Meeting documents
Venue: Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall, Aylesbury. View directions
Contact: Kama Wager
Note: Please note that this meeting will be webcast - please use the "Webcasts" menu link
Media
Webcast: View the webcast
Note | No. | Item |
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10.00am |
Apologies for Absence Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Mr S Bowles. |
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Declarations of Interest To disclose any personal or disclosable pecuniary interests. Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
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Of the meeting held on 17 July 2017 to be agreed as an accurate record. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes were confirmed as an accurate record of the meeting. |
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Chairman's Report For the Chairman of the Committee to provide an update to the Committee on recent scrutiny related activity. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman welcomed Mrs L Clarke, OBE back to Committee having recovered from an injury.
The Chairman thanked Ms K Wager for her support to the Committee. |
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Public Questions This is an opportunity for members of the public to put a question or raise an issue of concern, related to Environment, Transport and Locality Services. Where possible, the relevant organisation to which the question/issue is directed will be present to give a verbal response. Members of the public will be invited to speak for up to four minutes on their issue. A maximum of 30 minutes is set aside for the Public Questions slot in total (including responses and any Committee discussion). This may be extended with the Chairman’s discretion.
For full guidance on Public Questions, including how to register a request to speak during this slot, please follow this link:
http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/scrutiny/getting-involved/
Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
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High Speed 2 Update Statement Following concerns raised by residents about traffic management issues across the county caused by works being carried out to prepare for the construction of HS2, the Cabinet Member and Lead Officers will be attending to provide a verbal update on HS2 Ltd and their contractors and the role and position of the Council.
Contributors: Mark Shaw, Cabinet Member for Transportation Martin Dickman, Environmental Services Director Laura Leech, HS2 Programme Manager
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman welcomed the Cabinet Member and his Officers and invited them to provide their update.
In response to a number of resident and Member concerns raised about traffic issues caused as a result of HS2 Ltd.’s exploratory investigations which had started, the Cabinet Member presented a verbal update statement to the Committee on High Speed 2. The statement read as follows:
"The HS2 Act provides powers for HS2 Ltd (and its contractors) to interfere temporarily with any highway in order to carry out the Phase 1 works. These powers are known as "Temporary interference" and are set out in paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 to the Act. The powers allow HS2 Ltd. to stop up, alter or divert the highway, divert traffic from it or prevent persons passing along it, break up or interfere with it or temporarily remove street furniture. In exercising these powers, HS2 Ltd. must provide reasonable access for pedestrians to or from premises abutting the highway.
Where the highway is listed in Table 3 of Part 4 of Schedule 4 to the Act, HS2 Ltd is required to consult the highway authority with respect to public safety and convenience before the power is exercised.
Where the highway is not listed within Table 3 (of the HS2 Act), then the consent of the highway authority is required. Consent cannot be unreasonably withheld. In both cases, HS2 Ltd and its contractors consult with the Council and other key stakeholders through the local Traffic Liaison Group meetings, which have been established along the whole of the HS2 Phase 1 route to facilitate such engagement.
There are environmental controls in place to ensure that the impacts of construction are minimised, as far as reasonably practicable. In addition, HS2 Ltd and its contractors are required to comply with any Undertakings and Assurances given by the Secretary of State to Parliament as the Bill progressed through Parliament during petitioning. We continue to work closely with HS2 Ltd and its contractors to ensure that all interference with the highway is appropriate, safe and minimises impacts on road users, as far as reasonably practicable, whilst recognising that Parliament has determined that the scheme must proceed.
The legislation allows for disputes between HS2 Ltd and the highways authority to be heard at arbitration if the parties agree or, failing that, must be determined by the Secretary of State.
The Council will use this course of action as and when it considers it is necessary.
The Council has not and will not compromise on the safety of road users. Congestion and delay are inevitable consequences of a construction project of this magnitude; however, the Council will use its limited powers to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable that the scheme is not prejudicial to users of the county road network".
Following the Cabinet Member’s statement, Member questions and the resulting discussions raised the following points:
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Members will review the Council's current policy, approach and performance in relation to street and footway lighting, with a focus on the fixing of defects.
Contributors: Mark Shaw, Cabinet Member for Transportation Mark Averill, Head of Highways (Client) David Stewart, Operations Manager (TfB) Phil Lain, Street Lighting Manager
Additional documents: Minutes: The Cabinet Member and supporting officers introduced the item and provided Members with an overview of the report.
The full overview can be viewed on the webcast alongside the supporting paper within the agenda pack.
The following points were made during the overview:
Member questions and the resulting discussion raised the following points:
· Devolution of footway lighting: Members were told that the Council were looking to devolve more to parish councils for the fixing of defects. The County Council would have responsibility for maintaining highways lighting. Footway lighting ... view the full minutes text for item 7. |
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Sustainable School Travel Inquiry: 12 Month Recommendation Review PDF 147 KB The Committee will review and assess the progress towards the implementation of the Committee recommendations made within the inquiry report, as agreed by Cabinet in April 2017.
Contributors: Mark Shaw, Cabinet Member for Transportation Joan Hancox, Head of Transport Strategy James Silvester, Transport Strategy Manager Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman welcomed the Cabinet Member for Transportation, Mr M. Shaw, Ms J Hancox, Head of Transport Strategy, Mr J Silvester Transport Strategy Manager and Ms P Campbell-Balcombe, Schools Commissioning Manager.
The Cabinet Member gave a brief overview of the progress towards implementation of the Committee’s Inquiry recommendations. This can be viewed on the webcast in full, but included the following points:
The discussion highlighted that due to resourcing issues some of the recommendations not being progressed as much as they should have been. Members asked questions and had some discussion around particular issues within the recommendations; however, the Committee recognised that without resource the work could not be driven forward.
The full discussion can be viewed on the webcast.
Areas that were discussed through Member questions included:
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Committee Work Programme PDF 52 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Members noted the committee work programme and agreed they would like to invite HS2 Ltd to a future meeting to question them following concerns raised during the update at this meeting. |
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Date of the Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on 6 November 2018, in the Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall. Additional documents: Minutes: The next meeting will be held on the 6 November 2018, in Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall. |