Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

There were no apologies submitted 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.

Councillor Mike Brooke, in respect of agenda item 6a Recommendations from Cabinet and Other Committees – Cabinet 27 May 2020 – Minute no 173 Bournemouth Town Centre Vision (TCV): Winter Gardens Site – Regeneration Opportunities, declared a local interest that he was a Member of the Bournemouth Development Company.

The Interim Monitoring Officer in response to queries from Members of the Planning Committee reported that the items before the Council being considered were dealing with the developments on an executive basis relating to the financing of the projects.  Therefore, all Members unless they had a pecuniary interest can take part, speak and vote. She explained that Members of the Planning Committee should not show themselves through their comments as having predetermined any planning issues on these developments.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 9 June 2020.

The Minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on 9 June 2020 were confirmed as a correct record.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman.

The Chairman reported on the following:

A - Death of Baroness Diana Maddock, former Christchurch MP

The Chairman with sadness reported on the recent death of Baroness Diana Maddock former Christchurch MP.She had been an MP in Christchurch from 1993 to 1997. 

B - Death of Sir John Eden, former Bournemouth MP

The Chairman with sadness reported on the recent death of Sir John Eden.He had been an MP in Bournemouth from 1954 to 1983. 

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these 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:

Public questions is Tuesday 30 June 2020.

A statement is midday, 6 July 2020.

A petition was 22 June 2020

The Chairman reported as follows:

A – Public Questions

In accordance with the Constitution the public question received from John Dobson on the Beach House Mudeford had been published on the website and a link circulated to all Councillors.  A response to this question had also been published on the Council’s website.

B – Statements

In accordance with the Constitution the statements received as follows had been published on the website and a link circulated to all Councillors:

Susan Chapman - Climate emergency and Agenda Item 8

L Carey and Mr & Mrs Tucknott - Housing Scheme at Moorside Road

Conor O’Luby - vote of no confidence

Susan Lennon - Housing Scheme at Moorside Road

Dr Martin Price - Housing Scheme at Moorside Road

Mark Chivers - Climate emergency and Agenda Item 8

C - Petitions

No petitions had been received by the deadline for this Council meeting.

Please refer to the recommendations detailed below

6a - Cabinet 27 May 2020 - Minute no 173 – Bournemouth Town Centre Vision (TCV): Winter Gardens Site – Regeneration Opportunities

The Chairman reminded Councillors that the recommendations on the above were deferred from the Council meeting on 9 June 2020 to enable consideration of the risk assessment. He reported that Councillors had received a supplementary report relating to the Project Risk Register.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Culture presented the report on the above strategy and proposed approval as set out on the agenda together with the supplementary report on the project risk register. He outlined the detail of the scheme, financial implications of the project and the funding arrangements.  He explained that the Leader of the opposition and Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Board had been offered a briefing, but this was not required, and responses had been provided to questions from Councillors.  The Portfolio Holder highlighted one outstanding question from a Councillor asking why consideration of joint venture partner Morgan Sindall’s financial status was not considered in the risk register.  He explained that officers had advised that the financial position of the Council’s partners was considered as part of a strategic risk assessment within a different Council process.  The Portfolio Holder in commenting on the scheme highlighted the benefit for the Town Centre and the need to look at space standards for schemes going forward.

The recommendations arising from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 27 May 2020 and the supplementary report relating to the above were approved.

Voting: Agreed

Item 6b - Cabinet 24 June 2020 - Minute no 182 – Organisational Design – Implementation & Budget

The Chairman reported thatCouncillor Diana Butler had submitted a question on the Poole Civic Centre and in accordance with the Constitution it was proposed that this question be dealt with prior to consideration of the recommendations.

Question from Councillor Diana Butler

Poole Civic Centre is a beautiful listed Art Deco building which is part of Poole’s historic identity. Why is it proposed to sell this unique asset, whilst there are many ways to enhance it’s use as a Civic building and increase financial income through room and office hire?

Response from Councillor Vikki Slade (Leader of the Council)

Information provided to Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny clearly illustrates the need for a significant rationalisation of our property portfolio of the Council. This rationalisation and reduction of operating costs was a clear driver of the Local Government Reorganisation proposal and business case, and it is inevitable that there will be some high profile and difficult decisions as we move through this process.

With the earlier adoption of the Bournemouth Town Hall Campus as the site for the BCP Council Civic Centre and principal administrative “Hub”, a decision based on a wide variety of criteria including the buildings capacity, cost, environmental constraints and geographic issues, we will need to develop and consider alternative uses for the buildings that are released. In the case of Poole Civic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

This report invites the Council to appoint a Monitoring Officer in accordance with statutory requirements. The recommendation is subject to the agreement of Council as this is a statutory post.

