Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcome those present and led introductions.  Acknowledging the presence of the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Estella Tincknell.

Apologies were received from Cllr Tom Brook and the Chair recognised Cllr Kye Dudd as his substitute.

To note any declarations of interest from the Councillors.  They are asked to indicate the relevant agenda item, the nature of the interest and in particular whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Please note that the Register of Interests is available at https://www.bristol.gov.uk/councillors/members-interests-gifts-and-hospitality-register

Any declarations of interest made at the meeting which is not on the register of interests should be notified to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion.

A number of Councillors indicated links with community groups who accommodated buildings allocated under the Community Asset Transfer scheme.  The report was for information and as the interests declared were not pecuniary, the details held in the Registrar of Interest would suffice.

To agree the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

To note the Action Tracker.

Noted but not discussed.

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

Any member of the public or Councillor may participate in Public Forum.  The detailed arrangements for so doing are set out in the Public Information Sheet at the back of this agenda.  Public Forum items should be emailed to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk and please note that the following deadlines will apply in relation to this meeting:-

Questions - Written questions must be received 3 clear working days prior to the meeting.  For this meeting, this means that your question(s) must be received in this office at the latest by 5 pm on 7^th February 2017.

Petitions and Statements - Petitions and statements must be received on the working day prior to the meeting.  For this meeting this means that your submission must be received in this office at the latest by 12.00 noon on 10^th February 2017.

One item deferred from the cancelled meeting in January for David Redgewell PS01 Rail Network Electrification.  The Statement was noted by the Commission.

To note any announcements from the Chair

The Chair informed the Commission that discussions continue on the format for Scrutiny for the future that reflects the current economic climate and supports Members involvement in shaping decisions.

To note the work programme.

Review of Scrutiny

The Chair informed the Commission that the work programme would need to be adapted to reflect the agreed restructure of the scrutiny process. 

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Tincknell confirmed that although Scrutiny was to be reconfigured the intention was not to reduce the impact of the scrutiny process.  All options were being explored.  She reassured members that the value of the scrutiny process was recognised by those undertaking the reconfiguration.

Proposed Agenda Items

·       Cllr Weston suggested that an inquiry day on the rail network electrification programme should be considered for the forward plan.

·       The Scrutiny Officer informed members of a pending invitation to the March Overview & Scrutiny Board to discuss matters relating to Green Capital.

To receive an update report and presentation on the December 2015 Culture Inquiry Day Recommendation -  Laura Pye, Service Manager Culture

The Commission received a presentation from Laura Pye, Service Manager Culture on the work done around the recommendations from the Inquiry Day.

The following were noted from the presentation;

·        Members were provided with an overview of the application of the Bristol Culture Map.

·        The Cultural team shared the position so far with the development of a culture web page entitled ‘Bristol Cultural Education Partnership’.  When live the website address will be shared. Action: Laura Pye

·        The membership of the Cultural Steering group was shared; Cllr Tincknell; Dick Penny; Andrew Kelly; Ruth Pitter; Edson Burton; Cllr Dudd; Laura Pye; Steve Nelson.

·        Links had been established with the University of Bristol to discuss the use of available facilities/spaces during the summer months for cultural activities.

·        Members were informed that the Museum had to adhere to a strict code of practice to maintain accreditation status and to maintain eligibility for funding.  The code of ethics dictated how collections are managed and disposed of prohibiting financially motivated disposals.

The following points were raised;

a.      Members sought clarity on the nature of outreach work and whether the outcomes  identified those who had benefited from such activity.

b.      There was a general view that local communities would be resistant to having cultural activities imposed on them particularly where they failed to fit the needs of the community.

c.      Members were reassured that the cultural team took the view that local communities defined the nature of a festival and their cultural activities.

The discussion then flowed into the Bristol Cultural Strategy presentation.

Presentation by Tom Fleming of Creative Consultancy and Laura Pye, Service Manager Culture

Tom Fleming of Creative Consultancy presented a report on Bristol’s Cultural Futures, overview and emergent themes.  The Strategy would be available in April 2017.

a.      Members were assured that the Culture Strategy was not based on a top down approach.  This was because Culture could no longer be determined by one singular definition because the culture of the city was viewed by many in differing ways.

b.      The City council would not be looking to drive the policy but would look to the existing culture sector to transform how we drive culture in the future.

c.      Members participated in an exercise that had been undertaken by a group of young people.  The exercise asked for a word or group of words that described how they viewed Bristol. ‘Bristol Is….’

d.      The Council historical had had little involvement with creating and funding cultural activities.  Many activities had been driven by local people in their communities.  It is not intended that the strategy hinders this continued organic growth but the establishment of a steering group to look at any economic benefit; to maximise benefit; identify areas without activities.

e.      Members were weary of the central culture themes being imposed on local communities.  Many communities had differing culture identifiers that should be respected.

