Decision Maker:

Outcome: Item Deferred

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: July 21, 2025

Purpose:

Content: 9.1 The Committee considered a report of the Chief Operating Officer which set out the Council’s response to an externally undertaken investigation (by VWV law firm) into a complaint received by the Council from four Sheffield residents in relation to the way in which the Council acted towards them due to their involvement in legal campaigning and protest activity during the Streets Ahead programme. The complaint was set out in section 1.10 of Appendix 1.     9.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Finance and Performance Policy Committee:-   a)    Note the investigation report and that the recommendations have been accepted by the Council b)    Consider and endorse the action plan as set out in the appendices to the report c)    Request officers to bring back regular progress reports to the committee d)    Note there will be specific mention of this complaint in the annual complaints review to be received by Strategy and Resources Committee in September 2025 to reflect the wider context surrounding the Sheffield Street Tree Inquiry and the lessons learned from this investigation and to update on the apologies         9.3 Reasons for Decision     9.3.1 Following review of the investigation report by the Councils Chief Operating Officer, who was not involved in any previous Street Tree Inquiry activity nor in the direct commissioning of the investigation, the officer recommendation is to accept all the recommendations as set out in the report.     9.3.2 The response to the recommendations is set out in the action plan with specific steps, activities, accountability and the means to address them.     9.3.3 The council has sought feedback from the complainants and worked to address their concerns in the action plan. It is however, recognised that the action plan alone cannot not fully address the impact the council’s chosen course of action has had on the complainants and that an update should be received by the committee for in public consideration in six months to demonstrate progress towards addressing the findings and recommendation set out in the investigation report.     9.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     9.4.1 To reject the findings of the investigation. The investigation was undertaken externally and following internal review and engagement with the complainants there were no grounds to reject the findings of the investigation. Therefore, this option has been discounted and the action plan prepared