5. REPRESENTATIONS FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS [30 Minutes] (A)

5.
REPRESENTATIONS FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS
[30 Minutes]
(A)
PETITIONS
Name
Subject
P20
J Weaver
Muller House
P21
Anthony Lewis
City of Bristol Federation
P22
Sam Townend
Upper Horfield Anti Social Behaviour
P23
Dr Mo McManus
Billboards in Ashley
P23a
Alice Cabanas
Alice Pollet (e_Petitioner lead)
Improve School Road Park using Section 106
funds from local development
(B)
STATEMENTS
NAME
SUBJECT
S40
Sam Townend
Strategic Authority and First Bus
S41
Jane Ghosh
Opposition to Bristol Rovers Stadium Expansion
S42
Bill Foord
Leisure Facilities in Hillfield Ward
S43
Tobin Webb
Houses in Multiple Occupation
(C)
QUESTIONS
From
To
Subject
RQ4
Ash Bearman
Councillor D Pickup
Portway Community School
RQ5
Dr Mo McManus
Councillor J Price
Billboards adjacent to Sussex Place/
Sevier Street/Ashley Juction
Petitions, Statements and Questions - 11 September 2007
Reply to
Telephone
Fax
Email
Our ref
Your ref
Date
Mr S Townend
Prospective Labour Candidate
Bristol North West
8 Lakewood Road
B~istol
,BS10 5HH
Councillor Peter Hammond
01 17 92 23812
01179222090
15 October 2007
Dear Sam
Petition to Council - Upper Horfield Estate
I am responding to your petition concerning anti-social behaviour in the Upper Horfield
Estate. Your petition raises 3 specific issues.
Enforcing the covenants as to good behaviour in tenants' leases and, where
1.
necessary, applying evictions.
The Government has given local authorities a good raqge of enforcement powers, as well
as informal approaches, to tackle anti-social behaviour. Bristol has made good use of the
full range of tools. In this area of the city our AS6 Team has been with working with
BCHF, the Estate Management Team and the Neighbourhood Policing Team from
Southmead and South Gloucestershire. This has resulted in:
2 families engaged with the Family Intervention Project
2 ABSOs obtained against minors
4 ASBOs pending - gathering evidence or awaiting court dates
1 possession order (BCHF property)
Dispersal zone agreed around Poet's Park
Designated Public Place Order (no drinking zone) pending - currently with our Legal
Services Team.
If there has been any displacement of ASB to other areas as a result of these actions,
then this shoc~ldbe communicated to the local sector Police inspector.
2.
Increasing the community policing presence in Upper Horfield and ensuring
strong co-operation between the community and ASB police across the Bristol City
Council/South Gloucester boundary.
The Council Hou.se
CoiIege Cree11
Gristol BS15TR
I
Executive Msm bey
Mr S Townend
Page 2
These arrangements already exist and have delivered the above actions. City
Council officers and the police involved in this multi-agency approach will continue to
look at community policing levels. During the summer months the police targeted
resources into this area in response to community concerns. The agencies have
also been working with the local secondary school on AS5 issues. This has also
resulted in further informal actions in the signing of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts
with young people. There have been many community meetings to keep local
residents informed of progress.
Improving the "five-a-side" football pitch and re-opening the Thursday
3;
night Youth Club at Eden Grove Methodist Church and otherwise improve and
invest in Youth Services locally.
The Council's Culture and Leisure department is committed to trying to secure the
"five-a-side" pitch. Funding opportunities are being explored and there is work going
on to involve the young people in this matter. Eden Grove Youth Club re-opened on
the 3 October 2007 having been shut for 3 months. The closure was caused by staff
shortages including sickness. The club is targeted at young people between the
ages of 13 and 19 years. A programme of activity for the coming months has been
designed and will be consulted with the young people.
In addition, the Young Service also run a Job Club on a Wednesday afternoon in
partnership with Connexions at Eden Grove. Avon Youth Association also provide a
youth activity based in Upper Horfield on a Thursday night and Bristol's Youth
Service has detached youth workers working alongside. The youth bus operates
once a week in this area.
Finally it has been agreed that the Feeling Safe, Being Safe group that operates in
the Lockleaze area, will set up a sub-group specifically to working in the Upper
Horfield area. This group, together with the multi-agency approach, should enable
this matter to progress well.
Thank you for raising these issues through the petition.
