THERE will be some sympathy for Sheffield Council over its refusal to go along with a Government initiative to provide free swimming lessons for pensioners and children...but not much.
The new Lib Dem administration has turned down the chance, claiming the £370,000 funding on offer will not cover the full cost of the initiative, reckoned to be £1.1 million.
If that is the case then this would seem to be another case of central g
overnment dictating how and where local councils should spend their money and the public should know that fact.
However, if 85 per cent of the country's councils see the value of this offer and have taken up the scheme, then that leaves Sheffield City Council in a particularly isolated situation and the public, especially pensioners and children, need a better excuse than the fact that the council would have to find some money to bridge a funding gap.
At the end of the day, it is not just about cash. It is about providing a service which would be highly welcomed by the people of this city, regardless of post code or social standing.
Come on, Sheffield. Splash out on ordinary folk for a change.
People can enjoy their city centreON the face of it the figures are modest: for instance vehicle crime is down from 48 to 45 incidents, there was one fewer robbery and offences are generally down by 6.7 per cent.
But we know that our readers appreciate that the war on crime is not going to be won overnight and that gradual, consistent improvements are needed.
That is why Sheffield's City Centre Crime Reduction Partnership should be seen as a success story as it continues to drive down crime rates which blight traders and visitors alike.
It has retained its national Safer Business Award for the third year running, a clear sign that the techniques being employed here are not only working but are being held up as a beacon for the rest of the country to follow.
And for the people of Sheffield who visit the city centre, it all adds up to a safer place which they can visit and, most importantly, enjoy.
What do you think? Add your comments below.
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FeaturesMore Rotherham newsMore Doncaster newsMore Barnsley newsCheck out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic sectionLatest sport. The full article contains 421 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
