JUS News 4:30 Programme (10 March 2025)
Watch our 4:30 pragramme for news across Sheffield and South Yorkshire on 10th March 2025 with Alex Crombie and Kezhen Wu.
Repairs underway at BMX track after motorbike damage
Volunteers are helping to restore a BMX track in Crookes after it was damaged by illegal off-road motorbikes in February.
The track, which has been operating for over 40 years, is owned by the council but relies solely on donations and volunteers from the community to stay open.
JUS News afternoon bulletin (17 March 2025)
Here’s our JUS News afternoon news rundown with Ollie Clay.
Stay tuned for our main news programme at 4:30pm with Maddi Fearn and Jaz Steele.
What regeneration works in Sheffield can tell us about the future of Britain’s hidden rivers
The re-opening of the River Sheaf last month as part of regeneration works at Castlegate, made headlines across Sheffield and the UK.
With bold plans for regeneration of the city’s rivers, there’s much for nature lovers to be excited about, and plenty of existing work for the City Council to build on. In the words of the Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust, “Sheffield has a long history of both trashing and restoring its rivers”.
But what does this mean for the city’s waterways - and what implications might it have across the UK?
A History of Sheffield’s Rivers
Like most of Britain’s large industrial cities, Sheffield owes its growth and prosperity - indeed, its very existence - to its rivers. The Don, Porter and Sheaf were exploited to power, cool, and supply South Yorkshire’s most significant local industries - beginning with the grinding wheels of the ‘Little Mesters’, Sheffield’s iconic artisan cutlery-makers in the 18th and 19th century.
Later, the city’s rivers fuelled the golden age of steel working in the city, as people-intensive labour expanded them into a flourishing canal network serving nearby Yorkshire collieries. Simon Ogden, chair of the Sheaf & Porter Trust, praised the heritage value of the “900-year history”, left exposed at Castlegate and similar sites.
But heavy industry and a growing population had their price. Human waste and industrial runoff turned the city waterways into open-air sewers, with devastating consequences for local ecosystems. Many vanished off the map altogether, paved over or shrouded with culverts, with Sheffield Station virtually afloat on a network of ponds and tributary streams.
These days, however, the future of Sheffield’s rivers is looking rosier, with the Castlegate works being just the latest in moves to boost water quality in the city. In 2017, culverting was removed on a section of the Porter to create the Matilda St. Pocket Park, touted by the Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust as a showcase for “the potential for green-blue public space, habitat creation and making room for the river”.
Andy Buck, a trustee at the Sheaf & Porter Trust, praised Sheffield’s standing “track record of doing work in the city to improve ecology and public access”, citing examples such as the Five Weirs Walk, which extends along the Don from Castlegate to Meadowhall.
The Bailey Bridge, along the Five Weirs Walk. Credit: Graham Hogg / CCBY-SA 2.0
Nature and Ecosystems
Beyond its implications for public space, river deculverting - alongside the disappearance of pollution-intensive industry - has led to appreciable improvements to biodiversity. Recent years have seen a range of positive signs, from the recovery of once-decimated fish stocks to the return of otters to the River Don.
Mr Buck said that the replacement of a weir with a fish pass at the Castlegate site may even allow for the passage of salmon through the city centre. For waterways that remain culverted, meanwhile, he spoke of plans to proceed with “daylighting” mechanisms - using light well technologies to improve ecosystem health.
There remain, however, areas of significant ecological concern, such as the decline of water vole populations due to habitat destruction; it must be hoped that future regeneration work on Sheffield’s rivers take this into account.
And these works are being planned in their multitudes, by Sheffield City Council and its partner organisations. The Castlegate works are set to advance, with a routeway for pedestrians leading through the site; meanwhile, the Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust has praised the “strong place-making potential” of development and re-naturalisation plans along the Lower Porter.
