Lib-Dems rally against rent rise
Sheffield’s Liberal Democrats are enraged at the city’s Labour Councillors, who voted against asking the Government to reduce proposed rent hikes for council tenants in 2010/11, worth an average of over £100 a year extra.
Recent meetings between Sheffield councillors and Labour Minster for Housing, John Healey MP, revealed that next year’s planned increases were decided by him. In a letter confirming this policy, the Minister notes rent rises as ‘reasonable and affordable’.
At last week’s meeting of Sheffield City Council the Lib Dems labelled the 3.6% rent increase as ‘unreasonable and unaffordable’ and successfully proposed writing to the Minister to ask him to lower the proposed rent levels.
Cllr Bob McCann, Liberal Democrat Cabinet member for Housing, said:
“It beggars belief that Labour Government ministers think that slamming tenants with a £100 rent bombshell is “reasonable and affordable”. It might well be for someone on their salaries, but it isn’t for most council tenants in Sheffield. I’m shocked that Sheffield’s Labour councillors, some of whom represent council tenants, are bnext year wasacking their own Government on this.”
- Less than a year ago Sheffield Labour was calling on the Lib-Dems to pass on rent cuts available through taking up financial assistance offered by the UK government.
Sheffield Spring Clean
Sheffield is all set for a Big Spring Clean throughout March and April and helpers are most definitely wanted.
Last year’s first ever ‘Big Spring Clean’ event was held for just four weeks, but this time it will run for two months, so the city is expecting an even bigger and better clean up.
Local community groups, schools, businesses, Council staff and individuals are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves and help to give the city a thorough make over during March and April.
Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Scriven said: “This is a great chance to dust off the Winter cobwebs and do your bit to tidy up your area of the city. We held Sheffield’s first ever Big Spring Clean event last year and it proved to be an outstanding success with hundreds of people were involved. It made a real difference to the city, but this year we would love even more people to get stuck in along with the Council. It can be anything from an organised group activity to just one person walking the dog and picking up litter along the route. It’s something we can all do and everyone’s contribution will be really welcome. Let us know what you’re doing as we will be able to offer you advice and support.”
Last year over 80 groups took part in the city’s biggest ever clean up. Well over 2,000 people of all ages right across Sheffield took pride in their city to improve the local environment that everyone loves so much.
“We want to build on the tremendously successful event last year and make this year’s the biggest and best Spring Clean ever!” added Cllr Scriven.
If you are interested in being involved in the Big Spring Clean contact the Council’s Street Force team on 0114 273 4221 or e-mail streetforce@sheffield.gov.uk to register. Further details can be found by visiting www.sheffield.gov.uk/springclean.
Foster children
Sheffield City Council today put out a call for more people interested in fostering.
More information is available here.
Bradfield Festival 2010
Bradfield Festival of Music has just released advance details of its June programme.
One particularly exciting highlight (amongst many!) will be on 23rd June when Pascal and Ami Rogé play a four-handed piano version of Gustav Holst’s Planet Suite.
The Festival goes from strength to strength and a wealth of musical talent is lined up for this year’s Festival that once again takes place in the idyllic setting of High Bradfield, Sheffield.
The success of the Festival is due not only to the quality musical performances, but to the venue of St Nicholas’ Church. The Church, which dates from 1487 and stands 860 feet above sea level, has a good claim to be the prettiest in South Yorkshire. Its acoustics are wonderful and enhance the performances of all artists. The venue allows for a capacity audience of just 300 persons thus providing a rare opportunity to experience performances in an intimate musical environment. Read more…
Optical illusion
Take a few minutes out to see this cool illusion …
Sheffield First
Sheffield First is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on a number of its boards.
Board members play key roles in making decisions affecting the city of Sheffield.
Interested? Click on the picture if you are from the private, voluntary, community or faith sector and actively involved in local community and city networks.
Forms and more information are available here.
Home care proposed for cancer patients
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to make an election pledge tomorrow promising free nursing care at home for cancer sufferers.
