The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.
For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.
Minutes:
Mr Sigurd Reimers made the following statement:-
Nearly half of all investments worldwide are made by pension’s schemes (1). A large proportion of these investments are in fossil fuels, which are harmful to the climate and the wider environment, and particularly to the younger generation. County Council pension’s schemes up and down this country are also involved in making such investments.
However, some Councils are already using their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) powers to find attractive alternative investments. Brunel Pensions Partnership, a pension’s pool in which Somerset is a stakeholder, have just joined in signing a resolution requesting Barclays Bank to stop investing in fossil fuels. (2)
I have attended nearly all the meetings of Somerset County Council’s Pensions Committee in the past three years. At most of these I have asked questions about their policy on fossil fuels investments. I have found little, if any, interest in reducing such investments, as exemplified in one of their few comments about climate change in their most recent annual report: “For example, the Fund will not require any form of dis-investment from fossil fuels, tobacco or such like.” (3) This position is being held despite national resolutions about divestment coming from large constituent bodies such as some of the Unions (4).
Somerset West and Taunton Council staff contribute to and benefit financially from the Somerset County Council pensions scheme, and are therefore, probably unwittingly, contributing to the problem of continued fossil fuel use.
The Pensions Committee carries out a professional and skilful task, and it must understandably not be beholden to the vagaries of local political changes. However, the question remains: Does this District Council believe that the climate emergency they declared on 21st February 2019 is serious enough to challenge the Pensions Committee on its apparent indifference to the effects of climate change on its future pensioners, their families and communities?
Helen Lawy (Friends of Longrun Meadow) made the following statement on agenda item 10, Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvement Scheme:-
Questions for council re flood alleviation plans for Longrun Meadow
1. Why are the EA not working with nature and following their own guidelines?
2. Where is the evidence for their claims about biodiversity?
3. What confidence can we have in the EA when the scheme designed for flooding of 1 in a 100 years is, 10 years later, not fit for purpose?
4. Why were the Friends of Longrun Meadow not consulted?
Jean Pakes (Pegasus Court Residents Association) made the following statement:-
I am speaking on behalf of the Residents’ Association of Pegasus Court which overlooks Somerset Square. We are very concerned about the deterioration of this important Town Centre area. Somerset Square is near a well-used riverside footpath, a busy pedestrian river bridge, the Brewhouse Theatre, the County Cricket Ground and the new Coal Orchard Development. The present arrangement for the maintenance of this public space seems to be wholly informal, unofficial and most irregular.
Originally, Transition Town was responsible for only three raised beds in the square. In 2016 the 2 members who looked after them gave up and other members led by Brian Heath took on their care. They also planted inside the tree grills and alongside the river footpath. They took over a small bed containing a tree and shrubs. In August 2018, Transition Town gave up their responsibility. Brian Heath and his group of volunteers continued unofficially.
Many changes were made to the original shrub bed such as alteration in levels, removal of edging, insertion of steps, wooden structures, willow fencing, wheeled containers, storage boxes covered with Astroturf, pallets, boxes of plants, and a great deal of unsightly and unnecessary clutter. Insurance and Health and Safety Issues seem to have been ignored. Storage facilities were provided in Station Road and a large waste bin from Viridor placed next to the children’s play area. Items are also stored now in a partially - open space belonging to “Eat the Bird” restaurant.
In summer 2019 the group was asked to formalise and apply for a licence and in the meantime adhere to certain conditions. Although none of these 3 things happened the Localities Team tried to find them yet more storage space so that when the blocked footpaths were cleared an agreement could be signed. This is still ongoing.
The response to our concerns has been to treat the issue as a dispute about tidiness and appearance. Our concern however is that Somerset Square is not an appropriate place for a community garden as it is being called. Such gardens are usually sited in unused and overgrown areas where a formal group can grow produce, hold events and educational activities. There is no evidence for such a need in the local community.
Somerset Square was the first scheme in the £1bn Taunton Regeneration Initiative. It was carefully landscaped as a public square. It is on the route from Firepool and extends to the area in front of the Brewhouse. The riverside path then takes pedestrians and cyclists to Goodland Gardens. We feel that Somerset Square should be on a par with Goodland Gardens with the whole of both areas being maintained by the Council to ensure continuity and consistency.
Finally, in view of the Coal Orchard development and the high quality landscaping which will be in place , we feel now would be a good time for the Council to clear and reinstate the space used by Mr. Heath’s group and to resume maintenance of the whole of Somerset Square. This would ensure the unified, attractive and well-maintained appearance of all public areas in the Town Centre alongside the river.
Nigel Behan made the following statement on agenda item 9, the Future of Local Government in Somerset:-
The Leader of Somerset County Council (SCC) announced, in a Letter to the Secretary of State, last Friday 21 Friday (see SCC’s press release and Letter to the Secretary of State by following this link https://onesomerset.org.uk/) that “I am now writing to formally ask you to invite me to submit a business case , before the summer recess, defining our unitary proposals for better, more local, joined-up public services in Somerset.”
Which, more or less, is Option 3 in the “Future of Local Government in Somerset” (FoLGiS) report. SCC propose that …..”Therefore there will be opportunities for wider member and public involvement and engagement in these proposals.” Although it is not clear whether this will take place before (or during – to inform) the creation of a Business Case.
The 4 District Councils (Somerset West & Taunton, Mendip, Sedgemoor and South Somerset) are looking to agree a way Forward based on Option 2 (The Collaboration & Integration option, referred to as ‘Get Fit + Sharing’) with broadly similar reports, as is being proposed, by producing a Business Case by the Summer of 2020.
Q1. What is the SWT position if permission to proceed is granted to SCC (invited)?
Q2. Does competition between Local Authorities by creating separate Business Cases send the right message to the Electorate?
A report on previous Unitary (in the North) proposals suggested that as a strategic civic leader, local government is often the lead partner in a locality, engaging the public sector in strategic policy initiatives. This is crucial in joining up and co-ordinating policy development, implementation and regeneration across a range of agendas and governance levels. Working collaboratively with other stakeholders (community and voluntary organisations….), local government co-ordinates and provides a wide variety of essential services to the public. It promotes economic development by attracting and retaining inward investment, marketing the area as an attractive place to live and work. Local government is uniquely positioned to build the vital infrastructure needed to connect physical, environmental, economic and social strategic planning, on a number of governance and spatial levels, to community-led regeneration that could enable citizens, local residents, service users, electors, council taxpayers etc. to shape and foster ownership of the development of their local area.
Q3. The rationale of a reorganisation is to get better services for local people so will all the (forecast) money saved (by Option 2) be put back into public services?
Q4. Will (and how will) Somerset West & Taunton (and the other District Councils - same applies to the County Council) start consulting (including, for example, an indicative referendum) with citizens, local residents, service users, electors, council taxpayers (people of all ages and background) before to the completion of the respective Business Cases, seeking views on what the proposed enhanced democratic, accountable and transparent local governance structures should look like (and what the forecast savings can be utilised for e.g. rebuilding public services/more Council Houses etc)?
All speakers would be sent a written response to their statements and questions.