Mums United critical over lack of involvement in crime action plan for Sheffield estate

Mums United have accused Councillor Nighat Basharat, who represents Nether Edge and Sharrow, of “playing politics” with the lives of people living on the Lansdowne estate, who have recently revealed it is “difficult to live or feel safe on the estate” due to “crime, anti-social behaviour and litter”.

Coun Basharat recently revealed that she is working to improve the lives of Lansdowne estate residents who don’t “feel safe”. She said a crime action plan for the estate has been drawn up.

But Mums United claims the councillor hasn't worked as hard to engage with the community as she has claimed.

Chairwoman Sahira Irshad, aged 44, said the group has been working to combat “gang-related activities” in the area since 2018.

She said: “We were told by acouncillor at the time that there wasn’t an issue, there wasn’t a problem. Even the current councillor [Nighat Basharat] wasn’t interested.

“No one supported us at all, no one engaged with us. Coun Basharat has claimed she is working on this problem now, but we have been working on this for four years.”

Coun Basharat was a member of Mums United, before her election as a councillor in 2022.

Ms Irshad claims she has been repeatedly shut down by Sheffield Council since 2018 when sharing her concerns about the estate, claiming she was told she was “making it bigger than it needs to be”.

In response, Coun Basharat said: “I can’t speak for the council but from my point of view I have always been quite serious about any issue that has been within the community and that is across Sheffield. This is my ward and I want to give back and that’s where all my work started.

“It’s being looked into and taken seriously. I believe I stepped into this role to be a voice of the people in my ward. I am so impressed with the action being taken.”

On January 2, Coun Basharat shared that she had managed to get a number of Sheffield City Council departments together for a “walkabout” of the Lansdowne estate, after concerns were raised to her in her elected role, which prompted an immediate “action plan” to be put together to make changes.

Ms Irshad said: “We aren’t about discrediting the work she’s doing but there’s loads of organisations in the area. Why haven’t we been included in this action plan? There have been groups in there for four or five years saying there is a problem with drugs, with violence.”

Mums United Trustee, Professor Shahd Salha, said: “She (Coun Basharat) was aware of what we are doing and the struggle we are trying to fight.”

Coun Basharat said: “The immediate action plan wasn’t community work. There wasn’t anything at that stage for them. I’m hoping to collaborate with all the groups on this too. I will be asking at the next action plan meeting for the next stage to include the volunteer sector.”

Aimed directly at those she worked with at Mums United, she said: “Whenever you need me I’m still there.”

“My offer is still there for them and they know that,” she added.