The Lord Mayor will explain the arrangements which are intended in relation to the “state of the city” debate.

He will move the suspension of procedure rule CPR13 - rules of debate, to enable a wide ranging discussion of the issues emerging from the morning's conference and for the lead facilitators from that conference to present their findings.

This is the second annual 'State of the City' debate held at Full Council. A conference has been held this morning hosted by the Executive Board of the Bristol Partnership. The outcomes from the conference, and the contributions this afternoon will feed into the development of the City Strategy (the city's sustainable community strategy). The City Strategy will be brought back to Full Council for endorsement in April 2009. Learning from the experience of last year's Full Council debate, each partner who led a workshop will give Full Council a brief summary of the key points arising from this morning's conference. The focus of the conference and the debate this afternoon is:

A summary of outcomes will be tabled at the meeting. Below is a list of the workshops and the presenters.

How can we ensure that everyone fulfils their potential through learning and enterprise?

Presenter: Deborah Evans, Chair of Children and Young People’s Partnership Board.

How can we ensure that every citizen feels safe from crime and anti-social behaviour?

Presenter: Rachel Robinson, Chair designate of Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board.

How can Bristol take the opportunities arising from growth over the next 20 years, yet still become an exemplary green capital?

Presenter: Dr. Dan Green, Environment and Sustainability Manager, Wessex Water Services Ltd.

Is Bristol’s economy robust enough to withstand the current economic situation?

(i) Leader of the Council to sum up the issues raised at the morning's conference and to move:

“That the contributions made during the morning conference and the contributions to be made by members in the full Council debate be forwarded to the Bristol Partnership Executive Board for consideration in the development of the city strategy”.

(ii) After the motion has been seconded, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and the Leader of the Conservative Group to respond.

(Note: To ensure accountable, open and transparent local democracy, a register of the financial interests of councillors, co-optees and advisers is available for public inspection. If you wish to see it please contact Mr Ian Pagan, Democratic Services Manager; telephone 0117 922 2387, email ian.pagan@bristol.gov.uk

	FROM	TO	SUBJECT
RQ1	Ms C Leslie	Councillor P Hammond	Special Educational Need
RQ2	Mr S Meek	Councillor M Bradshaw	Bristol Rapid Transit
RQ3	Ms D Herod	Councillor P Hammond	Sefton Park
RQ4	Mr J Mound	Councillor J Bees	Council House Hire
RQ5	Mr J Mound	Councillor J Bees	Scaffolding Income/ Health and Safety
RQ6	Mr J Stokes	Councillor P Hammond	Sefton Park

	FROM	TO	SUBJECT
MQ1	Cllr M Popham	Cllr J Price	Housing Management
MQ2	Cllr S Beynon	Cllr M Bradshaw	Princes Street Bridge
MQ3	Cllr L Alexander	Cllr J Price	Recycling Storage
MQ4	Cllr M Weston	Cllr M Bradshaw	Sale of Henbury Station
MQ5	Cllr L Alexander	Cllr R Walker	LARC
MQ6	Cllr J Goulandris	Cllr P Hammond	CYPS Management
MQ7	Cllr B Lewis	Cllr J Price	Public Toilet Strategy
MQ8	Cllr M Popham	Cllr J Price	Community Land Trusts
MQ9	Cllr R Eddy	Cllr R Walker	Museum Service Development
MQ10	Cllr S Emmett	Cllr D Pickup	Adult Community Care
MQ11	Cllr C Campion Smith	Cllr P Hammond	Children in Social Care

Council welcomes the objective of the Policing Green Paper to increase the accountability of the service at local and basic command unit level. However, we firmly reject the proposal that directly elected representatives would chair Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England.

We believe that such powers must be devolved to councils and that nominated members of local councils must continue to constitute a majority on every police authority.

The direct election of Crime and Policing Representatives would create a competing mandate for a single purpose body which would threaten and devalue the legitimate role of local councils, as established in the central-local concordat signed between HM Government and the Local Government Association last year.

There is also a legitimate concern that this process could open the door to populist or extremist candidates outside the mainstream.

Council requests the Leader writes to the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government adding Bristol’s voice to the growing objection to this specific proposal, and urges dialogue through the Local Government Association to seek ways of enhancing accountability while reinforcing the role of democratically elected councillors as the leaders of their communities.

