South Yorkshire mayoral elections 2022 insight: David Bettney
Born in Doncaster and educated in Rotherham, Social Democratic Party mayor candidate David Bettney wants to see his region’s economy thrive. Mr Bettney, who currently lives in Barnsley and served in the army for 22 years, is now an entrepreneur in the oil and gas sector. He tells Sheffield Wire more about why he intends on running for mayor and what his plans are. Sheffield Wire: So, David, I guess the initial question is, why have you chosen to run? David Bettney: Well, you don't just sit there watching telly and then think ‘I'll run for parliament.’ For me, the moment came two years after the 2016 referendum on Europe. Now don’t get me wrong there were good arguments for both leave and for. I voted leave in the end. However, what I couldn’t stand was the fact that there was so much deliberation about it. You would have some people in parliament saying ‘we shouldn’t do it and I thought, ‘this is a democracy’. This is what we voted for. And this continued long after the results and it rattled me. You see I spent 22 years in the army and when we were told to do something, we did it. Even though Brexit was carried out in the end it should have been without controversy. SW: What did you do next? DB: It was then that I started to get a bit more invested in politics. I barely was before, but that changed something in me. I wanted to become a member of a party. The main parties didn’t, and still don’t, appeal to me. I think they have unfortunately been corrupted and no one is really for the working class anymore. I grew up on a council estate so it was really important for whatever party I chose to be representative of that. SW: Was the first party you selected the Social Democratic Party? DB: It was. I signed up for it in 2018 as a member purely on the basis it was exactly what I was looking for. Small, but perfectly formed. I became the chair of the party for South Yorkshire around a year later. SW: What drew you to it? DB: I like the fact that it is patriotic. And I don’t mean that in the horrible sense. I mean that because no matter where you come from, what your skin colour is, what your religion is, I think it is good to have a central ground for everyone that lives in this country. That for me is patriotism. It is a shame that patriotism has been turned into a dirty word. It shouldn’t be. I also liked the fact the party was working class and has a good work ethic. SW: In your manifesto, education and work crop up a lot. Can you explain that? DB: Here’s the thing. I have no problem with universities. However, do I think they have become oversaturated with topics and people? Yes. I have a degree myself and so do my children, but I don’t think it should be labelled as the be-all and end-all. And everyone starts so young. When I was 17 (a year before I got into the army), it was around the time all the mines started to close. I enrolled on a farming youth training scheme and got next to nothing. I didn’t even get hired at the end of it. To me, university is similar to a YTS training scheme in terms of it being a chance with employability. You see all these students who have just finished with nothing lined up in terms of work. It is a huge waste of time and money. I think more work schemes for young people should be an option. SW: What about in terms of the future? I mean, you explained University, you've explained education. Is there anything else that as a mayor candidate, you would want to implement? DB: There's only there's only like I said, there's only two regions in Britain that actually make a profit and that’s London and the Southeast. All the rest of us take money out of the system. I want to reindustrialize the whole of South Yorkshire. I want us to get from 9% manufacturing to higher. 20% of Germany's GDP is from manufacturing. And I've lived in Germany, I'll tell you, it's one of the cleanest, greenest countries on the planet. So it’s not a case of smoke-filled factories that we had from the 1970s anymore. I don’t want factories belching out smoke. We could be innovative. I want Britain, and more importantly, South Yorkshire, to revert back to making things like in the past. I want to treat South Yorkshire as a mini-Britain in this respect and get the job market booming. SW: You mention factories. How important is it to you for the factories to be clean? DB: Well, I am part of the Woodland Trust. I love the outdoors and think the environment is important. But we need to have sensible conversations about what we are constantly fed regarding the end of the world. Do we affect carbon emissions? Yes, we do. But what are South Yorkshire’s current levels? That’s what I would like to know. I’m all for combatting pollution, however, I think there has to be a sensible balance between the economy and the environment. That would make us grow. The results for a new mayor will be announced this Friday. Polls will open on Thursday.
