Agenda item

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 new pits and plots.

·       Officers were asked to consider how more new pits could be established and how teams within the Council would need to collaborate.  It was highlighted that changes to the A37/A4018 corridor which ran through Area Committee 1 which would benefit from collaboration to establish new pits.

·       It was suggested that new trees plots should be established and trees planted as developments were being built.  The practicalities of that would be further discussed with the Technical Arbs Team (Action: Councillor Thomas/John Atkinson/Keith Houghton).  

In relation to future meetings, the Community Resources Manager undertook to talk to Chairs of the six Area Committees with a view to considering a similar timetable to the one agreed in the previous year with Councillors engaging with communities about proposals prior to a decision in the autumn. It was agreed that if any Members had a view on the timescale they should contact the Chair directly.

Members agreed that community involvement continued to be important to Area Committee 1 and would be incorporated into planned online meetings in future.  It was also highlighted that members of the public would benefit if meetings continued to be held online.

RESOLVED that

1.     the proposed updating of progress on previously-approved projects in the light of Covid-19 impacts be noted;

2.     the decision to pause 2020 CIL and S106 decisions with the exception of S106 monies specified for tree planting and replacement be noted;

3.     the CIL and S106 monies available at 30th June 2020 and the 2 S106 contributions which are at risk as outside their ‘committed by’ date be noted;

4.     the funding for the S106 Tree Proposal submitted from the following S106 allocations be approved as follows, with the residue of £562.80 added to the maintenance budget:

5.     the legal information concerning the Public Sector Equality duty in reaching all its decisions be noted.