Yorkshire & the Humber will see £16,425,092 of new Government money invested in helping local young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET). The move comes as just one part of the Coalition Government’s Youth Contract. For the first time funding will be targeted at 16 and 17-year-olds with no GCSEs at A*-C who are at the highest risk of long-term disengagement.

The new fund comes on the back of the announcement of a new Government-backed University Technical College in Sheffield.

Cllr Colin Ross, Liberal Democrat Deputy Group Leader and Shadow Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, said:

“Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are doing the right thing and supporting young people in Sheffield who have had difficulty finding a job or training when they’ve left school.

“This £16,425,092 fund will be targeted at those with the most difficulty finding, many of whom have complex issues or health problems and a lack of GCSEs. Helping these young people is not without challenges but we all have a duty to reach out to the young people who can be hardest to reach. Today’s announcement will ensure they receive personal, targeted support to help them develop the confidence and skills that the need to stay in education or find a job.

“This action – along with the new University Technical College in the city centre – will help to ensure that our young people get the right skills and experience they need to secure long-term, sustainable jobs.”

Lib Dem councillor Ian Auckland with his Green Bin, which Labour councillors are set to axe

Liberal Democrats on Sheffield City Council are calling for the Labour run local authority to use a £1.2m unexpected windfall to save a key local recycling service, which has been earmarked for the axe by Labour. The windfall comes from a last-minute reduction to the South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (SYITA) levy.

Lib Dems have called for Sheffield’s share of the saving to be used in order to save the free citywide garden waste recycling service. Around 20% of Sheffield has a Green Bin for garden waste whereas the rest of Sheffield use Green Sacks.

All South Yorkshire Councils will benefit from a reduction of £3m on the SYITA levy they pay. The reduction, which has come about after SYITA found last minute savings, was agreed at their special meeting on Tuesday (Feb 14). Sheffield’s share of the windfall is expected to be £1.2m.

Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council, said:

“This unexpected windfall for Sheffield provides us with a great opportunity to save the much loved green waste recycling service, which was due to be axed by Labour despite the fact they also plan to end the weekly bin collection service at the same time.

“Labour councillors should listen to our call and use the windfall to reverse their decision to end the green waste service. Not only would this save a vital local service and allow people to continue recycling, it would also save local jobs.

“With this windfall and the money on offer from the Government to keep a weekly black bin service, there is no excuse for Labour to go ahead with their plan to decimate our local waste collection services.”

The news comes despite Cllr Julie Dore, the current Labour Council Leader, just days after last May’s local elections promising that Labour’s unpopular favoured areas policy had been abandoned, noting that “Everywhere’s our favoured area now”.

To add insult to injury, Labour councillors will also cease all funding for local highway projects, local climate change projects and small grants to local community groups. Instead of local people and their councillors deciding where this investment worth nearly £1,000,000 will be allocated, the money will be spent on other priorities set by Labour in the Town Hall.

Cllr David Baker, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member for Communities, said:

“This is an outrageous move which divides our city at a time when we need to stand together. By breaking this promise Cllr Dore and Labour are going back to their ‘favoured areas’ policy, which was a major factor in Labour losing control of the Council during their last administration.

“For Labour to decide that one area of Sheffield will see a 12.5% increase in funding, whilst others see cuts of up to 30% is indefensible. We all know that money must be saved, but reductions should be handled in a fair way right across Sheffield. Liberal Democrats want to see fairness for all rather than favouritism for the few.”

Cllr Trevor Bagshaw, Liberal Democrat Chair of the Northern Community Assembly, is facing a 26.5% reduction. He said:

“I’m shocked and hugely disappointed by the scale of this decision. There has been no consultation with local people or the Assembly. Despite the fact the Council Leader and Cabinet visited our area only recently.

“It’s likely that projects to help young people, improve road safety and keep our communities clean and tidy will be scaled back or cancelled all together.

“We don’t object to some funding reductions given the state of public finances. But whilst other communities in Sheffield see a substantial increases in funding, such draconian cuts in deprived areas such as High Green, parts of Parson Cross and Stocksbridge are unjustified.”

See details which show funding available for Sheffield’s seven Community Assemblies next year, compared to funding in the present year.