South Yorkshire mayoral elections 2022: who is standing?
Residents across South Yorkshire will vote for a new mayor for the region this Thursday. The last elections were held in 2018. Dan Jarvis, who was elected in 2018, said he would not seek re-election. The new mayor for South Yorkshire will be responsible for economic schemes, transport services and infrastructure projects.
Dan Jarvis, current mayor for South Yorkshire and MP for Barnsley
Mayor candidate Oliver Coppard.
Mayor candidate Joe Otten.
Mayor candidate Clive Watkinson.
Mayor candidate Bex Whyman.
Mayor candidate Simon Biltcliffe.
Mayor candidate David Bettney.
Local Elections: Sheffield Conservative candidate defiant in face of poor poll
Sheffield Conservatives Deputy Chair David Chinchen has said "there is only one poll that matters and that's Thursday's" as he bids to win a seat on the council in Stocksbridge and Upper Don. It comes as a survey conducted by Electoral Calculus estimates the Conservatives will lose 548 seats across the country on Thursday following a rocky few months for the Party after the Prime Minister was fined for breaking lockdown rules. Mr Chinchen, whose son Lewis beat UKIP in last year's local elections to become a Conservative candidate in the ward, said: "Obviously we're in tough times and there has been issues nationally that are affecting people. "But this is a local election - it's important people remember that. The national picture is colouring it." Before moving to Sheffield in 2013, where he worked as an immigration officer, Mr Chinchen was a Chief Superintendent in London and had been a police officer for 32 years. He stood to be South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner in 2020 and his work in the police is something he says influences his views, with promises to tackle anti-social behaviour in Stocksbridge and Upper Don. "People are frightened to go and use the shops after dark," Mr Chinchen said. He proposes working with local schools and the youth centre in order to combat what he believes is a "drug problem" in the area. Statistics from South Yorkshire Police's Sheffield Central and North West force shows 3% of crimes in the past 12 months have been drugs related, and 15.4% have been anti-social behaviour.
When it comes to the outcome of Thursday's vote, Mr Chinchen said that no matter what happens, he would be working to "make a difference" in the ward, helping to get better bus services for residents and moving house so he and his family can live closer to the area. Mr Chinchen said: "I come to this as a public servant and I don't particularly see the politics in it. I come to this to see the difference I can make to people in Stocksbridge and Upper Don. "On the doorstep the big issues that we're facing but most conversations are about bus routes and whether money paid by developers will come locally." Since 2018 the Conservative vote in the ward has increased and it remains to be seen if this trend will continue in the face of scandal surrounding the Prime Minister. Other candidates standing in the ward are Labour's Janet Ridler, Susan Davidson from the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party's David Willington.Great talking to shopkeepers and residents in Stubbin this morning with Miriam Cates MP. pic.twitter.com/l1JLuQz4Xl
— David Chinchen 🇬🇧🇺🇦 (@DChinchen) April 23, 2022
Six-year-old with diabetes embarks on scooter marathon to raise money for Sheffield Children’s Hospital
A six-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes is completing a marathon on his scooter to raise money for the hospital that looks after him.
Tommy, from Rotherham, has already met his target to raise £500 for The Children’s Hospital Charity, despite having eight miles of his 26-mile journey left to go.
The primary school student has been scootering over seven days and is set to complete his challenge in Weston Park this Saturday, in view of Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
After being critically ill with diabetic ketoacidosis, Tommy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just two years-old.
He’s since spent a significant amount of time at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, for regular outpatient visits, in-patient stays and other procedures.
He said: “The hospital looks after me so well, now I want to do something for them.”
Though exercising is difficult due to the need to regulate his blood sugar levels, Tommy has kept the hospital and his fellow patients at the forefront of his mind while scootering, according to his mother, Jessica.
Jessica said: “It has been difficult at times, but that’s made it a little bit more special: he’s just pushed on and got through it."
