Park campaigner attacks Sheffield City Council "shocking" secrecy

The Star, Sheffield

Chair of the Friends of Graves Park, Caroline Dewar, speaks to Sheffield Local Democracy Reporter Julia Armstrong about her anger at Sheffield City Council secrecy around the future of the park's Norton Nurseries

Transcript

00:00So I'm talking to Caroline Dewar, who's the Friends of Graves Park in Sheffield.

00:06There's just been a discussion about the future of Norton Nurseries,

00:10which has been an issue that you've been campaigning around for a long time.

00:14Tell me a little bit about what happened today

00:16and what you're upset and frustrated about as a result of the meeting.

00:22I'm upset and frustrated because I feel that this whole process today was very undemocratic.

00:28We did not have the appendices to go with the decision report beforehand

00:36because they were considered to be a legal privilege, whatever that means.

00:41But the decision that was taken, I think it was fine.

00:46But the members of the public had no chance to scrutinise what was in those appendices.

00:52So we have no idea what this decision means, what people have agreed to,

00:57whether we would have been given, whether we would have agreed.

01:02We've been given no opportunity to scrutinise those things

01:06and then make a comment or ask questions on what's actually happened.

01:10And that, we think, is very undemocratic.

01:14So what are you going to do now?

01:16Are you going to sit tight and wait to see what's happening?

01:18Well, I think I've already done what needs doing.

01:22So I've already sent what I think back to the Charity Commission so they know.

01:27I think they're the key here.

01:28I've already said to the councillors what our opinion is.

01:33So they already know.

01:35So it's all really over.

01:37But I just think it should have been done in a much better way.

01:40And really, this shouldn't happen again because it is so undemocratic.

01:45I can't imagine MPs sitting in Westminster

01:48and being told that everything's secret

01:52and being asked to vote on something.

01:54I think that's appalling.

01:56I know what would be said by our MP if that happened.

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