The proposals, which will affect 1.6 million people who have or have had the disease, would be part of a wider drive to reform community healthcare, giving people the option of chemotherapy and dialysis without having to travel to a clinic or hospital.
Gordon Brown reportedly aims to have the scheme fully in place before the end of the next Parliament.
Find out more here.
A panto to treasure
Pantomime season continues with a production of Treasure Island at St Stephen’s Church, Fawcett Street, on 18th, 19th and 20th February.
Proceeds will go to the Children’s Hospital Charity and the cast is made up of Zest employees and people from around Netherthorpe.
Rehearsals started last September and the organisers, St Stephen’s Church and Zest, hope Treasure Island will be as well attended and highly praised as last year’s show was.
Tickets are available from the Zest offices at 54-56 Upperthorpe Road (call 201 1028) and cost £2.50 for adults and £1 to under-18s.
Show times are:
- Thursday 18th at 7.30pm
- Friday 19th at 7.30pm
- Saturday 20th at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Unique ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day
“Unique Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day” is a guest post that our friend in the US Chelle Stein kindly agreed to write for NWS News Online. She is creator of It Might Be Love, a site dedicated to all things love, romance, and relationships.
Is it really nearly Valentine’s Day again already? So many times it seems like we do the same things every year for Valentine’s Day. Chocolates, flowers, sweet love poems, a dinner out at your favorite romantic restaurant – while they are all nice, they tend to lose a lot of the magic and romance they once had after awhile. With life being as busy and crazy as it is, it’s even more important this year than ever to do something different and refreshing.
Whether you are happily in love or single, here are some creative ideas for things to do on a day dedicated to romance:
Celebrate With Music: Whether you play your favorite songs and slow dance in your living room or check out shows at your local venues, you can’t go wrong with music.
Host a Party: Hosting a party is a great way to include all of your family and friends. Serve up your favorite foods and drinks, play pin the arrow on the cupid, or just use the time to catch up with everyone.
Go on a Photo Shoot: If you have a camera, why not go out and try to capture the essence of romance on film? There are all kinds of great places to visit where you can find anything from Valentine decorations to photographing couples holding hands.
Visit a Garden: Botanical gardens are always a nice thing to visit in the winter months, and there is something very romantic about being surrounded by flowers and plants.
Browse a Museum: Many museums feature romantic things, whether it be artwork or historical information on famous couples. It’s a great laid back way to not only spend time with someone you care about, but also learn a little too.
Wildlife Centre: If you’re a Rocky movie fan, then you know that the zoo is where Rocky proposed to his wife. If being amongst wildlife is suitable for a marriage proposal, then it’s certainly a good place to visit for Valentine’s Day! Read more…
Saturday market this morning
Sheffield Country Market is open Saturday mornings from 9am until noon.
Home-baking, preserves and honey, homegrown plants and seasonal produce fresh from local kitchens and gardens, along with handcrafted cards and gifts, plus café serving tea, coffee and scones, are all available.
Scout HQ, Spooner Road, Broomhill.
Reduced bus services rattle local MP
Further changes to North Sheffield’s bus timetables have provoked a call for re-regulation.
Angela Smith MP
Sheffield Hillsborough MP Angela Smith wrote this week to the South Yorkshire Transport Authority to express her extreme disappointment at yet more changes to bus services in the north of the city.
The changes, which came in to effect on Sunday, mean that some areas will not have a bus service in the evening. In other areas, because the service is to be split between operators, tickets will not be valid on all the buses on the route, meaning extra costs for many users.
Commenting on the changes, Angela, said:
“Like many of my constituents I am fed up to the back teeth of these constant changes. Some of these services were only recently put in place and yet we find them being withdrawn or altered. I don’t believe it is acceptable and nor do my constituents. I have written to SYPTE in no uncertain terms to let them know my constituents’ frustrations.
“We need Sheffield council to make use of the new powers to re-regulate bus services as quickly as possible…
OFT email scam warning
February is Office of Fair Trading scam-awareness month.
Around one in eleven adults say they have responded to a scam at some time in their life, and nearly a third of these have lost money.
