Agenda item

In preparation for the Draft Budget Proposals 2024/2025 – the savings and income proposals (currently subject to public consultation) are linked below:

https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/budget-consultation-2024-2025

The Panel will be looking at the proposed savings and income proposals within its remit. The full Draft Budget Proposals 2024/2025 will be considered by the Corporate PDS Panel on 23^rd January.

The Deputy Council Leader (statutory) and Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel - Councillor Sarah Warren and the Cabinet Member for Highways - Councillor Manda Rigby introduced the item and answered the Panel questions along with Sophie Broadfield - Executive Director of Sustainable Communities and Chris Major – Director of Place Management.

Councillor Warren stated that local government is facing challenges in managing intense pressures on budgets and recently a number of councils have issued S114 notices. In 2013 our Revenue Support Grant from central government was £31m, this year, it’s £800k.  She explained that we can bid for government grants for one-off specific purposes but this involves working up competitive bids which takes a lot of officer time, and makes it difficult to plan. The pressures on spending, particularly in social care (statutory service), accounts for a large portion of the budget.  This means discretionary areas - such as Green Transformation – have less available.

Councillor Warren stated that on Green Transformation - the proposed budget for next year we will sustain levels of funding to support the corporate priority on climate and ecological emergencies. Many of the new posts across Green Transformation and Strategic Transport teams are in place. She stated that the Council will: invest in renewable energy generating infrastructure on the Council estate, contributing to our 12MW target for Council-generated energy; work with partners to develop new renewables projects contributing to our district-level targets of an additional 300MW generating capacity by 2030; work with WECA and with local partners to support scale up of retrofit activity across the district; increase work with communities to raise awareness and support local action for climate and nature; implement biodiversity net gain through the planning system and continue to take action on sustainable transport.

(Delivery of significant improvements in public transport infrastructure through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, A4 Bristol to Bath Corridor and Somer Valley Links projects. Developing an active travel masterplan to help shape and inform future roll out of active travel infrastructure. Working with the combined authority to develop and deliver electric vehicle charging points across the district. Earmarking £2m of our CAZ reserve to commence the build out of the Scholars’ way cycle route, as well as a supplement for local highways improvement schemes aiming to improve pedestrian safety around the district in support of our recent vision zero declaration).

Panel members raised the following points and asked the following questions:

Councillor David asked if there was any more information regarding the parks teams’ operational strategy. The officer commented that the importance of open spaces is acknowledged, however these spaces cost £2.5m per year to maintain and a few options are being considered that would save money – this would be a small percentage of the overall spend. He further explained that the entirety of the model will be looked at and there may be some tough decisions regarding future development but there is a recognition of the importance of green spaces. He agreed to give the panel more information on the review.

Councillor Johnson asked about the additional top up payments regarding WECA and strategic transport. The Executive Director explained that there is a proposal to not provide the uplift to the transport levy as was done last year in recognition of the significant underspend regarding concessionary fares. The Cabinet Member added that she will continue to lobby the WECA Mayor to restore bus services. The Executive Director explained that it was a decision for the WECA Mayor on how to spend the top up.

Councillor Hughes asked about proposed changes to recycling centre opening times. The officer explained that there is consultation on a proposal to reduce opening hours in terms of opening on certain days of the week (while the Pixash site would remain open 7 days per week). He stated that there may be a reduction in hours to certain sites but that this is not a redundancy issue as there would be reallocation to other sites. He explained that the booking system works well and people will book on the days where sites are available (or if they have an urgent issues, use the Pixash site). He assured the Panel that there is still capacity to maintain the number of bookings and that this model is mirrored in other authorities.

Councillor Rigby – Cabinet Member for Highways – explained that there are two major proposals under this portfolio as set out below:

·  Line painting – we have assets that require investment. We have fallen behind on resurfacing, potholes, line painting etc. and are trying to get back to a certain level. Health and safety is the priority regarding the programme.

·  Extending emissions-based parking charges to other authority car parks. This is the sliding scale regarding car emissions. There are currently no charges in some car parks within the authority. She stated that there is a need to make places healthier and safer and offering free parking does not help us to maintain the asset. She stated that a turnover of car parking spaces is good for the high street. This is an extension of the principle in Bath of ‘polluter pays’. She ended by stating that very few places up and down the country offer free parking.

Panel members raised the following points and asked the following questions:

Councillor Johnson stated that this is a U-turn on a decision on parking charges from 2 years ago. He stated that the arguments are counterproductive – parking is restricted to 4/5 hours anyway, so people do not park all day every day. He added that the high street is fragile and charges would make this situation worse. He asked where there was detailed research as to why this should happen. The officer stated that there is limited data around overstays where there are no charges in the car park. It is difficult to prove a negative. He stated that there was formal consultation.

Councillor Hughes stated that Midsomer Norton high street cannot be compared to Keynsham high street where there has been significant investment to improve footfall. Bath also has a lot of money spent on it and by comparison, Midsomer Norton is neglected and some businesses will not survive. People will park in the Tesco car park which offers free parking. He added that there is not an issue with air pollution in Midsomer Norton and that cars are often a necessity and not a luxury. The Cabinet Member stated that she did not compare Midsomer Norton to Keynsham. She explained that the authority is under significant financial pressure and therefore has to look at all of its assets. We also want to reduce emissions and we want to be fair and equitable across the whole authority. She stated that communities will be listened to and this is being consulted on.  Councillor Wait pointed out that car parking charges were in place in Keynsham before the developments in the high street and that there is a small car park in Keynsham which is free for two hours.

Councillor Leach stated that, in speaking to many residents in his ward, he had picked up a lot of support for emissions-based parking charges.

Councillor Auton stated that he shared the frustrations of the Councillors speaking on this issue and thought it was very important for towns to have free parking. He explained that he had spent 3 mornings and spoken to 80 people on the parking issue. 80% of those people were parking for less than 2 hours. He stated that if there must be charges, would the Cabinet consider allowing the first 2 hours free of charge. He stated that he is concerned about the impact on businesses and asked if there could be a permit for staff to park for the day. The Cabinet Member thanked Councillor Auton for his work in speaking to people about this and agreed that this could be discussed. She explained that there would be a TRO and full consultation and there could be a discussion on how to structure charges. Councillor Wait stated that, in Keynsham there was currently 30 minutes free parking.

Councillor Hughes stated emissions-based parking charges may work in Bath but he saw the method as punishing the poorest in Midsomer Norton.

Councillor Johnson asked about the ‘TBC’ in Annex 3 and also asked if a Housing Revenue Account was needed if the authority builds 300 houses. The Executive Director stated that she would get further information regarding the ‘TBC’ and that yes, the Council is committed to expand Council House building and confirmed that a Housing Revenue Account is needed over a certain number of houses.