Agenda item

Note:

Under the Council’s constitution, 30 minutes are available for the consideration of motions. In practice, this realistically means that there is usually only time for one, or possibly two motions to be considered. With the agreement of the Lord Mayor, motion 1 below will be considered at this meeting, and motion 2 is likely to be considered, subject to time. Details of other motions submitted, (which, due to time constraints, are very unlikely to be considered at this meeting) are also set out for information.

 

 

MOTIONS RECEIVED FOR FULL COUNCIL – 17 MARCH 2020

 

 

Golden Motion - Future-friendly city

 

Full Council notes:

1. The Bristol Children’s Charter, which is inspiring other cities around the world, and Bristol’s status as a World Health Organisation accredited Age Friendly City.
2. The Mayor’s declaration of an ecological emergency, which was the first in the UK; together with our declaration of a climate emergency; and Bristol’s world-leading work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
3. The Mayor’s administration has tripled affordable housing delivery and will see Bristol complete 9,175 new homes over the four years to 2020/21; the Mayor plans to continue building at least 2,000 new homes per year – including 1,000 new council or affordable homes if re-elected.
4. That despite historic levels of home-building since 2016 – including last month’s £1 billion investment in homes and infrastructure – some 12,000 families are on council house waiting lists, with 1,000 homeless families, around 600 households are in temporary accommodation, and the recent count which found 82 people sleeping rough in the city.

 

Full Council believes:

1. Bristol faces climate and ecological emergencies at the same time as interdependent crises across poverty, housing, and health, which require complimentary policy responses.
2. A greater linkage between people services and infrastructure developments can ensure that Bristol becomes a truly child, eco, and age friendly city in the way that we plan our homes, communities, transport, and major projects.
3. Achieving a child-friendly places will deliver far-reaching intergenerational benefits for all communities, including interventions such as wider-level paving, step-free places, additional seating, toilet provision in private developments, and protect the planet and biodiversity through greater green spaces, quieter streets, habitat corridors, and better public transport and safe active travel provision.

 

 

Full Council resolves:

1.      To continue work towards establishing Bristol as a child-friendly city, not just in terms of services offered directly to children and families but through infrastructure, development, and clear planning guidance.

2.      To request that greater reference to the Children’s Charter is included in council decision-making, putting future generations at the heart of all we do.

3.      To lobby the Combined Authority and Government to incorporate social infrastructure in industrial strategies, working with us to improve access to affordable, quality, early years childcare.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Helen Godwin, Labour Group

Date of submission: 5^th March 2020

 

 

2.                  Supermarkets Compact

 

This Council regrets the prevalence of negative issues from a range of sources within the retail and distribution sector that hamper the city’s sustainability aspirations.

 

These issues include, but not exclusively:

·         extensive usage of a wide range of packaging materials

·         continuing use of materials, particularly plastics, with poor recycling outcomes

·         excessive levels of wastage, particularly of food

·         increasing heavy vehicular distribution-miles, both cross-countries and within the city

Council further regrets that precious resources and taxpayers’ money have to be used to resolve and mitigate some of these issues, where this is an option.

 

Council regrets that it lacks the regulatory powers to control the negative outcomes from some large commercial organisations.

 

This Council notes the announcements and actions by more conscientious firms to address some of these issues to reduce their costs and be more responsible.

 

This Council notes the unacceptable level of food poverty in our city

 

This Council notes the increasing challenges around goods delivery vehicles in our city which is attempting to reduce the volume of traffic and improve air quality

 

This Council notes that a successful plan to deliver carbon neutrality by 2030 will require committed leadership to inspire common purpose in everyone and across all groups in our city

 

This Council notes that much customer packaging places volume and disposal demands on the city’s waste services, while their bulk packaging is also unsustainable though disposed  through commercial operators.

 

This Council notes that a proposal to address these issues supported by research and a dossier of detailed responses by all of the eight major supermarkets has been prepared by a BCC scrutiny committee and was commended by a committee of the Core Cities team.

