillors have written objecting to the plans.

In the original plans the space was designated to be a Sculpture Park, but the deal with S1 Artspace fell through due to lack of funding. So now Phase 4 of the flats regeneration proposes to turn the block alongside Duke Street back into residential use and build 76 car park spaces where the lawns are. Park Hill residents are furious at this proposal and have launched a very well-organised campaign to protect their green space from development.

You can follow the campaign at https://twitter.com/SOSParkHill

To add your objection go to https://planningapps.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=dates&keyVal=RWI1PRNYLE300

The City Ward Councillors objection was as follows.

I’m writing on behalf of the three City Ward councillors regarding planning application 23/01960.

We welcome the long overdue development of the Park Hill homes.

However, we very strongly object to the proposal to pave over existing green space.

Tarmacking over what is a popular green area and community open space is completely unacceptable. We need to improve surface water management, increase biodiversity and reduce the heat island effect in our city. Tarmacking this area prevents the site from retaining water, and draining properly, and has onward effects on flood management. Grass absorbs carbon, retains moisture, increases biodiversity and reduces the heat island effect in our city. The loss of this green space completely undermines the city’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions, and its goal to reach net zero by 2030. It’s also at odds with the claim to be an “Outdoor City”.

Sheffield City Council has declared a nature emergency and it’s crucial that we safeguard existing ecological and wildlife protection. The environmental plans being proposed within the Local Plan should not be undermined.

It’s well known that provision of free car parking enables more driving and the car park would generate huge amounts of additional traffic in the area. This site is in an excellent location for public transport links, and is also part of an active travel route. There are plenty of alternatives available for people who wish to own a private vehicle without the need to store on-site.

Up to 100 extra vehicles a day on South Street is a degradation of the Strategic Cycle Network and presents significant additional road safety concerns in a city with an appalling record for road deaths and serious injuries. There would also be an increase in noise and pollution in a densely populated area. Car reliance and usage could be reduced by improving the Strategic Cycle Network, as CycleSheffield has also suggested.

In addition, we are extremely concerned that Urban Splash has already reduced the travel choices of many of its residents in failing to meet a condition of a previous application (18/01699/COND9) to provide 198 cycle parking spaces in an external store. Only a 34 unit store has been provided as part of phase 1 of the development and this is hugely oversubscribed. Urban Splash should be conditioned to provide cycle storage recommended and required of them by the landlord (SCC) of 198 dedicated (external to units) cycle parking spaces and residents and user groups should be consulted on the design of the provision.

Sheffield City Council has reaffirmed that Sheffield is a City of Sanctuary and will appoint a Migrant Champion to stand up for the rights of migrants in Sheffield.

The decision was made at the full meeting of Sheffield City Council on Wednesday 5th July, on a motion brought by Cllr Alexi Dimond and seconded by Cllr Maleiki Haybe. It also creates a new role for an elected councillor to become the Council’s “Migrant Champion,” who will be a point of contact for migrants, community groups and organisations to raise concerns and will work to ensure council services are open and available to migrants who need them. You can see their speeches here.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Dimond said,

I’m delighted that Sheffield Council voted unanimously to reaffirm Sheffield as a City of Sanctuary. We sent a clear message to the government that we stand in solidarity with people seeking sanctuary, that we reject the anti-refugee laws, and that we support the right to work for asylum seekers. We voted to have an elected member who will be a Migrant Champion and ensure that we remain a welcoming city, the UK’s first City of Sanctuary.”

The debate came after another one on the cost-of-living crisis, where Cllr Douglas Johnson said,

“We need to recognise that not everyone comes to the cost-of-living crisis equally. There are many people in entrenched poverty in the city, whether they have migrated to Sheffield or were born here. But being a migrant or having English as a second language is an additional barrier.”

However, the meeting was not without controversy. Campaigners had originally hoped the motion would be cross-party but this was not taken up by other political groups and had to be proposed solely as a Green Party motion.

Cllr Douglas Johnson commented,

“It was very disappointing that campaigners had to wait for nearly 3 hours because Labour and LibDem councillors voted against holding the debate when the public gallery was full. It was also sad to see Labour and LibDems vote together and delete the record of the local organisations that have signed the pledge to fight the anti-refugee laws.

“Some of these groups helped to develop what we all hoped would be a cross-party motion. Removing their names was a further snub to the work of City of Sanctuary Sheffield, ASSIST Sheffield, Development and Empowerment of Womens Advancement (DEWA), South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) and Sheffield Association for the Voluntary Teaching of English (SAVTE)”

For more information, please contact Douglas Johnson at douglas.johnson@councillor.sheffield.gov.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Migrant Champion is an unpaid role.
14% of people living in Sheffield were born outside the UK.
The text of the motion is on the Council agenda at https://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=154&MId=8830
More detail on the motion is at: https://sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/2023/06/28/greens-call-on-council-to-recommit-to-its-support-for-migrants/

Cllr Alexi Dimond on “Reaffirming Sheffield as a City of Sanctuary.” This Green motion was carried.

Cllr Maleki Haybe, Maiden Speech on “Reaffirming Sheffield as a City of Sanctuary”.

Cllr Paul Turpin on “Reaffirming Sheffield as a City of Sanctuary”.

To watch the full meeting (4 hours!)

Cllr Douglas Johnson was on Channel 4 News last night, explaining the severe impact of the Housing Crisis.

Refugees aren’t to blame for the Housing Crisis. The Government need to put far more money into social housing to match the scale of the crisis we are experiencing from decades of underfunding. The Right to Buy, the Right to Acquire and any other policies for the large-scale sell-off of social housing should be abolished.

You can read more about Green Party Housing Policy here.

Author: Graham Wroe

Hillsborough Park and Tramlines Statement

We must get buses back under local control.

Labour say they will not revoke the gas and oil licences. Only the Green Party will act on the climate emergency.

Sheffield Greens support the Chile 50 years campaign.

Open meeting. Solidarity with Hong Kong. 17th July

Save Ecclesall Primary playing fields

Greens oppose plans to turn Park Hill green space into a car park.

Sheffield reaffirms it is a City of Sanctuary

Green highlights from the City of Sanctuary Debate 5th July 2023

The Government must do far more to address the housing crisis.