Agenda and draft minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Freeman, Goggin and Morris.

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 Jonathan Hucker declared an interest as a Non-Executive Director of Bristol Waste Company.

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

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

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on the 25^th February 2025 be confirmed as correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor.

To note any announcements from the Lord Mayor

The Lord Mayor invited Councillors to sign Ramadan cards for Muslim Foster Carers.

Members of the press and public who plan to attend a public meeting at City Hall are advised that you will be required to sign in when you arrive, and you will be issued with a visitor pass which you will need to display at all times.

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 March 2025 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 March 2025 at latest. A maximum of 3 questions per member of the public is permitted. Questions should be addressed to the Leader or relevant Policy Committee Chair.

Public Questions and Statements should be submitted via our webform: www.bristol.gov.uk/publicforum

Petitions 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 Leader or appropriate Committee Chair for their consideration.

Within the time available, statements PS04, PS05, PS06, PS09, PS10, PS12, PS19, PS22, PS23, PS24, PS25 were presented by individuals at the meeting.

Public Questions

Full Council noted that the following questions had been submitted.

Within the time available, the Leader or relevant Committee Chairs responded verbally to questions PQ03, PQ08 and PQ09 and responded to supplementary questions.

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 March 2025.

The Full Council received and noted the following petitions:

Petition CP 01 – Cllr Katja Hornchen

Petition title: Improve Road Safety - Broomhill Infant School, Fermaine Avenue, Bristol

Recommendation: That Full Council debates the petition and refers it to the Leader / relevant Policy Committee Chair for a formal response.

Full Council considered a report of the Director – Legal and Democratic Services setting out details of a petition ‘Save Bristol’s Museums’. The petition had reached the 3,500 signature threshold to qualify for a Full Council debate.

Cllr Mark Weston, the petition organiser, was invited by the Lord Mayor to present the petition.

The Full Council debated the petition.

Following the debate it was:

RESOLVED: That the petition and the comments from the debate be noted and referred to the Leader or relevant Policy Committee Chair for response.

Recommendation: That Full Council debates the petition and refers it to the Leader / relevant Policy Committee Chair for a formal response.

Full Council considered a report of the Director – Legal and Democratic Services setting out details of a petition ‘Say No to Monthly Bin Collections in Bristol’. The petition had reached the 3,500 signature threshold to qualify for a Full Council debate.

Cllr Tom Renhard, the petition organiser, was invited by the Lord Mayor to present the petition.

The Full Council debated the petition.

Following the debate it was:

RESOLVED: That the petition and the comments from the debate be noted and referred to the Leader or relevant Policy Committee Chair for response.

Recommendation: That Council accepts the report of the Audit Committee and notes the key areas the Committee is monitoring to support improvements required in internal control, risk management and governance.

Full Council considered the Audit Committee Half Year Report.

Councillor Rob Logan moved the report as Chair of the Audit Committee.

There was a debate and it was:

RESOLVED that Full Council NOTED the report.

Recommendation: That Full Council adopts the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26 to take effect from 1 April 2025.

Full Council considered a report on the Pay Policy Statement.

The Lord Mayor moved the report and the former Lord Mayor Cllr O’Rourke Seconded the report.

There was no debate and it was:

RESOLVED Full Council adopted the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26 to take effect from 1 April 2025.

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 (LABOUR PARTY): FOUR WEEKLY BIN COLLECTIONS AND CRACKING DOWN ON FLY-TIPPING

This council notes:

1. 84% of people think street litter is a problem locally – this increases to 94% of people living in areas of deprivation.
2. Fly-tipping is one of the most commonplace issues residents raise with their local councillors.
3. Fly-tipping causes environmental damage including contaminating ecosystems, polluting waterways, and harming wildlife.
4. Fly-tipping is a public health issue with hazardous substances and objects posing injury and health risks and decomposing waste attracting pests.
5. The fines for fly-tipping were increased to the legal maximum and enforcement cameras were installed at fly-tipping hotspots by the Labour administration. However, more needs to be done.
6. The introduction of measures such as increased fines will act as a significant deterrent.
7. The Green-led administration’s consultation on waste collection closes on 10 March, which includes options for three or four weekly black bin collections.
8. Bristol City Council received an additional £7.467m this year through Extended Producer Responsibility Allowance.
9. Despite this additional funding, the Green led Council’s budget for 2025/26, includes a £500k annual recurring revenue saving in 2025/26 and a further £500k recurring annual revenue saving in 2026/27 by making changes to ‘non-recyclable waste collection’.
10. At the time of submission, over 11,000 people have signed a petition against moving to four-weekly black bin collections, reflecting the strength of feeling across the city.

