The council is classed as "good" in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment by the Audit Commission. Out of four, Sheffield scored three in education, housing and benefits and two in social care and leisure. It scored just one in environment.

I'm not surprised they got 1 in environment - the city is so littered.

It's not just the litter that has led to the council getting a low score for the environment. Sheffield is home to the most polluting incinerator in the country at Bernard Road and a toxic waste dump at Shirecliffe. We have one of the worst recycling rates in the country.Our environmental record is so atrocious it dosen't deserve the score of 1! I think we need some Green Councillors to wake the old parties out of their complacency.
Graham

what a load of time wasters this council is,they can not be bothered to send gritters out on the roads,they dont even look after their own property.....eg.. council houses,education is rubbish,and they have the cheek to put council tax up

Mind, if Sheffield council gets it's way there wont be anymore council houses, they will be run by housing assoc. and full of immigrants! :evil:

Hmmmm, Sheffield city Council, my best friends, I think not. I went to the auction in october of council property. Scary, they may well pay off a teeny bit of their debts but they lose annuall incomes, they sell buildings given to them, they let places be ripped apart and knocked down and all the while quite clearly wasting much of the money they are getting from these huge sales. It was very sad to see southern men in suits and a large overseas turnout of the people who now own most of the city, not much of Sheffield belongs to Sheffield now.
I agree about the litter too, it's such a mess everywhere, especially in studenty areas, if no ones clearing it up they could at least put more bins in the streets. Also, they should take there much loved (another costly desiscion) super tram up to the areas that the people in big cars live in. A tram to ecclesall raod, maybe a park and ride in Ecclsall or broomhill would get rid of some traffic fumes.

There might be a lot you dont agree with the council about and I admit there is some cause for concern, However, I cannot see that the council is responsible for litter in the city, the litter is thrown down by people who should know better.

You have mentioned a lot of the rubbish is found in student areas, these educated young people aught to know different. Is it beyond their intelligence to put it in their pocket and take it home???

We were alway's taught to use a litter bin( there are plenty around )or take it with us, it only need's a little thought instead of throwing on the floor. This a problem that affect's everyone and everyone should play their part. :( :( :(

I'm an 'educated young person' and I was always taught to take my litter home (which I do). While I agree with you that littering is the fault of those people (whether students or otherwise) who are too lazy and inconsiderate to take their rubbish home, I also feel that it is the responsibility of the Council to clear up after those people so that the rest of us do not suffer. That's why we pay council tax. So if there is litter around then the Council is failing.

Originally posted by "lily"

I also feel that it is the responsibility of the Council to clear up after those people so that the rest of us do not suffer. That's why we pay council tax. So if there is litter around then the Council is failing.

You stand on Fargate at 8:00am and you'll see the Council's Streetforce workers sweeping up all the litter, emptying the bins etc. I'm sure this happens in other parts of the city centre too - I've certainly seen them cleaning on West Street in the mornings.

But look again a couple of hours later, and the street's anckle deep in rubbish.

Maybe the solution's for the City Centre Ambasidors to start either sweeping up, or enforcing the fines that we're threatened with if we drop litter on the street.

(as an aside - why are the notices about not dropping litter fixed to the bins? surely people stood by a bin aren't the ones who are going to drop litter anyway?)

It is also the council's responsibility to educate young people, starting at primary level, about the importance of litter control.

Deal with the cause, not always the symptom.

Cheer's El Duderino,
I agree with you, surely the power's that be know this as well, so why dont they do it then??? :( :( :(

Litter & graffitti is the No.1 scourge on this city at the moment.As the city gets more shops & food outlets the problem will inevitably get worse irrespective of any educational program that the council may promote.In economic terms,the more litter a council sweeps up the more vibrant that area is seen to be.Therefore the council needs to put in the required resources that is needed to deal with the problem.

I was amazed in my first year studying in Portsmouth to see the place full of people giving the city centre a 'spring clean' in the run up to Summer - going round jet-washing everywhere. Just because Sheffield is not perceived as a tourist city in the same way as Portsmouth doesn't mean it shouldn't receive at least some of this sort of respect. If the council ensured a good 'base' level of cleanliness that would give a yardstick to keep the city clean to. It seems logical (perhaps a bit too logical for our powers that be!) to enforce laws that can punish those who spoil the city with litter and graffiti by making them clean up the damage they and others have done. Fines (if used) are a start, but those with little money can not pay large fines whereas small fines don't act as a deterrant those with more money.

Spot on Chris :D

I saw a kid in the street the other day, about nine years old, outside his school drop a plastic drinks carton onto the pavement as he walked. He was but a few meters from the school entrance where surely there would have been a bin. It's just down to laziness and lack of consideration and respect. I would never have dared at his age for fear of someone yelling at me. If I'd have yelled at him though he'd have just laughed and probably told me to f off! What can you do? It was on the main route to the Northern General too, I wonder what all our visiting Dr's must think of Sheffield, it really is a state up there with litter, looks like some of it has been there years too.
Council....well my dealings with them make me increasingly angry. They may well be doing what they think to be the best all round for the city but they have been dishonest in their disscussions with me and as a resident and voter in Sheffield I think it's very wrong. Also in this case mentioned, not answering my questions truthfully seems very pointless, they either honestly don't know what's going on in their own city or else have something to hide. Or, as my Dad suggested, they're probably ashamed of what they're doing and so not being openly honest about it makes them feel better.
Anybody else had a similar experience? Anybody had a good experience?

