Local Elections 2023 - Sheffield Wire

Live: Latest updates from Sheffield & Barnsley Local Elections 2023

South Yorkshire mayoral elections 2022 insight: Simon Biltcliffe

5:12pm

South Yorkshire born and bred Simon Biltcliffe is running for regional mayor on behalf of his devolutionary party, the Yorkshire Party. The self-professed, eco-capitalist wants there to be drive for change in the county and less powers deriving from Westminster. He tells Sheffield Wire what his key focus areas are and why he wants to run. Sheffield Wire: What pushed you to run for mayor? Simon Biltcliffe: I want to bring a bit of common sense and a bit of humanity and quite a lot of experience into delivering a better political solution for the people of South Yorkshire generally. And this is a great way of us making a difference in terms of devolution which is what is needed in South Yorkshire. There's more people in Yorkshire than there is in Scotland and twice as many as in Wales. And yet, we've got no political clout. If you leave everything to Westminster you get inconceivable decisions that they make on our behalf that they just have no idea how important these things are to the people here, whether they are left or right, they index everything what it means to Westminster and their careers rather than what it means to the people who are affected. SW: When you say 'leaving everything to Westminster' do you mean something in particular, such as the levelling up scheme? SB: Look at the decisions that have been made, look at the funding that they give, look at the opportunities they give and it is a fraction of what it should be. It would be different if they lived here. It doesn't matter to them transport as they get the fast train between London and Manchester. They would never go across the Snake Pass from Sheffield to Manchester, which is a slow service. If I get this position, it would be seismic because it'll be the first time ever a devolutionary party in England would be in a position of authority. SW: Transportation in the region is on everyone's lips at the moment. How would you resolve this issue? SB: I would try integrating transportation through the region; better buses, better trains, better trams. At current, the level of service is woefully inadequate. And of course it adversely affects not just people's lives on a daily basis, but also the productivity for the whole region, especially when you have one in four people that don't have access to independent transport. It makes my blood boil when I hear the Prime Minister claim how good TfL is. For every pound we get, London gets about seven. It just doesn't seem fair. God knows how many billons they get for transportation and we get nothing like that. This is unfair and needs to change. I would also like to digitise the sector with trains having reliable service. SW: What is a key policy that you want to drive should you get the position? SB: If I had to drive one, it would be lifelong learning and an economy by being green. We need a green technology revolution. We really do have an opportunity now to use technology and green engineering, you know and we really are in a good position to do that with manufacturing skills, plus human and natural resources that we've got to get the next energy transition. A contract to have lifelong learning post 16. The importance of lifelong learning should start in primary schools giving kids pathways into new and creative opportunities. SW: How would this be beneficial? SB: It'll get us better quality jobs here in South Yorkshire and the more you earn the more you learn the more you earn. Everyone pays more tax, due to higher earnings, we get a society we want and the whole of the UK wins. That's what I want overall. For everyone to win. SW: Ok, so I guess the last question is what makes you stand out from the crowd? SB: Well first off, I am not a politician and I have no intention of being perceived as one. I am a doer. I don't just say things and not do them. Deeds not words is my mantra. The second thing is that I'm not getting paid for it. I want to donate my salary to The Samaritans to help those in desperate need. My mum was a Samaritan worker for 30 years and I know that she saved many lives. I have had enough of politicians for the way that they look after themselves and their friends only rather than the people they are meant to serve. I don't need the money. I have enough. They don't. The results for a new mayor will be announced this Friday. Polls will open in person on Thursday.

Snooker should stay at iconic Sheffield venue say players and fans

4:05pm

As Ronnie O’Sullivan claimed a record-equalling seventh World Snooker Championship title at the Crucible on Monday, debates over whether the venue should continue to host the tournament raged amongst fans and players. “I hope it never moves from here,” said former World Champion and BBC presenter Ken Doherty. “It’s the home of the world championships and it should never ever be moved. There’s no place like it in the world. “If it is moved it will be a catastrophe. There are some things in life that money can’t buy. You can’t buy history and you can’t buy nostalgia and you can’t buy the Crucible.” Sheffield City Council has a contract to host the tournament until 2027 but concerns over the venue’s spectator capacity have caused both the council and Word Snooker Tour to consider other options.

