Agenda and minutes

The Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council, Councillor Ian Gilchrist, will welcome everyone to the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The Meeting stood and observed a one minute silence in tribute to Peter Duppa-Miller, who died on 1^st May, and to Councillor David Bellotti, who died on 10^th June.

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

The Chairman advised the Meeting of the emergency evacuation procedure.

Apologies were received from Cllr Patrick Anketell-Jones and Cllr Tony Clarke.

There was none.

The minutes of the meeting of 25^th February were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Warren’s presentation will include information on:

·  review of the previous administration’s policies

·  fracking policy and licensing

·  broadband

·  gypsy and traveller sites

·  Connecting Communities

Cllr Warren first of all outlined the new administration’s key commitments for the next four years.

• Increased efficiency and reduced spending. He said that the Council faced a huge financial challenge. It was too early to decide detailed measures, but the administration would seek to minimise reductions in services. A financial review to establish a four-year spending plan was being undertaken by Councillor Charles Gerrish, Cabinet Member for Resources.

• Transport. The Bath and Keynsham Transport Strategieswould be updated and there would be a review of transport in the Chew Valley and Somer Valley areas.

• More homes and jobs. The administration would seek to achieve this objective while protecting the Green Belt. The Council’s Core Strategy had been agreed in July 2014, and this was being used to defend against unacceptable proposals at  planning appeals

• Young people. Among other things, the administration would seek to provide high-quality care for looked-after children.

• Cleaner, healthier communities. The administration was looking forward to working with the parishes on this objective. Efforts would be made to keep the streets clean, increase recycling and to protect and enhance the natural and built environment.

• Dignity for older people. The administration wished to increase grants available to assist older people with disabilities to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

He introduced his Cabinet colleagues, Cllrs Michael Evans, Charles Gerrish, Marie Longstaff, Vic Pritchard and Martin Veal to the Meeting. He apologised that Cllrs Patrick Anketell-Jones and Tony Clarke had been unable to attend tonight.

He then turned to the agenda issues requested by parish representatives.

Connecting Communities

Cllr Warren said that the agendas for Area Forums would be tailored more closely to the characteristics of individual localities. Local people should attend the Forums and give feedback on the issues they felt were important. [Information about Connecting Communities and the dates of future Area Forums are given on the attached briefing note.]

Fracking

Lisa Bartlett (Divisional Director- Development) said that ‘fracking’ was a general term applied to several extractive techniques. There were currently no licences to allow prospective developers to carry out explorations in the Bath and North East Somerset area. There had until recently been one prospective developer, who had held a 13^th-round licence to conduct explorations in the southern part of the area. The government rescinded this licence, even though the developer had wanted to renew it. We are awaiting an announcement by the Government in relation to allocation of 14^th-round licences.

If a licence was issued that covered the Bath and North East Somerset area or adjoining areas, for example, the Mendips, the licensee would still have to seek planning permission before it could commence any operations.

Cllr Warren reminded the Meeting that the Council had passed a resolution he had proposed in July 2013 stating that the Council had serious concerns about the potential impact of fracking on the Green Belt, underground springs and water supply in the area, and that it should adopt  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Meeting is requested to note the attached information:

1.  Cabinet Portfolios.

2.  Remit of Scrutiny Panels.

3.  Council Decision-Making Structure.

The Chief Executive outlined the Council’s new committee structure. A Health and Wellbeing Select Committee had been established to underline the Council’s increasing statutory role in this area.

Vernon Hitchman, the former Bath and North East Somerset Monitoring Officer, retired on 29^th May 2015. His successor, Maria Lucas, will address the meeting.

Maria Lucas introduced herself to delegates. She said that she would be arranging to attend parish meetings to meet the councillors and speak about standards.  She invited parish clerks to contact her if they had any queries about standards issues.

Matt Atkinson, Principal of Bath City College, will brief the meeting on the merger of Bath City College with Norton Radstock College.

The Chair welcomed Matt Atkinson to the meeting.

Matt said that he was now Principal and Chief Executive of Bath College, formed from the merger of City of Bath College with Norton Radstock College. The college had two campuses, one in Bath and one in Westfield. 80% of students were from the locality. 9,000 students enrolled each year and 3,000 were full time. The college employed 650 staff. The previous two colleges had suffered a quite severe reduction in funding, so a merger had been necessary. The college had three priorities:

1.  To develop the talent of young people;

2.  To develop people in the work place;

3.  To encourage learning in the community.

The college had access to the Community Learning Fund. It ad £330,000 to spend on community projects and welcomed suggestions about where this could be spent. The college already had a Hub-in-a-Pub in Chew Stoke.

The college could no longer afford to duplicate provision at the two campuses, so there would be a rationalisation of courses between the two. Students would have to travel more often between Bath and Westfield. The college had been successful at the first round of a funding application to the West of England LEP for funding to build a new construction skill centre in Bath.

The college had lots of space, and was looking at how this might be made available to businesses. The college wanted to reconnect the Westfield campus to the local business.

Councillor Evans asked whether funding was difficult. Matt said that his task was to ensure that the college was well run within the resources available. There was no doubt that the merger would help the college to be stronger.

Councillor Gerrish asked about the costs of travel between the two campuses. Matt that the provision of affordable transport in the area for young people was poor. Within a couple of years 500 people would be travelling between the campuses and the college was investing to make transport easier. They were talking to First Bus. The college could be paying up to £300,000 a year for extra services. Free bus passes would be provided to students in September.

Councillor Gerrish recalled that Norton Radstock College had previously had premises in Keynsham. Matt said these had to be closed because of cost pressures. He didn’t rule out the possibility of a local presence in future.

Meetings are scheduled for:

21^st October 2015

24^th February 2016

Members noted the dates of future meetings.