Councillor Tim Wood to the Cabinet Member – Regeneration
During recent years BCBC has expended a significant sum of public money firstly holding a consultation then a report and investigation process into opening a small portion of Bridgend Town Centre back open to traffic.
This consultation back in 2016 had the highest public engagement in the history of this council and the public were resounding in their backing of this partial re-opening of the town centre.
As such, will the Cabinet Member for Regeneration agree that we as a council are here to serve the public, to be good stewards of the public purse and are here to encourage and sustain our town centres not hinder them.
So will the Cabinet Member for Regeneration detail to me their plans to make Bridgend Town Centre accessible to all?
Councillor Alex Williams to the Cabinet Member - Communities
Will the Cabinet member - Communities make a statement on the subsidies which BCBC currently provides to support those bus routes which have been deemed as commercially unviable; outline what consideration has been given to the reduction or complete withdrawal of these subsidies; and what analysis has been conducted on the potential ramifications of such a reduction or withdrawal in subsidies on people within the communities which were previously in receipt of subsidised routes?
Councillor Tim Thomas to the Cabinet Member - Communities
What is the Cabinet Member doing to ensure that BCBC roads and highways are accessible for the elderly and disabled?
Councillor Ian Williams to the Cabinet Member - Regeneration
Could the cabinet member for regeneration please let me have an update on what measures are being taken to restore the many derelict buildings in our town centre and what is the timeline for this remediation?
Minutes:
Councillor Tim Wood to the Cabinet Member – Regeneration
During recent years BCBC has expended a significant sum of public money firstly holding a consultation then a report and investigation process into opening a small portion of Bridgend Town Centre back open to traffic.
This consultation back in 2016 had the highest public engagement in the history of this council and the public were resounding in their backing of this partial re-opening of the town centre.
As such, will the Cabinet Member for Regeneration agree that we as a council are here to serve the public, to be good stewards of the public purse and are here to encourage and sustain our town centres not hinder them.
So will the Cabinet Member for Regeneration detail to me their plans to make Bridgend Town Centre accessible to all?
Response
Following on from the Bridgend Town Centre Regeneration Masterplan 2021, there is a continued focus on fulfilling Bridgend’s role as a destination and centre for retail, living, employment, education and heritage. To enable this, the Council has, for a number of years, been asked to consider de-pedestrianisation as a potential solution to increasing footfall in the town centre to support the local economy and create a more vibrant and inclusive town centre for residents and visitors alike.
We have indeed completed exercises over recent years in order to establish how access could be improved but have undoubtedly faced barriers along the way, not least a change in Welsh Government policies on Planning and Active Travel, but also a UK Government moratorium on De-pedestrianisation and active travel schemes to allow a review of national policy.
The current Bridgend Town Centre Accessibility Options Appraisal, focusses on improved town centre access and puts forward three potential options to address the issue, aiming to balance competing priorities for the diverse range of stakeholders within Bridgend town centre. Whilst previous studies have suggested options for de-pedestrianisation, this work provides a re-examination of the accessibility of the town centre involving a review of current planning policies such as Planning Policy WALES (Edition 11, February 2021) and the new Wales Transport Strategy, plus a review of the previous access studies undertaken.
An evaluation of the current traffic regulation order (TRO) has also undertaken in order to gain a better understanding of the approach needed to improve town centre access, including electronic bollard management, parking provision and the investigation of click and collect and delivery options.
We are now working with specialists at Atkins to thoroughly test and interrogate the viability of the three options and to determine the preferred option that can be taken forward to delivery stage, ensuring that projects are legally and technically feasible, as well as economically justifiable and worth further investment. In order to determine the preferred option, further extensive consultation will be undertaken with relevant BCBC departments, statutory bodies and elected members.
Options will also be appraised using an criteria assessment framework against key policy and legislation, which will include (but are not limited to):
• Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013
• Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015
• Wales Transport Strategy 2021
• BCBC Local Development Plan & Local Transport Plan
• BCBC Corporate Wellbeing Plan
• Public Health Board Wellbeing Plan
As part of this stage, inclusive design considerations, urban design and public realm, market demand analysis, highway layout including track runs and visibility requirements, operational considerations, TRO requirements and risk register will also be identified and appraised.
We also have to consider a scheme which is financially deliverable for the authority and acknowledge that the funding landscape has changed in recent years, and as previous work on this project has indicated, a comprehensive scheme would require significant external grant funding to ensure its deliverability.