The Crucible

Plans were revealed this week to build a 3000 seat ‘Billiardrome’ in Sheffield, featuring practice rooms and a snooker museum alongside a 300 room hotel to appease the growing discontent among some players about facilities at The Crucible. Judd Trump, who lost out to O’Sullivan on Monday has joined Niel Robertson and Scottish player Stephen Maguire in criticising holding the Championships at the venue, but in his interview after the final on BBC television, Trump said: "I think I was wrong when I said I wanted to move from here, think it should definitely stay.” Trump had previously said that he would like to see the tournament move away from Sheffield altogether and relocate to Alexandra Palace which hosts the Master's tournament and can accommodate over 2000 fans. Sheffield based player Ashley Hugill, however, has voiced his opposition to snooker moving away from the city. “To me, the world snooker championship and The Crucible theatre are one and the same thing, they go hand in hand, and for me, that should never change,” said Hugill. “It may not be a perfect venue as it is quite tight with the crowd in so close and also the TV cameras on both tables, but no venue is perfect.

Ashley Hugill

“What the small size of the venue takes away in space it more than makes up for in atmosphere. “When players and fans are at matches it’s not just about what’s happening in that session, it’s all the historic moments of snooker that have taken place there over the years. If the world championship is moved from the crucible all that history feels like it is gone.” Joe Perry, who is considered a mentor to Niel Robertson as well as a professional himself, said: “Personally I’d hate to see it moved, the crucible in my opinion is the perfect venue to hold the World Championships. It creates a different atmosphere to any other that we play in.” “I feel a bigger venue would obviously create more revenue but would lose the intimacy and atmosphere of the crucible. Also, the history of the crucible is special and why every young aspiring snooker player dreams of playing there one day. Add to that the city of Sheffield that has become the home of snooker and is buzzing with excitement for the entire 17 days, to try to recreate this would be a near impossible task in my opinion.” Fans who attended the final in Sheffield this weekend are also largely unanimous in wanting the Championships to stay in the city. Outside the building on Sunday, Peter said: “The Crucible is the home of snooker. I know everyone’s been talking about the atmosphere at Ally Pally and I’m all for that but at the same time, I’m all for Sheffield. I am all for this city and snooker should stay here. The atmosphere inside the Crucible is electric. It needs to stay here. This is the home of snooker and this is the place it should stay. Sheffield is the home of snooker.” Tom and Scott Leonard, who were at the final for the first time said: “You cannot move it from Sheffield, we don’t mind the drive. But it’s ridiculous, knock it down and build a better one.” An Australian fan who has been travelling to the event every year since 1996 voiced a contradicting view, however: “It will probably happen eventually. It did suit the old crowd but now there are getting too many people unfortunately who want to be here. If it moves to a new venue it will create a new tradition. There are only 980 seats so it’s hard to get in.” Nevertheless, the future of the iconic venue appears to be safe after the Chairman of World Snooker affirmed his commitment to stay at the venue beyond its current contract. Sheffield’s status as the spiritual home of snooker appears secure.

Trade Union Congress backs campaign to make Jubilee Bank Holiday permanent, despite likely financial hit to UK economy

3:44pm

What do Bear Grylls, Deborah Meaden and the Archbishop of Canterbury all have in common? They all support the idea of an extra annual bank holiday, termed the “Thank Holiday” by Together organisation, which would boost the annual number of UK bank holidays from eight to nine. In life there are few certainties… death, taxes and bank holidays are ones which spring to mind. It’s impossible to change death and taxes, but what about the number of bank holidays? We've got an extra one on June 3 because of the Jubilee Celebrations but - having survived a pandemic - what benefits or costs would a regular additional day off bring? The European average for the number of public holidays per year is 12, however the UK population only receives eight each year - the second lowest in the world. The Trade Union Congress (TUC), which represents five million workers across the UK, is calling for four extra bank holidays per year in order to match our European counterparts. Policy Officer for TUC, Afzal Rahman, said: “I don’t think this is a pipe dream, I think this is a modest ask for one extra bank holiday, we’ve been calling for four.”

