Agenda and minutes

It was

Proposed by Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson

Seconded by Councillor Simon Bosher

That the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 11 October 2022 be confirmed as a correct record.

These were agreed by assent.

Apologies for absence had been received on behalf of Councillor Kimberly Barrett and Councillor Gemma New.

The Lord Mayor reminded council that at an extraordinary council meeting held on 19 July 2022, it was agreed to admit former Portsmouth City Councillor and Council Leader, Donna Jones to the roll of honorary alderwomen.  

The Lord Mayor presented Honorary Alderwoman Donna Jones with her scroll and she took the opportunity to make a short speech of thanks to council.

Deputations by members of the public may be made on any item where a decision is going to be taken. The request should be made in writing to the contact officer (stewart.agland@portsmouthcc.gov.uk) by 12 noon of the working day before the meeting (so Monday 7 November for this meeting), and must include the purpose of the deputation (for example, for or against the recommendations). Email requests are accepted.

The City Solicitor advised that one verbal deputation request had been made for this meeting in respect of Minute 117.

At the invitation of the City Solicitor, Mr Charles Burns made his deputation to Council.

The Lord Mayor advised that no public questions had been received under the provisions of this Standing Order.

Licensing Committee - changes to Labour Group appointments

Councillor Charlotte Gerada to replace Councillor Asghar Shah as a full member of the Licensing Committee.

Councillor Asghar Shah to replace Councillor Charlotte Gerada as a Standing Deputy on the Licensing Committee.

RESOLVED that the following changes to Labour Group seats be AGREED: 

Councillor Charlotte Gerada to replace Councillor Asghar Shah as a full member of the Licensing Committee.

Councillor Asghar Shah to replace Councillor Charlotte Gerada as a Standing Deputy on the Licensing Committee.

The Lord Mayor advised that there was no urgent business to transact at this meeting.

Proposed:- Cllr George Madgwick

Seconded:- Cllr Russell Simpson

Portsmouth City Council has been selected to undertake trials for a number of years now. At the Traffic & Transportation decision meeting on 20/10/22 it was decided to extend this trial to 2024. E-Scooters are promoted as being environmentally friendly and to reduce the number of cars on the road locally. When reports are published and local advocates speak on them they appear to take data collected and use it in a way to create positive messaging in relation to the e-scooters. In reality the people of Portsmouth, based on the councils own data, do not want nor support the scheme.

In every "Wave" of Portsmouth Councils report the general public surveyed have overwhelmingly stated that e-scooter trial in our city is a "Very Negative" or "Negative thing". This breaks down to:-

Wave One:- Only 28% of people surveyed stated it was Positive or Very Positive

Wave Two:- Only 28^t% of people surveyed stated it was Positive or Very Positive

Wave Three:- Only 23% of people surveyed stated it was Positive or Very Positive

Wave Four:- 31% of people surveyed stated it was Positive or Very Positive

To break it down to a mean average across the 4 Waves of Surveys

15% of people stated it was "Very Positive" whereas;

46.25% of people stated it was "Very Negative"

This clearly shows that the general public, within Portsmouth, are largely against the continuation of any E-Scooter rental scheme.

It could also be argued that the environmental aspect isn't at all what it is being promoted as being. In the Portsmouth City Council report it states that 34% of people would have used a car as their mode of transport if they hadn't had an e-scooter. However 34% of people also said they would have walked or cycled. Walking or cycling is a much safer and environmentally friendly way of travelling in comparison to using an e-scooter. Those methods also promote positive health and fitness for people and it's proven that walking/cycling aids in positive mental health as well as physical health. A further 32% of people surveyed would have used public transport or not travelled. Public transport is running regardless of the number of people using it. So in-fact 66% of people would have used either public transport or walked/cycled which is plausible to argue would be more environmentally friendly then taking more electrical power from the grid and certainly safer for the public.

Also we need to take into account the amount of illegal activity that takes place on these e-scooters which are incredibly unsafe. This includes a number of people riding on a single scooter, the lack of road safety knowledge, under aged people riding VOI scooters & people using them whilst under the influence of drink or drugs.

Our own council report clearly shows that removing the e-scooter trials is the democratic will of the people of Portsmouth.

Full Council requests that the Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation terminates the E-Scooter trial at the earliest opportunity and insteadthe Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation should focus more on the safer, more eco-friendly Beryl Bike scheme and expand that as soon as possible.

It was

Proposed by Councillor George Madgwick

Seconded by Councillor Russell Simpson

That notice of motion (a) as set out on the agenda be adopted.

Council voted on the motion in the name of Councillor George Madgwick.

Following a vote, the motion was declared LOST.

Proposer:- Cllr Brian Madgwick

Seconder:- Cllr George Madgwick

For decades roads in Paulsgrove have been allowed to suffer without resolution. Residents, associations, current ward councillors and former ward councillors have requested and asked for roads within the ward to be looked at for consideration for resurfacing or other resolutions for years. This has always fallen short. Paulsgrove residents have to drive onto Portsea Island to see and witness constant road improvements. Constant upgrades. Constant resurfacing of the South of the city yet when they return home they are expected to drive over bumpy, uneven roads, that are unpleasant to the eye.

In the last few years here are an example of a few things:-

-          A petition submitted by the residents of Chedworth Crescent with over 90% of the households signing the petition for road resurfacing resolutions and nothing has been done.

-          A resident in Elkstone Road has asked to view reports into the speed bumps in the road and was not responded to.

-          A sign, in Port Solent, completely blocks a public footpath not allowing a local mobility scooter user to pass. This was reported to council officers, twice, several months ago and nothing has been done.

The people of Paulsgrove simply want to see work starting in their ward. They want to see improvements made on their road infrastructure and not all the money put into just the south of the city. Paulsgrove already suffers with extremely poor public transport network system. The ward simply needs better roads.

