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.
Minutes:
The Chairman advised that a number of public issues had been submitted for the meeting:
A – Public Questions
Public Question from John Soane on behalf of Bournemouth Civic Society
What measures are the Council taking to improve the lamentable standards of municipal environmental care in Bournemouth – especially with regard to the removal of graffiti from private locations (as in Westover Road and Springbourne); the creation of a visually appropriate, summer mowing plan (as along Wessex Way) and the better supervision of badly placed trade bins (as at the bottom of Richmond Hill).
Reply from Councillor Nicola Greene, Cabinet Member for Council Priorities and Delivery
Firstly, I would like to thank the Bournemouth Civic Society for their interest in protecting the built and historic environment of the town and engaging constructively in the planning process for new applications.
Secondly, I would like to thank Dr Soane for his particular question. He highlights an area of huge priority for this administration, based as it is on the daily concerns of our residents, businesses and visitors. What we see as we walk around our town and district centres impacts immensely on our sense of wellbeing and pride in our area. It is central to the Big Plan which we launched last year and to the Cleaner, Greener, Safer agenda which runs as a golden thread through our environmental work. We are committed to improving our area with pilots already launched in the conurbation’s three town centres.
I will deal with the three points raised in order:
Starting with graffiti – the thoughtless work of a moment which leaves property owners and those who see it with a distressing long-term problem. Graffiti on private property is the responsibility of the property owner and not that of the council. It is considered to be criminal damage and as such can be reported to Dorset Police.
Council officers will be working with Business Improvement Districts, local businesses and private landowners – and other willing partners - within the pilot areas to encourage self-led action to clean up properties and property boundaries as part of shared action.
Summer mowing has generated considerable interest over 2021 and as we move forward.
Throughout 2021 BCP experienced an exceptionally long and sustained period of grass growth due to an extended period of damp and warm conditions. This was a significant change from the normal, seasonally expected, drier periods in which vegetative growth would otherwise have stopped, giving our maintenance teams the ability to catch up and then keep pace with any subsequent growth.
Consequently, throughout 2021 grass grew much taller and denser than in preceding years and this was coupled with reduced staffing levels because of ongoing Covid-19; and this gave the impression that maintenance had in places stopped or had been reduced which was simply not the case. The Wessex Way, being a major high speed trunk road is subject to operating restrictionswhich involve full lane closures. Timing is critical to ensure minimal disruption to traffic flow. Thus, we endeavour to undertake works with a multi-agency approach - approximately on an eight-week cycle and at night; and other clearance and maintenance work is scheduled alongside.
The Council’s Wildflower and Grass Cutting Policy was approved in March 2020, as a 5-year trial to determine how we manage our grassland amenity spaces to increase biodiversity, improve conditions for wildlife and help reduce our carbon footprint. The Let it Grow trial was set up to establish "grass meadows" in open spaces, on roundabouts and roadside verges to help increase biodiversity.
However, we are absolutely committed to delivering pride in our place and realise that not everyone feels that this approach delivers on that commitment. Part of trialling something is to take soundings from those affected, and therefore, whilst absolutely supporting this biodiversity project, we will be recommencing some cutting in areas where feedback and learning supports this during 2022.
We will continue to review any other areas where we're getting significant feedback from residents to see whether changes in approach is appropriate in subsequent years including the timing of cuts and methods used.
Lastly, in terms of waste management, we have recently appointed an external company, to work in partnership with us on a 12-month pilot scheme to educate and where necessary take action against businesses who fail to contain waste in an acceptable manner. During this time, they will undertake investigations and prosecutions of fly tipping, failure of waste containment and fly-posting incidents. I must stress though, that this is a pilot programme subject to ongoing review to ensure that we are achieving our desired goals along the way.
It is worth noting, especially given the focus of the Civic Society, that historical buildings and alley ways do not always lend themselves to best accommodate waste containers; however, these are preferable to allowing bagged waste with the attendant risk of bags being ripped open and scavenged by seagulls and other animals.
Finally, as part of our CGS commitment to reduce street clutter and improve public realm, we have invited the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) to undertake a feasibility study into the future consideration of retro fitting underground waste containers at some locations; councillors and residents may well have seen these elsewhere in the UK and overseas.
In closing, I’d like to reiterate my thanks to the Civic Society and offer to meet with them and officers to explore further the issues raised.
Public Question from Alex McKinstry
The Council has recently been recruiting staff to its urban regeneration company, BCP FuturePlaces Ltd. What measures are the Council taking to prevent any conflicts of interest arising among such employees, given the possibility that some of these people may have links to planning consultancies, property development companies - the very firms, in other words, who would be looking to implement the Council's Big Plan?
Reply from Councillor Phil Broadhead, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Development, Growth and Regeneration
BCP FuturePlaces Ltd and the Council both take the issue of conflicts of interests very seriously.?Before hiring the senior team, careful enquiries were made of their extant and previous business relationships during the interview process.??It has been determined that none of the Directors have any previous or current business relationships with planning consultancies or developers who are active within the BCP Council area of operation, other than as third party clients and even then with no ongoing relationship.??
Further, the senior management team have covenanted that they will not engage in business activities that conflict with BCP Council.??This will be carefully monitored by FuturePlaces Management and BCP through their oversight functions on an ongoing basis.
A Register of Interests will be maintained and held by the FuturePlaces commissioning team.
Furthermore, as the company is a wholly owned council company, it has to abide by all of the same rules as the Council would. FuturePlaces in itself is not a decision making body - any decisions as what to develop, when, where and any approvals come through the council as they always would.
In FuturePlaces, we now have an incredible team of talented professionals all driven to help us unlock all of the amazing potential our area has. Instead of spending endless money on outside consultants, we now have a plethora of experience in-house to really unleash our coastline of opportunity.
B – Statements
Public Statement from Ben Smith, which was read out by Graham Farrant, Chief Executive
We're delighted to see the proposal for Pokesdown Station. Working with disability groups we have campaigned over many years writing business cases, petitions, worked with media and political organisations - always cross party. (criticism of the campaign petition in political literature was unwelcome). I urge everyone to take this final step and commend everyone's effort - small or large. Funding has not come from the private enterprise who were obliged to pay. Similar improvements are required across BCP (all of our stations suffer from non existent, or limited accessibility). Please vote ‘yes’, remember the hard work of the community and thank you.
C – Petitions
There were no petitions submitted for this meeting.