Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. She announced that this would be her last in the role as Chair and would like to thank officers, fellow Councillors and Cabinet Members for their contributions over the past 12 months.

The Chair drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure.

Councillor Will Sandry had sent his apologies to the Panel and Councillor Nathan Hartley was present as his substitute. Councillor Tim Ball, Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning and Councillor Cherry Beath, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development had also sent their apologies to the Panel.

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 Officer before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson declared a personal and non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 9 (Core Strategy Update) as she is the secretary of the Meadow View Action Group.

Four members of the public had registered to speak regarding Agenda Item 10 (Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations Development Plan Document) and one member of the public had registered to speak regarding Agenda Item 11 (Major Projects Update).

The speakers would be heard directly before the agenda item was debated by the Panel.

The Chair asked for a point of clarification on page 7 of the minutes. She asked if Councillor Brian Simmons was referring to K2A or K2B.

Councillor Simmons replied that he was referring to K2A.

The Chair also pointed out a typing error on page 10. In the second paragraph of minute 78 a capital ‘I’ was in place where a lower case one should be.

With those amendments in mind, the Panel confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting as a true record and they were duly signed by the Chairman.

The Cabinet Member will update the panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions

In the absence of Councillor Tim Ball, Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning, the Associate Director for Housing gave an update to the Panel.

He wished to announce a scheme that was being launched in conjunction with Housing Services, Curo and Learning Difficulties Service. The scheme is for 4 units of accommodation in Midsomer Norton for adults with learning difficulties.

He informed the Panel that as part of the Localism Act social housing tenants could no longer make direct complaints to the Housing Ombudsman. He added that the Council was working together with Curo to reach an agreement on how these would be handled in the future.

Finally, he wished to make the Panel aware of the Council’s stance on prosecuting landlords over dangerous properties. He said that three had been prosecuted this year and that the Council was working hard to enforce the law and protect tenants.

Councillor Nathan Hartley asked who had made the decision regarding the Housing Ombudsman.

The Associate Director for Housing replied that it was a Government decision made as part of the Localism Act. He added that they would like members of the public to approach their MP, Councillor or Tenant Panel in the first instance.

Councillor June Player commented that she felt this decision was undermining the residents and their ability to make direct complaints.

The Chair commented that she also felt residents were slightly confused as two parallel systems for complaints appeared to be in use.

The Associate Director for Housing replied that this should be raised at a Curo B&NES Liaison Panel.

The Chair replied that she would do so when she next attended one. She thanked the Associate Director for Housing for his update on behalf of the Panel.

This report sets out an update on the Core Strategy. Following the Examination hearings last year the Inspector issued his preliminary conclusions. In response the Council has undertaken further work and proposed a number of changes to its Submitted Core Strategy agreed at the Council meeting on 4th March. The Proposed Changes to the Core Strategy are subject to public consultation between 26th March and 8th May.

The Policy & Environment Manager introduced this item to the Panel. He explained that around an additional 1,870 dwellings needs to be provided over and above the existing supply. He added that having already maximised opportunities on brownfield sites, and in order to meet the housing need in the most sustainable way, the identification of additional locations, including the release of land from the Green Belt, were necessary.

He informed them that the public consultation on the proposed changes had closed on 8th May and that written comments were still being analysed. He added that all the comments will be passed to the Inspector and that the Core Strategy Examination Hearings are anticipated to resume in summer of 2013.

Councillor Nathan Hartley asked if we had an indication of what % figure the Inspector would agree to with regard to affordable housing.

The Policy & Environment Manager replied that the Inspector had not specified an exact figure, but that it was clear that the Inspector did not support the blanket requirement for all housing sites to provide 35% affordable housing as it did not reflect the evidence of variations in viability across the district.

Councillor Les Kew commented that he agreed that there should be more flexibility across differing sites.

The Chair asked if a higher % of jobs became apparent for the area, would that be allowed.

The Policy & Environment Manager replied that yes it would, provided it didn’t affect the development viability.

The Chair commented that she felt the document was still Bath centric and could give a bit more coverage to historic rural settlements and heritage. She said she was also disappointed that the option of having the Radstock to Frome rail link was not mentioned.

The Chair wished to thank the Policy & Environment Manager and his team for all their work and patience on this matter on behalf of the Panel.

Cabinet agreed at its meeting of 12 September 2012 to conduct a ‘stock take’ of progress on the preparation of the Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Site Allocations DPD. This report provides an update on the work and sets out the next steps.

The Chair of the Panel introduced this item and gave a brief presentation on the work the Council had carried out so far.

Sue Osborne, Stanton Wick Action Group addressed the Panel. She asked for the Panel to not accept the recommendation to ‘note progress” but should scrutinise the members and officers and question the lamentable lack of progress in this key project. She added that the report was confusing and offered no insight into the extended timescales which are themselves vague and offered no future measure for the Panel to scrutinise.

