Agenda item

The Community Resources Manager (CRM) introduced the report and highlighted specific points for members information. 

Allocation of CIL and Section 106 Funds

The Committee was asked to note that Tree Bristol had held the unit cost of a replacement tree planting at the 2013 rate of £765.21 for the last nine years. Unfortunately, due to rising costs this could not be maintained any longer. By applying the relevant Retail Price Index, the cost of tree replacement would now be £1,041.66 per tree replacement.

This did not include the cost of a new pit for tree planting and a member queried if it was correct that this cost had increased by a further 10%, the Tree Officer undertook to investigate this and inform members after the meeting. Action: Tree Officer

Members were informed that new tree planting was guaranteed for two months but all efforts to replace a failed tree would be made up two years from the date of planting. Concern was expressed that if a tree was planted in November any failure would not become obvious until the spring and be outside the formal guarantee period. Members asked for further clarity on this point, the Tree Officer agreed to investigate this. Action: Tree Officer

The CRM informed members that an ombudsman complaint had been received regarding information discussed at an AC5 informal meeting last year. The member of public thought all aspects of Area Committee meetings should be made public. The Ombudsman had decided that there should be a publicly available record of what the meeting had decided and reasons for it. It was noted that this would be done in future however the current procedure of an informal meeting to effectively decide the trajectory of spend would continue for the current year, as the existing Terms of Reference would need to be updated first.

Members agreed to continue with the existing process but clearly made their views known that they were in favour of more openness and transparency of the whole process going forward. In the meantime, the public would be encouraged to contact their Ward Members to discuss the progress of any application in their local area.

CIL and Section 106 Monies available to Area Committee 5 at 30th June 2022

Members were informed –

CIL available - at the end of June 2022 there was an overall sum of £316,066.11, for general AC5 expenditure available to Area Committee 5.

Section 106 available - at the end of June 2022 there was a total of £91,957.13uncommitted Section 106 agreement monies available for AC5, of which £38,735.73 was designated specifically for tree planting and tree replacement.

It was anticipated that by November 2022 the total spend in the fund would have increased to c£473,000.

Outstanding AC5 issues with previous AC allocations

a. Ashton Vale Community Centre and Children’s Play

Members expressed concern about ongoing unresolved issues regarding Ashton Vale Community Centre and not using funding previously agreed to support the creation of a children’s play area. The Ward Councillors gave the long-term background history related to the project and the difficulties that had been experienced with no clear resolution.

To move this forward it was agreed that ward councillors would work with officers to find a solution. The CRM said following on from that he would work closely with the Parks team and then meet with ward councillors to finalise details. All parties agreed that this needed to be professionally project managed going forward.

b. Luckwell Road crossings (Bedminster ward)

Members were reminded that at its meeting on 11th November 2019 the Committee had approved the allocation of £41,426.52 from available S106 contributions to deliver 2 pedestrian crossings at Luckwell Primary School and in 2015 the Neighbourhood Partnership had allocated £17,143 to upgrade the existing islands on Duckmoor Road to convert them into pedestrian refuge islands.

The Transport team had reported back giving various options for consideration as there was currently a significant funding gap. In addition, construction costs had significantly increased in recent years, and this was expected to continue given the current economic climate and inflation.

The Transport team had produced a report giving three options of which Option 1 was the preferred option namely,

To drop the individual scheme for Duckmoor Road and progress a zebra crossing outside Luckwell Road Primary School, and to reallocate the Duckmoor Road funding to the Luckwell Primary School crossing, giving a total S106 and Minor Traffic scheme budget of £58,426. This would require an additional £50,000 from the Area Committee to cover the funding gap.

After extensive discussion Cllr Tony Dyer (Southville Ward) offered to reallocate funds of £50k from his ward to fund this project to completion.

This was put to the vote and unanimously agreed.

7. 2022 Stage 2 Full Project Proposals: for decision

Tree planting across the AC5 Area using section 106 contributions that were ring fenced for tree planting, namely 14 trees planted in 2 Locations, 5 in Knowle, and 9 in Windmill Hill.

S106-funded projects

Resolved:

1. That the proposed updating of progress on previously approved projects be noted (Item 3).

2. That the progress of 2022/23 Area Committee process and the decision-making for S106 monies specified for tree planting and replacement and the intention to publish a public record of the considerations of Area Committees in deciding which proposals to bring forward to the autumn decision-making, following a finding of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, be noted (Item 4). 

3. That the increased unit cost of tree replacement from £765.21 per tree to £1,041.66 be noted (Item 4).

4. That the CIL and S106 monies available as of 30^th June 2022 be noted (Item 5).

5. (i) That the updates on the Ashton Vale play area be noted and that ward councillors work with officers to find a solution and following on from that the CRM would work closely with the Parks team and then meet with ward councillors to finalise details, and

(ii) That the Luckwell Road school crossing scheme, originally approved in 2019, be funded from a reallocation of funds from Southville Ward to fund the shortfall of £50k for this project (Item 6).

6. That the funding for the S106 Tree Proposal, as submitted and detailed above, be unanimously approved in full and that the remaining S106 (£256.25) be allocated as additional support to maintenance. (Item 7).

7. That the legal information concerning the Public Sector Equality duty in reaching all its decisions be noted (Item 7).