Agenda and minutes

The Chair was taken by Councillor Charles Gerrish in the absence of Councillor Tim Warren who had sent his apologies for this meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

The Chair also thanked Strategic Directors Andrew Pate and Louise Fradd for their services to the Council and wished them all the best in future.

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out in the Notes

The Senior Democratic Services Officer drew attention to the evacuation procedure as set out in the Agenda.

Councillor Tim Warren had sent his apologies for this meeting.

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

There was none.  The Chair used this opportunity to inform the meeting that item 15 on the agenda (Devolution of the Adult Education Budget - Legislative Process) had been withdrawn and it would be considered under the Single Member Decision process.  The advice from the Monitoring Officer was that the decision should be considered under Single Member powers to allow time for technical issues raised by other WECA members, and Legal and S151 officers, to be resolved and included in the final report. 

Questions submitted before the deadline will receive a reply from an appropriate Cabinet member or a promise to respond within 5 days of the meeting.  Councillors may ask one supplementary question for each question they submitted, up to a maximum of two per Councillor.

There were 18 questions from Councillors and 4 questions from members of the public.

[Copies of the questions and responses, including supplementary questions and responses if any, have been placed on the Minute book as Appendix and are available on the Council's website.]

Councillors and members of the public may register their intention to make a statement if they notify the subject matter of their statement before the deadline.  Statements are limited to 3 minutes each.  The speaker may then be asked by Cabinet members to answer factual questions arising out of their statement.

David Redgewell read out a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix and on the Council's website] on the subject of bus strategies.

Rosemary Naish (on behalf of B&NES ALCA group) read out a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix and on the Council's website] where she endorsed the new Parish Charter.

Dianne Alecock read out a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix and on the Council's website] where she expressed her concerns with the leaves collection at Pennyquick Park.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson read out a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix and on the Council's website] where she asked the Cabinet to request termination of the Norton Radstock Regeneration Company.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 7^th  February 2018 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

This is a standard agenda item, to cover any reports originally placed on the Weekly list for single Member decision making, which have subsequently been the subject of a Cabinet Member requisition to the full Cabinet, under the Council’s procedural rules

This is a standing agenda item (Constitution rule 14, part 4D – Executive Procedure Rules) for matters referred by Policy Development and Scrutiny bodies.  The Chair of the relevant PDS Panel will have the right to attend and to introduce the Panel’s recommendations to Cabinet.

A list of Cabinet Single Member decisions taken and published since the last Cabinet meeting to note (no debate).

The Cabinet agreed to note the report.

A revised Parish Charter has been prepared following engagement with our parish councils.  It is presented to Cabinet for adoption prior to an invitation for Full Council to endorse at its AGM in May 2018, and to the B&NES branch of ALCA to endorse at its AGM in September 2018.

The Monitoring Officer informed the meeting that those Councillors present who were also Parish and Town Councillors did not need to declare an interest in this item as this was a matter of public record.

Councillor Neil Butters made an ad hoc statement by welcoming the report and asked the Cabinet to recognise importance of informing and training of all Council staff that would be in working closely with Town and Parish Councils.  Councillor Butters also stressed the importance of cross-boundary work with neighbouring authorities.

Councillor Paul Myers introduced the report by thanking the Working Group of Parish representatives who had overseen the process of revising the Charter and the associated consultation.  The Group had met regularly since November 2016 and invited Cabinet Members and senior officers to their meetings to discuss views and experiences.  The adoption of the revised Parish Charter represents a significant milestone in the evolving relationship between Bath & North East Somerset Council and local Parish Councils.  The Charter contained a series of core principles and commitments on both sides.  The Charter set out additional useful information such as updated terms of reference for Parish Liaison and Parish Council functions and responsibilities.  Alongside the Charter there was a ‘Toolkit’ designed to be a working document offering practical information on structures, protocols and standards.  The Toolkit could be readily updated and changed and made available to other organisations including in non-parished areas.  Councillor Myers also said that the Charter had been subject to extensive consultation, with 43 parishes out of 51 responding.  The draft Charter was considered by the Communities, Transport and Environment Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel who recognised the importance of training and development to ensure that Council staff would have a good understanding of the Charter and the opportunities for partnership working with Parish Councils.

Councillor Paul Myers moved the recommendations.

Councillor Paul May seconded the motion by saying that since the Parish Charter was adopted in 1999, the context had changed significantly as a result of financial pressures but also due to new opportunities such as advances in digital technology and enhanced partnership arrangements.  As a result, the Parish Charter had been revised and a new, draft Charter was now ready for adoption.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to:

2.1  Adopt the revised Parish Charter attached as Appendix 1 to the report, with the exception of the revised Terms of Reference for Parish Liaison which are for Council to determine.