Afzal Rahman

According to data from ONS, the average UK employee works an average of 36.5 hours per week. Within the EU, the Netherlands are reported to have the best work-life balance, working an average of 30.5 hours per week and receiving 11 bank holidays per year. “In the UK we have long working hours which can cause health problems. It leads to stress, it leads to cardiovascular problems, vasco-skeletal problems. Any additional time off helps to prevent those things.” Afzal added that the issue should be high up on the government's agenda, and said: “We’ve all gone through a tough and difficult time, whether you were on the frontline, or you shut down your business or were furloughed. Workers have gone through a lot and have been responsible for making sure that we come out the other side of this.” “Any reasonable government minister would agree with that. We hope that we can impress upon them that this is something important.” Employers are likely to consider the impact the change could make towards productivity and profits of their business, especially given the consequences of the pandemic. Research from professional services firm, PwC, has revealed the UK Government may have overestimated the cost of an extra bank holiday. It showed the net cost of an extra bank holiday to the UK economy is estimated to be £831 million, with the cost being lowered to £736 million if the bank holiday fell on a Friday, given the fewer amount of hours worked on this day on average. The proposed additional bank holiday is estimated to contribute £366 million to the hospitality and retail sectors, industries which were among the worst affected by the pandemic. But PwC’s research stated: “There is strong suggestive evidence that the relatively small macroeconomic cost could be partially or wholly offset by the wellbeing boost a nation’s economy can get from an extra holiday.” The lead research organisation on the impact to the UK economy is the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). CEBR has previously estimated the change to the UK economy during a 2019 bank holiday resulted in a £220 million uplift in the hospitality and retail sector. But industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction are more likely to suffer a loss of output, given their lack of flexible working arrangements. Despite pre-pandemic optimism for bank holiday spending, spokesperson for CEBR, Pushpin Singh, said: “With an extra bank holiday you’re going to be cramming in a week’s worth of time into 20% less time. “That being said, with flexible working arrangements, this impact will be less pronounced than it was 10 years ago." A recent YouGov poll which surveyed 5,130 British adults revealed 54% would support the Jubilee Bank Holiday being made permanent.

Source: YouGov.com

The TUC aims to continue its campaign for the Jubilee Bank Holiday to be a permanent national bank holiday from June 2023 onwards.

Yorkshire Women’s coach ‘feeling confident’ ahead of T20 finals day

2:38pm

Yorkshire Women’s head coach, Mark Harrison, has said he hopes his side can cause an upset on finals day at Northern CC this Sunday. Harrison’s side won four out of their six games in the competition so far, narrowly beating the Northern Representative XI on Monday before succumbing to a heavy defeat to Lancashire after an onslaught from openers Georgie Boyce and Emma Lamb. Lancashire sit top of the standings, eight points ahead of the White Roses, having won all six of their games. Speaking about the defeat to Lancashire, Harrison said: “There was probably some disappointment that we only scored 109, and that has to be put right for the weekend and if we were to come up against them again in the final it will probably be different.” “If you look at the Lancashire side on Sunday it was effectively the regional Thunder side. But anything can happen and the final is a different game. It wouldn't be a case of, well, we've come off worse last weekend, obviously we still would be able to win that game.” Yorkshire will face Derbyshire first in the semi-final after losing out to them in the second round of matches, conceding 183 runs in the field. Bethany Harmer scored a superb 70 off 35 deliveries against the Yorkshire attack. “It was quite a small ground,” Harrison said of the match. “Anything that was short there was just being taken advantage of. It's a case of hitting our areas on Sunday and making sure that we get our field settings right. “We definitely have confidence. I think even if we played them again on that Sunday, we would have probably beaten them. What you've got to respect here is that we've got quite a young side, so the younger players are still learning how to handle disappointment. If the ball goes over their heads and they get hit for a couple of fours, their heads go down, but it's about learning how to deal with that.” The restructure of women’s domestic cricket in 2020 brought the regional system into effect and county cricket has been re-establishing its position in the domestic structure ever since. The precedence the regional centres have taken over county competitions has meant many sides have not had their regional players available which has been compounded by the absence of England players after a demanding winter of international cricket. “I wouldn't say we’re weakened because we've got a strong side out,” said Harrison. “But we have got some young players if you understand what I mean by that. “We’ve got the likes of Beth Langston, Holly Armitage, and Rachel Slater. Rachel is still young as well, but then you’re down to Elise Good and Hannah Buck and the Academy girls or under-18s. “I think we’ve done really well to get to the situation where we are in the semi-final and I’m feeling confident about beating Derbyshire on Sunday and then taking that through to causing an upset in the final.”