The Leader of the Council presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.  The Deputy Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition who had been involved in the recruitment process supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that in accordance with Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 that Council confirms the appointment of Ms Susan Zeiss, as the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Director of Law and Governance.

Voting: Unanimous

The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Drew Mellor and will be seconded by Councillor Mohan Iyengar:­

“As an opportunity for BCP Council to display a cross party consensus in leading the conurbation out of Covid-19 on behalf of all residents, Council requires Cabinet to consider the proposals set out in the Conservative Group’s budget reset paper at the next Cabinet meeting.”

Councillor Mellor put on record a level of disappointment that he had in needing to bring forward this motion having been advised at different points by senior Officers that the revised budget would be coming to Council as a full budget paper which would have given Councillors the right to debate it and suggest an alternative budget.

The Council was advised of the following motion proposed by Councillor Drew Mellor and seconded by Councillor Mohan Iyengar:-

“As an opportunity for BCP Council to display a cross party consensus in leading the conurbation out of Covid-19 on behalf of all residents, Council requires Cabinet to consider the proposals set out in the Conservative Group’s budget reset paper at the next Cabinet meeting.”

Councillor Mellor outlined the reasons for bringing forward the motion due to the proposed change in the budget as a result of the pandemic and the opportunity to work together to achieve a solution.  Members in considering the motion discussed the available opportunities to comment on and scrutinise the budget, referred to the document circulated prior to the Council meeting and the level of detail provided.  The Leader of the Council reminded Councillors of the balanced budget which had been agreed in February 2020.  She explained the approach being undertaken by other Councils and that the budget gap was changing on a daily basis due to the pandemic. Opposition Members explained that the purpose of the motion was to allow all Members ideas to be considered. A Portfolio Holder indicated that he was always happy to discuss and consider ideas from Councillors. Councillor Mellor highlighted the need for all Members to be part of the debate.

RESOLVED that the above motion be carried.

Voting – Agreed

Councillor Tony Trent abstained from the above decision.

The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is 29 June 2020.

Question from Councillor Mike Cox

Can I please ask the responsible Cabinet Member to review Hedgerow management. After recent cutbacks by the Council in Purewell the scene left behind was one of devastation.

Whilst I accept there was some cutting back required for safety reasons the mechanical flailing left a scene of destruction with twigs and splintered wood scattered everywhere to say nothing of it occurring in the middle of the bird nesting season.

There must be a better way of looking after our environment such as leaving areas for wilding and the planting of wildflower beds on the road verges.

Response from Councillor Felicity Rice, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change

The works at Purewell were purely operational as the vegetation had started to grow out into the pavement to such an extent that it forced pedestrians close to the road, creating an urgent safety issue.

A tractor mounted flail was used due to the length and thickness of the vegetation which inevitably causes some split ends, which will green up very quickly. Please be assured that staff checked for bird nesting prior to carrying out the work.

The Council, through the Environmental Services Parks team are working towards a new approach to verge management in order to enhance the natural regeneration of wildflower meadows over a managed and sustained period of time. This was outlined in a paper brought to Cabinet in March, 'Grass Cutting, Wildflower & Grassland Habitat Management Policy'

This outlines a range of activities to promote wildlife including changes to mowing regime, frequencies, denitrification via cut & collect to promote natural wildflower development and the seeding and development of additional annual wild flower meadows.

This year’s reduction in grass cutting due to operational restriction imposed on us through Covid -19, has also highlighted how wildlife & wildflowers can take advantage if we are prepared to change our normal working practices. 

Question from Councillor Simon Bull

How is the council addressing the perceived, and indeed actual, lack of ethnic diversity within the workforce at all levels, what measures, such as anonymizing job applications before shortlisting, are currently in place?

Response from Councillor Vikki Slade, Leader of the Council

The Strategic Equalities Leadership Group is setting up a working group to review how the Council will ensure effective and long term inclusivity and engagement with our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff, residents and visitors. The group will involve a range of council and community representatives and particularly focus on understanding the barriers to achieving a more diverse workforce. It is expected that the working group, along with the Strategic Equalities Leadership Group, will hold the council to account by monitoring progress against our People Strategy and our Equality and Diversity commitments.

BCP Council’s People Strategy and its Equality and Diversity Action Plan include a number of actions that aim to celebrate diversity and put in place measures that will establish a more representative council workforce. Our current recruitment and selection policies are fair and robust but it is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.