Meeting documents

This is an opportunity for the Member submitting the Call-In, Lesley Clarke OBE, to highlight why she wishes to call in the Cabinet Member decision and for the Cabinet Member and/or relevant officer to respond to the Local Member’s call-in submission (10 minutes each).

Papers which witnesses have asked to be provided

·      Notice of Member Call-In in accordance with Paragraph 20 of the Constitution under Select Committee Standing Orders

·      Cabinet Member Report (attached)

·      Please see link below to report and following appendices

·    PT11.13 report

·    Daws Hill Preliminary Estimate Rev B Final

·    Daws Hill Preliminary Estimate Option 2 Rev 0

·    Preliminary Design Report - Rev A Final checked

·    Environmental Scoping Report - Rev A Final - checked

·    Phase 1 Habitat Survey - Rev A Final - checked

·    Preliminary Geo-environmental Report - Rev A Final - checked

·    call-in request form

 http://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=3276

·      Strategic Plan (Our special environment, Speaking up for Residents)

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/681808/Strategic-Plan-2013.pdf

http://intranet/svc_corporate_groups/corporate_initiatives/new_vision.htm

·      Southern Quadrant Transport Strategy Document

http://tinyurl.com/k98zvm8

·      Daws Hill Area Travel Link:  response to the Cabinet Member on issues raised following a site visit on the 21st October 2013

·      Slide presentation (to be circulated at the meeting)

·      2013 Air Quality Progress Report

http://tinyurl.com/ndb72vt

·      News release WDC: Pioneering motorway noise barrier study moves

     forward

http://tinyurl.com/pvht4qg

http://tinyurl.com/p3pb7nm

·      Large scale area map of the SQTS (to be available at the meeting)

·      Guidelines used for Local authorities and Groups "Human Rights Act"  

·      Article 8: Human rights: human lives, Ministry of Justice, Handbook for Public Authorities

http://tinyurl.com/pgg6a47

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting Mrs Lesley Clarke who, along with Mr Roger Reed and Mr David Watson, requested that the Decision on Daws Lea Area Travel Link be called in.

Mrs Clarke said Daws Hill is the area for which she is responsible as a Councillor for Wycombe District Council and as a County Councillor.  The main reasons for the call in were:

·         All relevant matters were not taken into account in reaching a decision.  Wycombe District Council is working in partnership with the M40CEG (M40 Community Engagement Group) on the feasibility of a new barrier, to include the production of green energy and the Local Member said this had not been considered as part of the thought process.  The Local Member said she wanted minimum negative impact on the local environment.  The photovoltaic barriers would reduce the amount of energy used and the cost saving could go some way to negating the cost of the barriers.

·         The desired outcome for the bus link was to take buses off Daws Lane and a disproportionate amount of money was being spent to solve the rush hour traffic which would only benefit 160-200 people.  There were no issues regarding traffic in the evening.

·         There was inadequate consultation in relation to the options set out in the Decision and no specific consultation with the Daws Hill Neighbourhood Forum.

·         The Decision does not accord with the Council’s aims and strategies.  There has been no consultation with the people in Daws Lea and Marlewood Close.  At the time the decision was taken there was no Equalities Impact Assessment which should have existed alongside the decision.  There are other ways to mitigate the noise impact as well as the known air quality issue.   Having more buses in the area would add to the situation and something was needed to alleviate this.

The Chairman welcomed Mrs Janet Blake, Cabinet Member for Planning & Transportation.  Mrs Blake stated that the Senior Manager, Policy, Planning, Economy & Infrastructure would speak on her behalf.   Members expressed concern that the Cabinet Member was not responding herself.  The Chairman said it was for the Cabinet Member to decide who would respond.  The Senior Manager said he would not be reiterating what was in the decision report but would make a statement on the current position.

During 2012 the County Council undertook transport strategy work to ensure that upcoming development in the South of High Wycombe could be brought forward alongside a supporting transport strategy. The resulting Southern Quadrant Transport Strategy was adopted by BCC in December 2012, this supports the District-adopted RAF Daws Hill development brief, also adopted in Dec 2012 – co-ordinating an agreed position on land-use and transport planning between the two authorities.

The strategy agreed a range of measures to deal with planned growth; most pertinent to this meeting being the inclusion of a new public transport link between Daws Hill and the new park and ride/coachway provision at Handy Cross. During consultation on the Southern Quadrant Transport Strategy (SQTS) it was suggested that an additional route be explored running to the south of Daws Lea, hence the final strategy was adopted with a specific commitment to undertake further work prior to deciding which of two route options should be used to achieve the link.

This decision now confirms which option is to be progressed.

The local member has been kept informed on the progression of this work, and at various points requested that further work be undertaken. This culminated in an Environmental scoping report being undertaken which now takes the evidence base towards the point where it can support a full planning application, considerably surpassing the level of assessment and detail that would normally be deemed appropriate for a policy decision.

Since the SQTS was adopted, various planning applications in the area have been granted by Wycombe District Council on the basis and strength of the supporting transport strategy being implemented. It is therefore important that this decision is finalised so that we can move swiftly towards implementation of the agreed strategy.

The Cabinet Member said the papers set out before the Committee show evidence that several options were considered in the SQTS and Options A and B were considered the best.  The Decision was taken on one of the two options.