Agenda item

The report recommends funding decisions on submitted proposals for CIL and S106 funding; decisions on previously-allocated sums of S106 and CIL which are either underspent or have not been drawn-down; a decision on a proposal to ‘pair wards’ within the AC area.

The Community Resources Manager introduced the report as follows:

1. An update on previous projects was now published every six months on the Bristol City Council website and the next update was due in February.
2. The Area Committee had met informally in July 2021 to consider the funding available and selected the top priority projects from each ward to invite to submit Stage 2 full proposals as follows:

3. At the end of September 2021 there was a total of £97,761.29 available to Area Committee 5 of uncommitted CiL and if the Committee approved all the requests for CIL funding, a total of £5,390.94 CIL would remain.
4. At the end of September 2021 there was a total of £130,411.55 uncommitted Section 106 agreement monies available for Area Committee .  Of this sum £20,029.69 was for Transport-focused work; £78,189.71 was for Parks and Green Spaces work; £32,192.15 was for Tree Planting.  £45,000 (171-178 Coronation Road Southville) was proposed to support improvements to Dame Emily Park.
5. There were a number of CIL and S106 sums that had been awarded by Neighbourhood Partnerships prior to 2018/Area Committee and had not been drawn down and some could potentially be ‘un-allocated’.

The following comments were raised by Members:

1.      Officers be requested to look into the provision of bins at Perrets Park, Windmill Hill and to confirm if funding was from a capital receipt rather than CiL.  Action: Parks Officers

2.      Members expressed concern that Ashton Vale Community Centre had not engaged around using funding for a Children’s Play Area as previously agreed to support the creation of a play area after Parks had spent allocated funding to install new fencing at the venue as a first step towards installing the play equipment.  There was a discussion on how this could be pursued.  It was noted that the Parks Department would need to make up the shortfall if the money was not paid back.  The Ward Councillors agreed to make contact with the Management Committee of Ashton Vale Community Centre with a view to seeking a satisfactory resolution of the issue and securing the repayment of the £11,397 which had been drawn down, but not used for the intended purpose.  In considering options for the £4,175 allocated for Improvements to the environment immediately outside the community centre, it was agreed that this should be unallocated and restored back to the CIL fund.

6. In considering Councillor Hopkins’ proposal for a formal pairing of wards within Area Committee 5, Members were concerned that they did not have the necessary authority or evidence to approve the proposal, but it was noted that Members could still have informal discussions with each other on local schemes.
7. In considering the request for a wider conversation about strategic city tree planting and Area Committee tree planting decisions as agreed at the previous meeting, Members requested that an informal virtual briefing be arranged in advance of the next scheduled round of Area Committees in May. Action: CM Manager
8. In relation to the improvements to Project Monitoring and sign-off requested at the previous meeting, it was noted that this would be raised at the Area Committee Chairs meeting in January 2022.

In considering the recommendations, it was:

RESOLVED:

1. That the progress update on previously approved Area Committee projects and the publication of 6-monthly updates that had been introduced and published on BCC webpage be noted.
2. That the projects invited to submit Full Proposals and those Outline projects considered at Stage 1 and not invited to submit Full Proposals (and the reasons why) be noted.
3. That the CIL and S106 monies available at 30th September 2021 and the option of pre-committing future CIL receipts to support the proposals as set out in the report be noted.
4. That the following be agreed in relation to under-spends and undrawn-down CIL sums from earlier Neighbourhood Partnerships and Area Committee decisions:

5. That funding for the Proposals submitted for consideration be approved as follows:

6. That the proposal for a formal pairing of wards within the Area Committee be rejected.
7. That the progress made by the Community Resources Manager on a wider strategic overview of tree planting in the city be noted, and a Member briefing be organised in advance of the next meeting in May.
8. That the progress on improving project monitoring set out by the Community Resources Manager be noted.
9. That the legal information concerning the Public Sector Equality duty in reaching all its decisions be noted.

-