Agenda and draft minutes

Cllr Steve Smith chaired the meeting in substitute of the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor.

The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting and issued the safety information.

Apologies for absence were heard from the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, along with Councillors Ali, Bradshaw, Cheney, Davies, Dyer, Hathway, Plowden, James Scott, Sharon Scott and Stone.

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.

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.

None received.

To agree the minutes of the following previous meetings as a correct record:

Tuesday 9 May 2023 Annual Full Council

On the motion of the Lord Mayor, seconded by Councillor Parsons, it was

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on the 9^th May 2023 be confirmed as correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor.

To note any announcements from the Lord Mayor

Council noted the sad news that Doug Naysmith had recently passed away. Doug had served as Councillor from 1981 to 1998 and MP for Bristol North West from 1997 to 2010. Members paid tribute to his service.

Council also noted 11 July as the anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre.

A minutes’ silence was observed.

Public forum items can be about any matter the Council is responsible for or which directly affects the city. Submissions will be treated in order of receipt and as many people shall be called upon as is possible within the time allowed within the meeting (normally 30 minutes).

Further rules can be found within our Council Procedure Rules within the Constitution.

Please note that the following deadlines apply to this meeting:

a. Public petitions and statements: Petitions and written statements must be received by 12 noon on Friday 7 July 2023 at latest. One written statement per member of the public is permitted.

b. Public questions: Written public questions must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 5 July 2023 at latest. A maximum of 2 questions per member of the public is permitted. Questions should be addressed to the Mayor or relevant Cabinet Member.

Public forum items should be e-mailed to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk

Public Statements:

Full Council received and noted the following statements (which were referred to the Mayor for his consideration)

Within the time available, statements 2, 10, 20, 21, 23, 26, 35, 38, 42, 51, 52 and 55 were presented by individuals at the meeting.

Public Questions

Full Council noted that the following questions had been submitted:

Please note: Up to 10 minutes is allowed for this item.

Petitions notified by Councillors can be about any matter the Council is responsible for or which directly affects the city.  The deadline for the notification of petitions to this meeting is 12 noon on Monday 10 July.

Full Council received and noted the following petitions:

The Full Council received and noted the annual statement from the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees.

Councillors Edwards, Pearce, Weston, Clark and Hopkins then responded to the Mayor’s statement on behalf of their respective political groups.

The Mayor then made a final response and summed up.

Recommendation: To note the Equity and Inclusion Policy and Strategic Framework 2023-2027.

Full Council considered a report on the Equity and Inclusion Policy and Strategic Framework.

Councillor Asher Craig moved the reports for item 9 and item 10.

With the agreement of Party Group Leaders, there would be one round of debate for both items.

Recommendation: To note the Equality and Inclusion Annual Progress Report 2022-23.

Full Council considered a report on the Equality and Inclusion Annual Progress Report 2022-23.

Following debate, it was

RESOLVED:

Full Council NOTED the Equity and Inclusion Policy and Strategy Framework.

Full Council NOTED the Equality and Inclusion Annual Progress Report 2022-23.

That Full Council approves the matters set out in paragraph 5 of this report.

Full Council considered a report on the Committee Model of Governance Working Group Update.

Councillor Jenny Bartle moved the report and recommendations. Councillor Geoff Gollop seconded the report.

Following debate, upon being put to the vote, the recommendations were APPROVED and it was:

RESOLVED: That Full Council approves the matters set out in paragraph 5 of this report.

5.1. Local decision making will continue to take place through Area Committees, noting that the final detail relating to the role and responsibilities of Area Committees will be the subject of further work by a Sub-group, which will report back to the Working Group in the Autumn.

5.2. The terms of reference for a Policy Committee will cover the matters set out in Appendix A.

5.3. A standing Finance Sub-committee will be established as a sub-committee of the Strategy and Resources Committee. It will be responsible for the development of the Council’s annual budget which will be presented to the Strategy and Resources Committee and then Full council for approval. There will remain a need for private Task and Finish meetings to take place as part of the formal budget development cycle. This Sub-committee will also have responsibility for crosscutting financial monitoring. These arrangements will be reflected in the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules.

5.4. A Health Scrutiny Sub-committee will be established as a Sub-committee of

the Public Health and Communities Committee. It will be responsible for the exercise of the statutory scrutiny functions under sections 244 and 245 of the National Health Service Act 2006 and the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013.

5.5. The Policy Committee Procedure Rules will cover the matters set out in Appendix B.

5.6. The Escalation Panel Procedure Rules will cover the matters set out in Appendix C.

5.7. Forward Plans for the Policy Committees will be published at least 28 days in advance of the first meeting of each Policy Committee and on a rolling monthly basis thereafter. Forward Plans for the Policy Committees will be prepared through regular cross-party work programme setting and in consultation with the Chair and Vice-chair of the relevant committee through Policy Committee Chair/Vice-chair briefings. Action and decision logs from Policy Committee Chair/Vice-chair briefings will be maintained and these will be shared with all members of the relevant committee. Forward Plans will include decisions that will need to be taken that are above the financial threshold and decisions that are ‘significant in terms of its effects on communities living or working in two or more wards in the city’, items of business that roll over from the current scrutiny work programmes and standard items of business for noting, such as risk reporting, financial management reports and performance reports.