She added: “We’re really proud of him. But we’re proud of him anyway: at only six years old, he’s had to go through quite a lot of things that most people don’t even by the time they’re an adult.
“He just seems to face everything with so much positivity and courage.”
To celebrate the end of his effort, Tommy will host a final fundraiser party for friends and family at his home.
His mother said Tommy was “over the moon” with the donations he had received so far.
The scooter marathon is not the first of Tommy’s fundraising efforts. In 2020, he raised over £700 by hosting a coffee morning with his school friend.
Lucy Cain, Community Fundraising Officer at The Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Tommy for taking on this amazing scooter challenge for Sheffield Children’s.
"We were all moved to hear of his gratitude for his care at our hospital and he’s raised such a fantastic amount already!
"Thank you Tommy and best of luck with those last few miles!”
To donate and find out more, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tommylscooter
Local Elections: “It really is the cost of living election,” says Sheffield Labour candidate
A Sheffield Labour Party candidate has drawn attention to rising inflation and energy bills in his campaign, telling Sheffield Wire "it really is the cost of living election". Tom Hunt is running for election in the Walkley ward - covering Langsett, Netherthorpe, Upperthorpe, Walkley, and Walkley Bank. Mr Hunt, who lives in Upperthorpe and has lived in Sheffield for 15 years, said it is "all to play for" in the ward after the Green Party gained a seat from Labour in last year's local elections. In 2018, when the seat Mr Hunt is running for was last up for grabs, Labour's Cllr Neale Gibson held the seat with a majority of 723 votes.
Tom Hunt (right) canvassing with campaigners and MP Paul Blomfield (Credit: Walkley Labour)
With Labour up to 13 points ahead in the polls, according to Survation, and expected to make gains across the country, Tom Hunt was reluctant to estimate how successful his Party would be. "I am not taking anything at all for granted and I am taking as much time as possible to speak to as many people as possible, and I will be doing that right up to 10pm on Thursday night," said Mr Hunt, who is Chair of Trustees at the Zest charity in Upperthorpe. Also running in the Walkley ward is the Green Party's Logan Robin, Evelyn Millward from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrat David Pallot, Victoria Kensdale of the Women's Equality Party, and Alexander Helie from the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.It was brilliant to be joined by @Ed_Miliband in Walkley today to talk to people about Labour's plan for a greener economy and help to tackle rising energy bills. I'm thrilled to have his endorsement pic.twitter.com/fVrZol8070
— Tom Hunt (@tomhunt100) April 30, 2022
Former Sheffield United favourite David Brooks given cancer all-clear
Ex-Sheffield United star David Brooks says he is "cancer free" after a battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The 24-year-old Wales international has not played for his current club Bournemouth since his diagnosis in October. In a statement released on his personal Twitter account, Brooks said: "I am delighted to say my treatment has been successful and I can now say that I have been given the all clear and am now cancer free." "Those words feel incredible to say and I am so thankful for all of your messages and good wishes, these really helped me through the tough times," he added.
— David Brooks (@DRBrooks15) May 3, 2022Making his first team debut for Sheffield United in 2016, Brooks made 39 appearances for the Blades before transferring to Bournemouth for £11.5m in 2018. Capped 21 times by his country, Brooks made three outings for Wales at the delayed EURO 2020 finals last summer. Brooks spoke of his desire to get back to doing what he does best as soon as possible. "I am determined to work my hardest over the months ahead and I can't wait to be back out there playing in front of you on the pitch again in the not so distant future," he declared.
