Agenda item

13.1

The Executive Director City Futures submitted a report (a) noting that, in November 2023, Strategy & Resources Committee approved proposals for a new Partner City Policy, including assessment criteria for the purposes of assessing new approaches and reviewing the effectiveness of existing international relationships; and (b) providing a summary of the assessments recently undertaken in respect of both existing relationships and approaches received and makes recommendations in respect of decisions required of the Committee.  The report also provides a summary of activities and events, linked to our international relations that have taken place over the last 12 months

13.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(i) For the reasons set out in the report, agrees that the City Council:

a)    Relinquishes the relationship with Anshan;

b)    Does not reinitiate the Trade and Collaboration Agreements with the cities of Daqing and Nanchang;

c)    Retains the relationship with Chengdu;

d)    Retains links with Bapaume;

e)    Acknowledges the links with Estelí whilst acknowledging that this relationship is community-driven, rather than Council-led;

f)      Retains links with Bochum; Kawasaki; Khmelnytskyi and Pittsburgh;

g)    Takes no further action at this time in respect of the relationship with Donetsk;

h)    Acknowledges the historical and community links in the case of Kotli and the historical links with Kitwe, noting that the civic relationship in respect of each city is effectively dormant;

i)      Enters into a Friendship Agreement with Nablus; and

j)      Carries out further work in respect of identifying the potential opportunities with locations in South Korea.

(ii) That the Committee acknowledges the important role of the Lord Mayor in respect of fostering new international relationships and helping to maintain existing links with Partner Cities.

13.3

Reasons for Decision

13.3.1

Development of the Partner City Policy included a commitment to undertake a follow-on review of all existing international relationships.  Prior to this exercise, it is unclear whether any such review had ever been implemented previously.

13.3.2

The outcome of the review is that the City Council is able to focus on developing relationships with a much more manageable number of international locations which have a genuine desire to collaborate and where specific benefits can be identified.

13.3.3

This report presents the Council’s first annual International Update.  The intention is that a transparent overview of Sheffield’s activities within the international arena will be provided each Municipal Year.

13.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

13.4.1

The alternative option is to retain the status quo.  The development of proposals for a Partner City Policy, approved by Strategy and Resources Policy Committee in November 2023, was an acknowledgement that retaining the status quo was not appropriate.  The review of existing international relationships is a direct result of that decision.

13.1

The Executive Director City Futures submitted a report (a) noting that, in November 2023, Strategy & Resources Committee approved proposals for a new Partner City Policy, including assessment criteria for the purposes of assessing new approaches and reviewing the effectiveness of existing international relationships; and (b) providing a summary of the assessments recently undertaken in respect of both existing relationships and approaches received and makes recommendations in respect of decisions required of the Committee.  The report also provides a summary of activities and events, linked to our international relations that have taken place over the last 12 months

13.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(i) For the reasons set out in the report, agrees that the City Council:

a)    Relinquishes the relationship with Anshan;

b)    Does not reinitiate the Trade and Collaboration Agreements with the cities of Daqing and Nanchang;

c)    Retains the relationship with Chengdu;

d)    Retains links with Bapaume;

e)    Acknowledges the links with Estelí whilst acknowledging that this relationship is community-driven, rather than Council-led;

f)      Retains links with Bochum; Kawasaki; Khmelnytskyi and Pittsburgh;

g)    Takes no further action at this time in respect of the relationship with Donetsk;

h)    Acknowledges the historical and community links in the case of Kotli and the historical links with Kitwe, noting that the civic relationship in respect of each city is effectively dormant;

i)      Enters into a Friendship Agreement with Nablus; and

j)      Carries out further work in respect of identifying the potential opportunities with locations in South Korea.

(ii) That the Committee acknowledges the important role of the Lord Mayor in respect of fostering new international relationships and helping to maintain existing links with Partner Cities.

13.3

Reasons for Decision

13.3.1

Development of the Partner City Policy included a commitment to undertake a follow-on review of all existing international relationships.  Prior to this exercise, it is unclear whether any such review had ever been implemented previously.

13.3.2

The outcome of the review is that the City Council is able to focus on developing relationships with a much more manageable number of international locations which have a genuine desire to collaborate and where specific benefits can be identified.

13.3.3

This report presents the Council’s first annual International Update.  The intention is that a transparent overview of Sheffield’s activities within the international arena will be provided each Municipal Year.

13.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

13.4.1

The alternative option is to retain the status quo.  The development of proposals for a Partner City Policy, approved by Strategy and Resources Policy Committee in November 2023, was an acknowledgement that retaining the status quo was not appropriate.  The review of existing international relationships is a direct result of that decision.