tom_common Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 I've just had another one of my regular workplace debates with my colleagues, in which we attack the council. Today we've focused on the winter gardens being obscured by the rest of the heart of the city development the tram going nowhere the roads generally being confused and useless (my colleagues have cited examples including the mad new street layouts next to the moor, the pointless zebra crossing on napier street, if anyone knows it, the lack of parking in the city, the streets in the city being a confusing one way mess, the cycle paths that start and stop). Although I disagree on the tram front (I think that the roads are blocked because we have and use too many cars, and need to find alternatives), I couldn't help but agree with the rest of the summary: our council does seem incompetent. But my question to them was: what can we do about it? And their answer was: nothing. Has anyone got any suggestions? I don't think the councillors know enough about the running of the city to be at fault, apart from voting on party lines over things like the heart of the city. What do you all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rinty Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Has anyone got any suggestions? You can vote. That's pretty much all you can do. Talk to your local councillors and find out which one you like the best. It's not likely to change much though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycoffee Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 I agree with putting in cycle paths. But I don't think they will ever be fully utilised because of the hills we have here. If you go to cambridge, even old biddies ride everywhere on ancient black bikes with mudgards and bike clips on their suit trousers. Whereas, you need legs like Garth to spin up some of the roads in sheffield. Although I think the newish paths through heeley are great. Away from the traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyrider Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 of course there is something you can do stand for election as a cllr... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddycoffee Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 The novotel is the ugliest building in the town centre. Why the planning department gave permission for this plain horrible façade is anyone's guess. As it ages it looks worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Rinty, I like to think that here is a lot more people can do. Yes, as you say, Step one is to vote. The turn-out is abysmal and I believe that if you don't vote then don't moan. People can: Learn how the city council works and help others to understand it too. Too few people understand the difference between the unpaid councillors who are supposed to set policy and oversee officers work and the the paid council officers who implement policy and carry out work. While a lot of officers work diligently, there is also a lot of incompetence around and a system that makes it hard to identify responsibility and get rid of "dead wood". The supervisory councillors tend to have little understanding of how things should work, are hamstrung by party whips and change every 3 years which lets things get forgotten. Help the councillors do their job by pointing out things that are not working. Do it in writing or e-mail. Always copy correspondance to another councillor, officer or leader. Ask for a reply. Keep it simple, to the point and stick to the facts. It is better to write 3 letters on 3 different complaints than to send one letter covering all 3. Find out which council department is responsible for your problem/work not done and e-mail the head of that department with a copy to a councillor/leader. Officers are contractually obliged to reply to you. Keep copies. Keep on their backs until the problem is sorted or they prove that they don't have to sort it. If you get fobbed off at the first attempt, then go straight to the top. Use the internet and library to check on regulations and codes of practice. It does not take long to learn more than some of the officers/councillors that you will come across. Go along to Area Panel Meetings and see how your councillors and officers operate. Often these panels will be used as "consultation events" and then officers will claim that noone objected! Go along to at least one Full Council Meeting and one Cabinet Meeting. You may get bored rigid but you will see what goes on. Never forget that they are just people like you and I. They are apponted/elected to make our collective lives better. Never forget that it is our money that they are spending and drawing for themselves. Never forget that it is our lives that they meddle with and make changes to. Never forget that by believing that there is nothing you can do then you are allowing "them" to do what they want. If you have the time, become a councillor. You'll get around £9,000 allowances plus expenses. That's enough for now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeP Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 The old saying 'Put up or shut up' holds, I guess. We can vote for change or we can put ourselves up and try and make the system work from inside. I briefly considered the option of standing for the Council years ago and rather quickly decided that to meet the needs of my family, my constituents and my job and do a good job at all of them would take more time and energy than I had. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazz Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 everyone should swamp them with calls, emails and letters forcing them to aknowledge a problem and giving them a kick up the arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1024 Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Why not set up a political party affiliated with the forum, sheffieldforum.co.uk party, we can select councilors from the member base with the objective of communicating with the population base of sheffield via the forum and translating their needs to the council. I'll volunteer for hillsborough, my postcode is S6 2LJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foo_fighter Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Originally posted by jazz everyone should swamp them with calls, emails and letters forcing them to aknowledge a problem and giving them a kick up the arse. Go-on Jazz, lead from the front. You start the ball rolling, and post on here how you get on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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