Issue - meetings

The Democratic Services Manager will announce any submissions received. The Council will be invited to decide what action it wishes to take, if any, on the matters raised in these submissions. As the questions received and the answers given will be circulated in written form there is no requirement for them to be read out at the meeting. The questions and answers will be published with the draft minutes.

There were no statements made at this meeting, although the statements made at the virtual meeting on 24^th March 2022 were noted;

https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/documents/g5492/Public%20minutes%2024th-Mar-2022%2018.30%20Council.pdf?T=11

The Democratic Services Manager will announce any submissions received. The Council will be invited to decide what action it wishes to take, if any, on the matters raised in these submissions. As the questions received and the answers given will be circulated in written form there is no requirement for them to be read out at the meeting. The questions and answers will be published with the draft minutes.

Before moving to the first public speaker, the Chair informed the meeting that, earlier in the week, the Chief Executive had reminded Group Leaders of the wording in Constitutional rule 34 with regard to statements, petitions and deputations from members of the public and councillors, and the specific wording that ‘all items must be submitted in writing’, and that officers were now applying this rule.

Statements were then made by the following people;

Rachel Stokes made a statement on behalf of the Keynsham Road Safety Campaign and presented a petition of approximately 700 signatures, calling for an extension of the proposed 30mph section of the Wellsway up to the ‘Keynsham’ sign, and the installation of a pavement to connect properties at Uplands with the pavement at Courtenay Road.  A full copy of Ms Stokes’ statement is linked to the minutes.  Councillor Alan Hale asked Ms Stokes if the campaign group had asked for a speed count to be done.  Ms Stokes replied that they had made this request a year ago via Council Connect and more recently to the Highways department, but this had not been done. The statement and petition was referred to the relevant Cabinet Member.

Bob Goodman made a statement about public statements to meetings. A full copy of the statement is linked to the minutes.  Councillor Kevin Guy queried whether Mr Goodman had said that his statement had been censored, to which Mr Goodman confirmed that was his view.  The statement was referred to the relevant Cabinet Member.

David Redgewell made a statement expressing concern about bus and rail cuts.  A full copy of the statement is linked to the minutes.  The statement was referred to the relevant Cabinet Member.

Danielle Sellwood, from the Bathwick Estate Residents Association (BERA) made a statement about erosion on the banks of the river Avon from Pulteney Weir to Bathampton and calling for this stretch of riverbank to be re-assessed with a view to it being protected. A full copy of the statement is linked to the minutes.  Councillor Kevin Guy asked Ms Sellwood if she was aware that a voluntary code of conduct had been developed in the 1990s with local boat operators, which would be useful to review and see if it was helpful. Ms Sellwood replied that she had not been aware of this and would find it helpful to review.  Councillor Vic Pritchard asked if BERA were asking for commercial use to be limited.  Ms Sellwood confirmed that they were; both in terms of limiting times and having periods with no commercial use, to allow the river to recover.  The statement was referred to the relevant Cabinet Member.

The Chair thanked everyone for their statements.