Final pictures from @YorkshireWomens v Northern Rep & Lancashire XI at Weetwood on Bank Holiday Monday. YW won a close match. #womenscricket , #womeninsport , @YorkshireCCC , @LancsCricketWMN pic.twitter.com/WJdp9S66c2
— John Heald (@JohnHealdPhotog) May 3, 2022

Despite the difficulties caused by the absence of regional players, Harrison is firm in his view of the role of county cricket in the domestic summer schedule. “For me, the county competition for our senior team has to continue otherwise, you then stop in that pathway to the Diamonds, or you stop that pathway through to the academy, you've got to have that county championship in there,” he said. After the completion of the T20 competition, the regional season gets underway with the Charlotte Edwards Cup on the 14th of May meaning Harrison will be left without more of his key players for the rest of Yorkshire’s fixtures this year. “As soon as we finish on Sunday, we then play the NorthEast Warriors at Harrogate the week after,” said Harrison. “We're going to play them in two T20 competitions and then we will play at Riverside the week after, in a 40 or 50 over game, we haven’t decided that yet. “We are wanting to progress these girls onto the regional squad. The only way that they're going to progress is having more senior games where they are learning from older players and playing, having more game time.” Sunday’s finals day takes place at Northern CC on Sunday and will also feature Derbyshire, Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.

EXCLUSIVE: Devonshire Cat pub set for possible re-opening after licensing application submitted

2:12pm

A once-popular Sheffield pub may open its doors again with new owners after a licensing application was submitted to the City Council. The Devonshire Cat, located on Wellington Street, closed down during the pandemic as lockdown costs became too high for previous owners, Abbeydale Brewery. The Brewery voluntarily surrendered the building's alcohol licence when it vacated the premises in 2020. The licence includes permission for live music performances and late night opening hours to 3.30am. The new owners of the building, Prime Land Limited, are seeking to get back the licence on behalf of new tenants who will run the bar. Director of the company, Liaqat Khan, said: “We are applying for exactly the same licence previously held by the Abbeydale Brewery. The Police, fire services and the council are happy with it and the venue has had an alcohol licence since 2005.” However, the application has raised concerns with some residents' groups which object to the bar’s proposed late-night opening hours. Peter Sefton, speaking on behalf of residents' association Changing Sheff, said: “The building is in the midst of a rapidly developing and predominantly residential part of the city centre. It is inappropriate for a pub to stay open to 3.30am when surrounded by high occupancy residential buildings. "We welcome the reopening of the pub but there are so many people living in the city centre now so there has to be a balance between the night time economy and those that want a good night's sleep. "35,000 people are likely to live in the city centre within the next decade. We hope the Licensing Committee recognises the changing nature of many parts of the city centre into predominantly residential areas."

The Devonshire Cat is located next to many residential buildings.

The bar is located near other venues like Corporation and the Washington which hold late night licences beyond 3am. Mr Khan believes this should apply to the Devonshire Cat. A licensing sub-committee meeting is set for May 10 at Sheffield Town Hall to discuss the issue.

Local Elections: Green councillor with 16-vote majority will focus on climate justice if re-elected

2:08pm

A Sheffield Green Party candidate who won his seat in 2018 with a majority of just 16 votes has told Sheffield Wire he is standing for re-election to oppose "rampant capitalism" and to help communities. Martin Phipps said it has "been an honour to be a councillor over the last four years" and that if re-elected in the Sheffield City ward he would focus on climate and social justice. Mr Phipps drew attention to Kelham Island and Highfield, areas within the ward which he says are often overlooked. He said it was down to a misperception that there are not many residents in the city centre and surrounding areas.

Ryan Vintage in the city centre is plastered with leaflets supporting Mr Phipps

When it came to improving his 16-vote hold on the ward, Mr Phipps said increasing the majority would be a fantastic achievement after a re-count on the night in 2018. He said: "But you never take seats for granted and I never would. We have been out talking to people throughout the year - not just at election time - and I think people appreciate that. "We're hopeful, but nothing is ever written in stone." Out on the doorstep, Mr Phipps said the key issue raised has been air pollution and cleaning up the air in the city centre was a priority of his. Mr Phipps said it tied in with the issue of buses in Sheffield, pointing to the Greens fighting to extend the closure of Pinstone Street to cars after lockdown. Mr Phipps said the closure has helped speed up bus routes.