Councillor Ben Miskell, of the council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Committee, said: “We hope there’ll be plenty of opportunities to open up more sections of our waterways, such as the Porter Brook. We’ve been working closely with partners, including the Trust, to help bring these plans to life.”
Sheffield’s Cultural Heritage
Riverine regeneration projects such as these also have implications for heritage in Sheffield. In addition to shaping its physical landscape and economy, South Yorkshire’s rivers have left an indelible cultural imprint upon Sheffield.
A recent exhibition at the Weston Park Museum explored the myriad interactions between river ecosystems and human life in South Yorkshire, from art and music to scientific research.
The Sheaf & Porter Trust has contributed to a variety of historical projects within the built landscape of the city, including a restored ‘Information Wheel’ at the River Sheaf Walk along Saxon Road, commemorating the city’s natural and industrial heritage.
A Model for the Future?
This all raises an interesting question - is this model replicable? Deculverting is hardly a new method of urban regeneration, with similar plans being put into practice in other parts of the country for over a decade.
But the synthesis of regeneration, rewilding, and heritage preservation here seems like it carries lessons for elsewhere in the UK. Many of Britain’s industrial cities have a similar relationship, in greater or lesser degree, to their own lost subterranean rivers. Most famously, dozens of the River Thames’ tributaries lie buried beneath the streets of London, including the Fleet and the Tyburn.
Certainly, the existing works are informed by existing technical experience in the field. Cllr Miskell told Sheffield Wire: “We’re always learning from other regeneration projects – both across the UK and internationally – to help shape our approach to transforming the Castle site and wider areas of the city.”
Mr Ogden cited the Wandell in South London and the Cheonggyecheon in South Korea as exemplars for the Castlegate project, while Mr. Buck praised similar work on the River Medlock in Manchester.
As things stand, then, there is much to be optimistic about for the future of Sheffield’s rivers. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Mr Buck said, expressing hope that the productive cooperation between local authorities and civil society will continue.
With regeneration opportunities and conservation milestones abounding, if current trends continue, we may be standing on the banks of a healthier, greener city centre.
South Yorkshire Mayor set to approve plans to franchise bus network
Tomorrow, Oliver Coppard is expected to approve plans to franchise Sheffield's bus network, after declining services have left residents feeling "isolated".
In recent years the bus services in South Yorkshire have declined while fares have risen, leading to a growing number of people calling for the service to be publicly funded.
Liberal Democrats Councillor Rob Reiss said residents in High Green have complained of an irregular and unreliable service which leaves them waiting for hours, sometimes even stranded.
He said: "Even though it’s a service that goes to High Green on paper, it stops at Chapeltown with no warning, stranding communities."
High Green resident Frances Haigh said residents are sometimes left waiting in the cold for an hour and a half, and it has got so bad that some people avoid going into to town all together, leaving them isolated.
At the moment, private companies such as First Bus and Stagecoach operate the buses across South Yorkshire but if the mayor decides to approve the franchising tomorrow, routes, timetables and fares could be set by the the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) instead.
The public consultation for the scheme showed "overwhelming support", as it could mean that money from the more profitable routes is reinvested in more isolated areas.
The Better Buses campaign have argued that a lack of good, reliable public transport means the 26 percent of people who do not have access to a car cannot lead normal, predictable lives.
The meeting will take place at 11am tomorrow, and can be watched live here.
Move over Crufts: Sheffield Celebrates the North’s Best Hamsters
Last week Birmingham hosted the prestigious dog show Crufts, but here in Sheffield there was a celebration of our smaller furry friends, as 125 hamsters competed to be the best.
The event, hosted by the Northern Hamster Club on 16 March, was attended by both professional and amateur hamster owners from all over the country.
Anne Dray is the Vice Chairman of the Northern Hamster Club and has been a National Judge for the past 50 years, travelling to find the very best of the Hamster world.
The hamsters are not expected to do tricks or stand perfectly still, instead the judging criteria focuses on the hamster's health, tameness and appearance, with specific standards for each species and colour pattern.
