Sponsored by
Labour's fresh pair of eyes
THE Labour group on Sheffield Council has a new leader.
Julie Dore has been a councillor for 10 years, but part of Labour's shadow cabinet for only four months.
Many voices - including ours - praised her predecessor Jan Wilson when she died last month. So clearly Coun Dore has a hard act to follow.
The fact Labour had the same leader for 12 years will not make things easier. Nor will Coun Dore's inexperience.
But a fresh pair of eyes, a new approach and a lack of baggage can be good qualities in a leader.
And Labour's heritage is such in this city that she will not go without the advice of seasoned politicians. Whether she seeks it or not.
We wish Coun Dore well: even more so if she chooses to work with Paul Scriven's Liberal Democrats instead of against them.
Labour is, after all, the second-largest group on the council and the city might benefit from a united, negotiated approach. But Labour's councillors prefer to act as a (very) vocal opposition than to share power, thus leaving the chamber's tiny number of Greens and independents to wield an influence enitrely out of proportion to their mandate.
With a May council election looming and Labour looking to exploit local anger over the Whitehall coalition's exploits, that stance is unlikely to change under a new leader. However clean her new broom sweeps.
Hot dog, please - less of your sauce
Common sense has prevailed and hot dog-sellers Roger and Linda Stone will be allowed to carry on selling from their pitch near the Bramall Lane ground.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of Sheffield United's failure to turn up to argue its case at a planning meeting, its bid to close the hot dog stand had a whiff of baloney about it.
The club claimed residents objected to smells and disturbance from the hot dog van - yet no residents actually complained in person.
Of course if the van were closed down hungry match-goers would have to buy their snacks elsewhere.
And the nearest alternative source of hot dogs? That would be inside the ground at the catering outlets franchised by the club. Just fancy that!
Driving ambition
YOUNG Alfie Kelsey has a passion for motor cars that is hard to match.
At only three years old he can reel off dozens of car names from seeing their badges. And he likes nothing better than scooting around in his own motorised miniature Hummer.
His family wonder whether he will grow up to be another Jeremy Clarkson.
That would be unfortunate. Much as we all may enjoy Doncaster's famous son, one Clarkson is quite enough.
Got a view? Leave a comment below.
Follow The Star on Twitter and Facebook:
For breaking news and sport follow The Star on Twitter at www.twitter.com/sheffieldstar and Facebook at www.facebook.com/sheffieldstar.
JOIN THE STAR READER PANEL: The Star is YOUR newspaper, so tell us what you think about it and what you want to see - CLICK HERE.
Don't miss our daily pull-outs - only in the The Star: Monday Star Sport, Tuesday Class Act; Wednesday Business; Thursday Grassroots; Friday Time Out; Saturday Retro. Subscribe to The Star - CLICK HERE
READ MORE
Join the Star reader panel
Main news index
Your letters
Features
South Yorkshire's environmental news
Kids Zone
More business news
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Latest sport
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