The OFT calculates around 49% of those scammed have lost more than £50 in total, with 5% losing more than £5000.
Email is now the most common scam approach – 73% of adults have received a scam email in the past year. This is followed by scams via a letter (21%) and text message (12%). Social media sites appear to be emerging as a new route for scammers with 9% of adults having received an approach this way.
See also:
Who We Are – Saul Cozens
Saul Cozens – a Technical Director in his forties living in “one of those bits of Sheffield that doesn’t have a name … kind of Stannington/Malin Bridge/Rivelin-ish” – was a good sport and kindly agreed to give a glimpse of who he is …
What do you like most about your job?
I get to do what I’m passionate about and work with other people who share that passion.
Best/Worst day?
Best: A day in the swimming pool with my children, followed by good food and cold beer.
Worst: meetings, meetings, meetings
Favourite gadget?
I love my iPhone. I couldn’t be without it (or some other smart phone).
Who loves you?
Better ask them!
Favourite media?
The media (the means of transfer) is irrelevant. I favour the message.
Current or recent film you’d most like to see?
I’ve heard people say good things about Moon. It’s got to be better than Avatar (what a disappointment).
What music you listening to right now?
I’m resisting the urge to revert to the music of my ‘youth’ and instead keeping in with ‘the kids’ by listening to Florence + the Machine and Arcade Fire.
What makes you smile?
When some code I’ve written works – it happens rarely.
What would you most like to put right in this world?
Our political system that focuses good people on gaining and maintaining power rather than on making things better.
How do you see yourself in 10 years?
Greyer!
“Who We Are” – Profile
Our series of fortnightly profiles of people living in the NWS area continues with Technical Director Saul Cozens ... (Click on the pic!)
Valentine’s Day Ideas
February 14th tips ... from US-based Love Guru Chelle ... and a few suggestions from us!
Keeping Sheffield Green
Sheffield's green spaces are set to get even better ... (click on the pic)
Low-energy Winter
Digital Economy Bill – Why we really need to fight it
Despite its title, the Digital Economy Bill passing through Parliament right now threatens individuals, schools, businesses local communities, and many more with fines and disconnection from the internet.
Read more by clicking the image below:
Free or Charitable Events
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Sheffield Weather
- SheffWeather: Tomorrow: sunny, Max 3°C, Min -3°C, Wind Direction: NNE, Wind Speed: 16mph, Visibility: moderate, Pressure: 1021mb, Humidity: 62% February 9, 2010
- SheffWeather: Today: sunny intervals, Max 4°C, Min 0°C, Wind Direction: N, Wind Speed: 13mph, Visibility: moderate, Pressure: 1015mb, Humidity: 73% February 9, 2010
- SheffWeather: Tomorrow: sunny intervals, Max 5°C, Min -2°C, Wind Direction: N, Wind Speed: 12mph, Visibility: moderate, Pressure: 1015mb, Humidity: 81% February 8, 2010
BBC SY News
- BBCSY: Tanks shells from World War II are found in a builder's yard in Sheffield city centre, leading to the closure of s... http://bit.ly/baZthx February 8, 2010
- BBCSY: The Environment Agency rescues thousands of fish from a Sheffield lake before it starts a £110,000 project to stop... http://bit.ly/97GuTV February 8, 2010
- BBCSY: An inspection into Doncaster Council's children's services finds there is still the potential for children to be l... http://bit.ly/dbvM4b February 7, 2010
the Sheffield Blog
- Sheffield renewables February 2, 2010
- How the Digital economy bill will affect you January 31, 2010
- Threads January 26, 2010
Sheffield Star Headlines
- Parents and pupils battle to save school February 9, 2010
- Objections to plans for bar to open late February 9, 2010
- Man facing murder trial February 9, 2010
Sheffield Telegraph Headlines
- Ten Top things to do today - Monday February 4, 2010
- Art collector returns to pass on expertise February 4, 2010
- Blackburn Meadows project grant February 4, 2010
City of Sheffield Band Club
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