Sheffield Wednesday financial losses divide experts
Football finance experts are divided over whether the announcement of significant losses for the Hillsborough-based club in the 2020/21 season represents a ‘step in the right direction’ or is ‘alarming’. The publication of Wednesday’s annual accounts may have given fans cause for concern this morning, with headlines from the report indicating losses of half-a-million pounds per week and an increase in overall losses to more than £25million. Kieran Maguire, an expert in football club finance and author of the Price of Football, said of the release this afternoon: “The headline numbers are quite alarming in the sense that the club lost half a million pounds a week as well as the fact that wages are more than double the amount of money the club managed to generate through revenue. “That's for a club that ended up being relegated so it couldn't even say ‘Well we overspent because we were gambling we were trying to achieve promotion’. So that is a cause for concern.” The account release showed the wages bill at the club had decreased by £9m with the departure of high-cost players such as Steven Fletcher and Kieran Lee. In addition, the accounts represent a season in which all football was played behind closed doors due to the pandemic and only show an increase in total yearly losses of £1m on the previous year. Dr Dan Plumley, Senior Lecturer in Sport Business Management at Sheffield Hallam University, said there were significant positives to take from the report. “It’s important to remember that these accounts are for the 2020/21 season,” said Dr Plumley. “We are still seeing the impact of Covid so things are going to get worse before they get better. There was always going to be a drop in turnover, but it’s not necessarily as bad as it looks. “With the wage bill coming down it is definitely a step in the right direction.” Sheffield Wednesday are due to play the first leg of their play-off semi-finals against Sunderland on Friday and promotion could mean a boost to the club’s financial viability.
Owls' boss Darren Moore. Credit: Derby Telegraph.
Blanket ban on primary school exclusions “too simplistic” says headteacher
Some parents and teachers are criticising a proposed ban on primary school expulsions, saying that sometimes it takes being expelled for a child to get the help they need.
The Commission on Young Lives proposed an end to “exclusion culture” in a report by a group of experts published on April 29. The report noted a rise in expulsions in recent years and the damaging effect being expelled can have on a child. For example, 59% of permanently expelled children have been cautioned or sentenced for an offence.
The report, ‘All Together Now’, calls for a ban on primary school expulsions from 2026. It also wants additional provisions to support students who are struggling in school. It draws attention to the fact that children of an ethnic minority or with special educational needs are disproportionately excluded.
At five years old, Kathryn Bickerstaffe’s son, Leon, was excluded from school and was assessed for autism within six months. He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome and then went to a special needs school. They worked with him to rebuild his self-esteem, and over time he went back into the mainstream primary school. The entire process took about a year, which Kathryn feels is drastically better than the current “underfunded, failing system”.
Kathryn, from Manchester, said she feels some teachers see children with special needs as all the same, as at her son’s first primary school.
She said: “They would tell me that he wasn’t allowed into school for trips because of his behaviour. Three other pupils were stopped from going on the trip too, but they were allowed to come into school. I was told that my son had to stay at home. I felt this was discriminatory.”
Kathryn said she knew the school couldn’t meet his needs but felt his exclusion was badly handled. They phoned her at work to tell her he was being excluded and, after visiting the school, she left feeling “patronized and angry.”
However, looking back, she said she appreciated how difficult it must have been for them and thinks being expelled was much better than keeping her son at the wrong school in the name of inclusion.
He was later sent to a special needs school: “He was lucky because he went to an amazing special school who worked with him and helped him. They fully understood his needs. They also supported him back into a different mainstream primary school.”
“I wish that every child had the support that my son received.”
Graham Chatterley is a former headteacher who now advises teachers on how to help children with special needs. He also has two children with extra behavioural needs in school himself.
He said that while the ban on primary school exclusions was good in theory, it wasn't realistic and was too simplistic.
“It becomes a very binary debate. One side is we want to ban exclusions, and the other side is those children who bring a knife to school.”
Graham said that it was far too easy to jump straight to expulsion: “The rate of exclusions is far too high. We need to do better. There is too much zero tolerance, and not enough incidents are given the context they need.”
He said a blanket ban was “too simplistic for a very complex area. People want it to be simple, but it isn’t. I don’t think that discussion about banning all exclusions in primary schools is helpful.