It is envisaged that this report will be completed by Summer 2023, allowing the Authority to progress and deliver an agreed proposal that meets the needs and aspirations of key users and that enables the town centre to flourish and achieve its full potential.
Supplementary question from Councillor Wood
Traders were told this information in a Traders meeting a number of weeks ago, yet elected Members who cover this area are only being told now after a written question to Council. It has been 7 years since the consultation, so is it not now time to do what residents want and what other towns have done elsewhere in Wales. So, what assurance will you give me that this project will go ahead, given how many people have requested this and could Councillors be kept fully up to speed on events, as matters progress.
Response
The comprehensive response sets out the current position, though I would reiterate that a number of things have changed since 2016, not least Welsh Government Planning Policy. This has made it more difficult but not impossible to undertake what was originally surveyed. The commitment still exists to explore feasible options, though there is also at the same time, issues around affordability. So undoubtedly arsing from conversations with Welsh Government, it is now much more difficult to secure external funding for this type of proposal than it was 7 years ago. The options therefore relate to what is both deliverable and affordable. We will keep members updated as matters progress going forward in relation to the three main options as well as looking to ensure that we maintain a safe environment also for those who reside in the area.
Second supplementary question from Councillor Steven Bletsoe
I would like to make the Cabinet aware that this weekend an elderly person was taken ill while at a restaurant in Bridgend town centre. They phoned for an ambulance and it was confirmed that this would take 8 hours to arrive, so it was suggested that a family member or friend should take him to hospital. The bollard operators subsequently failed to allow the transport entry into the town centre to collect the individual, which obviously put the persons health at serious risk. As this is the second time this has happened in the last 3 months in the town centre, could I have un undertaking from the political leadership of the authority that this matter is addressed before a serious situation such as this, turns into a tragic one.
Response (by the Leader)
I have not been made aware of this, but I will ensure I am updated accordingly and then take it up with both the relevant section in BCBC and the South Wales Police, as an issue of community safety.
Councillor Alex Williams to the Cabinet Member - Communities
Will the Cabinet member - Communities make a statement on the subsidies which BCBC currently provides to support those bus routes which have been deemed as commercially unviable; outline what consideration has been given to the reduction or complete withdrawal of these subsidies; and what analysis has been conducted on the potential ramifications of such a reduction or withdrawal in subsidies on people within the communities which were previously in receipt of subsidised routes?
Response
Current funding for bus services deemed non commercially viable is through Bus Services Support Grant (BSSG), which is allocated for regional services and community transport by Welsh Government. In the case of BCBC the bus services currently supported are:
Service 65 – Bridgend to Talbot Green via Heol y Cyw (Mon – Sat daytime)
Service 70 – Bridgend to Cymmer via Maesteg (Mon – Sat evenings)
Service X2 – Cardiff to Porthcawl via Bridgend (Mon – Sat evenings)
The allocation provided to BCBC by the Welsh Government for 2022/23 was £399,464 of which £95,000 was awarded to Bridgend Community Transport with the remainder to be spent on the region’s core strategic bus network and associated services including cross boundary payments to other authorities.
An alternative identified related to Bridgend Community Transport, who have a registered ‘Town Rider’ provision that operates the whole Bridgend County Borough, in turn providing an alternative service for those residents who no longer had access to a scheduled bus service.
Whilst the BSSG funding described above remains in place, Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) funding is also provided by Welsh Government as a post pandemic support scheme for the industry. BES funding has been through several iterations and is not intended to continue indefinitely. Officers and members are engaging with Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and Bus Operators to understand the implications and potential way forward for all services (not just those previously subsidised) post the current format of BES funding.
Supplementary question from Councillor Williams
I thank the Cabinet Member for his response in which he mentioned support for Route 65, which operates from Bridgend to talbot Green via Heol-y-Cyw, the Ward which I represent. The Leader mentioned in his announcements the Bus Emergency Scheme and Members will be aware, that Council Leaders recently wrote to Welsh Government stating that local bus services are a lifeline for older and younger people, people with disabilities and low income households and that the loss of bus services would impact on individual wellbeing by restricting access to education, economic, health and leisure services, as well as to family and social contacts. However, the current administration started this so-called rationalisation of bus services by withdrawing subsidised groups in the last term of office, both in 2017 and 2019. This has culminated in a drip, drip effect of withdrawing subsidies to support core bus services, which serve to connect isolated communities. Recently we discussed our Net 2030 Strategy and an effective public transport system was cited as a factor which would have an essential role to play. Cabinet recently gave the go ahead for a multi-million pound Metrolink and bus terminus for Porthcawl and now they are at risk of having no buses to go there. In isolated communities such as Heol-y-Cyw and our valley locations with no Active Travel routes, people rely on bus services to remain connected with other communities. Furthermore, if we are to encourage people to get out of their cars, we need to maintain a regular and reliable local bus service to contribute to our aim of becoming a net zero local authority. So could the Cabinet member commit today for BCBC to find the transitional funding in order to subsidise the core bus network which serves our most isolated.
