BANG AGM will be in May this year - May 13th

Each year BANG holds an AGM for all our members at which we appoint our committee for the year ahead and review what we've achieved over the past year.

This year, due to date clashes in April, we will be holding the AGM in May. The date will be tuesday 13th May at 7.30pm, and we will meet in the Broomhill Methodist Church as normal.

Please put this date in your diary and do come along!

Sheffield University - Seeking volunteers for a research study on valuing health

I am a PhD student at the University of Sheffield. We are looking to interview members of the general public for a study about their opinions on the value of different aspects of health. This study should help researchers better understand the value that people place on health, which allows the NHS to make better decisions about what services to provide.

Participants would take part in a group meeting with 5 to 7 other members of the general public. They will be asked to individually complete a questionnaire comparing different health conditions. They will then be asked to discuss their thoughts about the task with other participants in the group. The meeting should last about two hours in total, and refreshments will be provided. The meetings will be conducted at Regent Court near West Street at the University of Sheffield. The ethics committee of the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield has approved this study.

Participants will be reimbursed a £15 gift voucher for their time.

A copy of the information sheet can be found at https://www.dropbox.com/s/rwbbkt8cvh404wp/InfoSheet.docx

If you are interested in taking part in the study, or if you have any questions you can contact Milad Karimi at mkarimi@sheffield.ac.uk or at 0114 222 6382.

Broomhill Library Action Group considers legal action to keep our library open

COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENT ON PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Yesterday the council announced its revised proposals for public libraries, following the Libraries Consultation which ended 10 January 2013. 

The original proposal for the Central Library and 11 Hub Libraries remains the same, with a further 5 "co-funded" libraries. The remaining 11 (plus Tinsley when its lease expires in 2 years) will be run as "independent" libraries with funding available for buildings, etc, for which the libraries can bid. The funding is £262,000 per year for 3 years. The council were initially looking to save just over £800,000 per year. Council library staff will no longer be employed.

This means that Broomhill library will cease to exist in its present form, but will only remain open if run by volunteers. Although Broomhill Library Action Group (BLAG) asked that independent library status be considered for Broomhill, this was only presented as a last resort, born out of a desperate attempt to keep our library open. In its present form, BLAG does not have the capability or resources to run this library without the help of the wider community.

We firmly believe that not only Broomhill, but all the libraries should be kept open as part of Sheffield City Council's statutory library provision. We have fought very hard to keep this status and we are continuing to fight against these proposals.

We are proposing a legal action against the council which we want to discuss with local people at a public meeting on Saturday 15 Feb 10.30am at Beacon Methodist Church, Fulwood Rd, Broomhill. We are the only library group in the city to be considering such legal action.

We will also be discussing the implications of the council's decision. Please come and give your opinions.

Are you the owner of an interesting building in Broomhill?

Sheffield Civic Trust is encouraging owner of interesting buildings to consider being involved in the Heritage Open Days, this year being on 11 – 14 September. This is when buildings of interest make themselves available to be visited. For private houses, I would suggest a couple of hours when visitors would be welcome, or alternately, a tour or tours at specific times.

 

The process of becoming part of the scheme is straightforward: you register on the Heritage Days website, specifying what you plan to offer. The visit has to be free, but if (for example) you wished to provide tea and coffee etc, you could charge for that.

 

You will find all the details here

 

http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/  and then click “Can I take part?”

New to Broomhill? Read all about it..

If you have recently moved to Broomhill you might like to read our leaflet for new residents, available on our website here.

Provider of student accommodation in Sheffield, Claypenny Properties have also created a useful guide to Broomhill for students new to the area. 

We're always happy to help residents navigate around local council services, point out where to report things and put you in touch with local councillors or council officers. Just ask.

A Neighbourhood Plan for BBEST (Broomhill, Broomfield, Endcliffe, Summerfield, and Tapton Area Planning Forum)

Play a part in the preparation of a plan for the area you live in!
The Government has introduced new planning rules which give more power to local people.
Communities such as ours are being encouraged to prepare Neighbourhood Plans which will give them more influence over what happens in their area. A group of residents in consultation with local Community Associations, representing most parts of the BBEST area, have come together as the BBEST Neighbourhood Planning Forum with the aim of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the area. This will set out a vision for the neighbourhood in which we live and set out our priorities for the future. Sheffield City Council will have to take the plan into account when making planning and development decisions. The plan will also help the community to secure funding for projects to improve the area. Our inaugural Annual General Meeting will be held at Broomhill Methodist Church (next to Oxfam in Broomhill centre) between 6.00 – 7.30 pm on the 10th December, 2013 to give you an opportunity to contribute your ideas and for members to vote for officers and a steering committee to take the plan forward. We would welcome your attendance to ensure all parts of the community are represented.

