Trade unions and public sector workers held a rally at Sheffield Peace Gardens to demand an end to the public sector pay cap as part of a TUC national day of action. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Martin Mayer, general secretary of the Sheffield Trades Union Council.
More than 50 restaurants in South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire have teamed up to organise a dinner evening to raise money for Rohingya refugees. According to the United Nations, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya muslims have arrived in Bangladesh with minimal belongings gathered as they fled Myanmar in the wake of sectarian violence and persecution. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
A new 20mph per hour speed limit is to be introduced in Sheffield’s city centre following a Council-led public consultation. The aim is to cut speed and accidents as well as reducing pollution. Sheffield Council are planning for the new speed limit to come in to effect by the end of the year. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Councillors Jack Scott and Moya O Rourke.
A community group in Darnall are organising a charity car wash to raise funds for the Rohingya people that are fleeing Myanmar in the face of widespread killings and sectarian violence. Over half a million Rohingya men, women and children have fled the country since the violence began, according to the United Nations. Most have sought refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
A masked campaigner has climbed into the branches of the 150 year old Vernon Oak in Dore in a bid to save the tree from being felled. The oak, a familiar landmark on Vernon Road, is scheduled to be taken down by council contractors Amey as part of its Streets Ahead highway maintenance programme. The tree climbing campaigner says he is ready to stay on the tree for as long it takes to save the tree. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Shadow Brexit Secretary and Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield has accused the government of handling the Brexit negotiations “extremely badly”. The criticism comes as the Prime Minister travels to Brussels for a dinner with European Union leaders in a bid to end the stalemate over arrangements for Britain’s exit from the EU. The meeting, with chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, comes days after the pair said talks were in “deadlock”. Later this week the Prime Minister and Brexit Secretary David Davis, will be meeting their EU counterparts to continue the Brexit negotiation.
Nether Edge and Sharrow councillor, Alison Teal has received the most impressive Councillor achievement award at the Green Party conference in Harrogate. Teal has been a central organiser in the campaign to preserve Sheffield’s trees from Sheffield Council’s mass tree-felling programme and has faced suspension from the Council, arrest and a Council-backed court injunction. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Local organisers for the national Love Music Hate Racism campaign are holding an all-day fundraising event this weekend supported by Sheffield musicians and taking place at the White Lion pub in Heeley. The event aims to bring people together through music to support the anti-racism campaign and to raise funds for bigger events in the future. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to organisers Julian and Rhiannon Newell.
Anti-fracking campaigners gathered in their hundreds for a rally at Barkers Pool to call for a ban on fracking and for fossil fuels to be kept in the ground. Organisers say fracking is incompatible with the government’s commitment to tackle climate change. Fracking involves injecting water, sand and chemicals into the ground at high pressure to create fissures that enable extraction of oil or gas. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield University hosted a public meeting, with council representatives present, to discuss vehicle pollution and plans for ‘no vehicle idling’ by-laws. Sheffield Council is considering the introduction of by-laws to improve air quality by banning vehicle idling in areas such as hospitals, care homes and other locations. Sheffield Live reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Cllr Jack Scott, cabinet member for transport and sustainability.