Originally posted by "A.Stringer"

Spot on Chris :D

Ta :)

Originally posted by "Malaika"

they have been dishonest in their disscussions with me

The main contact with the council I've had is over the proposed hotel, and in those discussions I've had some extraordinarily lame answers to my questions, so I agree about the dishonesty.

Originally posted by "Malaika"

I saw a kid in the street the other day, about nine years old, outside his school drop a plastic drinks carton onto the pavement as he walked. He was but a few meters from the school entrance where surely there would have been a bin. It's just down to laziness and lack of consideration and respect. I would never have dared at his age for fear of someone yelling at me. If I'd have yelled at him though he'd have just laughed and probably told me to f off! What can you do? It was on the main route to the Northern General too, I wonder what all our visiting Dr's must think of Sheffield, it really is a state up there with litter, looks like some of it has been there years too.
Council....well my dealings with them make me increasingly angry. They may well be doing what they think to be the best all round for the city but they have been dishonest in their disscussions with me and as a resident and voter in Sheffield I think it's very wrong. Also in this case mentioned, not answering my questions truthfully seems very pointless, they either honestly don't know what's going on in their own city or else have something to hide. Or, as my Dad suggested, they're probably ashamed of what they're doing and so not being openly honest about it makes them feel better.
Anybody else had a similar experience? Anybody had a good experience?

Hi Malaika
Please don't get me going about the council(housing dept). I used to own my own house, but through circumstances ,now find myself living in a flat on Lowedges. I'll not go into the long and boring saga of my dealings with them. But it seems to me, that to them, we the tenants, are a problem, a nuisance to be got rid of, sent away, fobbed off ,second class citizens tell 'em owt, anything but actually try to help.The only thing I can suggest is that if you're not satisfied, write to Joanne Roney the boss at Howden House. If everyone who's dissatisfied with the service writes to her and names names i.e. the person with whom they have been dealing. she may get the message(no pun intended) provided we all do it .I've written a couple of times, but as far as I know, I may be only one of a small number who bothers to write, or think it will make any difference. So if you're not happy let her know. Whaddya think?

Thanks Crimbo. I'll do that. I've been getting to the end of my tether recently. Noone seems to be listening and I've run out of ideas on who to talk to. Does Joanne Rowney deal with complaints about all aspects of Council business? I just wonder if she is the right person to put my complaint to, I suppose she could advise me who to talk to.

Hi Malaika
she is the boss of the housing in Sheffield at howden house. its best to be sure of what your subject is before you write , and yes, i think she'll be able to advise you who to write to, or, you could write to your local councillor. What is your complaint(s) about ,anyway? :(

In the local area bit of the library there are boxes full of newspaper cuttings about everything that's happened with the council selling off and pulling down council houses. I never realised quite what has gone on here in the past, some of it sounded terrible. One of the articles had some quotes from Joanne in it, she sounds fairly sensible. Did you get much feedback from the council (Crimbo)

I also was also wondering how many people are still waiting for council houses as there are loads of empty flats in some areas, waiting to be 'redeveloped' I'm told, still, they are still home to some people and could be to many more while they decide what to do with them. Empty flats seems like a big waste of money to me.

See the other thread on our council's day of Shame

Lead message (? press release) copied here: Having gone through this a few years back I have every sympathy:

"Yesterday (2/45/02) 27 tearful and angry parents watched an incredible event in the Council Chambers, bringing shame to our city, and highlighting the heavy handed and arroganmtv approach of the LEA.

These parents were given firm written and verbal promises of school places for their children. Because of a major management bungle, the LEA got their numbers wrong, and this promise was broken. Instead of apologising and admitting that they "screwed up" Labour councillors have reacted insteading by heaping abuse on parents. 27 parents were told yesterday that they cannot understand English or comprehend the verbal information provided by the LEA and its representatives.

This is a massive management bungle, and an almost exact clone of the bungle only a few years ago. Unfortunately small children (aged 7) have to bear the brunt of this. We observed the spectacle of Labour councillors voting to smash these parents with small children, in an action which was as immoral as it was almost certainly illegal.

Anone who wonders why Sheffield has the problems it has, and the status it has (compared to Manchester or Leeds for example) should visit a council meeting and watch the circus. 27 parents watched with disgust while Labour councillors told crude jokes and ate sweets while dispensing their injustice.

Our Labour council do not seem to posess enough concern about just and moral principles to realise that they are cutting the ground from under their own feet. Fighting against discrimination and for the "little people" seems to be a forgotten principle of this administration. Labour cannot affod to alienate its core supporters. If our Labour Council fight against descrimination, racism and the usual evils of our society they deserve our support. But that is not what they are fighting for anymore.


Sick sick sick!!

I for one will never vote Labour again."

Does anybody know whether the environmental score has improved yet?

and
Originally posted by halevan
You have mentioned a lot of the rubbish is found in student areas, these educated young people aught to know different.

Originally posted by Malaika
I agree about the litter too, it's such a mess everywhere, especially in studenty areas,

Why do students get the blame for everything? As far as I'm aware there are no pockets of students up here in Woodhouse, but we still have a level of litter that causes concern (parish council sponsored litter bins ;) )

Aren't take-aways the common denominator? and there's usually a few of those in student areas :P