Agenda and draft minutes

As the Chair had given apologies for this meeting, Cllr Wye was elected as Chair. Cllr Wye welcomed all attendees to the meeting and issued the safety information.

Apologies for absence were heard from Councillors Breckels, Beech, Cole, Hussain and Parsons.

None received.

RESOLVED: the minutes of the previous meeting held Wednesday 15 November 2023 were agreed as a correct record.

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None received.

The Community Resources Manager provided an update and asked Members to note the decisions required as follows:

1. RESOLVED: The Area Committee NOTED that this year, there is no option to pre commit funding or go into deficit of CIL funds. This is due to changes to Area Committee boundaries which are due to take place (Item F)

2. RESOLVED: The Area Committee considered the approval of funding for the Proposals submitted for consideration, including any conditions which the committee may wish to attach and to consider allocation of eligible S106 monies to support relevant proposals in order to conserve CIL funds for future use. Approved proposals are set out in the table below.

The following points were raised in discussion:

a) at the previous meeting, members suggested adding another £8,000 to a £72,000 proposal on defibrillator installation to cover the addition of bleed kits. Great Western Ambulance cannot accept this funding as they cannot supply the equipment. 100 bleed kits have already been installed, funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner. Cllr Ellie King, the relevant Cabinet member has confirmed the current allocation is sufficient.

b) While the installation of bleed kits is welcome, members of the public may not have sufficient awareness of where they are or how to use them.

c) The proposal for a bus shelter at Harcourt Avenue has increased from £18,000 to £30,000. This is due to the difficulty of the location. There is still a risk that £30,000 may not be sufficient or that the scheme may not be deliverable. The road layout is complex and there are many subterranean services.

d) Councillors agreed that a condition should be placed on funding the proposals from Black South West Network and Bristol Somali Resource Centre: these are subject to planning permission and match funding raised.

e) The St Matthias Park improvements allocation has increased by £6,693 to £306,693. This is to make use of a S106 contribution of £6,693.53 (10/04196 / 23 New Street, Old Market) for “the provision of traffic management and/or highways measures in the vicinity of New Street”. The overall scheme falls within the Neighbourhood Development Plan area and the NDP Forum are supportive of it.

f) The scheme is not for pedestrianisation of the park itself, but the roads around it. There is a great deal of uncertainty with any large scheme like this, as significant consultation and exploratory work is required. This project will join up with the Frome Gateway development nearby. Officers should be aware of the residential parking issues in the area.  

g) There was a discussion on contingency funding. It is not up to the Committee to allocate contingencies as they should be contained within the request from the applicant.