Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies were received from Cllrs S Bartlett and M Iyengar

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

Cllr J Butt was a substitute member for Cllr M Iyengar but attended virtually.

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.

For the purpose of transparency the Chairman advised in relation to the Climate Programme report that he ran a number of Leisure Centres.

For the purpose of transparency Cllr C Rigby advised that he was a Director of a Community Energy and Sustainability consultancy.

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 4 clear working days before the meeting.

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

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

There were no public statements or petitions. There were four public questions received. All Committee members received a copy of the questions prior to the meeting. Question 1 was responded to at the meeting, the other questions were sent a response in writing.

1.     Targets are out of date and the urgency for action before climate collapse is not happening at the breakneck speed required. Media, politics, the law and the police are suicidally, environmentally inactive. The Environment Agency warned 13.10.21 that we must "adapt or die". But citizens are not being educated, incentivised and motivated to Salvage and Survive. Activists are now leafletting a flier, "Should the young just shut up and die?"  BCP alleges that "children will flourish" but what is their evidence in view of failure to decarbonise at speed and scale and as the world of nature unravels?

Response: Tackling climate change continues to be an unprecedented global challenge, and through our climate and ecological emergency ambitions we have a solid foundation from which we are continuing to strive to make a real difference. At this meeting, Members of the Place Overview and Scrutiny Board are presented with a new draft Climate Action Strategy for discussion. This will aim to ensure that the actions being taken will reduce the impact of climate change and its effects on residents, businesses and organisations, as well as our natural environment and biodiversity in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

2.     When will the council consider the need to address the possibility and benefits of the ‘15 minute city’?

Response: BCP Council is not currently looking at introducing 15-minute cities.  

While the concept may sound appealing in some ways, the infrastructure is not there to support it and is highly unlikely to be for a long period of time.  Our approach is framed by the motto of our Transforming Travel work:  “Your travel; your choice”, where we try to provide the conditions where residents and visitors have the opportunity to travel quickly and safely by cycle, foot or public transport rather than using a car.  This contrasts strongly with other approaches, which actively concentrate on ways to discourage those who want to drive.

Through our Big Plan, we are leading every community towards a cleaner, sustainable future that preserves these outstanding environments for generations to come and helps all residents lead active, healthy and independent lives.This work not only supports the heritage, character and beauty of our unique area, but also encourages dynamic investment and regeneration; meaning residents can enjoy the individuality of their own neighbourhood and everything that the entire BCP region has to offer.

3.     When will the council treat the climate programme as the emergency it is and cancel support for the air show?

Response: We have no intention whatsoever of cancelling the Bournemouth Air Festival, which is estimated to bring in around £49 million of economic benefit to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. While the Carbon footprint of the Air Festival is considerable - around 7,900  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 16 November 2022 and the Special meeting held on 2 February 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2022 and 2 February 2022 were approved as correct records and signed by the Chair.

In September 2022, Cabinet requested a report detailing options for the replacement of cremator(s) be brought to Cabinet in the next 6 months, with the aim of working towards new cremator(s) being installed in the next 18 months.

This report provides up to date crematoria market analysis, data and trends supported by an independent feasibility report as to the options available on the installation of cremators at Poole Crematorium to support a reinvestment decision.

CDS Limited were commissioned to carry out a feasibility report following the Cabinet meeting on 28 September 2022 whereby Cabinet committed to bringing forward the reinstatement of cremators at the Poole Crematorium facility, subject to a continuing review of demand, emerging green technologies and the preferred future location(s) and appropriate timeframe for this investment.

Since April 2020 Poole Crematorium site has been operating as a ceremonial only venue with deceased conveyed to Bournemouth Crematorium for cremation.

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 Committee was advised that Cabinet in September 2022 had requested a report detailing options for the replacement of cremator(s) be brought to Cabinet in the next 6 months, with the aim of working towards new cremator(s) being installed in the next 18 months. This report provided an up to date crematoria market analysis, data and trends supported by an independent feasibility report as to the options available on the installation of cremators at Poole Crematorium to support a reinvestment decision.