Yours ~jncerely
-\
~ e p u q ~ e a d and
e r Executive Member
for Care and Communities
c.c raham Sims, Head of Housing Management, Brunel House
\J"
.,
Reply t o Councillor Mark Bradshaw
Telephone 0117 90 37968
Minicom
Mr H Bassadore
Fax
.--
-
E-mail
Our ref
Your ref
Date
mark.bradshawabristol.aov.uk
PET44
26thOctober 2007
Dear Mr Bassadore
SUSSM PLACEJSEVIER STREETIASHLEY HILL
ROUNDABOUT
- BILLBOARD ADJACENT TO
W~thregard to your subrr~ittedpetition, Iwill respo~idas follows:
The issue of advertising hoardings in the St Werburgh's area was originally brought to the
attention of the Council's planning department in April 2004 by an action group set up by
local residents. As a result the Council carried out a study that revealed that there were
eleven panels displayed within the area. Eight of these had the benefit of Advertisement
Consent and were displayed lawfully, whilst three did not have the benefit of consent and
were therefore displayed illegally. Over a period of time the Council has secured the
removal of the three illegal panels in St Werburghs and a further three from an area of
land at the St Paul's roundabout/Lower Ashley Road, which were also noted to be
displayed illegally.
There are currently eight advertising panels displayed within the St Werburghs area,
and all of these are displayed lawfully. I n order to attempt to seek the removal of
some or all the panels the Council previously approached each advertising company
asking if they would voluntarily remove the panels but, perhaps not surprisingly, the
advertising companies have been unwilling to remove their lawfully displayed
advertising hoardings.
The Council House
College Green
Bristol BS1 5TR
Executive Member
Website
www.bristol-city,gov.uk
The only way in which the Council can now pursue the removal of these advertising
hoardings is through discontinuance action. Indeed, this is the course of action that
you have now requested that the Council takes. Whilst this process is an option
available to the Coi~ncil,it has significant resource implications and there are no
guarantees that the hoardings would be removed at the end of the process. Before
the Coilncil coi~ldconsider taking discontinuance action with regard to these
hoardings, this situation would have to be looked at within the context of issues
relating to advertising across the whole city. The Council is increasing the resources
that it commits to planning enforcement (we will shortly be interviewing for the two
new Compliance Officer posts), with a particular focus on proactive enforcement.
This increased focus will have to be guided by a formal policy approach that sets out
what the key issues are and what the priorities should be. Therefore, we will have
to consider whether taking discontinuance action against these lawfully displayed
hoardings is a priority and, if so, whether these hoardings take higher priority over
other hoardings displayed across the city.
One implication of the removal of the hoardings is that they currently provide an
income stream for the Children's Scrapstore charity. Whilst the Council cannot
si~pportthe charity financially or lead on the identification of possible replacement
income streams, the Coilncil is willing to support the efforts of the charity in finding
another way of raising funds that woi~ldlead to the voluntary removal of the
hoardings.
Yours si erely
IT--p
Councillor Mark Bradshaw
Executive Member for Access & Environment
Alice Pollet
20 Upper Street
Bristol
BS4 3BU
Reply to
Telephone
Minicom
Fax
E-mail
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Your ref
Date
Councillor Rosalie Walker
1 1 October 2007
Dear Ms Pollet
Thank you for the petition for School Road Park. I am glad to hear that so many people
value this green space and how important the playground is to the community. I am aware
that the parks team have been working with the local group to prepare a bid for "Peoples
Millions" and that the project has been successful in reaching the final stqges in the
competition - which is great news. However, I also understand that currently there is no
final scheme designed, agreed or priced, and without the outcome of the "Peoples
Millions" bid it is not easy to judge how much funding is needed.
The Section 106 funding is due for payment upon Commencement of the Development of
the former Texaco Petrol Station on Wells Road (i.e. when construction of the new
building starts) and the Section I 0 6 Agreement allows.the open space funding to be spent
on the following:
The provision, improvement and/or maintenance of either:
a)
Local recreational space and facilities; or (as the Council shall determine)
b)
Strategic recreational space and facilities within the administrative area of the
Council
Where "local" means situated within Imile of the Land and "strategic" means intended for
the use and benefit of all persons living or working within the administrative area of the
Council
2006-2007
Tmnsformrng the Delrvev of
Sen~rccsThror~qhPffrtnc=rsh~ps
2007-2008
Healthy 5rhooIs
Prevenhnq and Tackliog
A I J ~sc;on!
I
L'el?,~v~l)~~
Colston 33
Colston Avenue,
Bristol, BS1 5AQ
Stephen Wray
Director of Culture and
Leisure Services
f
3
Website
www.bristol.gov.uklparks
,#
4%I\\
I \ I O N I\ l a b o l ' i 1
.