Response
The cuts that the Councillor refers to above were as a result of the austerity cuts of Central Government put on local authorities such as BCBC, whereby the Authority had to find collectively £70m in budget cuts in recent years. So cuts to bus services were imposed upon the Council as part of these wider savings. These have had to be made year on year, in order to reach a balanced budget. It was therefore impossible to make an accurate financial commitment to the future operation of bus services at this time, as we do not know the cost relating to subsidised routes following the subsidies that are currently in place now. Every service in the County Borough cannot operate commercially, so on that basis, every service requires a subsidy of some extent or another. We are discussing future possible options in respect of bus services with both the various operating companies and Welsh Government/Ministers. The Council is committed to taking public transport services forward and will do everything in its power to fulfil such commitment. However, this will require continued funding from both BCBC and Welsh Government funding, which is currently not in place after July of this year. So therefore, we cannot give a financial commitment at present along the lines of the Members request, though we can give an assurance with regards to the continuation of bus services within the County Borough.
Second supplementary question from Councillor Heidi Bennett
I echo some of the views expressed by the previous speaker. My Ward at Penyfai has been without a bus service since July 2022 and that has impacted negatively upon certain residents’ wellbeing, leaving many feeling isolated and unable to access key services, which particularly effects our elderly population. Can the Cabinet Member clarify what is the Local Authority’s response in relation to public transport provision and what is being done now to try and deliver a sustainable solution.
Response
Public transport is not a statutory service that a local authority is legally required to provide. What we have is a network of private companies operating bus services. While an argument could be made for BCBC providing such services, they are not empowered to provide them. However, it could also be argued that the Council should support the provision of these services for moral and economic reasons, in order to support local communities and to promote business in our towns. Issues regarding public transport, declined many, many years ago when bus de-regulation took place. We are though, continuing to try our best to contribute towards local bus services to support residents and visitors to the County Borough, in order to ensure as best we can, that we have a sustainable public transport network going forward.
Question from Councillor Tim Thomas to the Cabinet Member
What is the Cabinet Member doing to ensure that BCBC roads and highways are accessible for the elderly and disabled?
Response
Access and safety for all highway users is important, as such is considered for all new developments in the design standards being applied from the outset, with the highway authority as consultees in the planning process, making recommendations in relation to conditions to be applied to developments including improvements/inclusion of pedestrian infrastructure.
The Local Development Plan will see significant investment in the existing highway network as well as bringing new development that will be orientated towards providing well designed and safe active travel routes and easy accessibility of services in line with sound placemaking principles.
Once an application is approved and developers enter into agreement for the adoption of their development, designs are checked to ensure compliance with conditions and design standards this may include tactile paving for directing those with visual impairments, light controlled crossings with features such as audible/tactile indictors, dropped pedestrian crossings, pedestrian refuges, including of ramped access. Designs may be safety audited as a further consideration of compliance with relevant standards.
For existing highway infrastructure, where there is capital maintenance such as for the renewal of footways or inclusion active travel routes, there is consideration of introducing dropped kerbs which may benefit not only persons with a mobility issue but also other users (push chairs). In the case of active travel, the width of the existing footway may be widened, or new footway/cycle way created which again may be of benefit for all users.
Such improvements link into other initiatives such as raised boarding kerbs at bus stops that have been installed to allow easier boarding of buses for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. Support is also provided through concessionary travel for over 60’s and applicants you qualify on the grounds of disability.
For those in receipt of a ‘blue badge,’ there are spaces provided both on and off street that are reserved/enforced for those specific users, as well as permitting parking at other locations subject to prevailing signage and guidance.
Whilst much has been achieved there is still much of the network that continue to be improved, improvement and maintenance is all subject to existing budgets and resources being available.