Since April 2020 Poole Crematorium site had been operating as a ceremonial only venue with deceased conveyed to Bournemouth Crematorium for cremation. There were 4 options outlined within the report. The Committee raised a number of issues in the ensuing discussion including:

• Opening up the Crematorium in Poole would also take pressure off at Bournemouth, which would allow improvements to be made. Having the two would benefit bereavement care as a whole across BCP Council and allow the Council to improve resilience.
• It was noted that option 4 would eventually outrun gas cremators by year 18, indicating that option 4 was the cheapest in terms of running costs overtime.
• The Lead Member for engagement advised that over the time that this had been discussed there was now a much better way forward and advised the Committee they supported option 4 based on the information they had received.
• There was currently no UK based electric cremator producer and if the electric options were selected the Council would need to go to suppliers outside of the UK should the new cremators not come forward.
• The Committee enquired about the cremator purchasing options from the available suppliers and how could value for money be ensured for the Council. Consultants had advised of new technology coming on to the market in 2024 which could be retrofitted into older crematoriums. Products currently on the market would require significant work to ensure these were able to be installed.
• The Committee was advised that DFW Europe was the only supplier with installed, operating electric crematoriums. New technology was currently going through regulated testing. The new technology would involve an onsite build.
• It was confirmed that significant structural work would be required if the current market option was preferred which would include reinforcing the floor and alternations to a mezzanine floor.
• The committee sought clarity on the capacity calculations within the report. The number of 1463 cremations was an indicative figure and within industry guidelines. This would be within standard operating times but there would be options to operate outside of these times.
• In response to a query regarding ongoing expenditure in relation to staffing it was confirmed that there needed to be a certain number of trained staff on site when operating a crematorium. The service already actively shared staff between sites.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee are asked to note that the Climate Programme Cabinet report is yet to be finalised.

Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee are asked to consider and comment on the three drafted supporting appendices:

·        Annual Report 2021/22

·        Draft Climate Strategy 2023 – 2028

Draft Action Plan 2023 - 2025

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Net Zero and Transport presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book. The Committee was asked to comment on the following supporting documents:

·       Annual Report 2021/22

·       Draft Climate Strategy 2023 – 2028

·       Draft Action Plan 2023 – 2025

It was noted that a BCP Council Climate Strategy will be forthcoming to a future Cabinet meeting. The Committee raised a number of issues which were responded to by the Portfolio Holder and officers, including:

·    Whether targets were going to be missed because we were focused on the wrong things. It was suggested that targets should be realistic and measurable.

·    It would be useful to have targeted, impactful training for Councillors.

·    The Committee, Cabinet members and officers were reminded of the urgency in reaching the wider 2050 ambition.

·    Why diesel use had increase if vehicle use had gone down.

·    The Climate partnership was launching in 2023. The Committee sought confirmation of who had been invited and comments on whether these were the right groups and if there was sufficient community involvement.  The partnership was bringing together large local organisations and business to see how best to collaborate and share resources. However, it was noted that this was not a comprehensive group of stakeholders. Officers advised that they wanted to open up further to other businesses and special interest groups. In order to achieve there was a need to utilise each other’s strengths as much as possible.

·    The significant cost of flood improvements and who would lead on this as neither the government nor water companies appeared to have solutions.

·    The Committee commented that the Council should ensure that it realises opportunities to catalyse low carbon developments through the Local Plan and Big Plan. The Portfolio Holder advised that they were trying to integrate the green infrastructure design guides into the Local Plan.

·    It was noted that a significant amount of information on the Website was no longer up to date and the Committee sought assurance that someone would take responsibility for this.

