£470m for Sheffield businesses

March 17, 2010 Leave a comment

Liberal Democrats in Sheffield say local businesses have netted £470m thanks to their ‘Buy Local’ initiative.

Last year 60% of the Council’s spend was on suppliers with an “S” postcode, compared to just 46% in July 2008 when the policy began.

Cllr Colin Ross, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Member for Employment, Enterprise and development said: “We know that some local businesses were hit hard by the recession, which is one of the reasons that we started the Buy Local Policy, to make sure that the council was doing all it could to support Sheffield Businesses and big employers based in the city.”

To make it easier for local businesses to bid for work with all organisations in Sheffield’s public sector, the council set up the Buy4Sheffield website, which now has 3,500 suppliers registered.

Businesses can bid for contracts with Sheffield City Council, NHS Sheffield, South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield College all under one roof. The website also gives advice on tendering for work and feedback on unsuccessful bids.

Strata Brass at Niagara this Sunday

March 17, 2010 Leave a comment

Hoyland-based Strata Brass stars at the Band Club this Sunday (21st March).

Strata will entertain with a concert that includes music from De Falla, Rodrigo, Kurt Weill, Schonberg, Khachaturian, er, Bryan Adams … and lots in-between!

Support local musicians and enjoy a fantastic night of brass music at Niagara Conference & Leisure Centre, Niagara Road, Wadsley Bridge, Sheffield, starting at 8pm.

Credit fail could affect 10m

March 17, 2010 Leave a comment

Over 10 million people could fail a credit score because they don’t have enough credit history or are not on the electoral register, according to research carried out on behalf of Kensington.

The survey of more than 2,000 adults in the UK found that 13% of people have not taken out any financial product since before the year 2000. With credit agencies unable to access data on accounts opened before this date, it means that these six million people may not have enough activity showing on their credit record to pass an automated credit score.

In addition, 9%, or more than four million, people do not know for sure whether they are on their local electoral register, which again could seriously hamper their chances of passing a credit score.

This means that over a fifth of the adult population could be prevented from getting a mortgage by lenders that operate rigid automated credit scoring system.

Here are two initial suggestions for comparison sites dealing with credit products for readers to peruse (entirely at their own risk!):

Can You Jam?

March 17, 2010 Leave a comment

Live music sessions at the Springvale continue tonight.

All equipment is provided and any style will be made welcome!

Springvale, Commonside, Walkley.

Wednesdays from 8pm-11pm.

Halifax Road death – appeal for witnesses

March 16, 2010 Leave a comment

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision which occurred this morning (16th March) on Halifax Road.

At 9am a purple Citroen C4 Picasso was reported to have been reversing from a private driveway onto Halifax Road, Sheffield, when it was in collision with a pedestrian who is believed to have been walking along the footpath.

The pedestrian, an 82-year-old local woman was taken to Northern General Hospital where she later died from serious internal injuries.

The driver of the Picasso, a 25-year-old local woman, was not hurt.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or the moments leading up to the collision is urged to contact South Yorkshire Police’s witness line on 0114 220 2970.

Get your car washed for charity in Stocksbridge!

March 16, 2010 Leave a comment

South Yorkshire firefighters will be washing cars this Saturday (20th March) in Stocksbridge as part of the National Car Wash Day.

The event, taking place at stations across Sheffield and beyond, aims to raise money for The Fire Fighter’s Charity, which supports injured firefighters and their families.

Motorists can get their cars washed at the Stocksbridge Fire Station (on Manchester Road) between 10am and 4pm.

Area Manager Dave Kiddy said: “We are appealing for members of the public to support this event and to bring their cars along to their local fire station this weekend for their cars washing in exchange for vital donations. Along with driving away in a clean car they will also be given valuable advice on fire safety in their homes.”

The Fire Fighters Charity, previously known as the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund, supports injured firefighters and their families through emotional and physical trauma.

Despite the best training, accidents and tragedies involving firefighters sadly occur, and The Fire Fighters Charity supports those affected. The Fire Fighters Charity has two therapy and two recuperation centres in the UK to provide physical and emotional rehabilitation to the firefighters.

Stannington AGM a last minute success

March 16, 2010 1 comment

Bit of a late start to the Tenants and Residents Association Annual General Meeting this morning as attendees waited for the twelfth person to turn up and make matters quorate.

