Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Guildhall, Bath. View directions

Contact: Jack Latkovic  01225 394452

Media

Items
No. Item

82.

Welcome and introductions

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

83.

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

84.

Apologies for Absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Liz Richardson had sent her apologies for this meeting.

85.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillors Tim Warren and Vic Pritchard declared an other interest in item 15 (Chew Valley Neighbourhood Plan) as members of the steering group.  Having taken advice from the Monitoring Officer, Councillors Tim Warren and Vic Pritchard would vote on this item.

86.

To Announce any Urgent Business Agreed by the Chair

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There was none.

87.

Questions from Public and Councillors

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were 14 questions from Councillors and 5 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.]

Question and Answers pdf icon PDF 151 KB

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88.

Statements, Deputations or Petitions from Public or Councillors

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Andy Halliday read out the statement (attached as Appendix and available on the Minute Book at Democratic Services) where he expressed his concerns over Bath Central Library Resources.

 

David Worskett (Vice Chair of Clutton Parish Council) read out the statement (attached as Appendix and available on the Minute Book at Democratic Services) where he expressed his concerns over road safety in Clutton.

 

Councillor Tim Warren thanked David Worskett for his statement and suggested a site visit with Clutton Parish Council representatives, Councillor Anthony Clarke, Strategic Director for Place and relevant officers.

Andy Halliday statement pdf icon PDF 22 KB

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David Worskett statement pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Additional documents:

89.

Minutes of Previous Cabinet Meetings 25th Jan 2017 and 1st Feb 2017 pdf icon PDF 103 KB

To be confirmed as correct records and signed by the Chair.

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings held on Wednesday 25th January 2017 and Wednesday 1st February 2017 be confirmed as correct records and signed by the Chair.

90.

Consideration of Single Member Items Requisitioned to Cabinet

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were none.

91.

Matters Referred by Policy Development and Scrutiny Bodies

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were none.

92.

Single Member Cabinet Decisions Taken since Previous Cabinet Meeting pdf icon PDF 92 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet agreed to note the report.

93.

Determination of Statutory Notices to Enlarge Three Primary Schools in Bath, Radstock and Whitchurch pdf icon PDF 108 KB

Following the publication of the statutory notices proposing the enlargement of Bathwick St. Mary C of E Primary School, St. Nicholas’ C of E Primary School and Whitchurch Primary School to create additional pupil places, Cabinet to consider the responses submitted during the representation period and to determine the statutory notices for these enlargements.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Dine Romero expressed her disappointment that the proposed enlargement of Bathwick St. Mary C of E Primary School would not go ahead at this time.  Councillor Dine Romero asked what would happen with the funding that developers had put aside to enable expansion of the school.

 

Councillor Michael Evans responded to Councillor Romero’s question that the Council had not reached that point yet.

 

Councillor Michael Evans moved the item by saying that recommendations 2.1 and 2.2 would stay the same though recommendation 2.3 would now read as: ‘Defer the decision in respect of the enlargement of Whitchurch Primary School from 206 to 315 places and delegate this decision to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to determine by 15th May as a Single Member Decision.’  Councillor Michael Evans said that this would enable the Cabinet Member for Children Services to talk to parents of the Whitchurch Primary School, and take their comments on board before the final decision is made.

 

Councillor Michael Evans also said that the Local Authority was under a statutory duty to ensure that there were sufficient school places in their area. These places should, where possible, be provided in popular and successful schools serving the area of need in order to increase parental choice, contribute to raising educational standards and attainment and to facilitate sustainable methods of travel to school.

 

Councillor Tim Warren seconded the motion by saying that the Council would secure places in schools before the housing developments take place.  The Council was successive in achieving high percentage of pupils going to their first choice of school.

 

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed:

 

1)  Reject the proposed enlargement of Bathwick St. Mary C of E Primary School at this time to allow further discussion around school site issues to take place with the Governing Body.

 

2)  Approve the enlargement of St. Nicholas’ C of E Primary School from 270 to 420 places.