·    The Committee asked about partnership involvement with Trees for Streets. It was noted that over 10,000 trees had been planted in Upton Country Park but more needed to be done in the right streets and a partnership may be helpful.

·    It was noted to be on target for carbon reductions further massive reductions were needed. Comments were made that the graph within the report was misleading and needed more data to be able to draw any conclusions.

·    Coastal works and sea flooding works. The carbon footprint created by this, including the use of lots of diesel vehicles and whether it was all necessary. The Portfolio Holder acknowledged he comments and advised that they may be work coming through in the future to do this work in a more carbon efficient way.

·    The Committee raised concerns that every areas of urban density within the conurbation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

Government is currently consulting on changes to national planning policy to incentivise the preparation of local plans as the means to deliver more homes to meet its national targets. Government is aware that local plans delayed by contentious issues such as housing targets and allocations within the Green Belt are delaying plan making and resulting in less homes being built.

The implications for the emerging Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Local Plan are significant. The proposals strengthen the Council’s position in demonstrating that the government’s standard methodology figure of 2,800 homes per year is not achievable. The proposed changes to national policy suggest that a lower housing target can be found sound at examination, where local constraints and circumstances are considered. This allows the Council to prepare a draft plan without having to release Green Belt for housing development or plan for densities out of character with the current built environment.

In accordance with the Local Development Scheme the intention remains to publish a draft local plan in Autumn 2023, test it through examination and adopt it in late 2024.

There is new emphasis too on place making and protecting the character of places. An up-to-date local plan will provide greater protections to residential areas at risk from speculative high density flatted development as the Council will not be required to demonstrate a five-year land supply.

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 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book. The Leader and Officers advised the Committee that the report outlined the implications for the BCP Local Plan of the government consultation on changes to the national planning policy. The proposals strengthen the Council’s position in demonstrating that the government’s standard methodology figure of 2,800 homes per year is not achievable. The proposed changes to national policy suggest that a lower housing target could be found. The Committee was advised that this report had already been considered by Cabinet but welcomed any comments from the Committee and advised that the intention remined to publish a draft Local Plan in Autumn 2023. The Portfolio Holder and Officers responded to issues raised in the subsequent discussion, including:

·     There was new emphasis on place making and protecting the character of places. An up-to-date local plan would provide greater protections to residential areas at risk from speculative high density flatted development as the Council would not be required to demonstrate a five-year land supply. This was welcomed and it was commented that it was important to have the right kinds of housing in the right places.

·     The Committee asked about the impact of students in the town and providing accommodation for them. There were issues related to scale and also the number of holiday homes within town centres. Huge developments in town centre either sitting empty or as holiday lets. The Portfolio Holder commented that this was one of the issues with the methodology in that it assumed inward migration, but a significant proportion of students did not remain in the area.

·     The Portfolio Holder was pleased that the changes to methodology would allow for planning which could take into account the right kinds of homes to meet local need without over densification or opening up the greenbelt. There was a growing younger population still struggling to get on the housing ladder.

·     The Portfolio Holder advised that they felt that more people living in urban areas, with not having to drive as much was the right thing to be doing but that there may need to be a conversation in future regarding affordable family homes but it was confirmed that greenbelt would be protected as a priority.

·     It was noted that there were a number of brownfield sites within the borough and these needed to be developed as a priority to provide homes for local people.

The Chairman thanked the Officers and Portfolio Holder for the update.

The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked to consider and approve the attached work plan for the Committee or make suggestions for amendments as required.

The Chair presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Chairman advised that if anyone had any issues that they wanted the Committee to consider that these should be put forward.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Lead member for the Tree Strategy working Group.  The Committee was advised that the group had begun its initial consideration and would be meeting again in late March or early April for the next stage. The group was looking at how the how the trees were managed and information available to residents. The group also considered how at present there was no shared vision among council departments so there was a lot of work to be completed on this.

The Chairman thanked everyone for their contributions and attendance to the last meeting of the Committee for the municipal year.