Been out talking to residents in #KelhamIsland this evening about what matters to them, including support for the Kelham Island Low Traffic Neighbourhood and for more joined up safe cycle lanes, and voting Green 🌱🚲🚶‍♀️🚶#VoteGreen #GetGreensElected #WantGreenVoteGreen pic.twitter.com/bCViMRVRJh
— Martin Phipps (@MartinPhipps13) April 25, 2022

As well as this, the software developer and maths graduate said climate and social justice are interconnected and he will continue to lobby the council to retrofit houses at a large scale. The policy involves building the side of a house with insulation and a heat pump instead of a boiler among other aspects. Mr Phipps said the policy creates nicer homes to live in and reduces energy bills - something he recognised was important during the current cost of living crisis. On the issue of social justice, Mr Phipps pointed to his record in the ward. He told how the allocated funding to appoint a Citizens Advice Bureau worker to attend a social supermarket in Highfield was a step in the right direction. Social supermarkets exist to sell food for little to no cost to those on low incomes. Mr Phipps said having a qualified member of staff there to advise people on debts, housing, and benefits is useful to those struggling. Other candidates standing in the City ward are Labour's Gareth Slater, Andrew Smith from the Conservative Party, Liberal Democrat Julia Wright, and Adam Calvert of the Northern Independence Party.

Local Elections: Meet the Northern Independence Party candidate for Crookes and Crosspool

1:54pm

A new party is seeking to shake up the political landscape in the UK by campaigning for Northern England to become an independent nation. The Northern Independence Party currently has no elected representatives, but is looking to change that in the upcoming local elections. One of these candidates is Nathan Howard, a 23-year-old PhD student at the University of Sheffield who is contesting his home ward of Crookes and Crosspool. Although not from the North himself, being born in Cambridgeshire, Mr Howard said he identified strongly with the North and the economic issues it faced. He described how his parents - from Sheffield and Cheshire – moved to the South because of the better opportunities available. Sheffield Wire caught up with him to talk about his party’s bold and controversial vision for the future.

The NIP was founded in October 2020

First of all, how serious is the party about independence for the North? “We’re deadly serious about it. Just look at Scotland - the SNP is a serious party, they want Scotland to leave the UK. Scotland has a smaller economy than the North of England, why couldn't we do it? Through devolution they’ve renationalised the railways, introduced free prescriptions and free university education. It shows that the best way to get concessions from Westminster is to threaten to leave”. Do you think there is an appetite for northern independence enough for people to vote for the NIP? “Well when I’ve been canvasing I’ve spoken to people who said that they weren’t going to vote in this election, because they didn’t feel that they had anyone to vote for – lots of people feel isolated from the main parties. The Green Party has good environmental policies – but again they benefit from the centralisation of government, whereas Labour wants to appeal to the biggest audience possible, there isn’t really an option for people who want to vote for a truly progressive party”. What are the other main policies the NIP is putting forward? “We’ve got several massive crises at the moment, one is the threat of climate change. We’re proposing Green Industrial Rebirth – creating jobs in the renewable energy sector, insulating people’s housing and building new quality housing stock. By doing this, people’s energy costs will go down – renewables are far cheaper to run than current fossil fuel extraction. “We want to create an alternative to the current system where power is concentrated in the hands of a very small number of people. Having a democracy that is more participatory – such as citizens assemblies that will better reflect the society we live in. “Nationalising energy companies is a key goal as well – some are turning over billions of pounds in profit while the average person’s bills have doubled or even tripled overnight”. What are your priorities for Crookes and Crosspool if you were to be elected? “In terms of locally focused policies, public transport is number one. Bus services in Sheffield are abysmal, either public control or even public ownership of the buses. I would back programmes to improve other aspects of our transport infrastructure, such as improving cycle lanes and bike storage. “I would strongly push for community wealth building approaches, making sure that everything the council is buying in is coming from local companies. Most councils currently buy purely based on cost, which only benefits large multinationals in London. It means there’s no local creation of for jobs. “What should be baked into the council is accounting mechanisms, so that councils are taking on ideas and responses from local people. “I would support the use of compulsory purchase orders like in Rotherham, where the council is purchasing retail spaces to rent them back cheaply to local businesses. Crookes is fantastic for independent retailers – who are actively invested in the local community, this is what we should be striving for." Do you think there is a risk that a push for an independent North could create further divisions in our society? “We’re not trying to create more divisions, we’re just identifying the division that already exists. We want these problems to be taken seriously, the North and other regions are not just regions of the centre, they are communities in their own right that are being held back because of regional inequality and the Westminster system.” What about disadvantaged people in the South though? Some of the worst poverty in the UK can be found in the capital “I would say that Northern Independence would not only benefit people who live in the North, but also people who don’t. If people can see a better quality of life – such as a higher minimum wage, better housing, better public transport – I think this could lead to more movements everywhere.” These are big pledges to make – but where is all the money going to come from? “Our policies will be funded through a wealth tax on the wealthiest people in society, a tax on polluting industries, and actually cracking down on tax fraud – we lose billions and billions every year to this. A lot of the services that are procured by government, make all their profit from the money the government gives them, but all the profits they make go into the company rather than public services.” Finally – what's your message to voters? “People deserve better and they should know that they deserve better. We’ve been told for the past however many years that we all need to make sacrifices – and for what? So the government can have more parties in lockdown, so they can give more contracts to their mates? Is that really what people want, what they think they deserve?”