 

It indicated how focused and co-operative use of BCC resources might deliver multiple benefits, including:

·         waste/plastics reduction

·         food-saving

·         reduction in delivery-miles

·         rewarding sustainable practice

·         getting out our sustainability message though big players to the shopping public

·         tackling at source some resulting issues that our taxpayers presently have to fund so re-allocating reduced costs,  and greater savings, to the originators

Council therefore resolves to launch the first core-city co-operative initiative of its kind:

a Supermarkets Compact agreed with the major chains in Bristol where the City council sets a small number of key criteria that will benefit the city and promotes a ‘Kitemark’-type  scheme awarding recognition as each is achieved. This would applaud good practice, in a competitive market increasingly sensitive to improving sustainability, and open up opportunities for reaching out to customers, with rising credentials displayed on their premises and promotional literature.

 

Such a scheme would be a simple and highly visible way of advancing our sustainability  ambitions.  It would be co-operative, competitive and catalytic while fair and sustainable.  It would be a cost-effective way for this city to offer mutual solutions to long-standing common problems.  It would be a bold advance in the crucial community engagement measures to deliver real-life sustainability, closer to source.

 

This council resolves to request the incumbent administration to instruct officers to take forward this proposal.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Anthony Negus, Liberal Democrat Group

Date of submission:    5th March 2020

 

 

3.                  Bristol Energy Company

 

“This Council is increasingly concerned that all major decisions relating to Bristol Energy are being taken behind a legal cloak of commercial confidentiality.  By so doing, proper scrutiny of (and accountability for) this – at best – speculative venture is being limited and Members unreasonably constrained from expressing concerns about the Municipally-owned company.

 

The latest Cabinet report and decision which concerned an operational report update (3rd March 2020) was treated as a wholly exempt item of business ‘by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.’  This grants exempt status to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). In addition to excluding most Members from accessing this deemed sensitive information, the Mayor even removed the ability to call-in any decision taken.

 

However, Council believes these restrictions are meant to be qualified and not absolute in their operation, nature or scope.  Information ceases to be exempt when the public interest in disclosure outweighs the supposed public interest in maintaining the exemption. In the current circumstances, Council asserts that the public’s right or need to know overrides the judgement to withhold knowledge around an enterprise which has already required considerable public investment to underpin its business plan.

 

The use of secrecy is also acting as an oppressive gag on Members from airing their views or knowledge in this matter.  This is not acceptable or reasonable. Accordingly, Council calls on the Mayor to lift these embargoes around Bristol Energy and:-

 

(i)         Offer a comprehensive briefing to all Members on the present position and options available to the Authority;

(ii)        Allow an open and honest debate to take place about this company – free from the threat of criminal (or any other) charges, penalties or sanction;

(iii)       Prior to this year’s local elections, reaffirm his commitment not to exceed the agreed total cash funding envelope for this energy supply business which has been set at £37.7m;

(iv)       Confirm that any payments made to Bristol Energy under delegated powers will be notified to Party Group Leaders and OSM within 24 hours.”

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Mark Weston, Conservative Group

Date of submission: 5^th March 2020

 

 

4.                  Support For Freeports

 

Following the General Election, which resulted in a Conservative majority, it is clear that the new Government is in a strong position to carry out its ambitious £100bn infrastructure programme to benefit the whole of the UK.

 

Part of this capital investment will be directed towards creating ten freeports around the country.  These, it is intended, will play a significant role in raising prosperity for some of our most deprived communities whilst helping to re-establish our nation as a champion of free trade – in our own right - at the World Trade Organisation.    

 

Globally, there are around 3000 of these free trade zones.  These can be established at both sea and air points of entry. Such sites are areas within a geographic boundary of a country but, legally, are treated as external to that state for the purposes of applying different (lower) customs duties and business rates. Historically, these ports have proved to be catalysts for economic redevelopment and regeneration.  

 

Council notes that some concerns have been raised over potential risks associated with the operation of these facilities, namely as a vehicle for money laundering, counterfeiting and/or tax evasion.  However, it should equally be recognised that these threats or dangers can be prevented, mitigated and minimised through the operation of greater transparency, regulation and oversight.

 

The Bristol Port Company has previously expressed interest in exploring a bid to be included in the first ten tranche chosen by a specialist panel.  In commerce, to stand still is to be left behind. It is this Council’s view that the future prosperity of our City Region could be greatly enhanced by this change of status.  

 

Accordingly, Council calls on the Mayor to lend his support to this possibility and work with the West of England Combined Authority to ensure we are best placed to take advantage of or benefit from this prestigious, national scheme.  It is this Council’s contention that such a partnership will greatly help to unleash Bristol’s huge economic potential.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Mark Weston, Conservative Group

Date of submission: 5^th March 2020

 

 

5.                  Supporting Local Shops

 

Council continues to be concerned over the future sustainability of many of Bristol’s high streets.