North East Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 468,292

2012/13 Budget – 531,648

Change +13.5%

East Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 455,571

2012/13 Budget – 449,991

Change -1.2%

South Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 292,422

2012/13 Budget – 250,715

Change -14.3%

Central Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 295,857

2012/13 Budget – 232,464

Change -21.4% 

South East Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 288,893

2012/13 Budget – 226,941

Change -21.4%

Northern Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 242,681

2012/13 Budget – 178,488

Change -26.5%

South West Community Assembly

2011/12 Budget - 156,284

2012/13 Budget – 109,519

Change -29.9%

Labour's Paul Blomfield MP "No Ifs, No Buts, No Profits. Lower the Permit Prices"

Labour controlled Sheffield City Council’s decision to increase resident parking permit fees by up to 400% has been labelled a ‘betrayal’ by local Lib Dem councillors. In particular a Sheffield Labour MP has been caught red-handed, he still has details of his campaign to reduce the fees on his website.

The now Labour MP for Sheffield Central, Paul Blomfield, had previously launched a campaign to reduce residents parking permit fees. The campaign from when the Lib Dems ran the Council is still on his website, it states “No Ifs, No Buts, No Profits. Lower the Permit Prices”.

Despite this Labour councillors plan to raise an extra £352,000 from residents and businesses within a residents parking permit area. A permit for residents’s first car will increase in cost from £10 to £20, for a second car will rise from £30 to £60. Charges for carers will double, permits for businesses will double in price, whilst visitor permits will have a 300% increase in cost from £2.50 to £10.

Local Liberal Democrat councillors, including those who represent areas with residents parking permit areas, are against the hikes.

Cllr Paul Scriven, Liberal Democrat councillor for Broomhill Ward which is mostly covered by a residents parking scheme, said:

“Paul Blomfield and other local Labour politicians previously campaigned on the issue in areas like Broomhill, only to betray local people now Labour have control of the Council. He should apologise and stand up for the local people he is supposed to represent by demanding the Labour Council reverse their decision.

“Whilst running the Council, Liberal Democrats reduced residents parking fees because we wanted to ease the financial pressure on local residents and businesses. For Labour to increase fees by up to 300% is unfair and it represents a real slap in the face for the people I represent. To double the charge for carers is particularly callous.

“We believe that unfair hikes like this could be avoided if Labour took action on reducing wasteful spending in the Town Hall. For example, they shouldn’t spend £2.5m of local taxpayer’s money on their Park Hill vanity project.

“As Labour themselves have previously said, no ifs, no buts. Lower the Permit Prices.”

Details of Paul Blomfield’s 2009 campaign against parking permit fees is available on his website at:

http://www.paulblomfield.co.uk/news/news-story/article/anger-over-council-parking-profits.html

Labour controlled Sheffield City Council have revealed they will spend £400,000 on a communications campaign when they introduce their plan to axe weekly bin services. The report, set to be agreed next Wednesday by Labour councillors (February 15), notes “The Council will be investing in around £0.4m in an appropriate communications campaign to ensure customers understand the changes to the service”.

Labour councillors are continuing to press ahead with their plan to axe Sheffield’s weekly bin collection service, whilst reducing recycling services at the same time. It is estimated the move would see 40 local jobs go. Previously Labour councillors have claimed that there would be no money from Government to help keep weekly collections and making the cut would save £2.4m in the next financial year.

A £250m national fund has since been announced, although the Council has not applied. Once costs of change plus loss of savings through a delay in implementation are factored in, it is likely the Council will not save any money next year if the change is implemented.

Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council, said:

“The people of Sheffield are not stupid. We don’t need Labour councillors to waste £400,000 on explaining our bin will be collected every fortnight instead of every week thanks to their unpopular plan.

“This money should have been used to save some of the 550 jobs they have just announced will be axed, including the 40 jobs that will go thanks to their decision to axe weekly bins.

“With all these extra costs now being discovered, its clear little or no money would be saved by making this cut next year. We also know that there is £250m Coalition Government fund on offer which Labour are refusing to apply for.

“It seems the only reason weekly bin collections and recycling services are being cut is so dogmatic Labour councillors in the Town Hall can blame the Coalition Government. It’s time Labour put local services and jobs before party politics. We are calling on them to think again”