However, Cllr. David Baker (Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council), Sharon Cadd (Sheffield Homes), Mick Burns (TARA Chair) and several active Stannington citizens were not to be disappointed.

There was initial discussion about holding future AGMs in the TARA offices (instead of Hall Park Road as at present) as it can easily accommodate the numbers that have been turning out to these meetings in recent years. Opening the organisation up to leaseholders (where Sheffield City Council is not their freeholder) in an effort to increase turnout to meetings was also mooted.

The Chair reports back over 2009/10 this morning

Everyone agreed that last Saturday’s Lomas Hall “Positively Stannington” event had been a great success, with lots of locals turning up to speak to groups and organisations currently doing valuable work in the community.

Regret was expressed that Lower Stannington Community Forum is almost certainly to close in April due to reduced funding (a similar fate to that of OFFER and some other Community Forums across the city). The TARA hopes that any displaced projects will consider using the TARA offices (29 Fairbarn Drive) as a base in future, and it was pointed out that there is a spare room upstairs available for free use by appropriate clubs, etc.

Mick Burns reported the previous year’s activities and these included attendance at: Read more…

The view from Ron Clayton! Labour’s loves not lost?

March 16, 2010 Leave a comment

It remains the most comprehensive reordering of public affairs in NW Sheffield for decades and yet has been scarcely mentioned in the local media.

I refer to the reorganisation of some of Sheffield’s parliamentary constituencies, in particular, Angela Smith’s departure for the sizeable constituency of Penistone and the arrival of the most charismatic figure in Sheffield politics, David Blunkett, to take the tiller in the merged Hillsborough and Brightside ward.

Both politicians have been have been traversing their new demense’s.

As an old Hillsboroughite, involved in local politics in the late sixties, I look back on the days of the dapper and passionate Martin Flannery, to the quietly authorative and unflappable Helen Jackson and to Angela Smith, almost like the cheery unflappable head girl had taken over from the well respected head mistress.

NW Politics is now a two horse race as the Sheffield Conservative Party has been consigned to the dust of history. But the challenges facing David Blunkett in S6 remain formidable ……………

Walkley access campaign

March 16, 2010 Leave a comment

A decision about public access improvements in Walkley will be made later this month.

On 25th March, Central Community Assembly will decide whether or not to fund improved drop kerbs at Freedom Road car park, better crossing and traffic-calming measures at Howard Road bend (near the Buddhist Centre), and visible cycle parking on South Road.

Thanks to a campaign championed by Katya Roberts (herself a mobility scooter user) and supported by hundreds of petitioners and Walkley Forum, designs for the proposed improvements were drafted quickly in order to put before the Assembly for consideration.

Walkley Forum tabled the issue for wider comment and said it was very pleased with the suggested scheme.

  1. for new drop kerbs etc had been drafted since last meeting and were tabled for people’s comments. Overall the forum was very pleased with the proposed improvements and the speed with which the plans had been drafted. There were suggestions to improve the drop kerbs at the entrance to Freedom Road car park; improve crossing at Howard Road bend near the Buddhist Centre and to introduce traffic calming measures. A request was made for visible cycle parking on South Road. The decision about funding the scheme will take place at the Central Community Assembly meeting on 25 March.

iPhone fag nag

March 16, 2010 Leave a comment

iPhone users can get digital support to help them quit smoking, thanks to a new app from the Department of Health.

Launched on the back of No Smoking Day last Wednesday (10 March), the ‘Quit Smoking’ programme offers:

• Daily hints and tips to manage cravings
• A running tally on how much money quitters have saved, or could have saved, by not buying cigarettes
• A counter to show how many days, hours and minutes users have been smokefree
• Instant access to the national Stop Smoking Helpline and specialist advisors
• Contact information for local Stop Smoking Services across Yorkshire and the Humber and beyond

The new app, which is compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch. is available from iTunes, www.smokefree.nhs.uk and NHS Choices.

For those that do not have an iPhone or iPod touch, they can text the word calculator to 64746 to receive information on an NHS Choices smoking calculator.

More tax payable on pensions

March 16, 2010 Leave a comment

Big changes are due as of next month for holders of private pensions.

The normal minimum pension age for occupational and personal pension schemes rises from 50 to 55 from 6th April 2010.

