Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Before starting the business on the agenda, the Chairman made a statement reminding Councillors of the procedures and expected behaviours at Council meetings.

No apologies were received for this meeting.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

The following declarations were made:-

• Councillor Mike Brooke declared a local interest in respect of item 7(a) (e) Recommendations from the Audit and Governance Committee 26 November 2020 as he was the Vice-Chairman of the Broadstone Neighbourhood Forum.

• Councillor Jackie Edwards declared an interest in respect of item 7(f) - Cabinet 16 December 2020 - Minute No. 271 - Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document as a family member who works for BCP Council prepared the report on this issue.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2020 and the adjourned meeting held on 8 December 2020.

With the permission of the Chairman Councillor Mark Anderson reported that he had written to the Right Honourable George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs asking his department to accelerate research into alternatives to control TB in cattle following consideration of the motion on the Badger Cull at the Council on 8 December 2020. 

The Minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting on 24 November 2020 and the adjourned meeting held on 8 December 2020 were confirmed.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman.

The Chairman reported on the arrangements for the Covid-19 Member Briefing Session.  He explained that the all Member briefing session on Covid-19 would now be held on 7 January 2021.  Members had already received an invite for a briefing on the emerging new BCP Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and this would be dealt with from 5-6 pm followed by an update from 6-7pm on Covid-19.  The Chairman reported that an updated invite would be circulated to all Councillors for the session covering both these topics.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which is available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of a public question is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

The Chairman reported as follows:

A – Public Questions

In accordance with the Constitution the following public questions had been published on the website and a link circulated to all Councillors.  Responses to these questions had also been published on the Council’s website:

·         Ben Smith – Pokesdown Station 

·         Chris Henderson - Dorset Pension Fund and fossil fuels

·         Patrick Canavan – Freeport

·         Pete Roberts – Transforming Travel

·         Chrissie Morris Brady – Sewage and nitrates in Poole Harbour

B – Statements

There were no statements submitted for this Council meeting.

C – Petitions

There were no petitions submitted for this Council meeting.

The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is 23 December 2020.

Question from Councillor L-J Evans

When Cabinet considered the Climate Action Report there was no mention of the Economic Impact Assessment and the Environmental Impact Assessment for the 2019 Bournemouth Air Festival. Why wasn’t this included and a question added to the Public Consultation as to whether or not our residents want it to continue.

Response from Cllr Mike Greene, Cabinet Member for Transport and Sustainability

The paper considered by Cabinet was about reinforcing this Council’s twin objectives to make its own activities Carbon-neutral by 2030 and to help ensure the whole BCP Area is Carbon-neutral by 2050 at the latest. As such it would not contain Economic or Environmental Impact Assessments of individual events. Nor were any asked for during the extensive discussions about the paper held by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

The paper also explains how Carbon emissions are grouped into three classes or “Scopes”. Those associated with the Air Festival are mostly contained within Scope 3, which we expect to be studied in future years.

The Bournemouth Air Festival is enjoyed by more than a million people over four days and has brought £30 million of business annually to BCP.

In light of what has happened during COVID, I believe it would be misleading to include a question which suggests we would consider removing our local tourism industry's star attraction at this time.

As a supplementary question Councillor Evans asked the Portfolio Holder why the public was not allowed to give their views on this issue.  Councillor Greene reported that of course the public were able to have an opinion on this.  He explained the difference in approach taken by the current administration in the fight against climate change by taking residents with them.

Question from Councillor Mark Howell

Extensive consultation by ward councillors regarding the active travel measures introduced in Poole Old Town over the summer has revealed that one of the major concerns of local businesses is the poor cleanliness levels and safety issues associated with local multi-storey car parks, particularly Quay Visitors. Customers have expressed their concerns about these issues and said that they would deter them from returning to the area. A senior council officer has confirmed that council employees responsible for maintaining and cleaning the car parks feel unsafe when carrying out their duties due to the presence of people using the car parks to sleep, take drugs or carry on other activities that are not appropriate for a car park. Do the community safety and transport portfolio holders accept that these concerns are valid and what do they propose to do to upgrade the Quay Visitors and Hill Street car parks to a standard appropriate for a premium tourist area, which I hope they agree Poole Old Town should be marketed as by the Council.

Response from Councillor May Haines, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety

The Council is aware that homeless people do use the MSCPs for shelter and use it as an opportunity for the outreach services to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

Please refer to the recommendations detailed below.

7a – Audit and Governance Committee 26 November 2020 - Minute No. 47 - Report of the Constitution Review Working Group - Changes to the Council's Constitution

The Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee, Councillor Beesley presented the recommendations relating to the report of the Constitution Review Working Group and proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution from the Audit and Governance Committee.

He moved the following recommendations which were seconded by Councillor Williams.

Procedure Rule 36

(a) That Procedure Rule 36 be amended to read “Any motion under Procedure Rule 12 (Motions on Notice), to vary or revoke these Rules shall, when proposed and seconded, stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council”;

(b) That Procedure Rule 36 (as amended) be moved from Sub Part C (General Provisions) to Sub Part A (Council Meetings).

