Agenda item

Councillor Lucy Hodge, Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport Delivery, introduced the report.

Panel members made the following points and asked the following questions

Councillor Leach stated that this was a wonderful thing to bring forward and ask how many schools were invited and how many came back. The Cabinet Member reported that all schools were invited to express interest; 18 responded. Reasons for not proceeding included technical challenges and lack of readiness.Clarification was sought on whether secondary schools were included; officers to confirm. The Cabinet Member reported that 9 of the 18 schools are outside Bath.

Councillor Walker asked about exemptions for people such as grandparents who live outside the area. The officer explained that exemptions for residents, blue badge holders, and pupils with specific needs are included. Schools can issue permits for individual circumstances (e.g., carers, temporary injuries).

Councillor Heijltjes asked why this is coming to the Panel when the decision was made 2 weeks ago. The Chair stated that the Panel had the opportunity to input previously and it can be difficult to get the sequence right regarding items. He did not believe the Panel had many objections to this item. The Cabinet Member stated that the process had been followed and work is being shared.

Councillor Heijltjes stated that she had concerns about reliance on school staff and volunteers to manage barriers. Officers acknowledged this and noted that camera enforcement (ANPR) is an aspiration for future phases, subject to funding.

Councillor Hounsell asked about the reliability of future funding. The Cabinet Member explained that the current tranche is funded through one-off capital and grant allocations. There is no secured funding for expansion, but future opportunities are being explored. Initial costs are higher due to setup and development; future schemes may be less expensive, but camera enforcement could increase costs.

Councillor Hounsell asked how it would work when a school is on a residential road. The officer explained that residents and eligible users will receive permits for display. Emergency vehicles and blue badge holders will have access. Officers are also considering the impact on surrounding streets and may introduce additional parking restrictions if needed.

Councillor Heijltjes asked about integration with Liveable Neighbourhood Schemes. She stated that school streets could have been part of the programme to make better use of funds. She gave an example of Charmouth Road. The Cabinet Member stated that parents are positive. The officer stated that extending the school street further along Charmouth Road would mean stewards would be at the junction with the main road. The main aim of school streets is safety outside of the school gates.

The Cabinet Member stated that the schools taking this forward have been asked for this resource for a while. The team are taking a nuanced approach. The programme will be monitored, with a view to reporting back after a term of operation.

The Chair stated that this was exciting and innovative and making schools safer. He asked that this be reported back to Panel next Autumn. He thanked the Cabinet Member and officer.