Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone. Introductions were made and safety information was shared.

Chair proposed to take agenda item 14 after public forum. This was agreed.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Caroline Gooch and Robert Bourns (Vice Chair). 

To note and Declarations of Interest raised by Councillors.

None declared.

The City Council appointed the following members to serve on the Downs Committee for the 2024/25 municipal year:

Councillor Andrew Varney (Lord Mayor/Chair)

Councillor George Calascione

Councillor Kye Dudd

Councillor Paul Goggin

Councillor Caroline Gooch

Councillor Paula O'Rourke

Councillor David Wilcox

At the Society of Merchant Venturers Charter Day Elections took place to decide the

Membership of Downs Committee until November 2025.

The Membership of Master and 6 Merchant Venturers is as follows:

SMV to advise of changes

Robert Bourns (Master)

Jonathon Baker

Mike Bothamley

Bevis Watts

Fiona Francombe

David Powell

John Watson

The City Council appointed the following members to serve on the Downs Committee for the 2024/25 municipal year:

Councillor Andrew Varney (Lord Mayor/Chair)

Councillor George Calascione

Councillor Kye Dudd

Councillor Paul Goggin

Councillor Caroline Gooch

Councillor Paula O'Rourke

Councillor David Wilcox

At the Society of Merchant Venturers Charter Day Elections took place to decide the Membership of Downs Committee until November 2025.

The Membership of Master and 6 Merchant Venturers is as follows:

Robert Bourns (Master/Vice Chair)

Jonathon Baker

Mike Bothamley

Bevis Watts

Fiona Francombe

David Powell

John Watson

Under the provisions of Section 10 of the Clifton and Durdham Downs

(Bristol) Act 1861, the Lord Mayor of Bristol City Council is Chair of the

Committee and the Vice-Chair of the Committee is the Master of the Society of the Merchant Ventures and will assume the Chair at Downs Committee meeting in the Lord Mayor’s absence.

Under the provisions of Section 10 of the Clifton and Durdham Downs (Bristol) Act 1861, noted that the Lord Mayor of Bristol City Council was Chair of the Committee, and the Vice-Chair of the Committee was the Master of the Society of the Merchant Venturers and would assume the Chair at Downs Committee meeting in the Lord Mayor’s absence.

That the Committee re-appoints the Events and Finance Sub- Group for November 2024 to November 2025.

The Committee re-appointed the Events and Finance Sub- Group from November 2024 to November 2025.

13 January 2 pm

10 March 2 pm

9 June 11 am

15 September 2 pm

17 November 2 pm

13 January 2 pm

10 March 2 pm

9 June 11 am

15 September 2 pm

17 November 2 pm

Resolved: That the minutes of the previous meeting on 16 September 2024 be approved as a correct record.

The Chair ran through actions from the previous meeting and further updates were given and included in the Action Tracker.

Noted that there were no matters arising from the last Events & Finance Sub Group to be considered by the Downs Committee at today’s meeting.

Up to 30 Minutes is permitted for this item.

To consider items of Public Forum sent to the Downs Committee. Interested parties can submit:

·      A written statement of approximately one side A4 which must be received 2 clear working days prior to the meeting. For this meeting that means no later than 12pm on 14 November 2024.  

·      A maximum of 2 written questions (which will be answered verbally at the meeting) must be received 3 clear working days prior to the meeting. For this meeting, it means that your question(s) must be received no later than 5pm on 12 November 2024.

·      You will have the opportunity to ask one supplementary question arising directly out of each of the original questions or replies.

Please send submissions to Democratic Services at democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk.

Please note that your statements and questions will be sent to Committee Members and published on Council’s website prior to meeting.

Questions

(1)   Mark Ashdown – Tree Forum

North Car Park future use - Does the Committee accept that, as a result, a new planning application will need to be submitted in order to realise its plans to repurpose the site for the use of visitors to the Downs?

Answer – The position in relation to planning permission is currently being investigated with the Planning Department and any permission that is deemed necessary will be sought.

Supplementary question – will a management regime be necessary regarding future use of the NCP?

Answer – yes, a management regime will be necessary.

(2)   Susan Carter

(1) When can Downs for People and the Bristol Tree Forum expect a reply to their letter of 8 April to the then Lord Mayor about the North Car Park?

Answer – a letter will be written in reply to the 8 April letter from DfP.

(2)  Will members of the Downs Committee meet Downs for People, the Bristol Tree Forum, the Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society and other interested groups to discuss the legal issues around development of the North car park, as requested in the letter of 8 April and in the question put by the Bristol Tree Forum to the Committee's September meeting?

Answer – an informal meeting would be held with CHIS on site after the letter of 8 April had been replied to so that legal points would have already been formally addressed.

Statements

The following public forum statements were received from the public listed below and were noted by the Committee.

1.      Caroline Twigg - meeting to discuss site options for additional football pitch to be held with Cllr Dudd and Area Supervisor Parks North.

2.      Susan Carter DfP – Noted.

3.      Susan Carter – Noted.

The Committee received an update report from the Area Parks Supervisor summarising the work on the Downs for the summer season.

Members considered the public forum statement from The Westbury Park Foxes Youth Football Club about identifying a suitable location for the club to use as a football pitch on the Downs. 

