SCCRAG

Meeting of SCCRAG tonight - Sheffield City Centre Residents Action Group. Ever since we moved into the City Centre 16 years ago I've been involved in various forums about living here, but SCCRAG is the first properly constituted action group. Formed early last year we've done a lot. We've got a committee and officers, a website, Facebook and Twitter accounts and funding from Sheffield NHS and Sheffield City Council. Currently we're working with Sheffield Hallam University on a survey of Sheffield City Centre accommodation - we want to know who lives where, and how do we make contact with them. There's somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000 people living in the CC, compared with several hundred when I first moved in, and 4,000 10 years ago.

We've engaged with the licensing committee, including participating in a review of licensing, and also discussed changes to health services in the CC, air quality, and plans to green more of the CC. Some of us met the Chief Executive of SCC to discuss our concerns over the lack of progress with the Sevenstone Development, and the condition of part of The Moor. At each of our meetings we discuss priorities for PACT (Partners and Communities Together), where the local police and safer neighbourhood teams agree with us what local priorities are going to be. For example, recent ones have included inconsiderate behaviour by taxis, noise, street drinkers, litter, and more recently policing of the Christmas and new year period.

Planning applications and licensing applications are often looked at and we have raised a number of objections, particularly where the quality of life of CC residents is likely to be affected. A recent proposal to allow opening of bars located under a residential block into the early hours of the morning was successfully opposed. We have to make sure we don't come across as NIMBYs :-)  All of live in the City Centre because of its vibrancy, proximity to entertainment and shops, and we all expect to have more noise etc. But, if SCC is serious in promoting CC living, then a balance has to be struck between the needs of residents, and the preservation of the CC atmosphere and local businesses. Hopefully the CC Masterplan which is currently being reviewed will address some of these issues.