Lib Dem Councillors have expressed their disappointment that the scrutiny call-in, which had been organised to look into the increases in parking costs in Bath, has been dismissed.

The panel voted, by four votes to three, to dismiss the call-in, with Conservative Councillors from outside of Bath backing the original decision taken by their Conservative Cabinet colleague. The Cabinet member will now be free to go ahead and implement the decision to apply increases of up to 60% to residents’ permit costs across the city, as well as a number of other changes to parking costs and arrangements.

The call-in panel raised a number of issues around poor consultation and excessive increases to permit costs. Although all Councillors agreed that consultation on this decision had been inadequate, Conservative Councillors appeared more concerned with the state of the Council’s finances than the issue of engaging with those who will be affected.

Councillor Ian Gilchrist (Widcombe), who led the call-in signatories commented:

“I am disappointed that the Conservative and Independent members of the panel did not recognise the merits of the case made to uphold the call-in.

“I thought that the arguments outlining the damaging effects of extending charged times in the city centre to 8pm were pretty compelling, and if they don’t listen to Nod Knowles (Director of Bath Festivals) who will they listen to?

“I am slightly mollified by the apparent concession that Cllr Gerrish has made in the direction of Sunday evening parking, but this still has to be confirmed. If we have achieved even this small bit of good then that is a good thing. Residents will not be pleased at a 60% increase in their annual charges, but I do draw comfort from the thought that we at least did our best to oppose this.”

Cllr Steve Hedges (Odd Down), who sat on the panel, said:

“This really is a kick in the teeth for the democratic process; this decision has been made with complete disregard for best practice in decision-making such as engaging with hard-to-reach groups and the elderly who are often on fixed incomes. The Cabinet member also refused to address the issues raised in the call-in notice, including my concerns around costs of permits for traders, most of whom are small independent businesses who can not afford such huge increases.”

Concerns raised by Nod Knowles as to the impact on the night time economy, were supported by Cllr Roger Symonds (Combe Down), who said:

“Extending car park charging from 6pm to 8pm will have a knock-on effect for all evening and night time businesses in the city centre. How long before this money grabbing administration extends charging until 8pm for kerbside parking as well? It is significant that none of the four councillors who voted to dismiss the call-in live in Bath.”

The Council met on the 27th March to discuss issues relating to the forthcoming review of secondary school provision. The Cabinet will have to make a decision on schools in May, and last night’s meeting was a chance for issues to be aired and discussed in public by parents, school governors and Councillors. However, as was made clear at the start of the meeting, no decision was taken at this Council meeting.

The motion which was voted upon was not the one published in the Council papers on 17 March, and the unanimous adoption of the motion did not represent a specific endorsement of any particular strategy or plan for secondary school provision in Bath and North East Somerset. The vote served to officially thank the O&S panel for the preparatory work which had already been done and to formally request that Cabinet take account of the points of view raised at Council when making its decision.

Speaking after the Council meeting, Councillor Paul Crossley said:

I was very pleased that the Cabinet member for children gave a commitment to go over the recording of the meeting and ensure that all the points which had been raised will be dealt with. We will be looking closely at the forthcoming consultation and decision process to ensure this is the case.

A number of Liberal Democrat Councillors spoke in the debate to raise issues which should be considered by the Cabinet. Several spoke of the importance of ensuring the consultation on changes was honest, open and thorough.

Councillor Marian McNeir called for the consultations to be done “in a sensitive way”. Councillor Nigel Roberts called on the Cabinet to make an effort to contact groups “we don’t traditionally get in touch with” and to consider co-location of community facilities, such as libraries, in new schools.

Councillor David Dixon has been involved in a campaign run by parents for better travel to school provision in the area. He spoke of the need to consider transport and that schools provision should be “underpinned by a sound, effective school transport system”.

Councillor Andy Furse focussed on the issue of co-educational schools in Bath, and welcomed an expression of willingness on the part of Oldfield school to go co-ed given that co-ed schools are preferred by 60% of families. He called on the Cabinet to “reconsider its view on Oldfield school in light of the commitment on co-ed given tonight [by the Chair of Governors]”.