2.2  Recommend that the Council’s AGM in May endorse the Parish Charter and that it reviews and adopts the revised Terms of Reference for Parish Liaison set out in Appendix 1 of the Charter document.

2.3  Agree that the implementation of the Charter be reviewed and evaluated in the first year of its operation in order to make any further refinements required as part of the Council’s Changing Together programme.

2.4  Acknowledge and thank the members of the Working Group for their contributions and the parish councils who responded to the consultation.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 194.

To consider the rationale behind the proposal to close the school and the representation responses received during the Statutory Notice publication period and decide whether to proceed with the closure of Camerton Church School.

Councillor Paul May introduced this item by thanking the officers for the report.  Councillor May also said that the Council had tried to keep the school open but pupil numbers had been falling for several years and for September 2017 only seven pupils in total were on roll.  Despite the efforts of the Governing Body over the years to increase pupil numbers through publicity, open days, providing a pre-school nursery on site, working closely with other small schools and eventually becoming part of a federation of three schools, pupil numbers had gradually reduced.  At this size, the Governing Body believed it would be extremely difficult to provide a rounded education that would meet the academic, social and emotional needs of the pupils at the school. As schools were funded on a per pupil basis, with such small numbers year on year, the budget to operate the school had continued to diminish. This made it very difficult to provide a rich and engaging curriculum and opportunities for pupils to achieve high standards in their learning and to develop social friendship groups. The Governing Body had therefore concluded that the school was no longer viable either educationally or financially and had taken the difficult decision to propose closing the school.

Councillor Paul May moved the recommendations.

Councillor Charles Gerrish seconded the motion by saying that the school could not operate economically and educationally and that the transport for the remaining seven children would be provided between home and allocated school at Shoscombe in line with the current Home to School Transport Policy.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed with the closure of Camerton Church School on 31 August 2018. 

The Council has a statutory duty to secure sufficient schools are available for their area to provide primary and secondary education. The Primary and Secondary School Organisation Plan 2017 – 2021 at Appendix 1 (the Plan) covers in detail the current level of primary and secondary school provision in the Authority and detailed projected pupil numbers over the next four years up to admissions in September 2021 based on births and resident population data.

Estimated pupil numbers as a consequence of the future planned housing development expected to be delivered within the Adopted Core Strategy and Placemaking Plan period up to 2029 and the emerging Local Plan period up to 2036 are also outlined. Estimates for the number of school places likely to be required as a result and proposals as to how and where these might be provided are also included.

Councillor Dine Romero made an ad-hoc statement where she expressed her concerns with the report; in particular that some longstanding issues in the South West of Bath were still not considered.  Councillor Romero also said that only St Martins School would have an increase in places for children from the Foxhill regeneration development.  Councillor Romero concluded her statement by expressing concern on the lack of secondary school places for children from South West of Bath due to the closure of BCA School and that some children would have to travel over 3 miles to get to allocated schools.

Councillor Paul Crossley made an ad-hoc statement and also expressed his concern with the report as he felt that the paper did not reference an increase of population in Bath and North East Somerset.  Councillor Crossley felt that parents of children living in South West Bath were discriminated in relation to their choice of schools, especially those parents who were on lower income scale.  Councillor Crossley concluded his statement by asking the Cabinet to send this report back to officers for further work on these matters.

Councillor Tim Ball made an ad-hoc statement by expressing his concern that children from South West Bath, who were with special educational needs, would have to travel long distances to the school with SEN provision.  Councillor Ball also asked the Cabinet to send this report back to officers for further work on these issues.

Councillor Will Sandry made an ad-hoc statement where he also expressed concern on the report.  Councillor Sandry felt that it was not appropriate to put all of the children from South West of Bath in Bath schools since the BCA closure.  Councillor Sandry also said that such move would affect children’s travel and education.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson made an ad-hoc statement where she questioned estimated figures of new children arriving in Radstock and Westfield area as a result of new housing provision on previous railway land.  Councillor Jackson also expressed her concern that academies would not take as many children as expected.

Councillor Paul May introduced the report by saying that this report had been seen by the Children and Young People PDS Panel before coming to the Cabinet, with the reflection on a need to sufficient school places in Bath and North East Somerset.  Councillor May responded to concerns raised at the meeting in terms of placement of children from South West Bath into St Marks School by saying that the school was a good school with a provision of good and quality education.

Councillor May also said that should future proposed new housing development identified in the Local Plan in a particular area be projected to result in a shortfall of primary school places, the Authority would apply CIL funding or seek S106 Developer Contributions to provide additional school places. These places would likely to be delivered via the expansion of existing schools, with the exception of proposed new housing in Keynsham and Whitchurch, where whole new schools would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 196.