Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillor Lisa O’Brien, Chairman of the Council (B&NES)

Councillor Alison Born (B&NES)

Jan Burdge (West Harptree Parish Council)

Dawn Drury (Keynsham Town Council)

The Chair will announce any items of urgent business accepted since the agenda was prepared.

Councillor Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture addressed the meeting. A copy of her statement will be attached as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

Homes for Ukraine:

The Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme went live last Friday.

Under the scheme, sponsors offer accommodation to named people who have been displaced by the terrible impact of Russia’s invasion. There is a monthly £350 “thank you” payment to sponsors regardless of how many refugees they sponsor.

Once there is a “match”, this has to be followed by a visa application process and other checks. Subject to these checks, the displaced people can travel to the UK and take up the accommodation. They will have rights to work and benefits.

More information on the scheme can be found on the government’s website https://homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk/ . The scheme is still open.

Locally, we are expecting to welcome our first guests under the Homes to Ukraine scheme into our area very shortly. They will join those who have recently arrived under the Ukraine Family Visa Scheme.

We are working with our partners including Julian House and Bath Welcomes Refugees, along with local public services, to ensure the school places, health and other support are all available as new arrivals settle into our communities. We are also contacting all schools to keep them updated.

I would like to thank all local people who are offering accommodation and help to those in such need of our support.

There are other ways we can support too, particularly contributing to the Disasters Emergency Committee Appeal, UNICEF and the British Red Cross. More information can be found on the council’s own dedicated Support Ukraine web page ( https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/support-ukraine ).

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th October 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13^th October 2021 were confirmed as a correct record.

David Trethewey - Director of External Affairs, B&NES will address the meeting.

The Director of External Affairs addressed the meeting a copy of his presentation is attached as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

WECA Committees & Boards

A Joint Committee and a WECA Committee are in place and are supported by the respective Mayors, Leaders and CEOs.

Four Advisory Boards are also in operation – Skills Board / Business Board / Transport Board / Housing & Planning Board. A representative from B&NES Cabinet sits on each of the Advisory Boards.

The WECA Committee is chaired by the Regional Mayor, Dan Norris, and is made up of the leaders and Mayor from the three councils in the region – Bath & North East Somerset (Cllr Kevin Guy), Bristol City Council (Mayor Marvin Rees) and South Gloucestershire Council (Leader, Cllr Toby Savage).

The Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Richard Bonner, also attends committee meetings.

West of England Combined Authority objectives

Contribute to providing strong collective leadership and strategic direction to realise the full economic potential of the West of England.

Support the development and delivery of key strategies to improve the economic conditions across the West of England area.

Ensuring arrangements are in place to report the proposals and activities of the Combined Authority to the constituent councils.

Provide a formal and accountable forum for decision making relating to all relevant West of England Combined Authority functions.

WECA Core Strategic Functions

·  Transport

·  Planning and Housing

·  Skills

·  Employment

·  Finance

Transport Functions

The West of England Mayoral functions:

•Prepare a Local Transport Plan including:

·  Strategic infrastructure delivery plan

·  Bus strategy; including all quality partnership arrangements and Bus Services Bill Powers, for example franchising

·  Key Route Network (management and maintenance principles)

The West of England Combined Authority functions:

·  Power to deliver Grants to the UAs for the exercise of highway functions.

·  Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) powers:

o  Concessionary fares

o  Provision of local bus information

o  Community Transport

West of England Combined Authority and Unitary Authority Joint functions:

·  Subsidised services -Socially necessary bus services

City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Programme

Transport Corridors

·  Bristol to Bath (A4)

·  SomerValley to Bristol and Bath (A37 and A367)

·  Bath City Centre bus priority, walking and cycling

Walking and Cycling

·  Lots of community connections along the corridors

·  Plus priority schemes from the Local Cycling Walking Infrastructure Plan

Planning & Housing Functions

The West of England Mayoral functions:

·  Combined Authority (Mayoral) Spatial Plan (from May 2018)

The West of England Combined Authority functions:

·  Promote the establishment of a Joint Assets Board for the West of England

WECA Overview & Scrutiny Committee

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee shall have the power to:

·  Review or scrutinise decisions made, or other actions taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are the responsibility of the Combined Authority or the Joint Committee;

·  Provide advice and challenge on policy and programme delivery to help ensure the region meets its climate commitments, including monitoring the delivery of the authority’s Climate Emergency Action Plan.

·  Make reports or recommendations to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

Martin Laker – Team Manager GIS, B&NES and Tristram Cary - Chairman of Geoxphere (the company behind XMAP and Parish Online) will address the meeting.

