Agenda and minutes

The Committee is requested to note that Councillor Tessa Fitzjohn was appointed Chair of the Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee for 2023/24 Municipal Year by Annual Full Council at its meeting on 9^th May 2023.

Itwas notedthat CouncillorTessa Fitzjohnhad beenappointed Chair of the Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee for 2023/24 Municipal Year by Annual Full Council at its meeting on 9th May 2023.

The Committee is requested to note that Councillor John Goulandris was appointed Vice - Chair of the Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee for 2023/24 Municipal Year by Annual Full Council at its meeting on 9^th May 2023.

Itwas notedthat CouncillorJohn Goulandrishad beenappointed Vice - Chair of the Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee for 2023/24 Municipal Year by Annual Full Council at its meeting on 9th May 2023.

Councillor Tessa Fitzjohn (Chair)

Councillor John Goulandris (Vice-Chair)

Councillor Jude English

Councillor vacancy

Councillor Christopher Jackson

Councillor Jonathan Hucker

Councillor Philippa Hulme

Councillor Tim Rippington

Councillor Andrew Varney

The membershipof thePublic Rightsof Wayand GreensCommittee for2023/24 MunicipalYear was noted as follows:

Councillor Tessa Fitzjohn (Chair)

Councillor John Goulandris (Vice-Chair)

Councillor Jude English

Councillor Christopher Jackson

Councillor Jonathan Hucker

Councillor Philippa Hulme

Councillor Tim Rippington

Councillor Andrew Varney

Councillor vacancy

To note dates of meetings for 2023/24

All at 2pm

Monday 11 September 2023

Monday 15 January 2024

Monday 13 May 2024

To note proposed dates of meetings for 2023/24

All at 2pm

Monday 11 September 2023

Monday 15 January 2024

Monday 13 May 2024 – this date to be revised as it falls after the election period. Action SG

The Chairwelcomed allparties tothe meeting. 

Apologies forabsence werereceived fromCouncillor Jude English and Councillor Tim Rippington.

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.

There wereno Declarationsof Interest.

To agree the minutes of the meetings as a correct record for -

20 March 2023

28 June 2023

Resolved – That the Minutes of PROWG Committee held on -

a)      20 March 2023

b)      28 June 2023 – subject to the electronic recording link of the meeting being included in the Minutes, the words ‘and after’ being inserted in 2^nd line of Declaration of Interests after the word ‘before’ and Douglas Edwards KC being included as present at the meeting.  

be approved as a correct record.

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 5 September 2023. 

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 8 September 2023.  

Members of the Committee received Public Forum Statements in advance of the meeting and following legal advice it was agreed to note the statements.

With regard to suggested amendments to the draft Minutes of the last meeting the legal advice was that the record of the meeting was a fair and accurate summary of the proceedings and therefore would not be subject to change. The entire matter was subject to ongoing legal proceedings through the courts and was therefore no longer a matter for the PROWG Committee.

The issue relating to the fence around Stoke Lodge playing fields, following its registration as a Green, would be considered by the CRA at some point in the future but in the meantime, this would be included in the Judicial Review process.

The Network Operations Manager introduced the report and highlighted key points regarding some of the itemslisted in AppendixA - Applications for Definitive Map Modification Orders, Appendix B – Miscellaneous rights of way orders, Appendix C – Enforcement actions and Appendix D – PROW improvement programme.

Points raised during discussion were –

·       The capital improvement scheme at Sea Mills was underway, noted that the level would be raised to ensure complete clearance when at high tides.

·       Noted main funding was from WECA and some CIL sources, any surplus money would be carried forward into the next financial year.

·       The Chair asked that in future the committee could have sight of the financial spreadsheet which gave a detailed breakdown of costs. This was agreed. Action: DV

·       PROW over the Downs were the responsibility of the Bristol PROW team, liaison with Downs Management team was done as necessary. Noted that this had not been necessary for a long time owing to no works on PROW on Downs’ land.

·       All PROW information could be accessed by Pinpoint, the Council’s online map information service.

·       Enforcement work had not increased, and all outstanding cases would be completed as soon as possible when resources allowed.

·       With regard to the public forum statement about a footpath over Stoke Lodge playing fields, members were advised that only evidence over a twenty-year period, and not beyond, could be considered. All evidence including photographs and witness statements would be viewed.

Members welcomed the update and were encouraged to raise any issues about outstanding footpath claims or unauthorised obstructions so that any reprioritisation could be accommodated.

RESOLVED– thatthe reportbe noted.

Members noted that the Commons Registration Authority (CRA) has two current applications:

Stoke Lodge Playing Fields Shirehampton Road

This application was now current and had been entered as VG29 on the Commons Register and had been marked as updated on His Majesty’s Land Registry on 22 August 2023.

Land at Ridgehill Henleaze

This application had been advertised on the application land and on the Council’s website. Interested

parties had been given until 13th September 2023 to respond. Thereafter the CRA would send any responses received to the Applicants and make a decision on how the Application should be dealt with in accordance with the outline procedure.

RESOLVED– thatthe present position regarding Town or Village Green (TVG) Applications be noted.

Hallen Marsh flood defence work and wetland habitat north of Bristol – members were informed that access to the site would be open to the public in October 2023. The wetlands included four kilometres of new public footpaths. Even though BCC owned the land due to its location the PROW were the responsibility of South Gloucestershire Council.