How many people banned from Sheffield’s leisure centres and libraries revealed

Sheffield’s leisure centres and libraries are deemed as “incredibly safe” as the number of people banned from the facilities has been revealed.

Following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) learnt that while a handful of people have been banned from leisure centres and libraries, the council says its facilities are safe for both staff and visitors.

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The LDRS was told that when it comes to leisure centres, 18 people are banned for aggressive behaviour, seven for safeguarding, five for accessing facilities without paying, less than five for vandalism and anti-social behaviour and also less than five for outstanding debt/verbal threatening behaviour.

In libraries, there are six people who are banned for anti-social behaviour, less than five for racially abusing a security steward in the Central Library and less than five for viewing porn sites on the library’s computers.

Sheffield’s leisure centres and libraries are deemed as “incredibly safe” as the number of people banned from the facilities has been revealed.Sheffield’s leisure centres and libraries are deemed as “incredibly safe” as the number of people banned from the facilities has been revealed.
Sheffield’s leisure centres and libraries are deemed as “incredibly safe” as the number of people banned from the facilities has been revealed.

Cllr Kurtis Crossland, chair of the communities, parks and leisure committee at Sheffield City Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “With more than 3.9 million visitors to our city-wide leisure facilities every year, and with more than 875,000 visits to our libraries and archive services, I think these numbers speak for themselves.

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“Our facilities are incredibly safe, both for staff and those visiting. Our teams, and the teams at Sheffield City Trust and Places Leisure, who run the city’s leisure venues, work incredibly hard to ensure this.

“This is achieved through staff training and by having clear methods and procedures to ensure safety.”

The council added that the library and archive service record around 875,000 visits each year and staff take all unacceptable or anti-social behaviour, and any misuse of computers and equipment seriously and action is taken to ensure there is minimal impact on other customers and on staff.

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Staff also work very closely with anti-social behaviour teams, neighbourhood policing teams and other relevant services to ensure safety and to prevent and tackle any issues when they arise.

Security teams are, when necessary, also in use.

In leisure centres, training is provided to staff “ensuring staff are well versed in non-verbal as well as verbal communication skills, to aid their awareness of a variety of situations that may arise”.

Sheffield Council said the venues have a clear escalation process to challenge behaviours. This includes ensuring staff have guidelines and information for emergency contacts, management and emergency services, if needed.

The facilities also have CCTV in operation and a zero-tolerance policy for aggressive behaviour.

Additional security teams can also be called upon when/if necessary.

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