The Parks Supervisor emphasised that a meeting had taken place with the club organisers and that BCC supported the club’s ambitions. It remained however to finalise the exact location for the pitch. There were a number of extenuating issues which had delayed so far.

It was agreed that Councillor Dudd would meet with the Parks Supervisor after the meeting to try to find solutions so that the matter could be progressed.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The committee received a report from the Downs Advisory Panel noting that since the last meeting of the Downs committee the Panels dedicated email address and phone line had received over thirty contacts.

Members were specifically asked to note that ccomplaints about vehicle dwelling continued to dominate, citing no action on abandoned caravans, dumped rubbish, shrubbery used as latrines, contaminated waste and human waste deposited in neighbors’ refuse bins.

Complaints were also received about managing the Gypsy/Roma/Traveller community and the impact of it had on Downs events.

The report contained five items with recommendations which the committee was asked to consider and agree/disagree on –

Recommendation 1 – Managing Major Events

That the Downs Committee Events & Finance Sub-Group consider a review of event Terms & Conditions to include, pricing structure, overt political content, unauthorised parking on the grass, eg: event organisers should be responsible for managing parking on grass areas, alternatively committee could consider an additional charge.

Agreed. Councillor David Wilcox to attend the next meeting to assist in the deliberations.

Recommendation 2 - Progressing Green Flag Accreditation

That the Downs committee worked with FOD+AG and the Panel to ensure that two current projects were brought to a successful conclusion.

Agreed. Councillor Paula O’Rourke to meet with DAP to progress. This would include discussion about a two-week campaign next spring about litter control and appropriate signing for this.

3 – Business Development Update – No recommendation

Members recognised the ongoing proposed commercial activities for the Downs.

Noted.

Recommendation 4 - Managing the Gypsy/Roma/Traveller Community and people living in tents

Members noted that the Gypsy/Roma/Traveller Community Coordinator had attended the last E&F Sub Group about this.

Agreed to invite the Gypsy/Roma/Traveller Community Coordinatorto the next meeting of the Downs Committee to consider what options were possible to resolve the issues raised.

Addendum

The DAP concluded that securing alternative accommodation for roadside vehicle dwellers was critical to bringing about a satisfactory solution to the vehicle dweller issue on the Downs.

In addition, changes to parking restrictions and effective enforcement should be pursued with greater energy.

On behalf of the Panel a Freedom of Information request to the Council enquiring about progressing Meanwhile sites had been submitted and a reply had been received the day before the meeting.

Agreed that the Head of Natural and Marine Environment be invited to the next meeting to confirm: -

{a} What efforts were currently being made to identify and secure alternative 'Meanwhile Sites' for the vehicle dwelling community.

{b} What efforts had been made in progressing enforcement for clear breaches of the 'Pact' for van dwellers agreed with BCC.

{c} That changes to parking restrictions on the Downs Highways including overnight camping would be progressed.

5 – North Car Park – No recommendation

The Committee received an update report from the Business Development Manager reviewing the current facilities and possible commercial opportunities on key locations across the Downs. These included –

a)      Zoo - North Car Park

b)      Stoke Road Pitches

c)      Stoke Road changing rooms. 

d)      Sea Walls site

e)      Private Training Operators.

f)       New concession sites.   

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The committee received an update report from the Events Officer on 2024 events that had taken place since the last meeting and future events in 2025. The effect of certain events on Bats and wildlife was also being actively considered.

RESOLVED – That the Events report be noted.

The committee received the Forecast report for 2024-25. Since the last report in August, the forecasted net deficit had remained the same at £186k.

To reduce the deficit either additional income of £186k would be required, expenditure significantly reduced or a combination of both.  The Head of Parks had been working with members of the Events & Finance sub-group to develop a range of mitigations, which would reduce the deficit going forwards.

The report also provided the financial outturn performance of the Downs for the period 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2025.

RESOLVED – That the Forecast report for 2024-25 be noted.

The committee received an update report on the activities of the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife learning and community engagement programme for September and October 2024. 

Key issues arising from discussion were –

a)      Councillor requested to be present at Steering Group meetings to understand the importance of the exemplary management of the Avon Gorge SAC and the connective Downs SNCI nationally and internationally designated site.

Councillor Paul Goggin agreed to volunteer for this role.

b)      More work needed to be done to improve relationships with tent/vehicle dwellers on the Downs. This could include councillors on the Downs Committee informally visiting tent/vehicle dwellers. It was hoped that this might go some way to deterring the negative behaviour sometimes experienced with some of the dwellers on the Downs.

c)      The deteriorating situation on the Downs arising from vehicle dwellers might be improved by setting up a What’s App Group amongst the dweller population to deter anti-social behaviour. This had been done before with some success.

d)      Local leaders could also help with this and could include ward councillors as well as members of the Downs Committee, to meet informally with vehicle dwellers.  Councillors Paul Goggin and Paula O’Rourke agreed to lead on this.

e)      A communications campaign next Easter 2025 was being planned to enable Downs users to understand the value of the site they were utilising from an ecological perspective. The aim would be to deter damaging antisocial behaviour on the site, such as fire usage and litter. Councillor Paula O Rourke offered to take the lead on this with a working party, which would include the biodiversity engagement manager and others.

RESOLVED – That the Downs Community Engagement report be noted.

None.

Monday 13 January 2025 at City Hall. 

Monday 13 January 2025, 2pm at City Hall.