Bath and North East Somerset Council met on Thursday 18 September 2025, and agreed to appoint Stuart Donnelly as Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) from 5 January 2026. Councillors also approved the Policy Development & Scrutiny Annual Report 2024-2025, the Annual Report on the Use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) & Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016, and the Standards Committee Annual Report. A motion from the Liberal Democrat group regarding Houses in Multiple Occupation was also approved.

Houses in Multiple Occupation

The council approved a motion from the Liberal Democrat group regarding houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The motion notes that HMOs are an essential part of the local housing market in Bath, providing affordable accommodation for students, professionals, and key workers. It also acknowledges that students are an important part of the community, bringing social, cultural, and economic benefits to the area.

The motion recognises that council tax exemptions for student-occupied HMOs reduce the council's income, and that government funding has significantly decreased. It also highlights the housing affordability crisis in Bath and North East Somerset, which is exacerbated by new HMO conversions reducing the supply of affordable family homes.

Therefore, the council:

• Calls on the government to recognise the challenges faced by university cities in the Fair Funding Review¹ formula proposals.
• Highlights the opportunity for residents to participate in the Local Plan Options consultation, from 3 October to 13 November 2025.
• Invites the Council Leader and local MPs to press the government to acknowledge the impact of student HMOs on local authority finances and to address it with a Fair Funding formula that compensates local authorities in full.

During discussion of the motion, Councillor Alan Hale raised a point of order about whether it was appropriate to have this motion on the agenda in a pre-election period. Councillor Liz Hardman, Chair of the Council, explained that advice had been sought from the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, and the decision was made to permit the motion because its core element was requesting additional powers from the government.

The motion was carried with 36 councillors voting in favour and 11 abstaining.

Appointment of Director of Finance

The council unanimously approved the appointment of Stuart Donnelly as the new Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) from 5 January 2026. The council report Section 151 officer noted that Mr Donnelly is currently Deputy S151 Officer at Reading Borough Council and is a qualified accountant and a full member of CIPFA² since 2008.

The appointment follows the appointment of Simon Parker to the substantive position of Executive Director of Resources on 17 March 2025. As Mr Parker is not a qualified accountant, he cannot hold the S151 designation, so Jeff Wring was appointed to the role of S151 Officer on an interim basis from 1 April 2025 to 31 December 2025.

Policy Development and Scrutiny Annual Report

The council unanimously approved a motion to note the contents of the Policy Development & Scrutiny Annual Report 2024-2025. The report summarises the work of the council's three Policy Development and Scrutiny (PDS) panels over the past year. According to the cover report for the PDS annual report, the panels hold the executive to public account and assist in the development of council policy.

Councillor Dine Romero, Chair of the Children, Adults, Health and Wellbeing PDS Panel, wrote in the foreword to the report:

The past year has seen our Panels engage in a wide range of complex and impactful issues, from climate resilience to health inequalities. Our work has focused on the values of openness, collaboration, and evidence-based decisionmaking. I would like to thank all members, officers, and residents who have contributed to our scrutiny processes. Together, we continue to help shape a more responsive, inclusive, and forward-looking Council.

The three PDS Panels are:

• Corporate Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel
• Climate Emergency and Sustainability Panel
• Children, Adults, Health and Wellbeing PDS Panel

Annual Report on the use of RIPA and IPA

The council unanimously approved a motion to note the Annual Report on the Use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) & Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) 2016. The report updates the council on the use of these acts, policies, and procedures.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) permits councils to carry out covert surveillance of alleged offenders for the prevention and detection of crime and the protection of public health. The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA) allows the council to apply to telecommunications providers for data information (but not the contents of communications) about individuals suspected of committing crimes.

The report notes that the council is committed to the continued professional development of officers using RIPA and IPA powers, and that officers are required to undergo annual training.

According to the RIPA report 2025, in 2024-2025 there were no instances of surveillance data being collected, and one instance of communications data being requested. There were no requests for the use of council CCTV by partner enforcement agencies.

Standards Committee Annual Report

The council unanimously approved a motion to note the work of the Standards Committee, as set out in the Standards Committee Annual Report. The Standards Committee is responsible for the promotion of ethical standards within the council, helping to secure adherence to the Members' Code of Conduct, monitoring the operation of the code, conducting hearings following investigation, and determining complaints made against councillors.

Dr Axel Palmer, Chair of the Standards Committee, wrote in the foreword to the report:

All committee members have given willingly and generously of their time and talents in approaching issues most thoughtfully and constructively.

The report notes that in the past year, since April 2024, there have been:

• 17 matters raised, of which 15 initial assessments required 'no further action' to be undertaken, 1 which was assessed as a Breach of the Code of Conduct and an apology issued, and 1 withdrawn.
• 3 matters that are currently being investigated since 1 April 2025.

Public Statements

Several members of the public addressed the council during the meeting. Clive Humphries spoke about student HMOs in Bath, Mark Jerzak, Nick Baker, and Nicola Wilson made statements about the Chew Valley community trail.

Clive Humphries said that HMO conversions reduce the housing stock available for people and families, pushing up the cost of buying or renting houses and pushing people out of Bath. He also said that the council loses around £5.2 million of revenue due to council tax exemptions for student HMOs.

Mark Jerzak, a local business owner and daily user of the existing northern section of the Chew Valley Lake community path, highlighted the benefits of the path and called on the council to complete the circuit.

Nick Baker, a Parish councillor from Chew Stoke, also spoke in support of completing the Chew Valley recreational trail for the many health, wellbeing and environmental benefits it brings.

Nicola Wilson, also a Parish Councillor for Chew Stoke, made a statement about the trail, bringing a historical family aspect to the issue as her grandmother had first come up with the idea of a trail around Chew Valley Lake 25 years ago.