Mexborough is being “bypassed” because of flyover demolition delays says cafe owner

1:48pm

The ongoing demolition of a well-known flyover bridge will continue to cause disruption to traders and commuters in Mexborough this week. The main part of the bridge on Greens Way was removed on the weekend of April 23 & 24 but further work will now be necessary. Diversions and additional signage will remain in place until the works are complete, with bosses expecting the area to reopen later this week.

The process of the bridge being demolished

Local radio Rockingham Radio has said that business in the town centre has suffered as a result of it now being difficult to access.

Everyone at Rockingham Radio would like to show our support for the Shopkeepers of Mexborough. The closure of the Flyover has severely hit their businesses, they need YOUR support now. Please make that extra effort and go and shop Locally. #Mexborough #shoplocal pic.twitter.com/0pTEtE96hl
— rockingham radio (@rockinghamradio) February 8, 2022

Helen McCabe, who works at the 30 Mexborough Café on the High Street, said the closure of the flyover which links the town to Doncaster has "made the town a lot quieter." "People don't know where to go or where to park so it's easier to just bypass us completely," she added. The flyover was constructed in 1968 but was deemed to pose a risk to the safety of pedestrians and motorists if it wasn't removed. In the interests of public safety, highways bosses said the removal of the bridge, agreed by ward councillors and Doncaster Council representatives, was the 'only feasible option remaining'.

The bridge has been demolished but the road has not yet opened

The flyover was closed in June 2021 as a result, with buses and traffic being diverted past the town centre.

(Credit to user Andy M on Twitter @bigajam)

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council director of economy and environment Dan Swaine said: "We’d like to thank residents for their patience during this time. Slightly overrunning is unfortunate but unavoidable given the complexities surrounding bridge demolition. Work will commence again after the bank holiday and the road should re-open again by the end of next week.

“We apologise for this further unplanned inconvenience and would like to thank residents and, in particular, nearby businesses for their continued patience while these necessary safety works are completed.”

— Gavin (@apparentlyanerd) April 22, 2022

Sheffield Wednesday to face largest ever fan-led display in play-offs with Sunderland

12:38pm

The Roker End of the Stadium of Light is set to be covered in a sea of red and white when Sheffield Wednesday visit Wearside for Friday’s League One play-off semi-final. The Spirit of 37, coined by its four organisers due to the block they sit in and in honour of the year of Sunderland’s first FA Cup win, are responsible for the club’s fan-led displays. Over £3,000 has been raised so far by the group’s fundraiser page over two days, smashing the original target of £2,250. “We were just trying to do whatever we could to build things back up and bring a depleted fanbase back on side to try and create something different in League One” said organiser Michael Conroy, 44. “When results are going well it’s easy to get volunteers, but when it’s -3 degrees and everyone wants to be in the warm pub, numbers started dropping."

