Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 5.

The Chair drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out on the agenda.

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 complete the green interest forms circulated to groups in their pre-meetings (which will be announced at the Council Meeting) 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 4.4 Appendix 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.

The Monitoring Officer issued a dispensation for any Councillor over 55 in regards to the motion on Ageing Well so that all Councillors could take part in the debate and vote.

Councillor Dine Romero declared an ‘other’ interest in the Youth Justice plan item, as her daughter works for the Police.

To be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair

On a motion from Councillor Sarah Warren, seconded by Councillor Eleanor Jackson, it was

RESOLVED that the minutes of 16^th May 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Chair made the customary announcement regarding microphone use.

If there is any urgent business arising since the formal agenda was published, the Chair will announce this and give reasons why it has been agreed for consideration at this meeting. In making this decision, the Chair will, where practicable, have consulted with the Leaders of the Political Groups. Any documentation on urgent business will be circulated at the meeting, if not made available previously.

There were no items of urgent business.

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.

The Chair made reference to the questions from the public and the responses that had been circulated.

Statements were made by the following members of the public;

Helen Dudden made a statement regarding accessible housing, explaining that the need for accessible homes was urgent and asking what more could be done to ease the problems.  She explained her own wait for a home and called for a different type of provision, as the current arrangement meant that often one case jumped over another.  On a recent search, 64 people were bidding for 1 home.  Councillor Joanna Wright asked how many affordable accessible homes had been built in B&NES over the last 5 years.  Helen replied that it was very few.

Neil McCabe made a statement regarding the Sydney Road Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, setting out his opposition to it and the reasons for that, a copy of which is attached to the online record and added to the Minute book.  Councillor Sarah Warren commented that there appeared to be inaccuracies in the air quality and traffic data and asked if Neil could provide this information.  Neil replied that the information was available via the footnote to his statement, and had been taken from the 2023 Air Quality report.  Councillor Grant Johnson asked for the background to the claim that 163 households had been harmed by this initiative, to which Neil replied that the number of households had been available via a map and postcode search and that it therefore followed that more traffic past these homes would mean further harm.  Councillor Shaun Hughes asked how much of the data was available before the trial started, to which Neil replied that it was all available before the trial started and so traffic engineers could have reached the same conclusions in a short period of time.

Ian Orpen made a statement regarding the Sydney Road Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, a copy of which is attached to the online record and added to the Minute book.  He explained his view that the scheme was poorly thought out and said there was still time to stop the trial and consult on a more suitable alternative.  Councillor Grant Johnson noted Ian’s comment that the Council hadn’t implemented the correct interventions in this case and asked what those would be.  Ian replied that there were plenty of traffic calming measures that could be introduced, which would not have the danger associated with blocking roads.  Councillor Shaun Hughes asked Ian to elaborate on the dangers he had mentioned, to which Ian gave an example of a 12 year old child facing difficulties riding a bike to school and routes being diverted around primary schools.  Councillor Joanna Wright asked if Ian was aware if a circulation plan had been put in place, to which he replied that he was not sure what that was.

Alan Morley made a statement regarding the Sydney Road Liveable Neighbourhood scheme, a copy of which is attached to the online record and added  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

The Council considered the Youth Justice Plan for 2024 – 2026.

On a motion from Councillor Paul May, seconded by Councillor Dine Romero, it was unanimously

RESOLVED to approve the Youth Justice Plan.

To consider the Standards Committee annual report.

The Council considered the annual report of the Standards Committee.

On a motion from Councillor Toby Simon, seconded by Councillor June Player, it was

RESOLVED to note the work of the Standards Committee as set out in the Annual report.

[Notes;

1.  The above successful resolution was carried with 48 Councillors voting in favour and 2 Councillors abstaining.]

The Council considered a report giving details of performance against the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2023/24.

On a motion from Councillor Mark Elliott, seconded by Councillor Paul May, it was unanimously

RESOLVED that

1.  The Treasury Management Report to 31^st March 2024, prepared in accordance with the CIPFA Treasury Code of Practice, is noted; and

2.  The Treasury Management Indicators to 31^st March 2024 are noted.

The Council considered a report proposing a revised proportionality table, following the change in political group membership numbers.

On a motion from Councillor Sarah Warren, seconded by Councillor Lesley Mansell, it was unanimously

RESOLVED to approve the revised political proportionality table.

The Council considered a motion from the Green Group calling for peace in Gaza.

On a motion from Councillor Joanna Wright, seconded by Councillor Sam Ross, it was unanimously

RESOLVED that

Council expresses horror at the conflict in Palestine and Israel and sympathy to all in the Bath and North East Somerset area who have been affected.

Council Notes that:

1. East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and Gaza are internationally recognised as being under illegal occupation by Israel. Amnesty International states that Gaza has been subject to 16 years of blockade and multiple NGOs recognise a system of apartheid within this region.

2. On the 7^th October 2023, Hamas, launched an assault on Israel – the European Parliament has described this as the deadliest attack on a Jewish community since the end of the Holocaust.