The discussion then moved on to the Cultural aspects of the Deputy Mayor’s portfolio, the next agenda item.

The Chair welcomed Cllr Estella Tincknell, Deputy Mayor with special responsibility for Democracy, Culture, Policy, Strategy and Communications, International.

Members of the Commission were invited to pose questions to the Deputy Mayor.  The discussion continued based on the Culture presentation that preceded this item. Laura Pye, Culture Manager, remained to contribute to the discussion.

a.     Powerboat Race in the City Harbour

·       Members asked how the events team, under severe financial constraints could support another major event?

·       What view had been taken on the powerboat race in relation to the ethos of the city’s former green capital status?

Laura Pye, informed members that the team were not directly responsible for a number of the major events in the city.  The Balloon Festival was not a council event although the impact on the reputation of the City was positive.  The Harbour Festival was managed by a company on behalf of the council.  The team concentrated on ensuring event management companies met the guidelines set out in Site Permission guidance for use of Council Land and adhere to all process & procedures.  The powerboat race was viewed as an activity in the water which is in contrast to the harbour festival with activities centred around the harbour area.  The Culture team took the view that events were best managed by management event companies that had the required experience and knowledge to support large events.  They in turn employ local people and services to support the delivery of that event.

b.     Museum Road Show

·       Members enquired about the possibility of art exhibitions moving around local venues for example Blaise

The Deputy Mayor shared that a number of points outlined in her manifesto on art would be built into the Culture Strategy.  The Culture team would be looking to sharing art exhibitions with the wider community.

The Chair thanked the Deputy Mayor for her participation in the wider debate and for taking questions.

Report of Zoe Wilcox, Service Director Planning Services and Presenting Officer Kathy Derrick, Sustainability Manager

The Commission heard from Alex Minshull Sustainable City and Climate Change Service Manager and Kathy Derrick, Sustainability Manager on the Air Quality Grant Application.

Officers as requested by the Chair briefly summarised the report and explained why it had been agreed to up-date the Commission at this time.

BCC has applied to Defra for two grants for the following:

• Feasibility and design for a Clean Air Zone £500,000
• Communication and engagement work. £130,000

a.     A decision on the grants is expected in February 2017; however Officers confirmed that this had not happened by the time of the scrutiny meeting. 

b.     Officers also confirmed that at the reported meeting in January between local MP’s, a BCC Officer, the Defra Minister and other officials that the Government had been non-committal about the outcome of the bids but had said that Bristol had a ‘strong case’.

c.      Members asked what would happen if the bid/s were unsuccessful and if it would be helpful if Members ‘gave a steer’ to Officers so to speak.   Officers said they thought it best to have further conversations about what happens next once the outcome of the bids were known.  

d.     It was pointed out by one Commission Member that all four main political parties in Bristol supported the idea of a Clean Air Zone in principle. 

e.     It was also said that a number of councillors also want to feed into the Mayors Air Quality Group more than they currently are and are frustrated by the current process.

Resolved:

       i.          that Officers will inform Members as soon as the outcome of the bids are known and that a further conversation about air quality will take place with the Commission

To receive the report of Bob Baber and John Bos

The Commission received a report from Robert Orrett, Service Director Property; Bob Baber, Asset Strategy Manager; John Bos, Property Partner on operation of community asset transfers.  The report provided details of the 2010 policy and its operation.

a.     Members were concerned that with the proposed changes to Neighbourhood Partnership, that the community would no longer be in a position to input into the CAT authorisation process. 

b.     Members were assured that the process would continue to include representatives from the community meeting with officers to consider any requests.

c.      Members were informed that in some communities there are a number of community buildings and future projects would be considering ways of encouraging local groups to co-locate and/or take collective management of buildings.  This would be challenging work as this would require the aligning of differing culture priorities.

d.     Members requested that officers looked at options to generate income to support the maintenance of community buildings.

e.     The Property Service Director discussed the creation of sustainable model with clear protocols to include how the assessment is made on whether property is kept, sold or available for CAT.

Resolved:

To note the update

That under s.100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) *insert paragraph here* (respectively) of Part 1 of schedule 12A of the Act.

The Chair move under section 100A(4)  of the Local Government Act 1972 for the meeting to go into an exempt session.

Resolved:

       I.          That the remainder of the meeting to be held in private session.