After that date, policy holders will need a special reason, such as serious ill health, to be able to begin drawing their pension before the age of 55 without paying extra tax.

Currently it is possible to start receiving money from a pension scheme from the age of 50 without paying extra tax. But from 6 April 2010, this will rise to 55.

Reasons someone may receive pension payments before the new minimum age include:

  • they have a protected pension age (see glossary in the document below for more information)
  • they are too ill to carry on with the same job or have a serious ill health condition
  • they started receiving pension benefits before 6 April 2010, having reached the current minimum age of 50

The new normal minimum pension age applies to all occupational and personal pension schemes that receive tax relief.

For those aged between 50 and 55 and already receiving pension payments, this change to the normal minimum pension age will not affect those payments.

Companies administering occupational and personal pension schemes should have advice on hand for customers seeking to know more.

A feast of comedy from the Stannington Players

March 15, 2010 Leave a comment

“No Dinner for Sinners” is the latest offering from the excellent Stannington Players theatre group.

A comedy by Edward Taylor, the play takes place at The Lomas Hall Church Street Stannington from Thurs 22nd to Sat 24th April. Curtain up 7.30pm.

… Jim Watt runs the London office of a stock exchange firm and is hosting a dinner for the international director and his wife, Bill and Nancy McGregor, members of the anti permissive society group. As Bill strongly disapproves of unmarried couples living together, Jim asks his girlfriend, Helen, to pose as his wife for the evening. A furious Helen walks out on him, leaving Bill one option, his eccentric cleaning lady Edna …

Tickets cost £5.50 Concessions £4.50 and are available from B Spencer (tel. 234 2176) or by post, enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to The Ticket Secretary 80, Marchwood Ave Sheffield S6 6LD. (Cheques payable to The Stannington Players.)

Missing teenager

March 15, 2010 1 comment

Police are appealing for information about a missing 16 year old boy from Sheffield.

Hung Vain NGUYEN, a Vietnamese national, went missing from an address in Rydalhurst Avenue, Sheffield at about 7.20 pm on 12th February. He was seen to leave the address and get into the passenger seat of a car on Worrall Road, which then drove off. No details of the vehicle are known. He has not been seen since that time. He made no apparent preparations to leave and took no property with him.

He is described as an Asian male, 1.63m tall, thin build, between seven and eight stone, dark brown straight hair described as gelled into a mohican type style, with stubble on his face, he walks with a hunched back and takes small steps. He was wearing a blue/orange sleeveless T-shirt with the words “SNOOZE YOU LOSE” written on and dark blue Umbro tracksuit bottoms. He is believed to have only limited spoken English.

Police believe he could be staying with unknown members of the Vietnamese community in Sheffield or Doncaster.

Anyone with information is asked to call 0114 220 20 20.

Rivelin task day

March 15, 2010 Leave a comment

On Sunday 28th March Rivelin Valley Conservation Group carry out estate management work at Carver Fields.

RVCG agreed to look after routine maintenance of this local recreation area for the Methodist Church as long as it remains a public open space. Tasks for the day include new seating facilities.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the work of RVCG can find out more by visiting their website (found here), phoning Keith Kendall on 230 7144 or emailing rvcg@supanet.com.

Estate Management work at Carver Fields.  We agreed to look after the routine maintenance of this local recreation area for the Methodist Church as long as it remains a public open space. We have some new seats to fix.

Credit where it’s due

March 15, 2010 1 comment

The Government today announced new rights for Britain’s 30 million credit card users that should save consumers millions of pounds and give people more control over their finances.

The new rights were secured in an agreement between the Government and the credit and store card companies negotiated in the light of feedback from thousands of consumers to a Government consultation on credit cards.  The key changes will be introduced by the industry this year and given statutory force as soon as possible.

The Government’s agreement with the card companies will mean the most expensive debt is paid off more quickly, better repayment plans for new customers, a ban on credit limit and rate increases for people at risk of financial difficulty and a right to 60 days to reject interest rate increases.   The Government estimates the new rights will save consumers almost £300 million a year and one industry forecast predicts customers will gain around £500m.

Payments will go towards debt with the highest interest rates first, reversing the industry practice that prevented consumers clearing their most expensive debt until after they had paid off debt at lower rates, including 0 per cent balance transfers.

Other measures designed to encourage responsible borrowing and lending and help people avoid taking on unmanageable debts include: Read more…