At this stage therefore, I am very pleased to confirm that the majority of the S106 funding
will be allocated for the School Road Park, and when we have agreed the proposals and
costings and the results of the "People's Millions" bid is known, then we will be in a better
position to make a decision on the final allocation of the s106 funding.
I can reassure you that we are keen to have a green space in your community that offers
what the community wants and, are keen to work with the community in order to achieve
this aim.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Rosalie Walker
S40
STATEMENT TO FULL COUNCIL ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2007
Strategic Transport Authority and First Bus
I would like to draw the Council’s attention to the massive
attendance of upset and angry residents to the public meeting I
organised in Southmead on 23rd August 2007 on the subject of
First Bus’ withdrawal of services, changes of routes and fare hike.
It should not come as a surprise to you that the main reasons why
residents were angry were that:
-
there was a total lack of clarity in what the changes were,
both as to routes and timetables;
-
there had not been consultation by First Bus before the
decision to make the changes was made nor was information
about the changes supplied after the decision was made;
-
a reduced service has been imposed while at the same time
fares are increased.
In the face of public pressure First made some concessions,
particularly as to having a specific Southmead buses consultation
group and to leaflet every resident in Southmead with proper
details of the changes. However, I have to tell you that this does
not yet appear to have happened.
All of this leads me to the question of the Strategic Transport
Authority. An STA will give our elected representatives here more
influence over the provision of public transport. I was delighted to
note that our Government are offering £42,000,000 to assist in the
formulation of a proper public transport infrastructure for the area
in and around Bristol. I am also pleased that all sides in Bristol
City Council support having a STA for the Greater Bristol area.
However, I have to point out that at present the surrounding
authorities’ approach is lukewarm at best. The Conservatives, in
particular, have a particular burden on this because while in Bristol
they claim to be in favour of a STA, the Conservatives running
South Gloucestershire Council, for example, are clearly dragging
their heels. Words putting off a decision like “we’d like to see what
it looks like first” are being used and that lack of political leadership
is simply not good enough for the people of Bristol.
I therefore ask all councillors condemn this foot dragging by
authorities outside the City and, especially the Conservatives, who
claim to be enthusiastic for this Labour proposal, to use the
influence they have to persuade their inconsistent colleagues
elsewhere to ensure that a Strategic Transport Authority is set up
as soon as possible. It is they who are holding this up just as it is
they who created this deregulated mess in the first place.
Sam Townend,
Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate
for Bristol North West
Mr Sam Townend
Labour's Prospective Parliamentary
Candidate for Bristol North West
Flat 2 - 39 Henleaze Road
BRISTOL
BS9 4EY
Reply to
Telephone
Fax
Ernail
Our ref
Your ref
Date
Councillor Mark Bradshaw
01 17 92 22879
01 17 92 22090
Mark,Bradshaw@bristoI.gov.uk
31 October 2007
Dear Mr Townend
Statement to Full Council on 11 September 2007 (TOPS 73) - Strategic Transport
Authority and First Bus
:
Your comments and concerns about the management by First Bus of the changes to
buses serving Southmead are noted.
In respect of the other issues you raise, I too am optimistic that the Great Bristol Bus
Network will bring real improvements for residents of Bristol and the wider area. You will
be aware, I am sure, that the bid involved a very substantial amount of working with our
neighbouring authorities and is the first in a programme of sub-regional major transport
projects, following our successful Joint Local Transport Plan for 2006-2011.
+?+
In respect of a Strategic Transport Authority, you are right to say that there is su
across Bristol City Council to take the opportunity the Local Transport Bill offers o evelop
a new way of planning, procuring and managing sub-regional projects, such as an STA,
building on the joint working already taking place.
Whilst I cannot speak for individual adjacent authorities, I believe it is likely that the
Transport Bill, when enacted, will allow the Secretary of State to require a review of the
effectiveness of governance arrangements in the sub-region to take place and this will, of
necessity, involve all the constituent authorities.
Yours sincerely
n
Councillor Mark Bradshaw
Executive Member for Access and Environment
9 e 6"
!
Q
_.I
1..-
www. bristol-city,gov.uk
Mrs Jane Ghosh
33 Filton Grove
Horfield
Bristol
BS7 OAN
Reply t o
Mark Bradshaw
Tel~phone01 17 922 2879
Fa,:
01 17 922 2090
E-mail
mark.bradshaw@bristol.gov.uk
Ourref
MBILD
Your r e f
Date
22 November 2007
Dear Mrs Chosh
E
d ROSE
I refer to the above statement which was made in connection with the proposed
redevelopment of the Memorial Stadium in Horfield.