An example of what has been achieved in the past year alone is listed below:
201 No. Locations where kerbing has been altered to facilitate improved pedestrian access (funded by WG Active travel);
50 No. Locations where kerbing has been altered to facilitate improved pedestrian access (funded as part of a whole street footway renewal funded by BCBC capital);
11 No. Locations where new dropped kerbing has been introduced in isolation (funded by BCBC Capital);
2 No. Locations where dropped kerbs have been introduced as part of new developments
Supplementary question from Councillor Thomas
A fellow Ward member and myself, went on a walk in our area with local constituents, one of which was a wheelchair user, to learn about some of her experiences. Arising from this, I wrote a short report and copied in some of the relevant Senior Officers and Members, which I have not yet received a response to but hopefully I will soon. It was pleasing to see that accessibility has been considered for new builds through the planning system and in respect of Active Travel Routes also. My question is quite apt, given the Leaders statement about the consultation regarding parking on pavements. I am quite interested to know, what audits have the local authority undertaken, in order to look at the appropriateness of existing street furniture in order to check if it is appropriate and not obsolete for accessibility purposes for the disabled and elderly, as the Leader did cite walking in streets in the consultation and I believe that this is also a campaign aim of Walking Streets, as well as to ensure that such street furniture on our highways is appropriate.
Response
I will have to come back to the Councillor on the point of if audits of street furniture are carried out, however, Highway Inspectors do regularly carry out inspections of the highway network. I will come back to Members on the first point above.
The Cabinet Member – Communities asked the Member if he could re-send his report through to him so that he could address the points contained therein. If there were any specific issues or concerns along the lines contained in his question within his Ward, then again please share details of these including in respect of provision of accessible parking for the disabled, etc, though wider issues would also be looked at within the County Borough as a whole. I hope when street furniture is provided, these are assessed for the particular area they are provided within, so as not to just resolve one problem while possibly creating another. He stressed that BCBC was committed to both the elderly and disabled when it comes to accessibility for car parking on highways.
It was added that we are aware of requests for street furniture that have been refused, as to provide these in specific areas may give rise to a problem of a different nature.
Second supplementary question from Councillor Melanie Evans
I note in the response above, that there are 264 locations referenced where there have been kerb alterations. Please could you elaborate on where these are, including reference to those dropped kerbs
Response
There are 201 locations for kerbing works through the Welsh Government Active Travel Initiative and the majority of these are in the Porthcawl area. There are 50 locations in 4 areas where there have been kerb operations/alterations, undertaken in order to improve pedestrian access and 11 locations where improvements have been made through BCBC Capital Funding. He gave examples of where these works had taken place in the County Borough, for the benefit of Members.
Question from Councillor Ian Williams to the Cabinet Member – Regeneration
Could the Cabinet Member - Regeneration please let me have an update on what measures are being taken to restore the many derelict buildings in our town centre and what is the timeline for this remediation?
Response
There are a variety of reasons for buildings falling into disrepair, and over the years BCBC has put significant emphasis and resource into programmes which have offered support and finance to renovate and revive vacant and underutilised buildings in our town centres.
The Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme operated from 2002 – 2020 and over that time awarded more than £5 million to 66 properties to bring froward major remediation. Thorough this scheme some of our most successful town centre projects have been completed, including the Elder Yard scheme, 2 Caroline street and the former Victoria Public House, in Bridgend, The Harlequin building, the Jennings buildings and nearing completion 37 The Esplanade (Former Apollo) in Porthcawl, to name but a few where all have thriving businesses operating from them, on the back of major capital investment from BCBC, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Cadw.
Similarly, our Transforming Towns programme has invested finance into schemes such as 11 Nolton Street (the former McDonald’s building), Family Value building Commercial St Maesteg, and more recently Marble Steak House, all previously vacant and run down properties which via support and finance have been transformed. The Transforming Towns programme awarded £2,275m in grant in the last three years and will continue to work with property and business owners to offer significant support and finance to other properties across Bridgend, Porthcawl and Maesteg going forward.
We understand that there are a number of challenging buildings across our towns which have a variety of barriers to enabling comprehensive renovation to come forward, and a willing partner is critical to allowing this to occur.
Some of our more challenging properties fall within our recent Vacant Property action plan. The plan, developed in conjunction with Welsh Government takes a more detailed approach at finding solutions to progressing work on specific properties. Last year cabinet underwent a training session with WG to understand how this agenda could be taken forward, accepting that the plan represents some of the most challenging properties, for which there is no quick win, and where the authority has mode several previous attempts to engage with owners.
