Agenda and minutes

To elect the Chair of the Area Committee for the 2020-2021 municipal year.

RESOLVED – that Councillor Jerome Thomas be elected Chair for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Geoff Gollop, Steve Smith and Clive Stevens.

To consider the minutes of the last meeting held on the 26^th November 2019

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26^th November 2019 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To hear any declaration of interests from Councillors on the Area Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

Please see the public information sheet attached to the agenda for information and detail about public forum processes.  For this specific meeting, the deadlines are:

·       The deadline for Public Forum Questions is 5pm on Tuesday 21^st July.

·       The deadline for Public Forum Statements is 12 noon on Friday 24^th July.

·       The deadline for registration to speak at the meeting is 12 noon on Thursday 23^rd July.

Please email to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk

Members considered public forum statements submitted in advance of the meeting.  Stephanie French and Fraser Bridgeford were in attendance to speak to the Committee.

Members noted the statements submitted for consideration.

The Community Resources Manager introduced the report and drew attention to the following:

·       Members would receive an update by the end of August on progress on previously approved Section 106 (S106) and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) transport, parks and community projects;

·       A decision had been taken to pause 2020 CIL and S106 decisions with the exception of S106 monies specified for tree planting and replacement so works could start in the 20/21 planting season;

The Community Resources Manager continued to present the report and drew attention to the following:

·       There was currently a CIL deficit of -£24,105.69 for general AC1 spend due to decisions made by the Committee at its meeting on 26th November 2019; the Lawrence Weston NDP area has £3,399.90 available at end June 2020

·       There was a total of £83,718.61 uncommitted Section 106 agreement monies of which £79,607.14 was specifically assigned to tree planting or replacement as outlined in the report to the meeting;

·       Members were asked to consider the proposed tree planting and replacement scheme using the £33,669.24 available plant 29 trees across the ward of Area Committee 1 and, if approved, to further consider if the residue of £562.80 should be added to the maintenance budget or keep in the existing S106 tree planting budget.

·       There were a further 15 planting locations proposed which were within the boundary of Area Committee 2.  This equated to £11,478.15 of the S106 spend available to Area Committee 1.  It was noted that Area Committee 2 only had £900 available for their area.

In response to questions from Councillors, the Tree Bristol Officer clarified the following points:

·       Future proposals would include a map and the common, rather than Latin, names of the trees.

·       A new tree plot required a consultation process, nine service checks, equality requirements for pavement widths, highways quality assurances and installation.  The majority of the S106 funds were spent on replacement plots. 

·       S106 was not the only tree funds in Bristol as there were other schemes; Tree Bristol, the One Tree per Child project and Urban Challenge Trees. 

·       Officers were very conscious of ‘Ash Die Back’, however, the proportion of Ash Trees to Street Trees was very small.

·       With reference to the trees allocated to sites within Area Committee 2, officers confirmed that the development was on the boundary between the two Area Committee areas and up to £40k remained in the pot for potential new tree pits.  In response, it was suggested that a policy could be developed for when a development affected Area Committee boundaries.

The following comments were made regarding the general processes for Area Committees:

·       Councillor Sergeant expressed her dismay that residents who lived on the Portway had paid for trees to be replaced by sponsoring them outside their properties in the past and then others had been replaced for free from AC1 S106 or CIL monies.

·       It was suggested that in order to achieve a net gain of trees following developments, focus needed to be placed on how to establish more  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.