Agenda item

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

Discussion took place and main points raised were -

1. Progress updates are published every six months on previous schemes approved by the Area Committee. The latest was published in August 2022. The next will be published in February 2023.
2. Stage 1 Outline Project Proposals had been chosen by ward councillors in early 2022, the AC5 meeting in July 2022 selected those that should go forward as full proposals, and these were now set out in the report for today’s meeting for discussion and decision.
3. Ashton Vale new play area: One issue outstanding from last meeting was the exploration of the option of using one of the pitches at Ashton Vale Playing Fields for a new children’s play area. Communication have happened with Parson Street Old Boys Club, which still has 8 years left in their lease for the use of the football pitches, regarding possibility of using a pitch. It was thought the club was reluctant to pursue this due to waterlogging of the pitch in winter and that they use both pitches. Agreed that representatives of the club be approached for a meeting to explore further. The £58,603 S106 funding remaining from the £70k allocated for children’s play in Ashton Vale is still available to support a play area. Noted that Ashton Vale Community Centre are very unlikely to be in a position to return the £11,397 spent by Parks on fencing at the centre to support installation of the play equipment at the Centre.  AGREED
4. It was suggested that future explorations on finding a site for children’s play in Ashton Vale take place outside of this meeting. Councillor Bradshaw raised the offer that the contractor who is delivering the Longmoor site has made to include a play area in that site as a potential resolution of the local demand for play provision.
5. A discussion took place about the Ashton Vale Playing Fields footpath Proposal which had suggested to be delivered at the same time as the play are at the Fields. It was agreed that it should be considered as a distinct proposal in its own right in the light of the uncertainty that the Playing Fields could be the site of play provision.  This approach was AGREED.
6. At this point of the meeting Councillor Tony Dyer proposed that the list of applications be approved noting that some might have to wait until the £73k overcommitted funds became available.
7. Members discussed ratifying the projects now and making the spend next financial year with the knowledge that considerable additional CIL funding is going to be coming through over the next couple of years.
8. A request for Wedmore Vale to be included on the list now was not confirmed as it was prudent to not over commit the budget until additional CIL funding of £500k became available. AGREED that a meeting be held in the new year to consider this project again.
9. A member referred to a substandard footpath approved at the 2021 AC5 meeting at Arnos Park which had cost £17k. The Parks Officer said that there had not been enough money for a tarmac surface, noting the work should not have gone ahead. This would now be dealt with in-house and the £17k would be returned to AC5.
10. Noted that repair of the footpath could cost £34k so would require extra funding from AC5, Chair proposed that this be brought back to the March 2023 meeting to consider further when more CIL funding would be available. AGREED
11. At this point of the meeting Councillor Townsend complained that the footpath work had been delayed for some time and expressed concerns about quality of work from officers involved. Councillor Hopkins supported the point. Chair suggested that the Parks Officer attend the next meeting to answer questions from members. AGREED
12. Regarding escalating costs and how that might impact of funding the proposals, members were informed that work on the projects would not start until the next financial year due to very limited staff resources made worse by a vacancy freeze. No money would be spent prior to that.
13. When project work does commence the Chair suggested, and members supported, that it would be prudent for officers to liaise with ward councillors prior to work commencing on site to avoid repetition of substandard work such as with the footpath work discussed earlier. The CRM said he would discuss this with relevant departments/officers and report back to the next meeting in March 2023. AGREED
14. Discussion then centred on a shortfall of Parks related funding. This has arisen because Parks have tended to request the funding offered at the Informal Area Committee meeting, although they are quoting a higher sum to deliver the project, resulting in a series of small shortfalls in each project budget, amounting to @ £62k.
15. Noted that of the £62k, one project was costed at £40k (Dame Emily Park) so it might be prudent to delay delivery of that one until the additional CIL funding became available in 2023/24. AGREED
16. A member asked if CIL money could be held in interest account to mitigate the high level of inflation being experienced, Chair suggested that BCC finance team look into this.
17. Another member suggested that the arrangement between ward councillors and officers be more formal eg, client (Councillors) and supplier (Council officers). Chair asked that CRM, Parks officers and Transport officers look into this and update members accordingly. Noted that if this was done it would require a schedule of works, a work plan and risk assessments undertaken.
18. Councillor Fitzjohn asked if the Ashton Vale Playing Fields path could be approved and proceed as a distinct project, separate from any potential delivery of a play area at the Playing Fields. Chair said yes as paperwork had been done, no members objected to this.
19. Councillor Bradshaw asked if Luckwell Road crossing be included, Chair said yes it should go in.
20. CRM sought confirmation about the £62k shortfall and the £40k (Dame Emily Park) to be removed temporarily in principle. Chair said bring these issues to next meeting including work on footpath.
21. AGREED: That the following matters would be brought back to a February/March 2023 additional meeting for decision:
    1. Wedmore Vale Green area improvements (AC5PO19)
    2. Improvements to Audio and Visual accessibility of St Paul’s Southville (AC5PO30)
    3. Mural on wall of Mail Marketing offices and accent to Malago Greenway (AC5PO33)
    4. Additional funding request for delivery of Arnos Park path (Parks)
    5. Additional shortfall funding request for 2022 Parks proposals
22. The following allocation of CIL and S106 funds to submitted Full Proposals was approved:

Resolved –

1.      That the publication of 6-monthly updates that had been introduced and published on BCC webpage be noted (Item 3).

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 (Item 4).

3.      That the recommendation at 4b1 to hold a second AC meeting to consider proposals which haven’t been able to submit Full Proposals in time for this meeting deadline and the proposal to explore further options to install a new play area in Ashton Vale and bring back (Item 4b.1 and 4d) be approved.

4.      That the CIL and S106 monies available as of 31st October 2022 and the option of pre-committing future CIL receipts to support the proposals in the report be noted (Item 5).

5.      That the funding for the Proposals submitted for consideration be approved subject to any allocation of eligible S106 monies to support relevant proposals to conserve CIL funds for future use (Item 6).

6.      That the legal information concerning the Public Sector Equality duty in reaching all its decisions be noted (Item 10).