In section 3.2 of the report it states that the ‘progression and eventual adoption of the DPD will demonstrate the Councils commitment to the provision of sites to meet identified need’; however there is no demonstration of progress and no confirmation that the adoption of the DPD is on track for December this year.

She asked why a significant and relevant resolution of the September 2012 Cabinet meeting had been omitted from the list scheduled in 4.2.  The Resolutions read ''To AGREE that whilst the Council is progressing the DPD in light of the absence of any authorised permanent sites within the District the Council should progress a planning application at Lower Bristol Road for gypsy and traveller pitches.'' She also questioned why the Plan was still in its preparatory stages, some 7 months after the Cabinet resolved to review a process which then had a solid backbone of information and 19 months from the launch of the Councils DPD.

We have questioned the Cabinet in respect of the commissioning of the updating GTAA report (as noted in 4.4). We consider its methodology to be flawed to the extent that its accuracy cannot be relied on. We ask that this Panel requests urgent and detailed assessment of the GTAA report by a senior officer of the Council, not connected with the procurement or implementation of the report.

We note elsewhere that the Fox Hill development site has been sold to Curo Social Housing; surely this is an ideal opportunity to incorporate a traveller site with social rents applied? 

The Chair asked for the statement to be passed to the relevant officer for a response.

Councillor Nathan Hartley commented that he felt the Council should be further along in the process than it is.

The Chair asked if any comment could be made on the status of the Lower Bristol Road site.

The Associate Director for Housing replied that planning consultants had been appointed to the site and that a scheme was being worked upon. He added that the Council had made a successful bid to the HCA for funding for the site but stressed that there were many steps to carry out as part of the process.

Councillor Les Kew commented that he wished to see a firm timeline for these events.

The Associate Director for Housing replied that he would be happy to provide that information to a future meeting of the Panel.

Karen Abolkheir, Stanton Wick  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.

This is a routine report for update on Major Projects, Project Delivery activity.

David Redgewell, South West Transport Network addressed the Panel. He wished to highlight once again the bollards that remain in Dorchester St alongside the non-operational bus stops. He also stated that a fully functioning booking office was still required within the bus station and that an additional pedestrian crossing was to be constructed.

Councillor Gerry Curran commented that he agreed that the issue of the bollards needed to be resolved swiftly as the public are starting to create their own gaps in them.

The Divisional Director for Planning and Transport replied that hardly a day goes by that the Council does not address Multi on this matter.

The Chair commented that she was disappointed to learn that the public toilets within the bus station were only open between 9.00am – 4.45pm, Monday to Saturday.

The Divisional Director for Project Management replied that the public toilets within the Southgate retail development were able to be used 24hrs a day.

Councillor Gerry Curran commented that he too was disappointed that the toilets within the bus station were not open for 24hrs a day.

The Divisional Director for Project Management introduced the report to the Panel. He wished to highlight the following points within it.

Guildhall Tech/Creative Hub – Site has now been handed over to the operator.

Victoria Bridge - Permanent works (Phase 3)

o Listed Building Consent application was submitted in April 2013.

o Invitations to tender for role of Principal Contractor now issued. Principal Contractor appointment envisaged June 2013.

o Works commencement envisaged in summer 2013.

o Works completion anticipated mid-2014.

Keynsham Regeneration Project

o Project is on-time and on-budget

o Archaeology investigations are nearly completed

o Foundation construction works have started for the new offices

o Willis Newson has been appointed as Public Art Consultant

o Retail signage to promote business along Temple Street has been completed

The Chair commented that in relation to Norton Radstock Regeneration she had made a request to see the results of the Road Safety Audit.

The Divisional Director for Project Management replied that this request had been passed to the Service Manager for Highways & Parking.

Councillor Les Kew asked had there been a delay to the expansion of the Newbridge Park & Ride.

The Divisional Director for Project Management replied that this was due to the carrying out of Equality Impact Assessments and additional surveys.

The Chair asked if any comment could be made on the potential sale of the snooker tables from within the Victoria Hall and the possibility of the Town Council using a room within the Hall.

The Divisional Director for Project Management replied that the Town Council were in discussions to use a room at the Hall and that he believed that the snooker tables were to be donated to a community venue in the locality.

The Chair thanked the officers for providing the appendix on Midsomer Norton, Westfield & Radstock.

The Chair of the Panel will provide an update on the progress of the review.

The Chair handed out an update on the review that she had written. No discussion took place.

This report presents the latest workplan for the Panel (Appendix 1).

The Panel made no amendments to the printed workplan.

Councillor Les Kew on behalf of the Panel wished to thank Councillor Jackson in her role as Chair over the past 12 months.