Local News
25th October 2018
Issue 1032
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BLOOMING SENSIBLE RESULT FOR FLOWERBEDS SHEFFIELD City Council has reached agreement with a local couple after requesting the removal of the flowerbeds they planted near their home.
Mr and Mrs Williams, of Hollin House Lane in Loxley, had received a letter from the Council after a complaint had been received from a local resident about flowerbeds on the public highway. A petition in support of the couple gathered 6,000 signatures in around two days. The Council then indicated it would pause any action whilst discussions took place.
Earlier this week, Councillor Jack Scott visited the couple in their home to agree a way forward. Councillor Scott took a potted plant as a peace offering and to apologise for the significant inconvenience and disturbance the couple have faced this week. Mr and Mrs Williams have agreed to move their compost bins, and the flowerbeds will remain. The Council will now write formally to say the matter is closed. Councillor Jack Scott, Cabinet Member for Development and Transport said: “I am so grateful to Mr and Mrs Wil-
liams for meeting with me in their home today. They rightly take great pride in these beautiful displays and I am sorry that the Council initially acted in a way that must have felt heavy-handed, even if it was following the letter of the law. I’m very pleased we have found a practical solution here and that everyone is happy.” Mrs Sally Williams said: “It was lovely of Jack to come up to our home and for us to meet him. I’m so glad common sense has prevailed now and we have found a sensible way forward.”
Council to bring revenues and benefits back in-house SHEFFIELD City Council has set out proposals to bring its Revenues and Benefits service back in house, from its contractor Capita, to help it meet the changing needs of the city’s residents and businesses. The work is part of a series of conversations with partners across the city to look at the future of welfare based services and the impact of Universal Credit on Sheffield residents. The proposals, which are being considered at the Council’s Cabinet meeting
on Wednesday October 17, state that the council plans to start operating this service itself in 2020, thereby ending its contract with Capita earlier than anticipated (it ends in 2022). This proposal follows a decision taken by the Council in June this year to also end the IT part of its contract with Capita. Capita currently operates the Revenues and Benefits service on behalf of the Council, the largest customer service area of any part of the council, which
includes housing benefit and council tax support, council tax billing and collection and business rates billing and collection. How the new in-house council service will operate is yet to be developed, but the council is proposing a system that will allow them to be more flexible in delivering services and be better able to respond to changes in welfare reform and the introduction of Universal Credit.
Councillor Olivia Blake, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance at Sheffield City Council, said: “Bringing these services back in-house will give us greater control and allow us to adapt and respond as the city’s priorities develop locally and as changes happen at a national level in welfare reform. “These services affect some of the most vulnerable people in Sheffield so it’s essential that we are flexible enough to support people through the coming changes in the way they receive benefits and manage their finances.
“Looking at this now, gives us the opportunity to develop a purpose built system that is responsive and planned with the needs of our residents and businesses in mind, while allowing more joined up work across council services and city wide partners, and presenting potential savings in service costs. Further details are available in the Cabinet report which has been published online at http://democracy. sheffield.gov.uk/ieListDocuments. aspx?CId=123&MId=6988&Ver=4
Local Royal Naval Association celebrates 21st anniversary ON Wednesday October 17, Stocksbridge and Deepcar Royal Naval Association held their annual Trafalgar Night social. This day was a doucle celebration as not only were they celebrating Lord Nelson’s famous victory but also the association’s 21st anniversary, having been formed in 1997. In attendance on the evening was Mayor of Stocksbridge, Councillor Julie Grocutt, the Associa-
tion Area Chairman Shipmate Keith Crawford MBE, members of Sheffield RNA, The British Legion and various guests. Following the welcome to all the guests by Chairman Shipmate Eddie Guest, there were replies from the Mayor, area chair and Sheffield RNA chair. A convivial evening began with the loyal toast and tribute to absent brethren.
There then followed a quiz, some bingo, a raffle and a buffet. The meeting concluded at 11pm with all members and visitors having been suitably refreshed and entertained. The Stocksbridge and Deepcar Royal Naval Association meet every third Wednesday of the month at the Legionnaire’s Club on Victoria Road, Stocksbridge at 8pm. For more information, call Chris Burden on 07976555864.
Caring families needed to adopt LAST week was national adoption week and Sheffield City Council is asking for more families to help change the lives of children throughout the city by adopting a child. There were 39 children adopted in Sheffield last year and 25 children are currently looking for an adoptive family.
They went along to an open evening, which gave them some food for thought and a couple of months later they began the assessment process. Once they were approved as adopters they were quickly matched with their little girl. National Adoption week this year is focusing on the qualities which make a good adopter.
One couple adopted a two year old girl over a year ago. They already had a five year old boy and had been undertaking IVF treatment to try for another baby, when they started thinking about adoption.
The council is holding an information evening for anyone thinking about adopting on November 6, from 6pm to 8pm at Quaker Meeting House in the city centre.
They had been apprehensive about adopting but after talking it through with some adopters they felt inspired to give it a go
To book a place or find out more please call 0114 273 5010 or visit www.sheffield.gov.uk/adoption