“We need to reduce exclusions for persistent disruptive behaviour, not for big incidents like assault. Those need to be dealt with differently.”
One of the things the report mentions is better support for children with behavioural issues, and he said this is a great thing to look at.
“When you scratch beneath the surface, you find that there is trauma, attachment issues, ADHD, and sensory processing…there are many underlying and undiagnosed things. The way you get a diagnosis is that the children need to fit into boxes. Children who have complex needs and a mix of different things often they don’t fit into those boxes. It is hard to get a diagnosis for these, and they are expressed through behaviour in a negative way," said Graham.
The bulk of permanent expulsions are for persistent disruptive behaviour, accounting for 34% of expulsions from school.
He said children need to be taught a better way of behaving, and teachers should show them how to learn from their mistakes in a constructive way.
“When it comes to these rigid systems, the behavioural mistakes have a consequence of expulsion, and you don’t have the child to do all the teaching, to learn a better way.”
Graham acknowledged that sometimes expulsion is needed: “I have worked with many good, very inclusive headteachers where exclusion is a last resort, but it becomes the only thing they can do to get the things required for that young person.”
Speaking from a parent’s perspective, he said it can be a relief when a child gets the help they need: “You just spend your life fighting all the time, and for some, it is a relief, in the end, to get the child in a provision where they get the support they need.”
However, he explained that being expelled causes “so much damage to self-esteem and wellbeing.”
While Kathryn’s son managed to get back into the central primary school, Graham said the success in turning children around and getting them back into mainstream school isn’t what it should be.
Both Graham and Kathryn emphasize the lack of school resources and staff skills, and Graham said: “The system’s funding is absolutely scandalous.”
Anne Longfield, Chair of the Commission on Young Lives, who led the report suggesting a ban on exclusions, said: “These are the young people at the sharp end of an education system which has not always prioritized the needs of vulnerable children, and one that I believe could and should be transformed to ensure all children can succeed.”
Local Government Association (LGA) research reveals a funding gap of almost £500 million for council funding for children with additional needs in education. The government has issued additional funding to fill this gap, but the LGA says this isn’t enough.
Funding pressures on mainstream schools, a rise in the number of pupils, and overwhelmed staff have led to schools struggling to provide children with special needs the help they need and see expulsion as the only way.
Sheffield stands against conversion therapy at City Hall protest
Around 200 protesters gathered in Sheffield City Centre on Saturday to protest against the UK government outlawing conversion therapy for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual people - but not Transgender people. The protest was organised by the Sheffield Against Conversion Therapy group, and chants and speakers were heard from outside the City Hall between 11am-12pm. "The people united, will never be divided," was a chant head on the day which echoed the sentiments of those standing up for trans rights. Blake May, 24, an attendee said: "It was the biggest protest I've ever seen in Sheffield. It's great to see so many people standing up for the people that often aren't given a voice."
There was a sea of trans pride flags at the protest.
Prime minister Boris Johnson has described gay conversion therapy as "abhorrent" but has said "there are complexities and sensitivities when you move from the area of sexuality to the question of gender." He argued that we should simply show "love and support" to those who transition.Hundreds of Sheffielders showed up for the conversion “therapy” protest today - folks of all ages and genders, LGBTQI and allies. Barkers Pool looked beautiful. Thanks to the organisers for holding a safe space, amazing to see how #Sheffield showed up 🏳️⚧️ 🌈 ☀️ ✊ https://t.co/3LBINGeQml
— Melanie Iredale (@Melanie_Iredale) April 30, 2022
A protestor's sign at the protest on Saturday.