Credit: Ollie Clay
Mrs Dray said: "People start with a pet hamster, then they get two, then they get four and then a few more and then they start coming to shows.
"Some of us have been doing this for 50 years and some have had their first day today and they might be the people becoming the senior judges of tomorrow."
There is an extensive process in becoming a judge, first you must be a pen steward, then a book steward and finally you get to judge, alongside a senior judge, who will deem you competent after 3 competitions.
"Your first time judging can be terrifying because there is suddenly 67 hamsters in front of you."
The judges look out for mutations, which make the hamsters unique, in order to breed them.
Hamsters are only pregnant for 16 days and you can breed up to 19 in the litter at each time, "so it is not something you go into lightly unless you have 20 spare cages." added Mrs Dray.
Mrs Dray has around 50 hamsters which includes young ones, ones for breeding and showing and those that are retired at around two-years-old.
The Northern Hamster Society runs pet classes for those starting out with one hamster and try to make their events as family friendly as possible, with refreshments and a tombola.
Congratulations to the winners, 'Best in Show' dwarf hamster Siren of Cheverton Hams, and the Syrian winner Pugsley of Moonstone Hamstery.
Sheffield Council approves maximum rise in council tax for third year in a row
Most households in Sheffield will have to pay an extra £60 annually, following a third year of council tax increases.
Sheffield councillors have signed off on a 4.99% increase in council tax for the next year to relieve the Council's budget constrains, the maximum amount the Council can implement without calling for a local referendum.
A majority of households should expect to see an increase of £1.23 per week in payment.
The increase does account for the Adult Social Care Precept, which limits the effect this will have on the older or more vulnerable residents who require care and support.
It should provide an extra £17.2m to counter the £72m pressure on the Council budget, which is expected due to an increase in demand for public services and account for inflation.
In 2024/25, the council approved the same increase which resulted in residents having to pay an extra £1.17 a week. The year before this, the same rate was approved, which saw residents paying an extra £1.12 a week.
Despite the annual increases, the council has reduced their spending by 23% since 2010.
Zahira Naz, Labour Councillor and the Council's Finance Spokesperson, said: "We are still dealing with the long-term impact of austerity, the rising costs of delivering services and the increasing demand on social care, housing and public services."
The Revenue Budget Report claims the alternatives to this increase such as finding £17.2m in savings would have "too great and impact on vital services in the city."
Neighbouring constituencies such as Doncaster and Rotherham have also permitted an increase in council tax, but not for the maximum percent allowed.
Green Party leader, Douglas Johnson, assured that all parties worked together to determine the budget since Sheffield Council is a coalition between the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party, with no sole party in control.
Liberal Democrat Leader Shaffaq Mohammed added: "The next few years are going to be really challenging with national insurance increases, pressures on social care and international issues which will impact on this city."
Sheffield hosts first multi-faith iftar at town hall to unite communities
Over 200 people from across Sheffield broke their fast together at the city’s first multi-faith iftar event.
The event was hosted in the town hall by Pakistan Muslim Centre and Sheffield City Council on 16 March.
The event aimed to unite all communities across Sheffield to show solidarity during Ramadan.
Nighat Basharat, councillor and Vice Chair of the Pakistan Muslim Community, said: “It was an honour to do one of the first iftars at the town hall.
“The whole purpose was to bring iftar out to the wider community, people from all backgrounds and ethnicities were present here today.”
Lord Mayor Jayne Dunn attended the event and gave a speech.
Ifran Khan, Chair of the Pakistan Muslim Centre, said: “The Lord Mayor attending today signifies that she is part of our community.
“She is uniting all the communities and all the bridges that have been broken.”
Cllr Basharat said the organisers hope to make the celebration an annual event in Sheffield.
While the event had previously been hosted in the Peace Gardens, Sunday was the first time the iftar happened in Sheffield’s town hall.
