CROSSPOOL FORUM – OPEN MEETING – BULLET POINTS
Thursday 26 January 2012
35+ Crosspool residents, our three local councillors (Sylvia Anginotti Brian Holmes & Geoff Smith) and 8 members of the forum management committee, attended. Five Guest speakers gave presentations as follows:
Local Land release Consultation
Sarah Smith (Sheffield City Council Planning Dept.)
In order to fulfil its obligations to the Government, with regard to releasing Brownfield land for houses as Yorkshire Water has decommissioned Lydgate Reservoir (off Evelyn Rd), Hadfield Service Reservoir & Canterbury Crescent, the Council is seeking residents views on allowing these sites (among others throughout the city) to be developed for housing.
Two drop –in sessions – Thurs 2nd Feb (3pm-8prn) at Stephen Hill Methodist Church, and Fri 3rd Feb (2pm-7pm) Hallam Primary School- have been arranged for viewing the consultation documents. Comments to Planning in writing please, – emails, online via Sheffield City Council, or by post.
Police report
PC Louise Atha said that in April the boundaries will be changing, so she and her colleagues from Broomhill SNA will be dealing with Crosspool and Lodge Moor – from the bottom of Manchester Rd west (- with Broomhill itself becoming part of the city centre-). She reported on more Allotment break-ins and the re-opening of Operation Herbaceous to deal with this.
There are still Scrap-metal dealers cruising about, she is able to prosecute those without licences. There have been a few burglaries in the Sandygate area -with the object being to steal car keys and thus the cars. Please ensure you keep your property locked!
PCSO Garry Hizam showed a new device, the Hermes unit (laptop & scanner) which will allow any mobile unit to scan possibly stolen mobile phones etc. and return them to their registered owners. The Police Box on Lydgate Lane will be open for people to bring their mobiles etc in for registration – 9th Feb (6pm-7pm).
Queries from the floor included speeding cars – March Lane & Lydgate Lane, evening doorstep cold-callers (legitimate?) and a local mugging incident. PC Louise Atha was eager for any incident on any of the above to be reported to her immediately.
The Internet & Personal Safety
PC Joy Price, (Children & Young Persons Officer, Broomhill SNA) spoke about the dangers of social networking sites, and parental responsibilities to ensure all possible locks, safeguards and filters are active on their home computers and other internet devices – such as X boxes, Wii and Play Stations. She felt Blackberry phones in particular were very dangerous and should not be in children’s’ hands.
The sorts of slight disagreements which used to mean a brief verbal argument and short-lived physical tussle at school are now carried out online, by anonymous/authored verbal abuse, which ends up as a vicious circle that can’t easily be stopped. Parents must ensure under-13s cannot start a Facebook account, and do not post personal & intimate details about themselves – and photos too – on line. The internet is a candy-shop for paedophiles, as well as giving violent partners and estranged parents a means of access to their ex’s and kids.
Certain sites such as Chat Roulette or Formspring are to be avoided at all cost, and parents were urged only to use reputable websites such as those the BBC links to, for homework etc. The grooming of unsuspecting youngsters, and radicalization of young people in the` security’ of their own bedrooms was touched upon, and Joy concluded by saying we must remember the internet is another street, where you have to watch your back.
Councillors Questions
Geoff Smith is still trying to get an answer out of SYPTE with regard to the Vernon Terrace bus shelter. There is no more money for further micro-asphalting of local pavements so it is awaiting the start of the PFI Highways Initiative.
The ’20s Plenty’ road-speed campaign
Has been holding meetings, so please send your comments to Matthew Rush or Tammy Barrass, email or write to them at SWCA 82-84 Sheldon Rd, Sheffield S7 1 GX – before March.
Events
Ian Hague reminded people of the: Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. (To mark this historic occasion, thanks to funding from the South West Community Assembly, the support of Norton Nurseries,  and the hard work of the Crosspool Forum, arrangements have been made for Patriotic Flags, Flower Tubs & Hanging Baskets to adorn the Crosspool shopping precinct over the summer months). Car boot sale Saturday 16th June. Crosspool Festival Week 7th to 15th July. Coach trip in April for the Over-60s to visit the new Mediacity studios at Salford Quays.
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