BC - RECORDS OF BATH CITY COUNCIL AND BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET COUNCIL
- BC/7 - Records of Bath City Council and Bath & North East Somerset Council: records relating to infrastructure
  - BC/7/10 - Records relating to Bath City Council's responsibilities relating to the Combe Down Stone Mines project
    - BC/7/10/1 - Audio and film recordings relating to the Combe Down Stone Mines Project
      - BC/7/10/1/1 - Audio recordings of a public meeting regarding the stabilisation of Combe Down Stone Mines

Audio recording of a public meeting regarding the stabilisation of Combe Down Stone Mines (Side A)

Reference Number: BC/7/10/1/1/2a
Alternative Reference Number: TR0048
Level of Description: Item
Title: Audio recording of a public meeting regarding the stabilisation of Combe Down Stone Mines (Side A)
Date: 17 November 1994
Extent: Extent: 1 audio cassette
Description: Side A of Cassette 2.

An audio recording of the public meeting held by the Environment Committee to decide what strategy should be adopted to stabilise Combe Down Stone Mines, with the final decision being ratified by the full council at their meeting on the 20th December 1994. This recording is 00:46:31 long and forms part of a series of recordings which make up the whole meeting. There are two audio cassettes in total both of which have a Side A and Side B [See also: BC/7/10/1/1/1a, BC/7/10/1/1/1b and BC/7/10/1/1/2b]. Interference to the audio recording between 00:17:10-00:46:31 means that the voices are very quiet and distorted at times, making it hard to hear the discussion taking place.

A transcription of the audio recording is available on request.

The audio recording mainly concerns a debate amongst the Councillors on whether pulverised fuel ash (PFA) should be used in the stabilisation works. The recording begins with Councillor Simmons, mid-sentence, discussing the public consultations and survey undertaken to garner public opinion on the Combe Down Stone Mines project, a continuation of his speech from Side B of cassette 1. He discusses the findings from the survey and summarises that the safety of PFA was the most dominant issue and that people did not want it used in the stabilisation project, so he recommends it is not. This view is seconded by Councillor Manning [00:02:36].

We then hear from Councillor Wishart [00:06:30] who does not support Councillor Simmons recommendations but suggests that PFA could be used but only permitted as a raw material, if all UK and EC statutory requirements and law requirements are met in full. Councillor Coombes then speaks to say that a material should not be ruled out based solely on opinion or dislike [00:11:48].

Councillor Hogg then speaks and asks for clarification on the difference between pulverised fuel ash and coal fuel ash and asks about English Partnership financing the project and their stipulation of use of materials [00:14:27] which is answered by Andrew Reid, Assistant City Solicitor [00:17:19].

We then hear from Councillor Crossley who speaks in support of excluding PFA [00:18:12] and Council Clarke who opposes ruling out PFA [00:30:40]. Councillor Simmons speaks again in support of not using PFA, stating Wessex Water findings and the risk to house prices [00:39:36], and finally we hear from Councillor Kenyon [00:44:50] with the recording ending midway through his opinion.
Existence and Location of Copies: Digitised MP3 versions are available on Preservica via internal access at Bath Record Office.