Full Council asks the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation, along with the administration, to work on a plan on how they intend to start improving the roads/infrastructure in Paulsgrove.  This should include disclosing relevant timescales. All relevant ward councillors to be consulted for feedback during the process. The plan report to be published before the end of Summer 2023.

It was

Proposed by Councillor Brian Madgwick

Seconded by Councillor George Madgwick

That notice of motion (b) as set out on the agenda be adopted.

As an amendment it was

Proposed by Councillor Scott Payter-Harris

Seconded by Councillor Benedict Swann

To

Amend paragraph one, eighth line after return home add 'via the north of the city'.

Amend paragraph two that starts with' The people of Paulsgrove..', third line after Paulsgrove add 'and the North of the city'.

Delete last paragraph and add 'Full Council asks the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation, to work on a plan on how they intend to start improving the roads/infrastructure in Paulsgrove and the North of the city. This should include disclosing relevant timescales in a timely manner.  Full Council requests that all relevant ward councillors in the north of the city to be consulted for feedback during the process. The plan report to be published before the end of March 2023.'

Following debate, the proposer of the original motion, Councillor Brian Madgwick, agreed to subsume the amendment put by Councillor Scott Payter-Harris into the motion.

In accordance with Standing Order 48(b), eight Councillors stood to request that a recorded vote be taken.

The following members voted in favour of the motion which incorporated the subsumed amendment

No members voted against the motion

The following members abstained from voting

The motion, incorporating the subsumed amendment, was therefore declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED that:

For decades roads in Paulsgrove have been allowed to suffer without resolution. Residents, associations, current ward councillors and former ward councillors have requested and asked for roads within the ward to be looked at for consideration for resurfacing or other resolutions for years. This has always fallen short. Paulsgrove residents have to drive onto Portsea Island to see and witness constant road improvements. Constant upgrades. Constant resurfacing of the south of the city yet when they return home via the north of the city, they are expected to drive over bumpy, uneven roads that are unpleasant to the eye.

In the last few years here are an example of a few things:-

-          A petition submitted by the residents of Chedworth Crescent with over 90% of the households signing the petition for road resurfacing resolutions and nothing has been done.

-          A resident in Elkstone Road has asked to view reports into the speed bumps in the road and was not responded to.

-          A sign, in Port Solent, completely blocks a public footpath not allowing a local mobility scooter user to pass. This was reported to council officers, twice, several months ago and nothing has been done.

The people of Paulsgrove simply want to see work starting in their ward. They want to see improvements made on their road infrastructure and not all the money put into just the south of the city. Paulsgrove and the north of the city already suffers with extremely poor public transport network system. The ward simply needs better roads.

Full Council asks the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation, to work on a plan on how they intend to start improving the roads/infrastructure in Paulsgrove and the North of the city. This should include disclosing relevant timescales in a timely manner. Full Council requests that all relevant ward councillors in the north of the city to be consulted for feedback during the process. The plan report to be published before the end of March 2023.

Proposer:- Cllr Ryan Brent

Seconder:- Cllr Lee Mason

The Council supports the aspiration of building an anaerobic digester. However, due to a lack of update on this project since the budgetary commitment earlier this year, Council requests that a progress report be brought back to the March Full Council meeting that includes the proposed location and clear timescales of the project.

It was

Proposed by Councillor Ryan Brent

Seconded by Councillor Lee Mason

That notice of motion (c) as set out on the agenda be adopted.

Following a vote, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED that:

The Council supports the aspiration of building an anaerobic digester. However, due to a lack of update on this project since the budgetary commitment earlier this year, Council requests that a progress report be brought back to the March Full Council meeting that includes the proposed location and clear timescales of the project.

Eleven questions from members had been received under Standing Order No

17.

The first question was from Councillor Tom Coles.

"With the nights drawing in, can the Cabinet Member confirm whether there are any plans for installing lighting at Kingston Rec?"

This and supplementary questions were answered by the Cabinet Member for

Culture, Leisure & Economic Development, Councillor Steve Pitt.

The second question was from Councillor Scott Payter-Harris.

"Does the Cabinet member have any plans to reintroduce fixed speed cameras to Portsmouth?

This and supplementary questions were answered by the Cabinet Member for

Traffic and Transportation, Councillor Lynne Stagg.

The third question was from Councillor Benedict Swann.

"Can the Cabinet member confirm that lighting to the green pathway through Anchorage Park will be fixed?"

This and supplementary questions were answered by the Cabinet Member for

Traffic and Transportation, Councillor Lynne Stagg.

The fourth question was from Councillor Simon Bosher.

"Can the Leader advise whether any capital schemes have been placed on hold pending a budget review?"

This and supplementary questions were answered by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson.

The fifth question was from Councillor Graham Heaney.

"Will the cabinet member for traffic and transportation confirm if the process to apply for a Play Street in residential roads will be streamlined, with a simple application form on Portsmouth City Council's website and when this will happen?"

This and supplementary questions were answered by the Cabinet Member for

Traffic and Transportation, Councillor Lynne Stagg.

The sixth question was from Councillor George Madgwick.

"What consultation was done, if any, to decide the locations of the two new recycling bottle banks placed in Paulsgrove & Port Solent?"

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Kimberly Barrett, this and supplementary questions were answered by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson

The time allocation for this item having elapsed, written responses would be

provided to the remaining questions.

The Lord Mayor advised that the deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Tom Coles, had kindly agreed to Chair the December 2023 Full Council meeting, as he would be away, following an invitation to visit the Falkland Islands to attend the 40^th anniversary events taking place there.

Finally, with the support of and in consultation with the Leader and other Group Leaders, he had agreed to cancel the provisional Council meeting in January 2023 due to the lack of pressing business.