Tristram Cary - Chairman of Geoxphere addressed the meeting, a copy of his presentation is attached as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

He said that he felt that most of the Parishes were familiar with the service that Parish Online can provide, but that maybe advice or training in certain aspects was required.

Climate Plans in Parish Online

Over 70% of Districts have declared a Climate Emergency, but Parish and Town Councils are finding it hard to follow up with geography-specific climate plans due to:

•Lack of expertise

•Lack of data

•Lack of tools

•Proposal - Use Parish Online

Role of Parish Online for Climate Plans

a)  Provide data layers

•General (Mastermap, Address Base, Ancient Woodland etc)

 Impact Report)

•B&NES layers (EV charging points, Housing Condition Survey)

•Commissioned data (solar potential, Community GSHP schemes etc)

b)  Build Action Plans

•As for Neighbourhood Plans (Layers for energy, transport, biodiversity etc)

c)  Communicate Action Plan via Public Maps

d)  Plot and report progress

e)  Share layers between all interested parties (community groups, UI, national 

Climate Layers

·  Energy

·  Transport

·  Trees and Biodiversity

·  Sustainability

NB: Once defined these layers can be added to all B&NES POL accounts as shared collaborative layers.

Parish Online can provide the following information:

·  CSE Impact Report

·  EPC Score

·  EPC Potential Score Improvement and C+ Potential

·  Full EPC Reports

·  Solar Potential (Energeo service)

·  EV Charging Point Analysis (Energeo service)

·  Ground Source Heat Pump Suitability ((Energeo service)

Ideas and Next Steps

·  Chew Valley work as a team?

·  Involve a University?

o  Provide expertise

o  Provide people

·  Develop Templates to guide other councils?

·  Geoxphere will help as required

Martin Laker, Team Manager – GIS said that if anyone needs more help with their mapping, do email him ( martin_laker@bathnes.gov.uk ).He added that he would also be happy to come out and visit Parish offices.

Councillor Dave Wood, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services asked if all B&NES Councillors had or could have access to Parish Online.

Tristram Cary replied that the same degree of information was available to all Councillors via District Online which they could be given access to and to contact Martin Laker.  He added that other organisations, such as a Climate / Planning Forum, could also be given access.

John Adler, Freshford Parish Council asked if he was aware of other local forums as well as the one highlighted in the Chew Valley and asked how they could work together as a team.

Tristram Cary thanked him for that information. He explained that he mentioned the Chew Valley Area Forum because he had been invited to give them a presentation. He added that he hoped that as many Parishes as possible would take part in this work as all have a licence to do so.

John Adler said that he would liaise with Jackie Head, Chew Valley Area Forum at some point.

Sara Dixon, Locality Manager said that having presented to the Chew Valley  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

We will have an update from a Parish on some recent projects.

We would welcome other parishes sharing information and good practice at Parish Liaison going forward.  If you are interested, email connecting_communities@bathnes.gov.uk

Councillor Kathy Thomas addressed the meeting and gave an update on some recent work undertaken in her Parish of Peasedown St John. A copy of her presentation is attached as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

Peasedown St John - a civil parish

·  Peasedown St John became a civil parish in 1955

·  The parish was formed from parts of the parishes of Camerton, Dunkerton and Wellow.

Improving access to our open spaces

·  The village has grown from 30 homes in 1800 to 3,000 homes in 2022.

·  Peasedown St John Parish Council has strived to improve the facilities so that residents benefit from the outdoor spaces owned and managed by the parish council

Open Spaces of Peasedown St John

Over the decades the parish has developed:

·  The Miners Welfare Recreation Ground

o  Recent project to lay a tarmac path around the entire site

o  The facilities are well used, including by the Miners Football Team.

·  Ashgrove Cemetery – owned by the parish

o  During the last decade a memorial garden and cremated remains plots have been added

o  A pergola with seating is a recent addition

·  Beacon Field – long lease from Bath and North East Somerset

o  Secure dog exercise area

o  Children’s Play Area and Multi User Games Area MUGA)

·  EcewicheGreen – owned by the parish

o  Equality Gates were added to 5 entrances, along with bench seating

o  Paths were laid and 1,000 trees planted

·  The “Tump” in Carlingcott – owned by the parish

o  The Parish Council seat in Carlingcott a useful place to rest before climbing back up to Peasedown St John

o  The “Telephone box” has been refurbished by the parish council

and is a book store for the residents

·  Allotments at Braysdown – rented from a local farmer

o  Environmentally friendly soil toilet installed

o  The parish council has also built raised beds at the allotments

Sources of funding

·  Precept

·  Community Empowerment Fund B&NES Council

·  Donations

·  Quartet Community Foundation

Peasedown St John Parish Council

·  From small beginnings the Parish Council now in its 67th year has served the parish well

·  None of these achievements could have been realised without determination and hard work by staff and councillors

The Chair thanked Councillor Thomas for her informative presentation and said he was in awe of the activity that Parishes do for their community. He said that the meeting would welcome other parishes sharing information and good practice at Parish Liaison going forward. 