Councillor Tom Hunt said: “By hosting an iftar here we are saying that people of all faiths, communities, and backgrounds are welcome here in the town hall”.
“Concerned but feel powerless”: Sheffield people want action from policy makers on climate change
The people of Sheffield feel ‘powerless’ to make an impact when it comes to climate change, despite knowing how crucial it is, according to latest research.
Climate Conversations Sheffield have been collecting public opinion about how they feel in relation to changes in the environment, and are hoping to present their findings to key policy makers this autumn.
“What we're getting from people is, most people are concerned but feel powerless,” says Kathy Aston, the co-founder of the organisation and a lecturer at the University of Sheffield.
“When you ask them what should be done about it, they usually say, ‘Well, we wish that governments or local authorities or big companies would do something about this’.”
The organisation is aiming to present their research to local councillors, MPs, and the South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, to “show those policymakers that actually people do care. It's not necessarily a vote loser”.
It hopes those key players will take meaningful action, and bring about reforms to curb climate change.
According to the organisation, the overwhelming response from the public centres around demands from local governments and big companies to make changes.
Ms Aston explained people feel like they can do their bit, but also feel like their efforts will not amount to much without those in power making systematic changes.
Climate Conversations initially started their research in 2018 by attending community events and sports fixtures, asking people about their feelings on the issue of climate change.
Lauren Jones, the co-founder of the voluntary group, explained that the local community has been supportive of Climate Conversations and understands what it is trying to achieve.
“I think that people do care. I think a lot of people do understand why we're here and what we're trying to do. I don't think there are that many people that think it's a really strange concept. It is a little bit different from what they’re used to seeing, but people have been quite supportive,” says Ms Jones.
Before they finalise their data, Ms Ashton and Ms Jones want to include more inputs from ethnic minority groups and those with disabilities.
The organisation’s current efforts revolve around making themselves available at events, but there are certain disabilities that may prevent individuals from attending an event.
Ms Aston explained she has attempted to reach those people through support groups.
“Sometimes the issue is trying to get in the door", she says.
“You email the [disability support] groups and you don't hear back. Getting your foot in the door takes a lot of time actually.
“In our last few months, if we can get some of those groups, we’d be very happy.”
Climate Conversations was inspired by the “Barstool” project held in Dublin. The initiative was centred around the idea of asking members of the public what they think and feel about climate change.
Ms Aston was a part of the Carbon Neutral University (CNU) group at the University of Sheffield, and the efforts of CNU contributed to the University publishing its first Sustainability Strategy in 2020.
Ms Jones explains that the Sheffield project has grown organically, expanding their data collection to teenagers.
“It’s interesting that children still are interested and learning and want to talk about climate change,” she says. “As long as they understand the basic concept, they [children] can still be included.”
Ms Aston hopes they will also “inspire other activists or other interested people to think of their own ways that they can be effective climate activists”.
She also pointed out that while most people are concerned and understand it’s human-driven, some people are still under the impression it is a natural cycle, which is the second most common response they receive about climate change.
“There's sometimes a bit of confusion or maybe a lack of understanding about the actual connection,” Ms Aston says. “People will say things like climate issues are connected to plastic waste, which is kind of connected to the oil industry, but it's not a direct cause of climate change. There's sometimes a little bit of conflation of different environmental issues.”
She believes if the project had started 10 to 15 years ago, they would have received different types of responses which would revolve around individual actions such as the idea of recycling more, turning down the heater or taking the bus instead of driving.
Ms Aston said: “We’re not here to tell people what to do. We're here to listen to what people think. We're not here to give people answers. We’re here to ask what they think and feel and what their ideas are, and maybe, on the back of that, people think a little bit about climate change. We don't have the answers either. We're not pretending to have them.”
The organisation believes they are now at the point of 'data saturation' and are coming to the end of their research, which they hope will create fundamental changes when it is delivered to policy makers later this year.
