Sheffield in revolt over its Labour councillors
AN extraordinary community revolt could snatch power from a clique of Labour councillors said to have too much control over running one of Britain’s biggest cities.
Protesters in Sheffield are set to force the city council to hold a referendum into the way it is run. Discontent with council cabinet members, who have the ‘power and responsibility to make nearly all the major decisions’, prompted the campaign for greater democracy.
The roots of the backlash lie in a highprofile protest in which middle- class citizens stood in front of chainsaw crews to stop ‘healthy’ trees being felled needlessly under a controversial council contract. Tree protester Calvin Payne said: ‘A lot of people have now gone on to try to change the way decisions are made.’
Under the 2011 Localism Act, if 5 per cent of voters sign a petition within a 12month period the council must hold a referendum on changing to a reformed committee style of local government. In
‘Numerous bad decisions’
Sheffield, campaigners needed just over 20,000 signatures – and last week handed in a petition with 26,419 names.
If ratified, Sheffield would be the first city to be forced into a poll using the legislation. Other councils have changed the way they are run by agreement.
Campaign group It’s Our City, which is non-party political, wants changes to the system in which most important council decisions are made by council leader Julie Dore and her Cabinet members.
While it is designed to be less bureaucratic, critics claim it has led to numerous bad decisions, with most of the 84 councillors having little say in how the city is run.
They want decisions to be made by committees involving more councillors. A poll could be held next May on the same day as local elections, at a cost of £170,000.
It’s Our City co-chairman Ruth Hubbard, a former university lecturer, said: ‘People are really interested in politics. But the council has dug itself into a bigger hole by refusing to engage with us.’
A council spokesman said: ‘If a valid petition is submitted by It’s Our City then we are required to hold a referendum.’