Agenda and minutes

The Lord Mayor welcomed all attendees to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bolton, Bradshaw, English, Jones and Melias. 

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.

Councillor Brain declared an interest in item 13, the golden motion.

Councillors Breckels, Gollop, Stevens and Thomas declared interests in item 13, the silver motion.

To agree the minutes of the previous meetings 10^th and 25^th November as a correct record.

With reference to the minutes of the 25th November it was noted that there was an error in the text.  The minutes have been corrected to state that Councillor Hickman seconded the amendment, not the motion. 

On the motion of the Lord Mayor, seconded by Councillor Kent, and subject to that alteration it was

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on the 10^th and 25^th November 2020 be confirmed as correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor.

To note any announcements from the Lord Mayor

A minutes silence was observed as a mark of respect for those who sadley lost their lives in the incident at Avonmouth on the 3^rd December.

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 and Virtual Meeting 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 Monday 7^th December 2020 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 2^nd December 2020 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.

c. Members of the public who wish to present their public forum in person during the video conference must register their interest by giving at least two clear working days notice prior to the meeting by midday on Friday 4^th December 2020.

Public forum items should be e-mailed to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk  It would be helpful if you could also let us know if you plan to attend the meeting. 

Public petitions:

There were two public petitions received which were referred to the Mayor for his consideration and response.

PP02 was presented by Councillor Carla Denyer on behalf of the organiser.

Public statements:

The Full Council received and noted the following statements (which were also referred to the Mayor for his consideration/information):

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 7^th December 2020.

There were none.

The Full Council considered the refreshed Equality and Inclusion Policy Strategy 2018-2023.

Councillor Asher Craig moved the report and the recommendations contained therein. 

Councillor Johnson seconded the report.

Following debate, it was

RESOLVED:

Full Council approved the updated Equality and Inclusion Policy 2018 – 2023 as part of the council’s annual review of the policy.

The Full Council considered a report which presented the Mid-Year Treasury Management report for 2020-2021.

Councillor Cheney moved the report and the recommendations contained therein.

Following debate, it was:

RESOLVED:

That the Mid-Year Treasury Management Report for 2020-2021 be noted.

The Full Council considered a report which set out, in line with regulations, the amount calculated by Bristol City Council as its Council Tax base for the financial year 2021-2022.  The report presented had been updated following the spending review announced on 25^th November 2020.

Councillor Cheney moved the report and the recommendations contained therein. 

Councillor Alexander seconded the report.

Following debate is was:

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by Bristol City Council as its Council Tax base for the financial year 2021/22 shall be 127,950

The Full Council considered a report which presented the Collection Fund Surplus at 31 March 2021 on the Council tax and Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) elements of the Collection Fund.

Councillor Cheney moved the report and the recommendations contained therein.

Councillor Hickman seconded the report.

Following debate, it was:

RESOLVED:

1. That an estimated deficit at 31 March 2021 on the Council Tax element of the Collection Fund, net of grants, of £5.574m be declared for 2020/21 and shared between this Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset and the Avon Fire and Rescue Service in proportion to their 2020/21 precepts on the Collection Fund.
2. That an estimated deficit at 31 March 2021 on the Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) element of the Collection Fund, net of grants, of £8.569m be declared for 2020/21 and shared between this Council, Avon Fire and Rescue Service and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) in proportion to the appropriate year demands (For 2020/21: Bristol 94%, WECA 4%, Avon Fire and Rescue Service 1%).            

The Full Council considered a report which set out the proposed Lord Mayor’s Protocol for publication within the Constitution.  The Protocol would formalise the current arrangements relating to the Lord Mayor.

Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Carole Johnson seconded the report.

There was no debate and it was

RESOLVED:

That Full Council adopts the Lord Mayor’s Protocol for publication within the Constitution.           

Important 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.

Golden Motion: Protect the Next Generation – Stop Bristol Airport Expansion

Full Council notes that:

·         Bristol City Council has led the way in declaring climate and ecological emergencies.

·         The proposed expansion of Bristol Airport is one of the biggest carbon decisions in the region for the coming decade.

Full Council:

·         Opposes the proposed expansion of Bristol Airport.

·         Calls on Bristol’s Mayor to publicly oppose the proposed expansion and write to the planning inspector hearing the appeal to formally object to the airport’s expansion plans.