 

Nationally, last year proved to be especially challenging for so-called bricks and mortar retailers.  A recent review by the British Retail Consortium found that we lost 16 shops per day through closure in the first six months of 2019.  This equates to around 2,868 businesses, with an estimated 85,000 jobs lost by year-end. Some of the latest casualties include such well-known brands as HMV, Thomas Cook and even Debenhams.

 

The causes are well known and multifaceted (i) spiralling rents; (ii) rising business rates; (iii) increased labour costs; (iv) declining foot-fall; and (v) the choice, convenience and competition provided by e-commerce.

 

With local authorities ever more dependent on retention of business rates to balance their budgets, Council maintains that it is essential that more is done to support struggling small businesses in secondary retail areas around the city.

 

Some measures taken during the last Parliament such as cuts to business rates for small businesses and the creation of special funding streams were a step in the right direction. The ‘Love our High Streets’ project promoted by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is also encouraging.

 

Now, the new Conservative Government has promised a ‘new deal for towns’ (and regions) which aims to deliver thriving high streets as well as making these places much safer to visit by investing in more CCTV and community wardens. Council believes it will be essential to do more locally to coordinate with all of these national and regional initiatives. 

 

To this end, Council calls on the Mayor to allocate resources from his capital budget to actually invest in so-called satellite precincts to make them attractive destinations. Consideration also needs to be given to changing the city’s parking strategy/priorities with more free short-term parking provided at these locations, and improved CCTV coverage to increase public safety.

 

Council requests that a report be prepared for Scrutiny which outlines the existing options available for providing temporary business rate relief on particularly hard-pressed retailers.

Finally, the Mayor is asked to lobby Ministers as part of another promised ‘fundamental review of the business rates system’ to consider major reform (not based on notional rateable values but founded upon important factors such as profit and turnover), to bring it up to date with current economic conditions and in order to save UK retailing.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Graham Morris, Conservative Group

Date of submission: 5^th March 2020

 

 

6.                  Mitigating the effects of the Clean Air Plan on the most affected and most deprived residents.

 

Council notes that there is now only one Bristol plan that will reportedly deliver the governments clean air criteria in the period required and so despite many reservations from scrutiny, cabinet has given its approval.

 

Council regrets that no public consultation was carried out on the specific plan adopted by the Cabinet which was different to the two options put forward to the public.

 

Council has concerns about how this will impact on the way that goods and people move within and around the clean air zones, and anticipating and mitigating potential poor outcomes.

 

Council is concerned that the capability of the present system of ‘public’ transport to sustainably accommodate is inadequate, certainly in the short and medium-term.

 

Council is concerned about the effects of greater vehicle movements outside the zones to avoid charges on small roads not designed for this and the impact on safety, congestion, necessary infrastructure work and migrated poorer quality air.

 

Council is concerned that deprivation being given the highest rating alongside public health in the approach to the clean air problem – rather than confronting the central issue and mitigating any poor outcomes- there are no meaningful exemptions or concessions for people in the central zone except a possible £2000 grant to enable replacement for a diesel car.

 

This council resolves to ask the Mayor to examine meaningful ways to ease the transition into this new plan for those people most affected and least capable of coping with the outcomes including, but not exclusively, the following:

 

•          A longer transition period for phasing out ownership by residents in the inner zone of all private diesel cars, focusing on pre-Euro6 models.

•          Preparation and consultation on an impact analysis, and resulting mitigation, for the closure of the eastbound Cumberland Basin to all vehicles except buses.

•          Alternative provisions for access to the many hospitals (including sufficient information and warnings) within the zone including the extension of the present hospital bus network to collect from car parks outside the zone.

•          Examining how to provide additional funds where needed to top up the likely £2000 so-called scrappage scheme in order that this may deliver more sustainable and cleaner private cars held in the zone.

•          Developing transitional arrangements for alternative travel by bus

•          Exempting disabled people from zone restrictions

•          Exempting Diesel vehicles that meet Euro6 standards from the diesel ban, to allay risk that these may be replaced by poorer quality older petrol vehicles, delivering worse outcomes.