A previous Roker End display

The group, which formed in 2018, have received hundreds of messages from volunteers in advance of Friday’s huge encounter. “The response from fans has been amazing, for just four daft lads who go to the matches, to raise this much,” said Patrick Scott, 25. “The volunteers coming on Friday don’t even know what the display is going to look like, but they love the club and want to help.” The group have been working non-stop since the fixture was confirmed, combined with their full-time jobs, to prepare the display which in the past has included huge flags held above heads by fans and individual sections of material held up to form a bigger image. Friday presents a huge opportunity for both ex-Premier League clubs to take a huge step in climbing back up the divisions. “You don’t get this often in League One, but I think it will actually be a good game to watch as both teams try and play good football,” Patrick said. “Wednesday have hit form at the right time, it’s a shame that this won’t be the final as Wembley would have been packed," Michael added. All four agreed that Sunderland would need to take a lead into Monday’s second leg at Hillsborough to have a chance of progressing. The Spirit of 37 also confirmed that they will plan an even bigger display for Wembley if the Black Cats progress to the final. Predictions Patrick - 3-1, 1-0. Sunderland win 3-2. Brad - 2-1, 1-0. Sunderland win on penalties. Michael - 2-1, 1-1. Sunderland win 3-2. Jamie - 2-1, 1-1. Sunderland win 3-2.

South Yorkshire mayoral elections 2022 insight: David Bettney

12:13pm

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?

12:07pm

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

Take a look at the candidates below. Oliver Coppard – Labour Party Oliver Coppard grew up in South Yorkshire during the 1980s. In 2015, he stood as Sheffield Hallam's parliamentary candidate against Nick Clegg. He is currently Chair of the Board at Sheffield Hallam Students' union. He claims he will build a better economy, develop a clean energy strategy and put communities at the heart of decision-making. Read his manifesto here.

Mayor candidate Oliver Coppard.

Councillor Joe Otten - Liberal Democrat Mr Otten is a councillor alongside Colin Ross and Martin Smith for Dore and Totley ward within Sheffield Council. He is a former software developer and small business owner. He aims to boost Sheffield's cultural scene, improve Sheffield buses and make communities key in decision-making. Read more about him here.

Mayor candidate Joe Otten.

Clive Watkinson – Conservative Clive Watkinson is the manager of the furniture store JC Snell based in Barnsley. He is also director of Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce. In 2005, he also stood for MP in the now non-existent West Barnsley and Penistone seat. His main aim is to make transport in the region better including buses, Doncaster airport and traffic flow.

Mayor candidate Clive Watkinson.

Bex Whyman – Green Party Bex Whyman is from Dore, Sheffield and she currently works as a senior analyst. She is the only female candidate. She claims that transport is integral to South Yorkshire and aims to build better trains, bus and tram links. She also wants to retrofit more homes. Read more about her here.

Mayor candidate Bex Whyman.

Simon Biltcliffe – Yorkshire Party Mr Biltcliffe runs an eco-friendly business in Barnsley. He is also a trustee of Reds in the Community a charity that supports social inclusion in association with Barnsley FC. He claims he will be transparent with the people of South Yorkshire if he got in, by posting his expenses weekly and donating his entire salary to charity. Read his manifesto here.

Mayor candidate Simon Biltcliffe.

David Bettney – Social Democratic Party David Bettney grew up in South Yorkshire and moved around from Doncaster to Rotherham to Barnsley, where he now lives. He served in the army for 22 years and now is an oil and gas entrepreneur. He aims to rebuild Britain's industrial base. He says he will reduce places at university and boost apprenticeships and vocational skills. He says he will combat homelessness and provide homeless people with secure hostels. Read his manifesto here.

Mayor candidate David Bettney.

The results for a new mayor will be announced this Friday.

Local Elections: Sheffield Conservative candidate defiant in face of poor poll

11:15am

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.

Great talking to shopkeepers and residents in Stubbin this morning with Miriam Cates MP. pic.twitter.com/l1JLuQz4Xl
— David Chinchen 🇬🇧🇺🇦 (@DChinchen) April 23, 2022

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.