Councillor Caroline Roberts also spoke about Oldfield school and the dozens of communications she, and Councillor Loraine Brinkhurst, had received from parents who were worried and confused about the decision making process. She said “many parents feel the decision has already been made and they have missed their chance to speak out”; she also called on the Cabinet to reach out to parents during the consultations and “don’t just expect them to come to you”.

Co-ed is also an important issue for Culverhay school and this was brought to the Cabinet’s attention by Councillor Gerry Curran, who spoke of the length of time for which this had been an aspiration for the school. He asked the Cabinet to “bring forward a package of support for the school to enable a smooth transition to co-ed status”.

A strategy to transform Secondary education in Bath and North East Somerset is to be considered by the Council.

The Council will meet on 27th March to discuss proposals which aim to further improve standards in Secondary education and to provide the best possible opportunities for children and young people.

The proposals affect the district’s 13 Secondary schools. They are being put forward following extensive work which has seen the Council engage with schools, governors, parents, pupils and the wider community, to investigate the challenges and achievements experienced by the schools and to then plan for the best possible pattern of Secondary schooling for the future.

A key part of this work was undertaken by the Council’s Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel through its Secondary School Review, published last year.

This report to Council is the result of a thorough review led by Councillor Andy Furse (Kingsmead Ward, Lib Dem) the previous Chair of the Children’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel. The recommendations are challenging as no one likes to close schools. However, if we are to give our children the best education that we can we need to persuade the Government to invest in our schools and that means removing excess capacity and focusing on the needs of our own children. The new schools proposed here will enable our children to excel in faciltities fit for the 21st century.

The Strategy sets out options for the future for each of the areas of Bath and North East Somerset.

Proposals for the City of Bath are as follows:

Retain Beechen Cliff School and Hayesfield Technology College as single sex boys and girls 11-18 schools with co-educational post 16 provision.

Other proposals have been made for Keynsham and Chew Valley, and Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

Leaflets providing further details about the Strategy and the options have been issued to schools.
The Council will continue to engage with members of the school communities, parents, pupils and the wider community.

Anyone wishing to find out more can also view a copy of the report due to be presented to the Council on March 27 at the Council’s committee papers online.

Fellow members of the Lib Dem Group on the Council have submitted a call-in on the decision to raise and extend parking charges, including the cost of residents’ permits. The call-in has been verified and the hearing will be held early in April.

Among the changes to be introduced is an increase in the cost of residents’ permit charges in Zones 1-12 of Bath (all except the city centre) from £55 to £88 for a first permit, and from £82 to £130 for a second permit. Councillors in affected wards have been inundated with objections from residents. Apart from the inflation-busting increase of approximately 65%, residents complain that they have seen no justification for this increase and that they have not been consulted about it.

Lib Dem Councillor for Widcombe, Ian Gilchrist, said:

“I have received a huge number of emails complaining about this increase. I am very pleased to be supporting the call-in to try to get the decision reversed. There are parts in these recommendations which are extremely unpopular, but a common complaint is that residents don’t feel anyone has asked them about this. I notice that the council claims it has consulted through the Federation of Bath Residents Associations (FedBRA), but that even Alan Morgan, the chair of FedBRA, thinks the decision needs to be rethought. What does consultation mean if you don’t listen to what you are told?!”

Lib Dem Councillor Andy Furse, whose Kingsmead ward includes the some of the city centre and various churches added:

“One of the recommendations is to extend car park charging times to 8.00 p.m., including on Sundays! This will have a negative impact on people who want to go to the theatre, cinema or a church service; suddenly they will find they have to have pay for parking on top of the other expenses involved and Bath’s night-time economy is likely to suffer. Also residents’ parking areas close to the city centre will come under increased pressure”.

Liberal Democrat Group leader, Cllr Paul Crossley has condemned the proposed changes:

“This is yet another example of how this Conservative-led administration is trying to make up for its budget deficiencies in some areas by hiking fees and charges in other areas. They try to claim credit for a headline low Council Tax rise, and then pile on the pain to residents and visitors through these exorbitant and unwarranted charges which will unfairly affect Bath residents and visitors compared to other parts of the Council area. We hope that this call-in will persuade the Cabinet member responsible to change his mind on these charges – and it will give residents, who feel they have not been consulted, a chance to make their views felt.”