3. The UN states that all nations have a right to self-determination and self-defence, but these rights must be defended within the purview of international law. Nevertheless, a devastating and violent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has ensued since 7^th October 2023:
   1. Tens of thousands of civilians have lost their lives in this conflict, including Israeli and British citizen, but fatalities are predominantly Palestinian women and children.
   2. Approximately 75 percent of Gaza's total population, equating to two million people, have been displaced. The displacement exacerbates challenges in the international asylum system, forcing individuals to seek refuge as asylum seekers and refugees.
   3. The conflict has left Palestine without critical infrastructure, food, water, and resources: multiple hospitals have been targeted in IDF operations, contravening the Geneva Convention; UN officials have deemed the supplies sent to Gaza via trucks as "grossly inadequate", many of which have been blocked by the IDF; the lack of access to clean water has led to the spread of disease due to inadequate sanitation facilities; Palestinians suffer daily from malnutrition, famine, and starvation.
   4. Both Hamas and Israel are alleged to have committed grave breaches of the Geneva Convention which are defined as War Crimes by Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

4. Israel's ongoing targeting of Gaza, most recently in Rafah - where many refugees have sought shelter, poses a grave threat to regional and international stability. Deliberate attacks on non-combatant civilians or civilian infrastructure are deemed as war crimes under the Rome Statute. Amnesty International has warned that Israel's recurrent assaults on Rafah violate these international laws;

5. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court of the United Nations, has heard a case of alleged genocide by Israel. The ICJ issued an interim ruling instructing Israel to prevent genocidal acts and enable humanitarian assistance, despite which civilian casualties in Gaza have increased.

6. The profound and traumatising impact the conflict has had on local residents in Bath and North East Somerset, particularly those with close ties to family, friends or loved ones in Palestine and Israel, and expresses thanks to all residents who shared their experiences and heartfelt feelings at recent full Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

The Council considered a motion from the Liberal Democrat group regarding various B&NES Age Friendly initiatives.

On a motion from Councillor Alison Born, seconded by Councillor Sarah Moore, it was unanimously

RESOLVED

Council:

1. Welcomes the “Ageing Well | Bath and North East Somerset” programme, which is an initiative by Age UK B&NES and the St John’s Foundation.

2. Understands that the goals of the programme are to transform B&NES into an inclusive, supportive and accessible place where everyone can age well, in whichever way they see fit, and for B&NES to become an Age Friendly Community, as defined by the World Health Organisation.

3. Notes and applauds the role of the B&NES 3^rd Sector Group in reviving and facilitating the Ageing Well Network. This brings together voluntary sector organisations supporting people to age well and encourage older people to speak out about the issues that are important to them and their communities.

4. Notes the Age Friendly Community framework, established by the WHO, which consists of eight “Domains” or areas of the built and social environment which, when acted upon, can help to address barriers to ageing well, and a “Four-Step Programme Cycle”, which is a development process that places go through to embed an age-friendly way of working.

5. Notes that the “Ageing Well | Bath and North East Somerset” programme has successfully applied for membership to the UK Age Friendly Communities Network. This brings together the approximately 80 age friendly and ageing well communities across the United Kingdom.

6. Endorses the eight goals of the Ageing Well | Bath and North East Somerset programme and welcomes the involvement of Cabinet lead and officer representatives, alongside other local stakeholders, on the Steering Group intended to ensure older people’s needs and views are listened to when decisions are made.

7. Notes that the Health and Wellbeing Board have agreed to receive reports on the progress of the Ageing Well | Bath & North East Somerset programme.

Council therefore:

8. Supports the application to the WHO for B&NES to become an Age Friendly Community.

9. Encourages B&NES residents aged 55 and over to share their insights and experiences in the inaugural Ageing Well Community Survey, which closes on 31 July 2024 and has already received over 1,000 responses.

10. Supports the relevant Cabinet member and Council service sharing relevant data, within information sharing protocols, with the “Ageing Well | Bath and North East Somerset” programme towards the 2024/2025 evidence-based “State of Ageing Report”, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of ageing in B&NES.

11. Invites the Children, Adults, Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Panel, upon the publication of the evidence-based “Ageing Well | Bath and North East Somerset” programme’s “State of Ageing Report” at the end of 2024, to consider actions the Council might take, under the eight Domains of Age Friendly Community Framework, to address barriers to ageing well in B&NES.

12. Requests that the relevant Cabinet member and Council service investigate B&NES signing up to the Age Friendly Employer Pledge, taking  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

Councillor Shaun Hughes made a statement regarding the proposed parking changes in Midsomer Norton.  He set out his view of the negative and damaging impact this would have on the town, which outweighed any positive benefits this would achieve.  He commented that there was no financial justification nor realistic air quality implications.  He called for common sense to prevail.  Councillor Grant Johnson asked if Councillor Hughes considered that the introduction of these charges would impact on the benefits that should be coming from the much needed investment in the town, to which Councillor Hughes replied that they absolutely would.  Councillor Joanna Wright asked Councillor Hughes asked how many motorbikes came into Bath from Midsomer Norton every day, to which he replied that he had no idea.

Councillor Onkar Saini made a statement concerning residents’ continuing concerns about anti-social behaviour in Combe Down and similar demographic regions.  He called for effective partnership working with Police to deter criminal activity and increase feelings of safety.

The Chair thanked both Councillors for their statements which would be considered by the relevant Cabinet Members.