“Irrelevant” survey shows Sheffield council housing failing to deliver for tenants
A Sheffield councillor has dismissed a recent survey showcasing tenant dissatisfaction with city council housing as "irrelevant".
From April 2023, the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) report has collected responses from council tenants annually on how happy they are with their housing.
The aim is also to use the data to compare councils across England, and apparently Sheffield is lagging behind the national standard.
However, Councillor Mark Jones says that the “beauty pageant of comparisons” should not be the sole focus when it comes to improvement.
He believes that every council has different issues, from ageing housing stock to tight finances elsewhere, but agrees the city needs to do more to improve services.
"Whether Sheffield's the best or the worst, we still need to be better."
“It is, frankly, irrelevant. We need to work harder to make sure that those in the city’s houses live in an environment that is safer, better, secure, and delivers the security of housing that everyone needs.
Compared nationally, Sheffield underperforms in almost all categories surveyed. When given a local comparison to figures released from Rotherham, the problem is even clearer.
Sheffield's council tenants wait longer for repairs than they would in Rotherham, and are less satisfied when the work is done.
As shown in the chart above, they also feel significantly less safe, and see a worse response to anti-social behaviour.
Demand is also sky-high, with an estimated 1 in 20 people in the city currently on the waiting list for council housing.
This list is costly to maintain.
A report to today’s Finance and Performance Policy committee sets out the price of maintaining the register at over £200,000 in staffing costs annually.
With local government budgets strained, it is unclear how soon it will be until Sheffield's council housing is brought fully up to scratch and tenants signal their approval.
“The problem is hate”: Sheffield unites against the far right
Ahead of Nigel Farage’s planned visit to Doncaster next week, protesters spoke up against the rise of Reform UK in a ‘Stand Up to Racism’ demonstration in Sheffield.
Around 100 people came together in a show of action at the Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA) on Saturday afternoon (March 15).
Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) organised the event in response to what they have noted as rise in racism, Islamophobia, anti-semitism and fascism.
Ciaran Wakefield, representing the organisation, said: “We think it's really important that in the face of growing attacks on migrants by this government, growing attacks on the most poor and vulnerable in society, that people's anger is not directed towards those that are also poor and vulnerable.
“What the event is about is building our communities and giving confidence to our communities to actually fight back against it."
Local grassroots organisations gave speeches and held workshops discussing the history and narratives of the far right ahead of Nigel Farage’s planned visit to Doncaster on March 25.
See above: election predictions for the Doncaster elections taking place on May 1. Source: Electoral Calculus
Amid predictions that Reform UK will prise control of Doncaster council from Labour in upcoming local elections, Farage plans to unveil his party's mayoral candidate at the rally.
Representatives from Love Music Hate Racism Doncaster, which hosts concerts opposing racism after the riots which took place last summer, also attended the event.
Organising Committee member, Molly Eroje, said: “If Reform gets in, people from Doncaster won't have as much power at all if we leave the Convention on Human Rights. I think we could lose a lot of freedoms and liberties that we have fought to have. I just think it could be a scarier place for everyone.
“For migrants that's also going to be quite frightening because that racist Islamophobic sentiment is only going to be heightened.”
Migration was a key talking point throughout the day. Sheffield City of Sanctuary, a local charity advocating for migrants, organised a performance urging government to ‘Lift the Ban’ on asylum seekers’ right to work.
Advocacy and Systems Change Coordinator, Melinda Mo Martinez, said: “Currently the asylum system is so terrible and hostile that if we change policy for the worse, it's going to have a terrible impact for people seeking asylum in the UK.”
Recent Statista data shows as of this March, 25% of Brits would vote for Reform UK, while only 21% are Tory and 26% would vote for the governing Labour party.
The conference emphasised the need for the left to unite, with speakers from both education and healthcare unions urging attendees to make a show of strength in Doncaster next week.