In your statement you are raising general disquiet about the lack of information,
consultation and communication from either the council or the developers and the Police
Authority. You also go on to raise four points which you say are of particular concern to
those living near the ground.
In this response, I will first deal with the general points you make, and then give a
detailed response to the four points you raise.
To begin with, you will understand that I can only respond in connection with the role
that is being played by the council in this development, although I should say that
council officers have met with the Bristol Rovers Football Club and are emphasising their
role in fully involving and keeping local residents informed in respect of their proposed
redevelopment. I do believe that the clubs have recognised their role, and have for
instance agreed to bring forward the starting date of the Stadium Monitoring Croup (see
point 4 later on in this letter).
As far as the council is concerned, officers have responded to ROSE on a number of
occasions, and this includes individual letters and e-mails from officers in the Planning
Department, and that Legal officers have forwarded to ROSE copies of the draft Section
11 06 Agreements. In this respect, I cannot agree with you that you have been given "little
or no information".
4)
The Stadium Monitoring Croup
This is covered by Clause 7 of the proposed Section 106 Agreement, the wording of
which ROSE already has.
You will know that the wording of the agreement reflects the resolution of the Planning
Committee, that the Stadium Monitoring Croup should be set up prior to the first use of
the stadium. However, I can tell you that preliminary discussions have taken place with
officers and the applicants, with agreement reached that the Stadium Monitoring Croup
will aim to be in place by May of 2008 which, as I understand it at the moment, is
scheduled to be to start of works on the site in terms of demolition of the existing
stadium buildings.
I accept that council officers have made no attempt to consult with yourself or other local
residents in the area about the Stadium Monitoring Croup, but am aware that the clubs
recently published a newsletter in the area (which I understand that ROSE are aware of)
which made reference to the Stadium Monitoring Croup. The intention on the part of the
Officers is to continue with preliminary discussions with the football club and their
agents, to get to a point where there is a measure of agreement as to how the Stadium
Monitoring Croup will ,function.
Clearly the Stadium Monitoring Croup needs to command confidence, arrange to work
with residents and there are issues about membership and the chairing and reporting
arrangements which need to be addressed. My own preference is to see it chaired by
someone independent of the clubs, the council, and not a local resident.
Your final comment, is a call to the Elected Members to ensure that the 'officers enforce
the Section 106 Agreement upon the developers in full, and that any monies handed
over are used within the immediate local area to mitigate the effects of this ill-conceived
development on the local community'.
Whilst not agreeing with your judgement about the development, I have no hesitation in
agreeing that the officers should enforce both the Section 106 Agreements and the
planning conditions in full, and officers briefed me on the agreement, i t s provisions and
the approach to enforcement in the event of non-compliance.
I hope in this letter I have responded to the points you have raised. I intend to ask
officers for regular briefings on how matters are progressing and I do hope that you will
continue to alert me to any concerns.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Mark Bradshaw
Executive Member - Access & Environment
STATEMENT OF MR. TOBIN WEBB, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL UNION TO THE
MEETING OF BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL 11-09-07
S43
My Lord Mayor and fellow residents of Bristol:
My thanks to the Council for allowing me to make this statement
today; it is in relation to the motion “Houses in Multiple Occupation”
from Cllr. Woodman (Cabot, LD). It is both mine and the University
of Bristol Union’s opinion that this motion is regressive, divisive
and ill timed in relation to this Council’s good work on the “students
in the community” agenda.
I stand in solidarity today with the President of the University of
Western England Students’ Union and between us we represent
over 50, 000 students, that is, 50, 000 residents of the city of
Bristol which, let us not forget, you are here to represent also. The
timing of this motion arriving before the house is not only strange
due to the fact that the Students in the Community Working Group
has not yet produced its report and recommendations, but it also
comes at a time when very few students are residing in the city.
This therefore makes their right to respond very limited and I feel
this timing is no coincidence. There may not be hundreds of
students gathered on college green today to protest, but believe
me when I say I am one man here speaking with 50, 000 voices.
Our opposition is supported not only by the National Union of
Students but also by the student political parties, with the chairs of
both the University of Bristol Labour and Conservative clubs
voicing their opposition this week.
