Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – that Councillor Ed Plowden be Chair for this meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

No apologies received.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 27 July 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

Matters arising –

1.      John Atkinson (Tree Bristol) has responded to outstanding queries about Tree pits costs and clarification about the replacement regime in the event of tree planting failure.

2.      Tree pit costs: The 8 sites that require new pits engineering, (3 on St Johns Lane and 5 on Ravenhill Road), do have this cost included in the application. We’re confirming the price for engineered pits with our new Civil Engineering contractor - Colas - but it’s likely to be cheaper than the previous ETM price.

3.      Any planting is ‘guaranteed’ for two years, not two months. If the tree fails within the first two years we replace for free and re-start the maintenance and watering programme. This continues on the replacement tree. The only exception to this is where the tree fails through vandalism / intentional damage. In this case we only replace once.

4.      Tree officer confirmed that planting of trees was guaranteed for two years, and trees would be replaced if they failed within a two-year period.

None declared.

Members of the public may make a written statement ask a question or present a petition to most meetings.  Your statement or question will be sent to the Committee and be available in the meeting room one hour before the meeting.  Please submit it to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk or Democratic Services Section, City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5UY.  The following requirements apply:

·       The statement is received no later than 12.00 noon on the working day before the meetingand is about a matter which is the responsibility of the committee concerned.

·       The question is received no later than three clear working days before the meeting. 

Members noted the public forum statements received in support of the Newbridge Road CIL application.

The Community Resources Manager (CRM) introduced the report and highlighted specific points for members information.

Discussion took place and main points raised were -

1. Progress updates are published every six months on previous schemes approved by the Area Committee. The latest was published in August 2022. The next will be published in February 2023.
2. Stage 1 Outline Project Proposals had been chosen by ward councillors in early 2022, the AC5 meeting in July 2022 selected those that should go forward as full proposals, and these were now set out in the report for today’s meeting for discussion and decision.
3. Ashton Vale new play area: One issue outstanding from last meeting was the exploration of the option of using one of the pitches at Ashton Vale Playing Fields for a new children’s play area. Communication have happened with Parson Street Old Boys Club, which still has 8 years left in their lease for the use of the football pitches, regarding possibility of using a pitch. It was thought the club was reluctant to pursue this due to waterlogging of the pitch in winter and that they use both pitches. Agreed that representatives of the club be approached for a meeting to explore further. The £58,603 S106 funding remaining from the £70k allocated for children’s play in Ashton Vale is still available to support a play area. Noted that Ashton Vale Community Centre are very unlikely to be in a position to return the £11,397 spent by Parks on fencing at the centre to support installation of the play equipment at the Centre.  AGREED
4. It was suggested that future explorations on finding a site for children’s play in Ashton Vale take place outside of this meeting. Councillor Bradshaw raised the offer that the contractor who is delivering the Longmoor site has made to include a play area in that site as a potential resolution of the local demand for play provision.
5. A discussion took place about the Ashton Vale Playing Fields footpath Proposal which had suggested to be delivered at the same time as the play are at the Fields. It was agreed that it should be considered as a distinct proposal in its own right in the light of the uncertainty that the Playing Fields could be the site of play provision.  This approach was AGREED.
6. At this point of the meeting Councillor Tony Dyer proposed that the list of applications be approved noting that some might have to wait until the £73k overcommitted funds became available.
7. Members discussed ratifying the projects now and making the spend next financial year with the knowledge that considerable additional CIL funding is going to be coming through over the next couple of years.
8. A request for Wedmore Vale to be included on the list now was not confirmed as it was prudent to not over commit the budget until additional CIL funding of £500k became available. AGREED that a meeting be held in the new year to consider this project again.
9. A member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.