 

Council instructs the Head of Paid service to write a letter to Government with the resolution of Council.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Anthony Negus, Liberal Democrat Group

Date of submission:    5th March 2020

 

 

7.                  A citywide ban on Digital Billboards

 

This Council notes:

• There is a growing pressure for digital advertising across the city alongside highways, on footpaths, and on walls of prominent or vacant sites
• There is also a switch to digital advertising on phone boxes (their main source of income) and bus shelters
• Existing billboards may not have planning permission but there has been no consistent approach to removing them via enforcement
• Many advertising companies are switching to digital billboards to reduce the cost of changing advertising, switching to a series of static but alternated digital adverts which can be updated remotely
• The law governing display advertising restricts objections to ground of highway safety and amenity
• Recent planning appeals have been made in response to rejection of digital advertising on some sites, and with stronger declared policies the planning response could be clearer and some of the appeals could be avoided
• The energy consumption of digital billboards adds a growing impact to the city’s carbon footprint
• The bright illumination from digital billboards at all hours can also affect local wildlife
• Billboards are subject to objections and controversy every time an application is made, local residents do not want such billboards in their neighbourhoods”

 

This council believes:

• Advertising drives consumption and predominantly represents major consumer goods companies; most adverts are for national and international brands not local businesses so this is limited benefit to the local economy
• Envy and body shame are a phenomenon associated with the prevalence of corporate advertising
• Mental health issues relating to body image are a growing and persistent issue affecting many young people and adults
• The greatest climate impact in our city is the impact on consumption of goods and services; constant pressure to consume is driven by continuous, pervasive advertising
• When travelling or relaxing outdoors residents have no choice if confronted by digital billboards; the council does not have to enable this negative experience
• There are unequal standards of amenity across the city and some areas have traditionally been better protected than others; the council could set a uniform, high standard of amenity to redress this unequal amenity
• While there are pressures for commercialising council assets the council need not be either a driver of digital advertising though its own walls and structures, nor an enabler through weak policies.

 

This council therefore calls on the Mayor:

• To introduce a new, high standard of amenity across the whole city, excluding digital billboards and taking enforcement action against unlawful billboard sites
• To set the highest road safety standards across the city with a declared presumption against distracting digital billboards on the whole road network
• To end council-initiated billboard sites on walls or other structures
• To introduce these changes through the local plan and public announcements on property policies
• To work towards Bristol becoming a billboard free city, with space left purely for local noticeboards, signage or public information and creative arts and flags
• To report back on progress within a year

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Martin Fodor, Green Group

Date of submission:    5th March 2020

 

 

8.                  Cycle Lanes

 

Full Council notes:

• The plethora of designs, finishes and colours of the various cycle lanes in the city.
• The confusion this causes, especially in areas where cyclists and pedestrians are in close proximity – the current layout of the city centre being a case in point

 

Full Council believes:

A solution such as a single recognisable colour for cycle lanes would help make it obvious to all the distinction between areas where it is acceptable to cycle, and areas where it is not – something which would benefit all .

 

Council therefore calls on the Mayor:

To introduce a single colour scheme for all Bristol’s cycle lanes, or find another mechanism for differentiating between cycle lanes and pedestrian walkways, particularly in shared spaces across our city.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Charlie Bolton

Date of submission: 5^th March 2020

 

 

9.                  Joint Local Transport Plan

 

This Council notes that:

·         The Joint Local Transport Plan (the JLTP) is coming to WECA for approval by the Metro Mayor, the constituent authorities and North Somerset on 20^th March, having been ‘noted’ without any proposed changes by Bristol City Council Cabinet on 3^rd March.

 

·         The JLTP contains many positive provisions around cycling and walking proposals but it also contains plans to build ten new roads and five road-widening schemes (including new motorway junctions) and therefore must be considered a major piece of infrastructure.

 

·         The decision of the Court of Appeal on the Heathrow third runway application on 27 February has wide ranging consequences for all infrastructure plans. The decision means means that all such major pieces of infrastructure (whether they be airport infrastructure, new railway schemes or road building) need to be considered in detail against the provisions of the Paris Agreement of 2016.

 

·         If the road building provisions of the JLTP are not checked against the legal obligations agreed by the UK Government in the Paris Agreement, then they may now be subject to legal challenge following the Heathrow decision. This has already happened this week in the case of HS2 where a high court action has been commenced.