Anyone interested in making a presentation on behalf of their parish should contact officers via connecting_communities@bathnes.gov.uk or contact any member of the Community Engagement Team.

Dave Dixon – Community Engagement Manager, B&NES and Mark Hayward – Community Engagement Officer, B&NES will address the meeting.

An online map has been created providing details of funding allocation from the last two rounds of the Ward Councillors’ Community Empowerment Funding and all Bath Neighbourhood CiL Funding.  We would welcome parishes adding their own Neighbourhood CiL allocations if wished.

You can find the map here

Dave Dixon, Community Engagement Manager and Mark Hayward, Community Engagement Officer addressed the meeting.

Mark Hayward explained that there is an online map (see link below) that has been created to demonstrate where the Neighbourhood Portion of the Bath Community Infrastructure Levy and Ward Councillors funds have been spent.

https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMDU5MjdjYTgtYTk0OS00YjJmLWJlN2MtY2E4Y2E0YmJkOTY1IiwidCI6ImM1NjJjMGNlLWQ5MjUtNGRmZC04ZDk5LWM5NDE2ZWIwM2ViOSJ9

He added that the map shows the status of a project, whether it has been approved or completed. He said that they would now like to offer the Parishes the chance to show details of their projects.

He explained that information relating to projects in receipt of this type of funding can be submitted via an online form.

Dave Dixon said that they were willing to be contacted if any help was required and to email mark_hayward@bathnes.gov.uk .

Dave Dixon – Community Engagement Manager, B&NES will address the meeting.

The Parish Charter (accessed via this link) is due for review.

Dave Dixon, Community Engagement Manager addressed the meeting. He said that a report had been circulated in advance of the meeting regarding the Parish Charter which was due to be reviewed during 2022. 

He highlighted some further points from the report.

Since the adoption of the Parish Charter, we have continued to improve the way we work together and whilst we recognise that further improvements need to be made, particularly around communication and consultation, we have set new priorities as well as introducing a series of initiatives and tools to assist with our partnership working. This has included:-

·  Implementation of Fix My Street, a digital tool to report issues associated with roads, pavements and parks. More information about Fix My Street here. 

·  A review of the Connecting Communities Forums for Bath City, Bathavon North and Bathavon South.  This resulted in the creation of a single Forum to represent the parishes of the Bathavon area and a new Forum for the Bath Area.  Five area Forums have now been established for the whole district.  More information about the Connecting Communities Forums here.

·  The declaration of Climate Emergency by the Council in 2019, with many parishes across the district also declaring this and setting new priorities. 

He said that they are seeking additionalparish representation to sit on the Working Group to assist with the Charter Review.  If you are interested or need further information, please email: Alison Wells, Alison_Wells@bathnes.gov.uk

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee:  A reminder that deadlines for some permissions and licences are coming up in March.  The deadline for road closure applications is 22 April.  Further information can be found online on the Jubilee Toolkit for Parishes.

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Councillor Dine Romero said that she hoped many people across B&NES would be attending events to celebrate the Jubilee.

She explained that the deadline for applications for those wanting to hold a street party was April 22^nd.

She said that further information and a Jubilee Toolkit could be found here:

https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/neighbourhoods-and-community-safety/working-partnership/working-parish-councils

She added that there was also support on offer to them from the Events Team.

Wednesday 13^th July (potentially in person)

Wednesday 12^th October

All starting at 6.30pm for an hour and a half.  They will be by Zoom unless members would like a physical meeting in the Summer.

Wednesday 13 July

Wednesday 12 October

All meetings will start at 6.30pm and will last for an hour and a half. They will be by Zoom unless members would like a physical meeting in the summer.

If anyone has any feedback on the proposed dates or, on whether meetings should take place via Zoom or physically, please let ALCA BANES or the Council’s Community Engagement Team know.

The Chair wished to take this opportunity to thank Councillor Lisa O’Brien for her work this past year as Chairman of the Council and her involvement with the Parish Liaison meetings.