 

3)  Defer the decision in respect of the enlargement of Whitchurch Primary School from 206 to 315 places and delegate this decision to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to determine by 15th May as a Single Member Decision.

94.

Heritage Services Business Plan 2017-2022 pdf icon PDF 110 KB

This is the second update of the Heritage Services five-year Business Plan 2015-2020 that was approved by Cabinet in February 2015. It covers the five financial years from 2017/18 to 2021/22, and has been prepared following the annual in-depth review of business activity. The revised Plan includes an analysis of the risk involved.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones moved the recommendations by saying that recommendation 2.1 from the report would now read as: ‘Approve the Heritage Service Business Plan 2017-2022 with a slight amendment to the Business Strategy section under “Roman Baths” to read: “Increase admission charges in 2018 potentially with further increases in the other four years to be agreed with the relevant Cabinet Member and recognising the excellent value for money rating given by visitors.”

 

Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones also said that the 2017-2022 Business Plan summarised how the Service had performed when benchmarked against other leading visitor attractions. Detailed commercially sensitive information had been provided in the exempt appendices which would be available to Cabinet Members upon request. The Plan also assessed the risk associated with assumptions on visitor volumes, including the threats posed by the development of competing visitor attractions, and sets out a business, pricing and marketing strategy to maximise income earned from the visitor market.

 

Councillor Charles Gerrish seconded the motion by highlighting the hard work of the staff who was dealing with large number of visitors every year.  Councillor Charles Gerrish emphasised the positive comments of the visitors to Roman Baths and stressed the contribution that Heritage Service had made to the overall budget. 

 

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to:

 

1)  Approve the Heritage Service Business Plan 2017-2022 with a slight amendment to the Business Strategy section under “Roman Baths” to read:

 

Increase admission charges in 2018 potentially with further increases in the other four years to be agreed with the relevant Cabinet Member and recognising the excellent value for money rating given by visitors.”

 

2)  Confirm that it wishes Heritage Services to continue to work to the business principles agreed by the Council Executive in 2004, as amended;

 

 

3)  Approve the deferral of £100k of Approved capital expenditure on the implementation of the new Visitor Management System from 2017/18 to 2018/19;

 

4)  Note that at its February meeting Cabinet gave Provisional Approval to the following capital projects:

a)  Archway Centre Public Realm improvements at a cost of £226k to support funding already identified through the Roman Baths Infrastructure Programme and the Public Realm Improvement Programme to deliver essential safety and public realm works in the immediate area of the new Archway Project;

b)  Roman Baths & Pump Room Infrastructure Programme totalling £495k including replacing heat-exchange equipment (£250k) and existing electrical distribution equipment that is at maximum capacity and no longer fit for purpose (£45k).
 

5)  Note the investment contained within the Business Plan and approve the procurement of goods and services necessary to carry out this investment.

 

95.

Adoption West Update pdf icon PDF 1 MB

The Cabinet are asked to approve proposals for the establishment of the Adoption West Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) as outlined in this report.

The purpose for requesting approval at this stage is due to the timescales for achieving commitment from multiple local authorities. In addition, the report seeks to provide certainty regarding each local authority’s commitment prior to formal staff consultation and committing substantial project resources on drafting legal documentation and initiating support service commissioning. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Tim Ball addressed the Cabinet as special guardian of three children.  Councillor Tim Ball expressed his concerns that special guardians had not been consulted on this paper.  Councillor Tim Ball also said that special guardians were in different position from adoptive parents.  Special guardians would need a support locally and not from other authorities. Councillor Tim Ball asked the Cabinet to consider position of special guardians locally before accepting this document

 

Chief Executive responded that he had fully recognised the position of special guardians as different from fostering and adoption.  The proposal in the report would not affect special guardianship; in fact, it would recognise its position in the law.