Background Notes

The proposed expansion of Bristol Airport is the biggest carbon decision in the region for the coming decade. By way of context, the internal carbon emissions of Bristol (Scope 1 and 2) are 1.6 million tonnes per year. The growth in carbon emissions from the proposed airport expansion is around 1 million tonnes per year, which is over 50% of Bristol’s current carbon emissions (1). Although Bristol City Council has declared climate and ecological emergencies, Bristol’s Mayor previously declared his support for the expansion (2) and lodged a letter of support in the original planning application. 

Airport expansion has never been discussed or voted on by Bristol’s councillors.

The airport submitted plans to expand in 2018 which were turned down in Feb 2020; they have now appealed against this refusal. Their plans would mean an extra 23,600 flights per year and two million passengers a year (as well as an extra 10,000 car movements a day and a multi-storey car park on green belt land).

Although the Bristol Mayor and Bristol City Council are not the decision makers they are important voices in this decision making process and any objection they make to these plans could make a real difference to the outcome of the appeal.

References:

https://www.isonomia.co.uk/just-plane-wrong-bristol-airports-expansion-application/

https://thebristolmayor.com/2018/11/01/up-up-and-away-2/

Motion to be moved by: Councillor Jerome Thomas, Green Group

Date of submission: 26th November 2020

Silver Motion:End our cladding and EWS1 scandal

Council notes that:

a. Following the human tragedy of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire taking 72 lives blamed on Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding, this has rightfully led to a focus on fire safety in buildings across the country.

b. The Government banned the use of all combustible materials on the walls of new high rises in November 2018 (MHCLG, Government bans combustible materials on high-rise homes, 29 November 2018) meaning the problem has now extended beyond ACM cladding to buildings decorated with other materials that could be flammable - including balconies,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 76.

There was a short adjournment.

Motion 1: Protect the Next Generation – Stop Bristol Airport Expansion

Councillor Thomas moved the following motion:

Full Council notes that:

·         Bristol City Council has led the way in declaring climate and ecological emergencies.

·         The proposed expansion of Bristol Airport is one of the biggest carbon decisions in the region for the coming decade.

Full Council:

·         Opposes the proposed expansion of Bristol Airport.

·         Calls on Bristol’s Mayor to publicly oppose the proposed expansion and write to the planning inspector hearing the appeal to formally object to the airport’s expansion plans.

Background Notes

The proposed expansion of Bristol Airport is the biggest carbon decision in the region for the coming decade. By way of context, the internal carbon emissions of Bristol (Scope 1 and 2) are 1.6 million tonnes per year. The growth in carbon emissions from the proposed airport expansion is around 1 million tonnes per year, which is over 50% of Bristol’s current carbon emissions (1). Although Bristol City Council has declared climate and ecological emergencies, Bristol’s Mayor previously declared his support for the expansion (2) and lodged a letter of support in the original planning application. 

Airport expansion has never been discussed or voted on by Bristol’s councillors.

The airport submitted plans to expand in 2018 which were turned down in Feb 2020; they have now appealed against this refusal. Their plans would mean an extra 23,600 flights per year and two million passengers a year (as well as an extra 10,000 car movements a day and a multi-storey car park on green belt land).

Although the Bristol Mayor and Bristol City Council are not the decision makers they are important voices in this decision making process and any objection they make to these plans could make a real difference to the outcome of the appeal.

References:

https://www.isonomia.co.uk/just-plane-wrong-bristol-airports-expansion-application/

https://thebristolmayor.com/2018/11/01/up-up-and-away-2/

The motion was seconded by Councillor Stephen Clarke.

Councillor Dudd then moved the following amendment:

‘That the motion be amended to read as follows:

Full Council notes that:

·         Bristol City Council has led the way in declaring climate and ecological emergencies.

·         The proposed expansion of Bristol Airport is one of the biggest carbon decisions in the region for the coming decade, as it signals that growth in aviation travel can continue unabated.

 Full Council:

·         Acknowledges that airport expansion is incompatible with Bristol, the West of England and the region’s carbon reduction targets and therefore must not go ahead.

·         Acknowledges that aviation is responsible for 3% of all carbon emissions worldwide, and that, critically, it is the only area where emissions are projected to increase.

·         Understands that, in order to reduce the air miles travelled, which is essential, imposing a tax on aviation fuel and using other mechanisms to foster responsible air travel is essential, but also recognises that these powers are not within our remit.

·         Recognises the negative environmental consequences of the expansion of Bristol Airport, and supports the North Somerset Planning Committee’s decision to reject the expansion plans, as there are other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.