Within the plan, most of the buildings prioritised are in our town centres, but not exclusively and cover both commercial/social and residential.
The plan has 3 priorities and a series of actions.
Firstly, to identify the extent and location of long-term empty commercial and residential buildings and/or properties that have a detrimental impact on an area or local community.
This includes;
Secondly, we aim to raise awareness among building owners, local businesses and estate agents, local members. This involves;
Thirdly, we need to consider the use of enforcement action using the full range of legislative options to deal with dilapidated or poor condition properties where an outcome cannot be achieved via cooperation. Enforcement is not taken lightly, and the legal process needs careful consideration. Preferably as part of a carrot and stick approach.
The most difficult buildings are supported by an Empty Properties Working Group, these buildings require a whole authority approach, and a financial commitment to pursue them. This group has principally looked at residential properties but has more recently considered action on commercial properties. For the domestic properties many of which are within our towns, we are continuing to work with the owners of these properties and a number of long-term empty properties have now been sold to new owners or are to be marketed for sale. Where necessary enforcement action is taken to address public health issues at the properties,
The Working group consists of advisors from Planning, Regeneration, Conservation, Housing Shared Regulatory Services, Legal and Finance.
Currently 20 buildings on the List and action including discussions with owners and enforcement action where necessary has progressed against 8 of those.
In addition to the work on identified properties, we have also carried out an updated survey of vacant churches and chapels at risk or in danger, these were principally located across the valley commercial areas, but hope to extend that to other towns to look at future end uses and partners when finance is available.
We are also looking to complete a review of all vacant properties across Bridgend Town centre to identify what owners and occupiers see as the barriers to ensuring their properties are occupied, to enable us to look at more bespoke engagement and assistance. Where renovation and capital investment is a principle barrier, we can ensure that the right support and finance is made available.
Supplementary question from Councillor Williams
I think some of the response was from a generic communication because my question was directly related to Bridgend town centre and the dilapidated state of far too many town centre buildings. I refer specifically to the Ranch at Nolton Street, which is both dangerous and an eyesore and has meant that the pavement has been fenced off there for nearly 3 years. It also has had a significant impact on nearby residents who are unable to sell their homes due to the disgraceful state of this building. The other property in question is No. 2 Ewenny Road which is one of the first buildings people see when accessing our town centre from Ewenny Road. This property has been empty for 35 years and nothing has been done by BCBC to make it habitable. I could also mention the York and Monroes, which is the first buildings seen by people when entering the town via the Bus Station. When will the Council consider using Compulsory purchase Orders (CPO’s), to take ownership of these buildings, a course of action that has been used in Porthcawl.
Response
There are legal issues ongoing with the owner of the premises The Ranch, that prevent us from discussing this premises in an open Forum. I am aware that there are a number of buildings across the County Borough that need to be renovated and brought back in to a habitable standard and in support of this, we have an Empty Property Action Plan that we developed last year with Welsh Government and this is being updated and reviewed during the forthcoming summer period. The Monitoring Officer added that where there were legal proceedings ongoing in relation to properties, including the ones referred to by Councillor Williams, details of these could not be discussed in an open Forum such as Council. However, if any member wished seek information on specific properties for example, those situate in their Ward, then they could approach the relevant Officer outside of the meeting, where some level of detailed information would be able to be shared in respect of these on a confidential basis.
Supplementary question from Councillor F Bletsoe
It is good to hear that there are processes in place that can be used as exampled today, however, I am aware that there are a considerable number of premises in a state of disrepair in Bridgend town that have not been subjected to such processes and because of this, there is an issue with the town looking degradated, especially when considering these properties are often left to decline for a number of years. So please could some progress be made here in some form or another of restoration works, in order that Bridgend is able to have an improved look.
Response
I do agree with what has been said and we can work with Officers to progress with improvement works to some of these properties where the owner or landlord etc, is prepared to work with the Council to this end. The Council does offer grants where applicable, to assist property owners improving these dilapidated properties through the undertaking of renovation works. The Deputy Leader added in respect of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO), that though the Council in certain situations could pursue these, these were costly so members needed to establish where the budget would come from to support the making of these Orders. It also should be borne in mind, that the process of a CPO could take a number of years to complete from start to finish, particularly if the owner of the property was unknown or did not wish to agree to the making of a CPO.