Council Elections

New Rowan Leaves

Is there a Blacka Moor perspective on the local council election results? This blog tries to draw attention to a number of issues that arise from the management and maintenance of green spaces. While the starting point is usually Blacka Moor some of the things that crop up resonate with others in other parts of Sheffield and further afield.

The decision to dispose the Blacka Moor site to SWT which I and others opposed was taken when Lib Dems were the ruling party in Sheffield. And it was supported by all the parties. This illustrates the problem that’s at the heart of numerous issues in Sheffield. The council is in the hands predominantly of the professional class of officers who make up the Directorate. They have many devices for getting their own way and are adept at manipulating a fairly unsophisticated bunch of councillors, so it matters only a little which party is in power except in few specific instances and even in those the elected members may well be constrained by national and even European policies. But there were a couple of issues which were local and may have been influential. Graves Park/St Lukes controversy could have had an effect as the Lib Dems were seen as being less keen on the ruling party’s plans. Also the Wisewood/Myers Grove Schools issue divided the parties.

This latter could have played a part in the demise of the Conservative councillor Anne Smith. Although nobody would call me a Conservative, her position was unique and she used it to be utterly independent, sometimes to my way of thinking perversely so. But she had an instinct which was often right. When Sheffield Wildlife Trust disgracefully sent out a message to several councillors and the local MP containing serious lies about events at one of their meetings and going on to defame certain citizens she contacted me (I was named in the message) and supported us. None of the other councillors who received that message thought fit to see if what was said was accurate. If it had not been for Anne Smith we may never have known of the offending email and the serious deception. Even now I wonder how many other messages have been sent out or things simply said which constitute a similar defamation.

Part of Dore's Greenery as Seen from Blacka Moor

It may be that Anne Smith’s demise had something to do with her decision go into formal partnership and support Labour last year to enable them to hold a majority and avoid a stalemate. There was no love lost between her and Lib Dems. There was also controversy over the Wisewood School issue. I think I know why she decided to support the council over this but it was never going to be an easy decision to explain especially when children in your own family go to a private school and the result is the disappearance of a smallish popular state school and the creation of a much larger one.

Young Red Deer