Responses to
Questionnaire for
Local Election Candidates, May 2007
Cllr Matt Davis, Labour Group Leader,
provided the following response to the
questionnaire on behalf of the Labour Party.
Q1
In 1995, Bath City Council committed to a 30% reduction in carbon
dioxide emissions due to energy and transport use in Bath within 10
years. This target was largely forgotten about by the
Council. Which of the following best represents your viewpoint:
Answer: e) B&NES should make a new commitment to reducing
carbon dioxide emissions by 30% within ten years, produce a plan that
details how it will be achieved, and set aside funding to do it.
Comment: The plan to achieve this requires a B&NES Council policy
decision and funding included in the 4 year Financial Plan. We
will be pushing to achieve both within the first year of the next
B&NES Council term.
Q2
B&NES is committed to a zero waste policy. Which of the following
best represents your viewpoint:
Answer: c) Zero waste is a worthy aim. Faced with landfill tax
increases, however, we can't rule out any residual waste solution,
including incineration.
Comment: Labour is committed to the Zero Waste policy which is much
more than a 'worthy aim'. Over time we aim to get as close as
possible to that objective. The matter of residual waste is now
one that we must work with our partner Councils in the former Avon area
to address, and at this stage it is not possible due to legal process
reasons to rule out any residual waste solution, including
incineration.
Q3
The Government has put forward a policy objective that by 2015 all new
homes should be carbon-neutral. Which the following best
represents your viewpoint:
Answer: c) The Council should make it easier for people to get planning
permission to add renewable energy and energy saving systems to their
home, wherever they are in B&NES.
Comment: Labour wants the planning application fee waived for all such
planning applications as an incentive. The relevant Overview and
Scrutiny panel considered this, but the B&NES Executive did not
implement it. In addition we would like to have B&NES review
the positions taken by some other authorities where they are more
relaxed about granting planning permission for installation of such
renewable energy and energy saving systems.
Q4
Congestion and pollution caused by the school run points out many of
the problems that beset Bath regarding its transport policy. Which of
the following best represents your viewpoint:
Answer: NA
Comment: The issue is more complicated than suggested by the proposed
responses. As set out in our manifesto, if elected we will campaign for
a Passenger Transport Authority and for more walking buses to school as
well as supporting cycle training (see full manifesto at
www.baneslabour.org
Q5
Planning permission to expand Bristol Airport to three times its
current usage is being sought. Which of the following best
represents your viewpoint:
Answer: NA
Comment: Bristol Airport expansion provides both opportunities for
development and growth, but also serious challenges to local
authorities in meeting some of the environmental consequences that flow
from expansion. We believe that B&NES has not really grasped
these challenges and needs to consider these as integral to its work
with the other councils in the West of England Partnership particularly
on transport infrastructure over the next two decades.
Q6
Bath Friends of the Earth has campaigned to get green space in the city
centre enlarged from its current 4% to a minimum of 8%. Which of the
following best represents your viewpoint:
Answer: c) Redevelopment being planned will open up adequate possible
venues for new green spaces.
Comment: The Council has taken a very long time in developing is green
spaces strategy, starting in 2004. We believe that green lungs
are essential both for the community that directly benefits from their
close proximity to open spaces, and for the wider city that benefits
from the reduced travel to them that results. The new
redevelopment opportunities that are planned will offer the opportunity
to provide a significant increase in locally available green spaces if
B&NES correctly aligns the power of section 106 planning agreements
with its professed support for green spaces.