This council believes:

1. The council needs to put residents’ priorities first. Cracking down on fly-tipping is a priority for residents across Bristol, particularly those in deprived communities.
2. The council should take a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping.
3. Fly-tipping is one of the most common complaints from residents, the council clearly needs to do more to tackle fly-tipping, both through deterrence and through prompt removal.
4. Considering the additional £7.467m, Bristol City Council is set to receive through the Extended Producer Responsibility Allowance, waste services should continue to be invested in.
5. Improving recycling rates needs to happen without ‘putting the cart before the horse’. Soft plastic recycling, exploring mixed recycling, nappy recycling, larger recycling bins, are all ways this can be achieved.
6. Petitions are a valid way for residents to raise concerns about issues, and should not be dismissed out of hand.
7. That proceeding with budget cuts to “non-recyclable waste collection” whilst a consultation is live on waste and recycling, could be viewed as pre-determining the outcome.

Full Council resolves to endorse and refer the following points to the Environment and Sustainability Committee:

1. Continue to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Following a short adjournment, it was then moved by the Lord Mayor 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 it was agreed to proceed for 70 minutes to hear the golden and silver motion.

GOLDEN MOTION (LABOUR PARTY): FOUR WEEKLY BIN COLLECTIONS AND CRACKING DOWN ON FLY-TIPPING

Councillor Tom Renhard moved the following motion:

This council notes:

1. 84% of people think street litter is a problem locally – this increases to 94% of people living in areas of deprivation.

2. Fly-tipping is one of the most commonplace issues residents raise with their local councillors.

3. Fly-tipping causes environmental damage including contaminating ecosystems, polluting waterways, and harming wildlife.

4. Fly-tipping is a public health issue with hazardous substances and objects posing injury and health risks and decomposing waste attracting pests.

5. The fines for fly-tipping were increased to the legal maximum and enforcement cameras were installed at fly-tipping hotspots by the Labour administration. However, more needs to be done.

6. The introduction of measures such as increased fines will act as a significant deterrent.

7. The Green-led administration’s consultation on waste collection closes on 10 March, which includes options for three or four weekly black bin collections.

8. Bristol City Council received an additional £7.467m this year through Extended Producer Responsibility Allowance.

9. Despite this additional funding, the Green led Council’s budget for 2025/26, includes a £500k annual recurring revenue saving in 2025/26 and a further £500k recurring annual revenue saving in 2026/27 by making changes to ‘non-recyclable waste collection’.

10. At the time of submission, over 11,000 people have signed a petition against moving to four-weekly black bin collections, reflecting the strength of feeling across the city.

This council believes:

1. The council needs to put residents’ priorities first. Cracking down on fly-tipping is a priority for residents across Bristol, particularly those in deprived communities.

2. The council should take a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping.

3. Fly-tipping is one of the most common complaints from residents, the council clearly needs to do more to tackle fly-tipping, both through deterrence and through prompt removal.

4. Considering the additional £7.467m, Bristol City Council is set to receive through the Extended Producer Responsibility Allowance, waste services should continue to be invested in.

5. Improving recycling rates needs to happen without ‘putting the cart before the horse’. Soft plastic recycling, exploring mixed recycling, nappy recycling, larger recycling bins, are all ways this can be achieved.

6. Petitions are a valid way for residents to raise concerns about issues, and should not be dismissed out of hand.

7. That proceeding with budget cuts to “non-recyclable waste collection” whilst a consultation is live on waste and recycling, could be viewed as pre-determining the outcome.

Full Council resolves to endorse and refer the following points to the Environment and Sustainability Committee:

1. Continue to invest General Fund Capital Funding, into more enforcement cameras to deter fly-tipping in known hotspots.

2. Investigate ways to improve reporting processes for fly-tipping.

3. Review the operations centre for the monitoring of such cameras.

4. Extend  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.