PLEASE COME TO the Inaugural Annual General Meeting of BBEST at Broomhill Methodist
Church in the Fulwood Room (Broomhill centre next to Oxfam)
Tuesday 10th December 6.00 – 7.30 pm
If you have access to the internet and intend to come to the meeting please let us know by emailing information@BBEST.org.uk

Broomhill Library - the latest update from the Chair of Broomhill Forum

The Chairperson writes:

Further to my letter of October, I would like to remind you that there will be a meeting on Saturday 9 November at 10.30am at the Broomhill Beacon Methodist Church, Fulwood Road, Broomhill, about the Council’s proposals for the library service, and what this could mean for the Broomhill Library.  The purpose of the meeting on 9^th November will be for people to hear further from Cllr Iqbal and the local councillors, to gather views on what could/should be done, and to discuss what practical steps are possible and feasible to ensure the continuance of all or some library service. 

Some of the main questions to be considered include:

1.      Is it a financially feasible proposition to continue the library as it is?

2.      If not, what alternatives are possible?

3.      What venues are available?

4.      What staffing would be required?

5.      Where would the funding come from to support a new venture?

6.      Who is willing to form themselves into a group to take the matter forward?

The meeting will be attended by local councillors and by Councillor Mazher Iqbal, the Council Cabinet member with responsibility for the Sheffield Library Service, who has kindly agreed to attend and present information and answer questions.  The Broomhill Forum is organising this meeting as it is clearly a matter of great concern to local residents, including those in neighbouring areas, such as Crookes, Crosspool, Ranmoor and Fulwood, and the meeting is open to anyone from those areas, and elsewhere, who wishes to attend.  However, it should be made plain from the outset that the Forum is not in a position to take on the running of a library: it does not fall within its remit, which is that of a discussion (and advice) forum for local businesses, major organisations and local residents to discuss matters of common concern.  However, the Forum is happy to facilitate the community’s discussion of the issues, and bring together any local businesses, residents and other individuals who may wish to form themselves into a suitable grouping in order to take on the task of organising a community library.

In essence, the Council’s report on the future of Sheffield Libraries indicated that there will only be two libraries on the west of the city, namely Hillsborough and Ecclesall, and there will be no mobile library service.  The Home Library Service will remain for those who are housebound. The Council has stated its intention to support financially 5 co-delivered community libraries, for two years, and has listed 16 possible libraries for this support in rank order of preference, relating to demographic needs.  Broomhill is now ranked 6^th in this list.  Both the co-funded and the prospective independent libraries are asked to submit business plans to the Council by January 10 2014 outlining how they propose to manage the library in their area.  If any of the 5 libraries identified as possible co-delivered libraries do not choose to go down this route then libraries below the cut-off line may move up into the co-funded category.

At the councillors’ meeting with local residents about the possibilities for the Broomhill Library which was held on 16 October, various questions on possible finance were put to the councillors who undertook to investigate both facts and possibilities. Answers to some of the questions are listed below but fuller detail may be available at the meeting on the 9^th November.

1.      What are the costs of running the Broomhill Library premises at the moment?

Answer: These amount to c £24,250.00 plus insurance costs of circa £1k. The staffing costs are not included in these figures.

2.      Could the city provide some funds to move the library to a different location?

Answer: This may be possible but it would be a time limited offer.

3.      What would be the capital costs of providing a fit-for-purpose library where it is currently located in Taptonville Road (i.e. bringing it up to accessibility standards, and fire regulations) ?

Answer: £756,000.00 (costings by Kier)

4.      Is there the possibility of the £300k which was previously allocated to the library being available for use if Broomhill Library were to continue?

Answer: Cllrs are still seeking clarity on this matter.

5.      Will there be section 106 monies from the Taptonville development which can be devoted to the library?

Answer: Cllrs going to ask for clarity on this but the money would usually be retained for open space, or transport, or for infrastructure projects.

6.      Could the council sell the current Broomhill Library and the money be used for a new facility?

Answer: Cllrs are currently enquiring from colleagues about the possibility of this, because the funds would usually have to go into a capital project and not revenue costs.

7.      Broomhill is not as yet on the list of five areas eligible for support for a co-funded library so current discussions are interesting but academic. If Broomhill were to move onto that list of 5 when would we know?

Answer: Broomhill could move up from the independent category to the co-funded category but this would not be known until after 20 December and the business plans have been put forward by the five front runners. The deadline for a final business plan is 10 January but Cllr Iqbal is prepared to be flexible on this.

8.      Would there be funding available for the set up costs, and the running and security of the library stock.

Answer: There would be funding for the set up costs, but not for any further costs. There would not be any funding for buying book stocks other than through applying to the Broomhill Ward funding pot.

9.      What form of governance for the co-funded libraries would the Council require? A limited company? Formation of a charitable trust with a board of trustees? 

Answer: The information pack will spell out the information/expectations on people who wish to run a library, e.g. formation of organisation such as ‘Friends of Broomhill Library. Such a body would not pay a market rental for the existing property but that charged to a third sector organisation. Training and support needs would be provided to such a group to help them with the work.

It is expected that those libraries which are independent would be best served by operating in a consortium for buying book stock and providing services.

  

I would urge you to attend the meeting to make your views known.  Broomhill has one of the highest usage rates of all the libraries in the city. There are also at least two petitions being circulated in Broomhill for submission to the Council. Please do sign one of these if you feel strongly about the issue.