10
Local News
2nd May 2019
Issue 1059
www.looklocal.org.uk
Call 0114 283 1100
Exciting plans proposed to develop green space in the heart of Stocksbridge Stocksbridge residents have the chance to show their support for an exciting new project which will see improvements to a green space in the heart of the town, with a public vote taking place on Wednesday 8th May. Town centre based charity, the Steel Valley Project, has unveiled a proposal to install new seating, a natural play area, planting, way-marking and footpath improvements to the existing Edward Street site located near to the Co-op. The proposals include an amphitheatre seating area, giving extensive views across the valley and a relaxing space for people to stop for a break. A 2018 survey asked Stocksbridge and Deepcar residents about their use of local parks and countryside with the results showing that an overwhelming 86% of people visit them for walking and 59% wanting improved play facilities. Upgraded paths, more seating and enhanced habitats for wildlife also ranked highly. The plans for Edward Street have incorporated these elements in order to deliver something which residents really want. The work would be undertaken by the charity and their team of local volunteers alongside specialist contrac-
tors, enabling the community to be directly involved in the project. Steel Valley Project approached Enzygo, a multi-disciplinary environmental consultancy located in Stocksbridge, who believe they should positively contribute to the areas where they are based. Enzygo jumped at the opportunity to support the funding application for the Edward Street Greenspace utilising their in-house landscape design team. Graham Bailey, Associate Director Landscape for Enzygo said: “If successful we look forward to developing and delivering our design concept with the local community and SVP.” The total cost of the project is £27.5k, of which £25k has been applied for through the Community Infrastructure Levy, which helps local authorities deliver facilities and services to support new homes and businesses in the area. The remaining funding would then come from other external funding. To ensure that the plans can go ahead, members of the public will need to vote for the Steel Valley Project in a public meeting taking place on Wednesday 8th May 2018, 6.30pm at The Venue on Manchester Road. There are a number of different applicants for the funding, each of whom will give
a 5 minute presentation on their project. This will be followed by a period of time for people to browse displays and ask questions, before finally casting their vote. Tom Newman, Project Manager for the Steel Valley Project, said: “This is an exciting project which will
Fun run in memory of tragic young brothers
The team at the Sheffield property firm Dransfield Properties are supporting an annual fun run due to take place in June in memory of Penistone brothers Jack and Paul Sykes. The company’s charitable foundation is supporting the 2.5km event which will take place in Penistone on June 8th, by donating the medals which will be presented to all those taking part. The run was founded four years ago by a group of organisers including Emma Stead, who works as an accountant for the DPL owned Sanderson’s Department Store at Fox Valley. This year the run will take place on the same weekend as Penistone Gala for the first time and organisers are hoping to attract a good number of runners. Every single penny raised in the fun run will go towards Heads Together (Barnsley), the charity set up in memory of Jack and Paul who were
just 12 and nine when they died in a house fire started by their father in 2014.
Claire Throssell added: “I am really touched at the support from businesses like Dransfield Properties and from the
Overall, while crime nationally increased by 7%, in South Yorkshire there was a slight fall of 2%.
community in Penistone for this wonderful event in Jack and Paul’s memory.” The meeting point for the run is the Penistone Gala Marquee, Penistone Recreation Ground, Penistone, it starts at 10:45am on Saturday June 8th and is open to all ages. Picture shows Emma Stead (right) with Claire Throssell and the running medals.
enable the plans to go ahead and for us to make a real improvement space in the town centre.” To learn more about the Steel Valley Project & Enzygo, visit www. steelvalleyproject.org & www.enzygo.com
Crime falls in South Yorkshire
The crime statistics for 2018 released last week show a mixed picture both nationally and in South Yorkshire.
Jack and Paul’s Mum Claire Throssell is attending the fun run event and will be presenting the medals to all the finishers. Emma Stead said: “The fun run has grown every year since our first fun run in 2016 and we are delighted to have the support of the Dransfield Foundation for this year’s event. The medals are a lovely keepsake for all our runners and we’re hoping for a good number of participants to help us raise as much money as possible for the charity.”
take a currently neglected green space and develop it into something which is tailored to the needs of local residents and located right in the heart of town. We encourage people to come along to the meeting, look at the plans and have a chat with us to find out more. Public support and votes are needed to
Crimes that have decreased in South Yorkshire include: sexual offences (-5%), thefts (-11%), criminal damage and arson (-12%). Most significantly, knife crime and sharp instrument offences fell by 3%. Crimes that have increased in South Yorkshire – such as violence against the person (13%), stalking and harassment (38%), possession of weapons (12%) and public order offences (8%) – have generally done so at rates
that are less than the national and regional averages.
schools to ensure young people understand the risks.
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Any increase in crime is unwelcome news. However, South Yorkshire does seem to be bucking some of the national trends with significant falls in some crimes.
“Drug offences rose by 16% – more than the regional increase of 14%, but this is a crime that requires the proactive approach from the police in order to find and prosecute the perpetrators.
“I am particularly pleased to see that knife crimes fell albeit slightly by 3%. This is not the public perception because we tend to be over-influenced by the high profile reporting of a few incidents. “We need to turn these latest figures for knife crimes into a trend and that will only happen if we can continue to get upstream of crime. “We need to work with partners to get people off drugs and we need to work with
“The funding we are going to receive from the government will also enable the police to disrupt the gangs, especially those involved in drugs. “But what we also need to notice and give more scrutiny to are the significant rises both locally and nationally in forms of psychological violence – stalking, harassment, domestic abuse and offences on social media. Increasingly the police are having to keep us safe on the internet as well as the streets.”