Barnsley manager leaves due to club’s relegation
Poya Asbagi and his assistant Ferran Sibila left the club on Sunday following a mutual decision between them and Barnsley Chief Executive Khaled El-Ahmad. The talk came about when Barnsley dropped league tables on Friday night after their 2-1 defeat against Huddersfield. The 36-year-old was appointed to Oakwell in November 2021. He told the club website: " I want to thank everybody at Oakwell for their time and efforts over the last months, this of course includes players, fans and staff. It’s been a real privilege to work in Barnsley and I wish everybody all the very best for the upcoming seasons." El-Ahmad added: " On behalf of Barnsley Football Club, I would like to thank both Poya and Ferran for their hard work and professionalism during a difficult time. Our search for a new coach has already started and an announcement will follow once that process is concluded.” Martin Devaney, along with Tom Harban and Jo Laumann, will be in charge of the first team for the rest of the 21/22 season. In a press conference held at Barnsley today, Devaney stated: "The last 24 hours have been manic. It is always disappointing to see a colleague lose their job. I have been given the responsibility now for the next few games and I'm looking forward to it." What do the people of Barnsley think?
‘The scene will adapt’: Sheffield music scene will Get Together and be louder than ever for the return of eclectic city centre festival
The fate of the Leadmill remains unknown but Sheffield music scenesters will sing back in solidarity at a grassroots festival this bank holiday weekend. Get Together has six stages over the University of Sheffield’s campus After a huge success last Summer, Get Together is back this Sunday 1 for the May bank holiday. Kieran Crosby, 33, who promotes and organises the festival said: “There truly is something for everyone. “I urge anyone to come down and take a look at the musical magic. “We have a free entry section ‘under the bridge’ for anyone who wants some part of the action. “Our ethos is good vibes only.” Doors open at midday and live music is on until 11pm. With a free after party at Sydney and Matilda for wristband-holders, festival-goers can keep going until 4am. Get Together is spread out across six University of Sheffield venues. Grassroots indie artists such as Squid, Wax Works and Oh Papa are just three of the 38 acts on the line-up. The promoter added it's a steppingstone for lesser-known bands to gain fans and get booked for bigger festivals. Accompanying the music madness, an artist will draw a live mural under the bridge and punters can grab a pint at the Student Union’s Beer Festival. Revellers won’t go hungry as Icarus and Apollo world food, Nether Edge pizza company and Shoot the Bull will be serving up a storm. There will also be plenty of bars for partiers to cause some bank holiday mayhem. Mr Crosby added: “We have a cross-section of quality music for music lovers of all ages. “My favourite part is the unplanned, unpredictable things that happen. “Last year the band, Dream Wife, brought their gran on stage to sing a song.” Despite the precarity of the Leadmill’s future, the music promoter is optimistic that the scene will continue to thrive. He said: “In the last few years we have gone from nothing to so much happening musically in the city. “I’m excited about how the new ecosystem is growing and we are progressing in the right direction.” The Blinders an indie-rock band, are getting ready to return to perform at the festival. With Doncaster roots, the band are now based in Manchester but don’t define themselves geographically. With so many memories of the bedrock of Sheffield’s sound, Thomas Haywood, the band’s frontman, is unsure what the future holds. “It is the cornerstone of Sheffield music, but as a scene we are resilient. I am sure we will adapt,” explains the artist. The band’s frontman said metropolitan festivals such as Get Together give grassroots band the chance to connect with fans. He said: “all of the Donny lot will be there, including my mum, Jane, who will be cheering from the crowd. “Sheffield shows are usually rowdy, hopefully people won’t have forgotten about us!” “We go to every show with the same mentality but we love metropolitan festivals like Get Together because most people there are real music fans,” explains Tom.
April 25th: Snooker summary
Scotland's John Higgins remains on course for a first Crucible crown in 11 years, after beating Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham 13-7. Today’s victory sees Higgins through to the 16th Crucible quarter-final of his career. Higgins came into this afternoon with a 11-5 advantage. He then stepped up with a break of 90 to get over the line and confirm his 13-7 win. He now awaits either Jack Lisowski or Neil Robertson in the quarter-finals. England's Stuart Bingham pulled away from 8-8 to beat Kyren Wilson 13-9 in the second round of the Betfred World Championship. More to follow.