5.8. The arrangements for Member Forum will continue under the Committee Model of governance. Councillors will be able to ask questions of the Leader of the Council or the Chair of a Policy or Regulatory Committee.

5.9. Policy Committees will have the ability to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Note:

Under the Council’s constitution, 30 minutes are available for the consideration of motions. In practice, this realistically means that there is usually only time for one, or possibly two motions to be considered.

With the agreement of the Lord Mayor, motion 1 below will be considered at this meeting, and motion 2 is likely to be considered, subject to time.

Details of other motions submitted, (which, due to time constraints, are very unlikely to be considered at this meeting) are also set out for information.

MOTIONS RECEIVED FOR FULL COUNCIL

GOLDEN MOTION (GREEN PARTY): Adopt a Vision Zero Approach to Eliminate Road Deaths in Bristol

This Council notes:

1.         Statistics from the Department for Transport state that between 2017 and 2021 – the last period with complete data, 36 people were killed and 636 seriously injured by vehicle collisions within the city boundary. On average, 134 people were injured every year.

2.         The One City Plan aims to achieve zero people killed or seriously injured (KSI) due to incidents on Bristol’s roads by 2040 – Goal 360 - and as part of this, the council has a performance target (BPPM120) to reduce the number of road casualties on our transport network – the current KSI target is ninety-five people per year.

3.         Vision Zero is a proven strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. Key principles include:

o          Safe speeds - encouraging speeds appropriate to the street;

o          Safe streets - designing an environment forgiving of mistakes;

o          Safe vehicles - reducing risks posed by the most dangerous vehicles;

o          Safe behaviours - improving the behaviours of people using our roads;

o          Post-collision response - learning from collisions and improving justice and care for victims.

4.         The council has adopted both the children's charter and being an age-friendly city, these are two of the most vulnerable groups in our society to road traffic collisions.

5.         Councils and organisations that have adopted Vision Zero include: Kent, Devon, Cornwall, Brighton and Hove, Blackpool, Leeds, Hackney, Transport for London, National Fire Chiefs Council, The AA, and RAC.

6.         The Vision Zero approach is endorsed by international organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and is led by an ethical stance that it is not acceptable that people should be killed or seriously injured as a price for mobility. These are avoidable events – not accidents.

7.         Actions that can be taken to achieve vision zero often include:

o          Road Design, including separation of cycle users and pedestrians from vehicles;

o          Enforcement of Speed Limits and the Highway Code;

o          School Streets;

o          Low Traffic Neighbourhoods;

o          Education;

o          A cohesive network of walking and cycling routes.

This Council believes:

1.         The vast majority of road deaths are avoidable, and the only acceptable long-term casualty target for road deaths and serious injuries in Bristol is Zero.

2.         It is vitally important to provide consistent,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Following a short adjournment, it was then moved by the Chair that standing order CPR2.1(xi) be suspended to allow the meeting to go past the 30 minutes time limit for motions. Following a vote, this motion was rejected.

Councillor Weston moved that the meeting be extended by 15 minutes to hear the Golden Motion only. Following a vote, this motion was carried.     

Golden Motion: Adopt a Vision Zero Approach to Eliminate Road Deaths in Bristol

Councillor David Wilcox moved the following motion:

This Council notes:

1. Statistics from the Department for Transport state that between 2017 and 2021 – the last period with complete data, 36 people were killed and 636 seriously injured by vehicle collisions within the city boundary. On average, 134 people were injured every year.

2. The One City Plan aims to achieve zero people killed or seriously injured (KSI) due to incidents on Bristol’s roads by 2040 – Goal 360 - and as part of this, the council has a performance target (BPPM120) to reduce the number of road casualties on our transport network – the current KSI target is ninety-five people per year.

3. Vision Zero is a proven strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. Key principles include:

·       Safe speeds - encouraging speeds appropriate to the street;

·       Safe streets - designing an environment forgiving of mistakes;

·       Safe vehicles - reducing risks posed by the most dangerous vehicles;

·       Safe behaviours - improving the behaviours of people using our roads;

·       Post-collision response - learning from collisions and improving justice and care for victims.

4. The council has adopted both the children's charter and being an age-friendly city, these are two of the most vulnerable groups in our society to road traffic collisions.

5. Councils and organisations that have adopted Vision Zero include: Kent, Devon, Cornwall, Brighton and Hove, Blackpool, Leeds, Hackney, Transport for London, National Fire Chiefs Council, The AA, and RAC.

6. The Vision Zero approach is endorsed by international organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and is led by an ethical stance that it is not acceptable that people should be killed or seriously injured as a price for mobility. These are avoidable events – not accidents.

7. Actions that can be taken to achieve vision zero often include:

·       Road Design, including separation of cycle users and pedestrians from vehicles;

·       Enforcement of Speed Limits and the Highway Code;

·       School Streets;

·       Liveable Neighbourhoods;

·       Education;

·       A cohesive network of walking and cycling routes.

This Council believes:

1. The vast majority of road deaths are avoidable, and the only acceptable long-term casualty target for road deaths and serious injuries in Bristol is Zero.

2. It is vitally important to provide consistent, accessible active travel infrastructure for people to use across the city. Yet, fear of injury suppresses the demand for walking and cycling. This adversely affects children, older people and people with disabling conditions and prevents them  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.