Local News
Issue 1116
Call 0114 283 1100
4th June 2020
www.looklocal.org.uk
5
Council strongly advises Wharncliffe woods fire schools not to re-open Statement from Sheffield City Council on wider opening of schools and childcare settings from 1 June
Councillor Abtisam Mohamed, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Sheffield City Council issued the following statement Sheffield City Council understands that this is an extremely challenging time for all living in our city. Following last night’s announcement, relating to the review of the current national lockdown arrangements, we have taken time to consider our position. We stated previously that in order to support the increase of children in nurseries and school settings, as a Council we need to be confident of our position against the Government’s 5 tests outlined on the 19th April 2020. A critical element to those tests included an effective national test and trace system being in place.
We have been advised by the Sheffield Director of Public Health, Greg Fell who has reviewed the local position and he does not feel assured that the recently announced ‘Test and Trace’ programme will be sufficiently well established and robust enough to be in place for 1st June. He has advised that the Test and Trace system should be in place and working effectively for 14 days before schools and nurseries begin increasing their numbers.
We are acutely aware that many schools may have already put systems in place for increasing numbers of children prior to this date. However, our priority must always be ensuring the safety of our staff and the children is not compromised when the numbers are increased. All settings will continue to remain open for children of key workers and vulnerable children as they have been since the start of the national lock down.
Whilst nationally the Government is requesting that schools and nurseries start to increase the number of pupils attending over the coming weeks, in light of the Sheffield Public Health advice we do not yet feel assured that it is the right time and are advising our schools and nurseries to delay increasing numbers until the 15th June 2020.
For maintained schools, where the Council is the employer, we are instructing schools not to increase the number of children attending more widely. For all other schools, academies, and nurseries in Sheffield, we are strongly advising that they also delay their wider reopening to the 15th June.
GIN DISTILLER SUFFERS CRITICAL BURNS A gin distiller has suffered "critical burns" after an "awful accident" at a Chapeltown pub. Firefighters, paramedics, police officers and even the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew rushed to the Commercial pub just after midday on Tuesday 26 May following reports of a gas explosion at a premises in Station Road. Police confirmed that Paul Harrison 33, suffered burns in the blast and had to be taken to hospital with the premises evacuated as a precaution.
The explosion happened at Sheffield Distillery which is at the back of The Commercial in Chapeltown. A message on the Sheffield Distillery facebook site posted “We are extremely sorry to say that we are suspending orders from the distillery temporarily. We will update further when we can, needless to say we wish Paul Harrison our head distiller and his family our very best wishes and a speedy recovery.
Don Valley railway line fails in bid Campaigners seeking to restore passenger services on the Don Valley railway line between Sheffield city centre and Stocksbridge failed to secure any cash in the first round of the Government’s £500 million Restoring Your Railway Fund. But they have been invited to make their case to the the Department for Transport at a meeting in June, which could determine the project’s fate. Up to three passenger trains an hour would run between Sheffield city centre and
Stocksbridge, calling at Deepcar, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge and Neepsend, under proposals drawn up earlier this year by Penistone and Stocksbridge MP Miriam Cates, Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority and the Don Valley Railway campaign group. Although no funding has yet been awarded, Ms Cates and representatives from SCR have been invited to discuss their plans next month with officials from the DfT. Miriam Cates MP said: “I’m really pleased that we've been
invited to meetings to discuss the precise details of the plans, as we were unable to submit the bid to the panel in person due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Don Valley bid was one of 60 applications submitted during the first round of funding. The line is part of the old Woodhead railway route, which closed to passengers in 1970, and that stretch still carries freight trains serving the steelworks at Stocksbridge.
Three fire crews were called out to a woodlands fire at 4:20pm on Monday afternoon at Wharncliffe Woods, Woodhead Road, Grenoside, Sheffield. A large amount of woodland was involved. Overnight the number of fire crews at the scene increased to six from Cudworth, Maltby, Dearne, Aston, Parkway and Doncaster. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue commented “Firefighters worked hard tackling the
blaze and the fire is now under control.” The crews remained at the scene in the morning damping down. The cause of the fire is not yet know, an investigation will take place once the fire is completely out. Six fire engines were called out to a large fire at a waste management site in Sheffield at 9:50pm on Thursday 28 May on Parkwood Road.
Several piles of waste had caught fire. Firefighters used hose reels to tackle the blaze. To help prevent further fires like the Wharncliffe Woods fire. Firefighters are asking people to: leave the BBQs at home put your litter in the bin dispose of cigarettes carefully