Councillor Beesley explained that in accordance with the Constitution the above recommendations would stand adjourned without debate until the next meeting of the Council on 23 February 2021.

Councillor Beesley reported on the revised wording for recommendation (e) which should read as follows which had been circulated to all Councillors:

Neighbourhood Forum Call-in of Planning applications

(e) That the power to call-in planning applications to Committee should not be extended to Neighbourhood Forums.

Councillor Beesley moved recommendations (c)-(m) as detailed on the agenda including revised (e) detailed above which were seconded by Councillor Williams.

Councillor Phipps referred to the following recommendation.

Planning Committee Structure

(j) That the current structure of the BCP Council Planning Committee system remain unchanged.

She reported that the recommendation had not been unanimously agreed at the Audit and Governance Committee and therefore the issue merits a fuller investigation to ascertain the best option.  Councillor Phipps indicated that one Planning Committee was unsatisfactory and outlined the approach taken by other local authorities. 

Councillor Phipps moved the following amendment to (j) above which was seconded by Councillor Le Poidevin.

That the current structure of the BCP Council Planning Committee system remain unchanged for the remainder of the 2020/21 Municipal Year, but, the Council instructs officers to conduct a full study into the feasibility and benefits of establishing three separate Area Planning Committees for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and one Strategic Planning Committee for the whole conurbation, from the municipal year 2021/22.    Officers should produce an in-depth objective written report as soon as possible on this potential restructure for consideration by a working party of the Audit and Governance Committee.

Councillors considered the above amendment and made various comments including on the current arrangements whereby Planning Officers were working in three teams for each area, previous discussions on the structure of the Planning Committee, local knowledge and the size of the Committee, that the existing arrangements were working and 3 separate committees would be costly and cumbersome, the option of using sub-committees similar to Licensing sub-committees, the percentage of planning applications determined by Officers under delegated powers, that planning policy drives planning decisions and there should be consistency, would the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

The Council is advised of the decisions taken by the Chief Executive in accordance with the relevant urgency powers on the Financial support for BH Live which the Council is asked to note.

The link to the above decision records has previously been circulated to all Councillors and published on the website.

The Council was advised of the decisions taken by the Chief Executive in accordance with the relevant urgency powers on the Financial support for BH Live which the Council was asked to note.

The link to the above decision records had previously been circulated to all Councillors and published on the website.

RESOLVED that the decisions taken by the Chief Executive on the financial support for BH Live be noted.

Voting: Agreed

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 12 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor L-J Evans and seconded by Councillor Lisa Lewis:-

“That Council resolves to use gender-neutral language in all reports and formal communications, both verbal and written, in accordance with its commitment to uphold the 9 protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and in combating prejudice and discrimination.”

Councillor L-J Evans moved the following motion on the use of gender-neutral language which was seconded by Councillor Lisa Lewis:

“That Council resolves to use gender-neutral language in all reports and formal communications, both verbal and written, in accordance with its commitment to uphold the 9 protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and in combating prejudice and discrimination.”

In presenting the motion Councillor Evans referred to the use of masculine words such as Chairman and Vice-Chairman, regardless of gender, as unnecessary, inaccurate and that they reinforced gender stereotypes. Councillor Evans explained the expectations in brining this motion to Council which included:

·         the removal of male universals such as Chairman and Vice-Chairman from the Constitution, policies and all written and verbal communications and to replace them with gender neutral terms such as chair unless that is the form of address chosen by the individual incumbent.

·         to use gender neutral language where an individual sex or social gender are not relevant or not known.

Councillor Evans highlighted the importance of this proposal that words matter as language reflects and influences attitudes, behaviours and perceptions. The use of gender-neutral language was a way to avoid implying that one sex or social gender was the norm and that gender-neutral writing was about clarity, inclusion and equality.  Councillor Evans referred to the current practices operated, the statistics and the reason from making changes now in view of the importance of equality which was protected by law. 

Councillor Lewis seconded the proposal reported that this approach was already operated in the civil service and by many local authorities and explained the importance of the use of gender-neutral language.

In considering the motion Councillors comments included that the use of language held a huge amount of power and it was important to show and promote equality and that this would make a difference and demonstrate the inclusivity of the Council and that this approach was long overdue. A Councillor felt that language did not combat discrimination but attitude did and as a Council had not noticed any disrespect and asked if the proposal would require that all reports do not mention he or she which would be a cost and time commitment.

The Chairman having sought advice asked Councillor Dunlop to clarify her proposal.  Councillor Dunlop confirmed that she wished to propose a motion without notice in accordance with Appendix 1 procedure rule 9 paragraph 4 of the Constitution. 

The Monitoring Officer reported that Councillor Dunlop wanted to bring a notice without motion to refer this matter to Overview and Scrutiny.  Councillor Dunlop confirmed that was the case and the Monitoring Officer indicated this was permissible under Appendix 1.

A Councillor referred to the unconscious bias in language that he used Chair and not chairman, supported the motion and the guidance provided by central government.  It was highlighted that this was a minor motion but would make a difference to those to which it applied and would make a positive effect for those who suffer such  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.