Moves to settle long-running dispute about future of Norton Nurseries in Graves Park, Sheffield

The Friends of Graves Park have been lobbying Sheffield City Council for many years to have part of the nurseries site restored to parkland and have raised funds for the cost of the work. They reported their concerns to the Charity Commission, who told the council that it is in breach of the Charities Act 2011.

Sheffield City Council’s charity trustee sub-committee discussed the issue in July and it will come up again at the committee’s meeting next Monday (November 25). Along with many other city open spaces, the park is owned by a charitable trust, of which the council is sole trustee.

The sub-committee oversees all issues relating to council charitable trusts.

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The commission advised the council that it needs to regularise its arrangements for the nurseries to comply with the law. The committee will be asked to grant a 12-month licence to use part of the area as an operational base for the management and maintenance of city green spaces.

As agreed in July, it is also looking into finding other potential bases for park management and maintenance works so that the parkland restoration can finally go ahead.

A report to the committee says the 12-month licence would require the council to pay a rental fee to the Graves Park Charity for the use of the Norton Nurseries for the support of sites other than Graves Park.

The council will be able to charge the charity for the use of the council’s staff and equipment to deliver the necessary maintenance to Graves Park.