Emma, a teacher and officer for the National Education Union, said: “ Reform is a threat to us all; we all need to come together. If we stop Reform in Doncaster we will feel ten feet tall.
“Successive governments, both Labour and Conservative, aren't standing up for working class communities. This means that in the absence of alternatives, people end up looking to the far right to say it's immigrants and refugees that are to blame for the lack of jobs or social housing, rather than it being about the bosses or successive governments that have let communities down.”
Emma, who didn’t give her surname, also fears a far-right leadership would be bad news for education. She predicts a movement to privatisation, a disregard for a broad curriculum which embraces multiculturalism and LQBTQ+, and threats to the right to organize trade unions.
The impact of a Reform UK government on the NHS was equally a topic of concern.
Umaah Yusuf, a junior doctor representing Medact Sheffield, imagines potential changes could include significantly more private involvement, rising inequalities in health care, a reduction in the time frontline staff are able to have time with their patients, and more workers leaving the NHS due to hostilities.
She added: “Good health starts in healthy communities and not in the hospital.”
One of the people making up the lively crowd which greeted the speakers was Jawad Hussain, a student originally from Rotherham.
He decided to show his support at the event after riots last summer meant he and his family could not leave their home.
Mr Hussain said: “Reform’s going at such a rapid pace, but so are we. As Muslims in Rotherham, we are not scared anymore, we are ready to fight back.”
SUTR intend to return to South Yorkshire on March 22 to partake in a mass leafleting as part of a national day of action.
Oliver Tsemo, Chief Executive of SADACCA and hosting SUTR, said: “SADACCA is a place of social justice and Reform UK does not align; their philosophy is not social justice. That’s why it is important for us to host a Sheffield anti-racism organisation.”
Sheffield Wednesday teaching children about violence against women
Workshops designed to get children talking about gender-based violence have been started by Sheffield Wednesday FC.
The Owl’s Community Programme have been running weekly ‘Youth Inspires’ sessions at Wincobank Village Hall, to teach children about the problem of violence towards women.
Molly Bulmer, Youth and Integration Coordinator at Wednesday, said: “Talking about domestic abuse, consent, stereotypes and why these things exist, as well as how we can challenge these issues and make society a safer place for women and girls, gets young people thinking about the causes of the issues stemming considerably from an outdated patriarchal society.
“With this in mind, they can also consider that if the causes are so outdated, why are the consequences still so habitual?”
Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that women were more likely to experience violent crime in the year ending March 2024.
A higher proportion of women experienced domestic abuse (6.6%), stalking (4%), sexual assault (3.4%), and harassment (11.2%) that year compared with men (3.0%, 2.3%, 0.8% and 6.6%).
Women were also disproportionately represented by victims of domestic-abuse related crimes, with 72.5% of victims being female.
A spokesperson from Sheffield Women’s Collective said: “We need to educate young people on what abuse is and how to identify it.
“We need to have conversations with boys and young men about what is and isn’t healthy behaviour in a relationship.”
Ms Bulmer said that the sessions have gone very well so far, allowing the children to challenge stereotypes about their peers and start conversations to try and prevent future abuse and violence.
Activities in the sessions have included discussions about relationships and consent, as well as the chance for the kids involved to design board games about healthy relationships.
Ms Bulmer said: “We’re hopeful that this work will prevent abuse in future as young people know how to treat partners and how to behave themselves.
“This ultimately makes society a safer place for everyone and reduces the number of incidents of violence against women and girls.”
The Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme hosts these sessions every Wednesday from 5-7pm, welcoming local children between the ages of 10 and 16.
Alan Crompton, a trustee at Wincobank Village Hall said: “I think the sessions are having a positive effect, we don’t seem to see so many kids just running wild round the village hall and causing problems for the old people who live in the flats just above.
“Whenever the Community Programme people at Hillsborough are happy to send their team to the village hall, we will always be happy to see them.”