This page is produced by Andy Shallice – Area Co-ordinator for the Burngreave Area Panel
Who Gets What?
The Council never has quite as much money to spend as it needs to have. So it often has to decide how to target, prioritise, select where to spend (and consequentially where not to spend). Burngreave and Fir Vale areas are one of the few areas of the city where there has been, and still is, an active investment programme for private housing.
Some years ago, there were major refurburbishment schemes, but recently there have been more selective facelift-type schemes. Last year, it was Barnsley Road; this year it’s Rock Street, Nottingham Street and Andover Street. But how does the Council decide which streets get chosen for facelift works?
First, they agree a formula. This year, the ingredients of the formula for Burngreave investment were:
the visual impact any investment would have, particularly on the major roads through the area
whether the street had been included in previous grant work – particularly to complete investment programmes
whether the street was close to areas of future development (like Woodside, Spital Hill, Catherine Street).
Then they agree a weighting. How important are the different ingredients – are some more important than others. This year, the visual impact scored a weighting of up to 10; previous grant work up to 2; and being near to regeneration locations up to 5. Then every street with private housing (which hadn’t had a completed scheme) in Burngreave and Pitsmoor was scored against the formula. The outcome was that Rock Street, Nottingham Street and Andover Street came out top. This is largely connected to these streets being on/near bus routes, and close to an area of development like Woodside. Councillors approve the system; Council staff do the scoring; and then report the outcome.
The system does not at present respond to petitions, to whether people can afford to pay for improvements or to assessments of property conditions. It might increase the costs of bureaucracy to have to conduct surveys and means testing, and reduce the money available for the works on site. Facelift treatment might well help a hundred houses directly, but indirectly improve the housing market in the whole area for all owner occupiers. Sometimes, depending on who is putting up the money for the facelift scheme (like the government through Transform South Yorkshire), the streets to be targeted might have been already decided. The Council can have influence but not control. In other years, the funding is provided, and decided by, the Council alone.
But is this how you think it should be done? The councillors on the Area Panel want to know your thoughts; and some Messenger readers have also asked questions. Over the next two months, the Council is asking whether facelift investment and treatment is being targeted in the best way. Tell us what you think, and attend the 29th September meeting of the Area Panel where this matter will be discussed in more detail. The venue will be confirmed soon.
The Panel have continued to spend some of its money from government on trying to help Burngreave Bloom. More large planters, window boxes and hanging baskets. Except that two new planters in Page Hall have had to be removed as they were attacked! But they’ll soon be back…
And lastly, a word to drivers. From 1st August onwards, parking attendants from the Streetforce service will be carrying out spot checks in Burngreave, Fir Vale and Page Hall to make sure all parking is lawful. The Panel has asked that before then, unlawfully parked cars are reminded about parking regulations. What do yellow lines mean? Can you park on pavements? If you’re parking, make sure you know the answers!