Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Valerie Bishop, Peter Robottom, Graham Donald, Councillor Peter Abraham.

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.

None received.

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

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2016 were confirmed as a correct

record, as amended at the Neighbourhood Partnership’s pre-meeting, and signed by

the Chair.

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 28 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 3 March 2017.

One statement was received from David Redgewell with regard to investment in Bristol’s transport and land use planning. The NP felt that the issues raised were outside of its remit particularly given recent events about the future of NP’s. The statement was therefore noted.

The Police Neighbourhood Manager gave an update the main points raised as set out below - 

1.     Following the setting up of the new operational model, a new operating framework would be introduced to enable more financial savings;

2.     The Police & Crime Commissioner had emphasised that beat policing would be at the core of her policing strategy;

3.     Neighbourhood Officers would now be directly managed by the Police Neighbourhood Manager to enable them to focus more on community work and less on responding to emergency calls;

4.     It was anticipate that over the next year local residents would notice a greater visible presence of police on the beat;

5.     Southmead police station would close by April 2017. The current occupants would be temporarily relocated to Bridewell police station at centre of Bristol. It was hoped that a new location would be found soon various options being considered which it was hoped would be sorted in weeks rather than months;

6.     The response team were ‘borderless’ so no reduction in the quality of local policing was anticipated and might be better as there would be no requirement to return to police station as was done before;

                                    With regard to the police statistics for the NP3’s three wards the NP noted that demand for police services had significantly increased, partly due to mental health issues. The information was derived from the same source as the Beat officers used.

                        The statistics would be reviewed in more depth and the respective Neighbourhood Forums.

The Partnership received a report of the Neighbourhood Co?ordinator regarding the allocation and recommendations of the Wellbeing Panel. This particular source of funding had been made available from the Avon and Somerset Police, Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC).

The NP and asked if this funding would happen again. The Neighbourhood Co?ordinator said he would ask the PCC at a forthcoming Neighbourhood Forum and report back.

On being put to the vote the Neighbourhood Committee voted and unanimously -

Resolved - that the recommendations as set out below be approved.

The Partnership considered a report of the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator updating on various issues.

            Resolved – that

1.     The three recent forums be noted;

2.     The current budget of the NP be noted;

3.     The meeting schedule be noted subject to -

(i) the next NP meeting date being changed from 12 June to 22 May 2017;

(ii) the next Neighbourhood Forums be held on 9, 10, 11 May 2017 for Stoke Bishop, WoT, Henleaze respectively;

(iii) the Transport Working Group (TWG) date for 17 April be cancelled and that the TWG be merged with the Environment Working Group (next meeting 27 April) for all future transport issues;

(iv) the Communication Working Group date of 18 April be cancelled and a new date be arranged;

(v) the Older People Working Group be held on 22 March not 12 April as scheduled;

4.     The updates on the NP’s devolved budgets and the non-devolved S106 funding allocated to the NP3 area be noted;

5.     The request to fund the gate project at Canford Park be deferred to the Environment Working Group for consideration;

6.     The reference to the consultation on the new Targeted Youth Service Contract be noted.

The Neighbourhood Partnership noted the report including the request for funding of two projects.

On being put to the vote the Neighbourhood Committee unanimously –

Resolved – 

1.     To fund £8,555.00 for tree planting as set out in the report;

2.     To fund £2,420 to undertake work as detailed in the report, the funding to be released from the NP’s CIL fund.

Tree report – the NP noted the achievements listed in the report.

Members thanked the Tree Champion, Stephanie French, for her work and support on behalf of the NP.

The Neighbourhood Partnership noted the report in particular –

1.     The lack of progress with the Area Manager (Highways) issuing a report into the success, or otherwise, of the bus lane leading to the White Tree roundabout;

2.     That a stakeholder meeting, in respect of traffic mitigation proposals for the A4018 (CPNN), was still awaited;

3.     That minor schemes currently in progress would be finalised.

The NP was made aware of unfinished work at a grass verge at Druid Hill, following recent highway improvements, which was apparently in dispute by the contractors involved. Councillor Goulandris offered to take this up to try and resolve the situation.

Members thanked the TWG Chair Alan Aburrow for all the work he had done on behalf of the NP.

The report was noted.

The NP also received a proposal from the WGOP that the Neighbourhood Committee agree that any unused funds, as at 31 March 2017, be used for other purposes relating to older people eg the proposed over 55’s booklet or as ‘seed’ capital for any new group.

On the proposal being put to the vote the Neighbourhood Committee were 3 in favour and one abstention.

There was no Governance report this time but an information note that had been circulated to the NP members was noted.

With regard to the future of the NP/Forums the following note had been circulated by the Chair for comments as below. Comments at the meeting annotated accordingly  under the appropriate section in italics –

NP3 Restructuring Agenda item 9

It is common ground that -

     1.          All three Forum voted to retain three Local Forums in some format

Agreed subject to the word ‘voted’ being changed to agreed

     2.          All local Councillors representing NP3 value a) the contribution that Local Forums give to them and b) the opportunity it presents to them to engage with the local Community

Agreed

     3.          The Working Groups have been very successful and consideration should be given as to how they can be restructured for specific local concerns

Agreed

     4.          The new WGs [name change( task and finish?)] will report to the Forums and the Councillors

Agreed

     5.          Councillors will take back relevant issues to officers and will use the Forums to inform the Community of new issues

Agreed as NF’s provided ‘face to face’contact with the public. Councillors would have a standing invitation to attend. Usual processes for order of business would apply

     6.          Dates of Forums can be more predictable and advertised 12 months in advance to make sure that Councillors can always attend

Agreed subject to not all being held on same week

     7.          We are uncertain what funds will be available to hold Forums

Noted

     8.          We are uncertain how Section 106 funds will be administered

Funds should be allocated to wards on an equitable basis either individually or collectively, NF’s could recommend spend to local councillors to take forward

     9.          We are uncertain how CIL funds will be administered

Funds should be allocated to wards on an equitable basis either individually or collectively, NF’s could recommend spend to local councillors to take forward

  10.          We are uncertain who arrange and administer the Forums

Local groups needed for all areas similar to already existing Henleaze Society

  11.          We need to respond to the Note from Penny German dated 1^st March by 7^th April

Better allocation of funds not just to most deprived (@10%) perhaps 20% or 30% spread;

Remove option C2.1 from PG note;

Ward councillors to provide initial draft of comments and circulate to all NP members for their input;

All feedback to be collated by 31 March 2017 to ensure meeting timeline for the process;

  12.          What do we say?

As above (11)

  13.          We have arranged a meeting on 2^nd May to firm up on the above as much as possible

Noted

10.       Any other business

            Millhouse bridge railings – no funding identified, perhaps Environment Working Group could consider? Councillor  Goulandris to write to Alan Preece about it.

(The meeting ended at 9.07 pm)

CHAIR