TRESA posed two questions to Bristol City Council Communities Scrutiny Commission on 15th October 2020 about important issues for Totterdown: the closure of Jubilee swimming pool, and; the progress made on Section 106/CIL projects in our area. The questions and answers are set out in full below.
Jubilee swimming pool
With regard to the closure of Jubilee Pool, it was agreed that a group would be set up to discuss options for the future. I understand a meeting was held recently. It seems as if the Save Jubilee Pool campaign were not invited to the meeting despite their keen interest in the future of the pool. Jubilee is the nearest pool to Totterdown, and TRESA has concerns about its closure but no-one from TRESA was invited either.
Question
Why were members of the affected community not invited to the meeting to discuss options for the future of Jubilee Pool?
Answer, Sports and Physical Activity Development Manager:
The Mayor proposed that a cross party discussion group was set up to provide the opportunity to look at community led solutions and review the reasons other options were discounted. The first meeting was on Friday 9th and intended for Ward Councillors. Beyond this first meeting the Mayor has proposed that the Councillors should arrange meetings/discussion going forward and engage with the community to discuss options for the pools future. In this respect going forward Members will seek user involvement and invitation of local people to future meetings, although it was acknowledged that the group must be careful not to share commercially sensitive information.
Supplementary question and answer:
In response to a question about when the next meeting will be held, and if representatives of the local community would be invited, Cllr Wellington said there will be another meeting tomorrow (15 October) at which the cross party group of councillors would map out future meetings and earmark one for local pool users. He indicated it would not be possible to invite local people to every meeting because of confidentiality.
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Section 106/CIL projects
In response to questions to Area Committee 5, I was informed: “a full update on all current Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 projects is currently being prepared with a view to circulating this to all members of Council and publishing it on the Bristol City Council website by the end of August.” I have not received a copy of that list yet. Members of TRESA are interested in two important projects in Totterdown – improvements to the Stanley Hill rat run and a pedestrian crossing between St Lukes Steps and Victoria Park. We would like information about progress of these projects and when they will be implemented. The list will of course be important for other neighbourhoods across the city.
Question: Please can you provide me with a copy of the list?
Answer, Neighbourhoods & Communities Service Manager and Head of Strategic City Transport
An update has now been circulated to Councillors and the Bristol City Council website will be updated by 16th October.
With regard to the specific projects mentioned, both schemes are currently on hold due to resources being prioritised to Covid-19 Social Distancing schemes.
The Stanley Hill/Angers Road scheme proceeded as far as engagement with the community group and Councillors about their requirements, but it became clear the funding was inadequate to achieve the aims. We were then hopeful that it might be possible to close the road as part of the DfT Emergency Active Travel Fund (EATF) funding and waited to hear if it had been included in the shortlist. It has not been included but is going to be considered as part of the Bus Deal corridor works. We will be speaking with the project manager next month to determine what is possible.
The St Lukes Road scheme had Engineering Design working on the preliminary drawings but they have been redirected on to Covid-19 works. We were hoping to get a drawing developed enough to be able to liaise with Councillors and then possibly go out to public consultation but there is some additional work to be done.
Supplementary question and answer
In response to a question about where on the website the list would be published, Cllr Negus indicated he had not seen it and it appeared that a number of the councillors present had not seen the list either.
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TRESA will continue to pursue these issues.
[https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/b26768/Public%20Forum%2015%2010%2020%2015th-Oct-2020%2010.00%20Communities%20Scrutiny%20Commission.pdf?T=9]