News from Sheffield Labour

It’s time for the Lib Dems to come clean on Waverley development

Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) today called on Rotherham Council to undertake a full and comprehensive consultation on its proposals for the Waverley link road, and Sheffield City Council to re-instate its commitment to refuse to sell playing fields and to stop all work with Rotherham MBC on the Waverley link road until a full and proper consultation is held.

Clive Betts said today:

“Recent revelations that Rotherham MBC is proceeding by stealth to pursue the demolition of homes for a road scheme overwhelmingly rejected by local people, and that Sheffield City Council is quietly reneging on its commitment to refuse to sell playing fields in its ownership, demand full investigation and action.”

Clive Betts explained:

* There has been no recent consultation by either Rotherham or Sheffield Council on these proposals for the development of the Waverley link road.

* Some 3yrs ago, in the light of media reports that Rotherham Council had plans for the development of the Waverley link road, Clive Betts MP called a public meeting and asked officers from both Rotherham and Sheffield councils to attend.

* There was a large, packed meeting of local residents to consider the issues. Officers from Sheffield Council attended and were extremely helpful; officers from Rotherham council, whose scheme it is, declined to attend.

* The meeting was unanimous in its view that the road proposals being made by Rotherham council were simply unacceptable. But, instead of just rejecting that proposal, the residents then went on to consider various alternatives and then agreed on a particular alternative, providing access via an extension of Retford Road.

* Those proposals were formally submitted to both Rotherham and Sheffield councils.

* Both councils accepted the alternative that had been proposed.

* Further, Sheffield Council representatives made clear statements that the playing fields – although within the Rotherham boundaries, but owned by Sheffield council – would NOT be sold to enable the original road-line.

* However, it appears that Yorkshire Water objected to the revised route and, as a result – but without telling the relevant MPs (Clive Betts and Kevin Barron) or local Councillors, or members of the public who had been involved in objecting to the original proposal and proposing an alternative – Rotherham Council has quietly gone back to the original proposal and has initiated plans for the purchase of homes, land and playing fields required to deliver it.

* And now, it has been revealed that, in spite of Sheffield council’s earlier commitment not to dispose of the playing fields, its planning officers – with the full knowledge of leading councillors – have been working with Rotherham Council on plans that do involve the sale of the playing fields.

Clive Betts added:

“The recent behaviour of both Rotherham and Sheffield councils on this proposal is simply unacceptable.

“Rotherham Council must now undertake a full and comprehensive consultation on its proposals.

“Sheffield Council must immediately stop colluding with Rotherham Council until a full consultation has taken place and re-affirm that these playing fields are NOT FOR SALE.

“Bluntly, I’m staggered that Liberal Democrat Council Leader Paul Scriven, who has made so many promises about his commitment to protect Sheffield’s green and open spaces, should now be colluding in proposals to sell playing fields for a road-scheme which has been unanimously rejected by local residents.

“What makes it worse is that this is all being done behind closed doors. It’s time to come clean.”

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