 

·         We have seen no evidence that such a review process has taken place in the production of JLTP4 either at the level of the constituent authorities or by WECA itself.

 

·         That the majority of the plans contained in the JLTP4 were drafted prior to the declaration of a Climate Emergency by WECA on 19^th July 2019 and therefore were not considered in the light of that declaration.

 

This council believes:

• We are in the middle of a period of existential threat from climate change and that has been recognised by the declaration of a Climate Emergency by both this council and WECA.

 

• We therefore cannot continue with business-as-usual when it comes to transport planning and particularly road building.

 

• That the concept of ‘induced demand’, whereby the building of more roads simply leads to more car miles being driven, has been long established in the scientific literature.

 

• Because of the potential legal challenges arising out of the Heathrow decision and the changing circumstances caused by the declaration of the Climate Emergency, that the JLTP may now be illegal and approval should not be given by Bristol City Council or WECA.

 

This council therefore calls on the Mayor to:

• Reconsider the JLTP in the light of the Heathrow judgement and check detailed compliance with the the legally binding provisions of the Paris Agreement.

 

• Refuse to ratify the JLTP at the WECA meeting on 20 March 2020 until this process has been completed.

 

Motion to be moved by: Councillor Stephen Clarke

Date of Submission: 5^th March 2020

 

 

10.              Lift The Ban

 

This Council notes:

• That until 2002, people seeking asylum could apply for permission to work if they had been waiting for six months or more for an initial decision on their asylum claim.
• Almost half of main applicants waiting for an initial decision on their asylum claim have been waiting for over six months.
• Asylum seeker support allowance is currently £37.75 per person per week.
• In recent surveys, 71% of the British population support lifting the ban on asylum seekers working after 6 months and feel it is an unfair, cruel policy.

 

This Council believes:

• That working has numerous benefits to health and well-being, such as maintaining positive sense of identity and self-worth and providing opportunities for social connection, in addition to the obvious benefits of increased financial security.
• That people who have risked everything to find safety should have the best chance possible of contributing to our society and integrating into their new communities.
• That everyone in Bristol will benefit  from the economic and social contribution of those seeking asylum, if they are allowed to work.
• That enabling those seeking asylum to work would support the aims of our recently adopted Refugee and Asylum Seeker Inclusion Strategy, in particular meeting basic needs, promoting economic inclusion and promoting social integration.

 

This Council proposes:

• To join the national Lift The Ban coalition and play an active role in it.
• To use Bristol’s status as a large, influential city to lobby other councils in the South West and Wales to join the coalition.
• To call on national government to change the policy so that asylum seekers can work after they have waited six months for a decision on their initial asylum claim or further submission, unconstrained by the Shortage Occupation List.
• To call upon the Mayor to improve accessibility and availability of language classes for asylum seekers in the city of Bristol, to equip people with the tools they need to excel in the workplace.
• To call upon the Mayor to increase the number of spaces available in homeless shelters to support those that the ban has pushed into destitution. 

 

References:

-          Lift the Ban Report, Lift the Ban Coalition https://www.refugee-action.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Lift-the-Ban-report.pdf

 

Motion to be moved by: Councillor Eleanor Combley

Date of Submission: 5^th March 2020

11.              Hydrogen Economy

 

This council believes that we should embrace the hydrogen economy and all the opportunities that it brings.

 

In transport hydrogen can provide the solutions for clean fuel on everything from cars to heavy freight and trains. The only emission is water.

 

The hydrogen can be produced from renewable energy sources, which must be invested in and is a dense form of energy that is moveable and can easily take over a lot of the infrastructure of petrol and diesel.

 

Government plans would require the cessation of gas heating for homes and businesses and replacing the fuel supplied and the boilers is far less disruptive than present ill thought through “plans”.

 

We believe that Bristol should be a leader here and not lag behind other cities and states that are already forging ahead.

 

Council calls on the Mayor to work with WECA and lobby Government to support the expansion of the hydrogen economy and develop a plan for infrastructure to support hydrogen fuelled vehicles.

 

Council requests that Overview and Scrutiny Management consider establishing a Task and Finish Group to examine what opportunities there are to expand hydrogen infrastructure and economy in our region.

 

Motion to be moved by: Cllr Gary Hopkins, Liberal Democrat Group

Date of submission:    5th March 2020

The item was deferred.