Agenda item

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.

Roger Berry (Managing Director, Healthmatic) in a statement apologised for an incident in July when a member of the public had been inadvertently locked in a toilet.  He assured the Cabinet that the engineer had arrived very promptly to deal with the situation.  The Healthmatic member of staff had undertaken training to ensure that there would be no repeat of the incident.  Healthmatic had since made donations to the charities DHI and Julian House.

Councillor David Dixon asked Roger Berry whether he had received any feedback from members of the public about the new facilities.  Roger replied that the overwhelmingly positive.  There had been only 3 complaints about the 20p charge for use.  There had been no complaints about queues, nor had he seen any queues despite having visited the various facilities at different times.

Penny Hay (Director of Research, 5x5x5=creativity and Senior Lecturer in Arts Education, Bath Spa University) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 4 and on the Council's website] asked Cabinet to endorse the application for UNICEF accreditation of Bath as a Child Friendly City.  She reminded Cabinet that the city was a magnet for child friendly initiatives and felt that the status could be of huge benefit to the area.

Councillor Ben Stevens asked Penny Hay to give an example of benefit to local children.  Penny referred to the Schools Without Walls project which had been very successful and in which children were active protagonists in their own learning.

Councillor Tim Ball asked Penny whether projects should be adult led or whether children should lead them.  Penny observed that the event planned for 1^st October was co-designed by young people and would not be delivered by adults.

Sue East (Head Teacher, St Andrew Primary) supported Penny Hay’s statement.  She had discovered that children did not always feel as connected to their city as might be hoped.  She urged Cabinet to take up the initiative.

Councillor Tim Ball asked Sue East whether she could ensure that the voice of children would come through clearly and that children were reached even in communities which did normally respond.  Sue East responded that those who worked with children did know how to hear their voice.

Councillor Dine Romero asked what was the most important factor that the Council should work on.  Sue East said that the Council should perform an audit on all of its services.  Some excellent work had been done in the Roman Baths because children had been consulted.

Councillor David Dixon asked Sue East and Penny Hay whether they would contact him about open spaces.  They agreed.

David Redgewell (South West Transport Network) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 5 and on the Council's website] asked the Cabinet to ensure that there would be no delay to the Great Western Train franchise.  He congratulated the Cabinet on saving a number of bus routes and services, despite the incorrect article in the local press.  He emphasised the need for maintenance of bus shelters.

Councillor Paul Crossley asked David Redgewell whether he wished to make any points about the freight contract which would be discussed later in the meeting.  David Redgewell said the contract was very important.  It was essential to keep HGVs out of the city centre.  He asked the Cabinet to work with South Gloucestershire Council to encourage the splitting of loads coming into Bath from the Yate distribution centre.

Peter Downey (Deputy Chairman, Wellow Sports) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 6 and on the Council's website] asked the Cabinet to make an award of £15,000 to enable the club to extend its facilities.

Andy Smith (Chair, Wellow Sports) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 7 and on the Council's website] asked the Cabinet to make an award of £15,000 to enable the club to extend its facilities.

Debbie Clarkson read a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 8 and on the Council's website] on behalf of Dr. Heather Andrews (Head of Local Fundraising, Wellow Sports) asking the Cabinet to make an award of £15,000 to enable the club to extend its facilities.

Chris Wordsworth (Vice-Chair, Wellow Sports) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 9 and on the Council's website] asked the Cabinet to make an award of £15,000 to enable the club to extend its facilities.

Ron Humphreys (Wellow Sports) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 10 and on the Council's website] asked the Cabinet to make an award of £15,000 to enable the club to extend its facilities.

Sibella Chauveau (Young member, Wellow Sports) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 11 and on the Council's website] asked the Cabinet to make an award of £15,000 to enable the club to extend its facilities.

Robert Morgan (Guildhall Market Stallholder) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 12 and on the Council's website] thanked Councillor Crossley for meeting with him and for agreeing a way forward following a number of months of uncertainty.  He asked Councillor Crossley to ensure that he would be sent a letter confirming that no enforcement or other action was to be taken against him over the allegations of illegal development which he emphasised were false.

Councillor Paul Crossley confirmed to Robert Morgan that in their meeting they had agreed to suspend all actions on both sides.  He assured Robert that he would receive the information from officers that he had requested.

Jay Risbridger (Director, Bath Currency CIC) in a statement advised the Cabinet that the inauguration of the Bath Pound was moving forward, with a launch date in early 2015.  She observed that early involvement of the Council would be essential to the success of the scheme and she asked the Cabinet to commit to this.

Cabinet members asked about some of the practical arrangements supporting the scheme and Jay Risbridger responded.