Council, the proposal before you today is nothing more than a
move by LibDem head office to gain support for their Early Day
Motion due to go before Parliament after the recess. The EDM is
only referred to by number here, but let me quote directly from that
EDM:
“…amend the Housing Act 2004 so that all student properties
are subject to licence and measures are introduced to control
saturation…”
STATEMENT OF MR. TOBIN WEBB, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL UNION TO THE
MEETING OF BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL 11-09-07
Make no mistake; this motion is specifically about students, not
about Houses of Multiple Occupation in general, as students are
the only group mentioned in the motion before Parliament which
Cllr. Woodman is asking you to support.
By passing this motion, this Council will be sending a
message to all students in this great city that they are a
problem, and where they live needs to be subject to control
by the authorities.
I acknowledge that a minority of students contribute to problems of
anti-social behaviour especially on issues of noise, litter and car
parking, but I am here today to remind the council that this is a
minority of students, and that these problems cannot be pinned
on students exclusively.
The positive impact of students on the community far far outweighs
the negative. This can be seen not only in terms of their
contribution to the local economy but also to the huge amount of
voluntary work carried out by students. Over this last year,
University of Bristol students contributed over 100 000 hours of
community volunteering hours in projects across the city and
raised over £250 000 for local charities. It seems to me that this
positive impact is often completely over-looked in favour of kneejerk reactions to accusations of anti-social behaviour and
“degradation of the community”.
So, how do we deal with these problems of anti-social behaviour
that do exist, and how should we be working towards “harmonious
communities”? The answer does not lie in legislation, it is in
effective management; it is in co-operation with the Students’
Unions and Universities; and it is in sending positive messages to
the 50 000 students that you represent, that the Council values all
its citizens as equal.
I am here today, asking this Council to work proactively with us to
set up schemes to tackle the problems that do exist and to truly
work together in a spirit of co-operation and partnership, as that is
the only way we will achieve “harmonious communities” in this city.
Legislation is the last straw when all other methods of solving a
problem have been exhausted – and we are far from that stage
yet.
STATEMENT OF MR. TOBIN WEBB, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL UNION TO THE
MEETING OF BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL 11-09-07
Councillors, I urge you, oppose this motion and send a message to
all students in this city that you value them and that you want to
work with them towards a happier, sustainable and harmonious
community in Bristol.
Tobin Webb.
President, University of Bristol Union.
T Webb
President University of Bristol Union
University of Bristol
Queens Road
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 1LN
Reply to Judith Price
Telephone01179224681
Fax
01179228983
Email
Judith.price@bristol.gov.uk
Our ref
Your ref
Date
8thNovember 2007
Dear Tobin
Thank you for your statement made to the Council meeting of I 1th September
As you will be aware the motion which your statement was addressed to was not passed
by full council. However the motion which was carried committed the council to supporting
the case for changes to the Planning 'Use Class Orders' and I wanted to take this
opportunity to respond to your statement and explain the council's motion.
First of all I would like to reassure you that the contribution made to the city by the
universities and their students is enormously appreciated by the council. Bristol has been
a university city since 1876 and these educational institutions are important pillars of its
economic and cultural life. Many thousands of students over the past century have come
to Bristol and each one has added their individual value to the city; a significant proportion
of them have settled in Bristol and become permanent residents. The council has no
doubt of the importance of the student population to the richness and balance of the city's
life.
The council motion which was carried on Il t h September was a recognition that the rapid
expansion of shared private rented accommodation (occupied largely by non-students)
has caused tensions in a few parts of the city. Although the council remains committed to
encouraging the expansion of high quality and well managed rented housing it recognises
its responsibility to support a balance of housing type and tenure in all parts of the city.
One of the issues which is beginning to become apparent is that in the few locations
where shared accommodation reaches very high concentrations (particularly where the
majority of the occupants are transitory) the impact on all residents in that area can be
significant. The council feels that supporting the case for a change in the 'Use Class
Orders' could result in the Council having more influence on the balance of types of
The Council House
Col!ege Green
Bristol BS1 5TR
Website
www. bristol-city.gav.uk
accommodation in the city. Any change in the Use Classes Order would not have
any retrospective effect. The council would expect those parts of the city
characterised by an abundance of shared rented accommodation available to
students and other mobile young people to remain so.
There is a project currently underway addressing issues of StudentIResident
Relations (Project Manager, Luke Malcher in Neighbourhood and Housing Services,
Environmental Services). You may wish to become involved by contacting Luke.
I hope that this goes some way to explaining the council's position on its support for
changes to the Use Class Order.
Yours sincerely
Councillor Judith Price
Executive Member for Neighbourhoods