 

Councillor Michael Evans moved the recommendations by asking the Cabinet to approve proposals for the establishment of the Adoption West Regional Adoption Agency (RAA).  The purpose for requesting approval at this stage was due to the timescales for achieving commitment from multiple local authorities. In addition, the report would seek to provide certainty regarding each local authority’s commitment prior to formal staff consultation and committing substantial project resources on drafting legal documentation and initiating support service commissioning.

 

Councillor Michael Evans reminded the Cabinet that, following the general election in May 2015 the context within which the Adoption West project was operating changed with the publication of ‘Regionalising Adoption’ (July 2015).  In this document, the government had set out their proposals to move to Regional Adoption Agencies by the end of the Parliament in 2020 and invited expressions of interest from local partnerships.  The paper had included an emphasis on getting adoption/permanence right for harder to place children whilst ensuring adoption support was available and accessible to these adoptive families and set out three key aims:

  To speed up matching and improve the life chances of neglected children

  To improve adopter recruitment and adoption support

  To reduce costs (through quicker placements for looked after children)

 

Councillor Martin Veal seconded the motion by saying that officers across the six authorities had worked well and hard for the establishment of the Adoption West Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) and highlighted the great work of Bath and North East Somerset in adoption.

 

 

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to:

 

1)  Note the progress on this project;

 

2)  Delegate authority for approving the detailed implementation plans, including financial, contractual and legal agreements to the Strategic Director (People and Communities) subject to council policies and procedures. Final approval will be subject to consultation with the Section151 officer, Head of Legal Services and relevant elected member following scrutiny of the fully costed business case.

96.

Chew Valley Neighbourhood Development Plan pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Following the successful examination and referendum, this report seeks to make and bring into force the Chew Valley Neighbourhood Plan, so that it will be used by the Local Planning Authority to help determine planning applications within the Neighbourhood Area.  Chew Magna Parish Council is the qualifying body authorised to act in relation to the Neighbourhood Plan. The Chew Valley Neighbourhood Development Plan area comprises of the parishes of Chew Magna, Chew Stoke, Compton Martin, East Harptree, Hinton Blewett, Ubley and West Harptree.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Liz Brimmell (Chew Valley Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group) made a statement where she wished to thank the Chew Valley Neighbourhood Plan steering group and in particular the chair, Liz Richardson, without whose dedication over the last three years the NP would have not been possible to achieve. 

 

Liz Brimmell also expressed her appreciation for the work of the Neighbourhood Plan examiner, and welcomed that the wording of CVNP's first policy HDE1 was modified to determine that ‘...development must conserve and not harm the characteristic rural features of the area including the undeveloped landscape setting of settlements’.  The policy when adopted by B&NES would substantially protect all seven parishes within the Plan.

 

Councillor Vic Pritchard moved the recommendations by thanking Councillor Liz Richardson and Liz Brimmell to their work on the Chew Valley Neighbourhood Plan.  Councillor Vic Pritchard also said that Chew Magna, Chew Stoke, Compton Martin, East Harptree, Hinton Blewett, Ubley and

West Harptree Parish Council had indicated that they would like to undertake a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) in December 2013 and the Neighbourhood Area, the first formal stage in the process, was designated by the Council on 18th March 2014.  The Plan was considered by an Independent Examiner in November 2016, who had recommended that it should proceed, with modifications, to the final stage, the referendum.

The referendum had taken place on the 16th February 2017.  In accordance with the regulations, the question posed in the referendum was: ‘Do you want Bath & North East Somerset Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Chew Valley Area to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’  There was a 24.9% turnout of the overall Neighbourhood Area electorate.  A majority (90.8%) were in favour of using the Chew Valley NDP to help decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area.

 

Councillor Tim Warren seconded the motion by thanking everyone who had been involved in the development of the Plan.  Councillor Tim Warren highlighted the hard work of Councillor Liz Richardson and Liz Brimell on the Plan.

 

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to make and bring into force the Chew Valley Neighbourhood Development Plan, as set out in  Appendix 1, as part of the Development Plan for the Chew Valley Neighbourhood Area, in accordance with Section 38A(4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011).