This Council is appalled to learn that the Post Office is proceeding apace with the closure of 29 post offices in the greater Bristol area (12 within the city boundaries), blatantly ignoring the very real concerns and objections raised during consultation by service-users, local communities, Postwatch and this Authority, as expressed in the resolution passed by Full Council on 15th January 2008.

Council is gravely concerned that there could yet be another wave of post office closures, with up to 60 or more post offices closing in the Bristol area.

Council re-affirms its opposition to the current destruction of the post office network, so vital to local communities, especially the elderly, disabled and those least economically active, and commits itself to fighting to provide services for Bristol people via the existing network of local post offices. To this end, it calls upon the Chief Executive to bring forward her recommendations for supporting the local network (as requested on 15th January) to the next Full Council on 14th October 2008.

Moreover, Council expresses its total dismay that every Bristol Labour MP present during the recent parliamentary debate on the Post Office Closure Programme chose to ignore the wishes and interests of their constituents and support Gordon Brown's destruction of the post office network and resolves to write to them through the Leader of Council with a copy of this resolution.

ID CARDS

Council notes:

i) The ID cards motion of 22nd November 2005 that committed the Council to opposing ID cards where possible

ii) That since that time, the Government has on numerous occasions lost sensitive personal information relating to several million citizens, clearly demonstrating the dangers of hoarding vast amounts of personal data centrally

iii) The growing pernicious trend of routinely fingerprinting schoolchildren in schools for trivial activities such as taking out library books

iv) The growing pressure from authorities in some towns and cities for bars and pubs to fingerprint customers upon entry

Council therefore resolves to:

Reaffirm its opposition to the mandatory national ID cards scheme

Council demands that any future decision by Cabinet, Officers or Committee must give the gravest weight to the following Full Council expectations to:

1. Take no part in any pilot scheme or feasibility work in relation to the introduction of the national identity cards

2. Ensure that national identity cards would not be required to access Council services or benefits unless specifically required by law

3. Only co-operate with the national identity card scheme where to do otherwise would be unlawful

5. Ensure that fingerprinting of customers of bars and pubs will not become part of the Council's licensing policy

Council recognises the vital importance that Bristol South Pool has to the communities of Bedminster, Southville and surrounding areas and as a key part of Bristol's portfolio of swimming pools.

Council therefore strongly recommends its refurbishment be included in the medium term financial plan at the earliest available opportunity.

Council welcomes the announcement by Work & Pensions Secretary James Purnell on 13th November to renew the Post Office card contract as belated recognition of the value of the Post Office network, especially in deprived communities.

However, despite that announcement the Post Office is proceeding apace with the closure of 29 post offices in the greater Bristol area (12 within the city boundaries), blatantly ignoring the very real concerns and objections raised during consultation by service-users, local communities, Postwatch and this Authority, as expressed in the resolutions passed by Full Council on 15th January 2008 and 21 July 2004.

Council is gravely concerned that there could yet be another wave of post office closures, with up to 60 or more post offices closing in the Bristol area.

Council notes the Bristol City Council's Select Committee's Report on Post Office closures dated August 2004, which highlighted many of the impacts of Post Office closures on local communities, and the New Economics Foundation Report of December 2006 which shows the true value of urban Post Offices to the local economy.

Moreover, Council expresses its total dismay that every Bristol Labour MP present during the Parliamentary debate on the Post Office Closure Programme chose to ignore the wishes and interests of their constituents and support the Labour Government’s continued destruction of the post office network, commenced by previous Conservative administrations, and resolves to write to them through the Leader of Council with a copy of this resolution.

Council notes that last year the Labour administration stopped work on the plans for a new build one-form entry primary school in Bishopston. This school was planned to open in September 2009 and would have increased primary school capacity in an area of the city where there is severe pressure on places.

Council notes that the Labour administration made a cabinet decision in January 2008 to enlarge the Sefton Park schools on their current site.

Council further notes the many statements and questions concerning these expansions that have been submitted by local residents to Full Council, to the cabinet and to the Children’s Scrutiny Commission.

- the inadequacy of the consultation processes that have left the local community feeling that their voice is not welcomed and their views not considered.

- the educational reasoning behind the decision and its impact on pupil attainment,

- the means by which the special characteristics of the schools which make them very popular with parents and carers will be preserved

Council further urges that the Executive Member for CYPS should undertake full debate with parents and carers, staff and governors on the expansions before any further decisions are made.