Agenda and minutes

Members and officers must declare any pecuniary or personalinterest in any business on the agenda. They should also make declarations at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. Consideration should be given to leaving the meeting if the nature of the interest warrants it.  If in doubt please contact Democratic Services before the meeting.

39.1     No interests were declared.

Items not on the agenda which the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances, including cases where the Committee needs to be informed of budgetary or performance issues affecting matters within its terms of reference, which have emerged since the publication of the agenda.

40.1     No urgent matters were raised.

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2023 (cream paper).

41.1     Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2023 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

The Committee is asked to note the responses to recommendations made at previous meetings of the Committee.

42.1     The Committee noted the responses to recommendations made at the previous meetings. 

42.2     A member asked that, with regard to the extension of the booking scheme to all household waste recycling centres, the Committee be updated, by email, on what public engagement is being undertaken about the change, to ensure the widest possible visibility and reduce issues arising at the gate where visitors were not aware or did not understand the change.

42.3     The Committee noted that no date had been fixed yet for the visit to the Community Hub.

Report by the Assistant Director (Highways, Transport and Planning).

The Committee is asked to scrutinise the new arrangements introduced in April 2022.  The Key Lines of Enquiry include:

·       Whether the decision to eliminate the separate process for “Third Party TROs” (those not prioritised, but are fully funded by the applicant) has had any impact.

·       Whether the amended STEP assessment (including the weighting process) has provided for a more consistent process, and has generally worked well.

·       Whether the creation of the new category of “simple” schemes has allowed these to be designed and delivered within one year, as was intended.

·       Whether the improved guidance has made the process clearer for County Councillors and residents.

43.1     Members of the Committee asked questions and a summary of those questions and answers follows.

43.2     Applicants were advised to make early contact with the area highways manager to discuss the problem at the site, consider different solutions, undertake consultation in the area with local people to gain support as this provides more weight to the application, provide map and technical information, get support from town and parish councils recorded in meeting minutes, and to seek support from the local County Councillor.  

43.3     Applications for speed reductions were not being given any lesser priority but often other schemes tended to score better as they often met more of the SPACE (Space, People, Access, Costs, Environment) assessment categories and had a greater cost/benefit ratio. 

43.4     External funding, such as Section 106 developer contributions and Community Infrastructure Levey (CIL) funding could be used to subsidise schemes and this information should be included in the application.

43.5     There had been an increase in the number of Community Traffic Regulations Order (CTRO) applications but unfortunately many were rejected because they exceeded the £3,000 threshold.  It was hoped that the increase to a £5,000 threshold would see more applications approved.  Members sought data on how many CTROs were rejected because of the cost threshold and a naivety about the cost of highways works. Action: Officers agreed to provide a list, by division, of applications and outcomes and a menu of prices for works on the highways such as installing a pedestrian crossing, speed limit changes involving signage updates, etc.

43.6     Sometimes schemes that were accepted but needed adjustment to meet technical thresholds on site but they still met some of the objectives of the original application.  The applicants were kept up-to-date with any changes.

43.7     Officers used accident data covering in excess of the last five years and acknowledged anecdotal evidence from local residents, the police, and from any correspondence received. 

43.8     Members were keen that local county councillors were involved at an early stage.  The members could not apply for CTROs as local member support formed part of the assessment process.  Members were also keen to be advised of the outcomes of local applications and were told that this should already be happening. Action: Officers undertook to check the process and ensure that it did occur.

43.9     The service reported that recruitment was underway to increase the number of staff involved in supporting the application process and that funding was in place to cover this. Members were reassured that processes were in place in the event of staff turnover to ensure background information on applications was available to any officer taking over.  Members welcomed an early introduction to any new highways manager in their locality and were keen to be involved in drop-in sessions being set up for members in their local highways’ depot.

43.10  Members were keen to ensure that local town and parish councils were aware of the availability of the Community Highways Schemes (CHS) and Community Traffic Regulations Orders (CTRO),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Report by Assistant Director (Highways, Transport and Planning).

The Committee is asked to scrutinise how major completed schemes (such as the A2300 and A259) were undertaken and any identified learning, and how that will be applied to any such future schemes.

44.1     Members of the Committee asked questions and a summary of those questions and answers follows.

44.2     Changes in legislative requirements and culture, etc, had led to an issue with insufficient land being available to accommodate cycle lanes and cycle paths.  It would be addressed at the earliest possible stage in future planning processes.

44.3     Members expressed concerns that residents who do not access on-line methods might be excluded from taking part in consultations on major schemes.  Officers reassured members that information had been made available in libraries and community areas and that those residents were not excluded.

44.4     The impact of Lane Rental charges is unlikely to make a difference to the interaction of utility companies with the County Council’s Major Highway Projects, however the County Council is keen to work closely with utility providers to ensure better mapping of utilities and to influence providers to work with them for the benefit of communities.

44.5     A member questioned, under paragraph 8.2, if sub-contractors work could be of a differing standard to that of the main contractor.  Officer explained that the main contractor is responsible for ensuring that the quality of work by any sub-contractor is to the standard specified in the project contract.  Action: Officers agreed to look at the wording to make this clearer.

44.6     Pressure on the legal contracts team had not delayed the project but officers are now conscious of the need to ensure that all supporting agencies are aware of project timetables so they can make sure they are adequately resourced to undertake the work needed.

44.7     It was acknowledged that it was difficult to recruit staff with project management skills for major projects like these two schemes.  The service had therefore undertaken to train staff to upskill the current workforce and allow for succession planning.  If staff with project management skills were not available then external consultants are used.

44.8     The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges sets out criteria for environmental matters such as noise. As part of a major project, noise modelling is done on the existing road conditions, checked against on-site measurements and adjusted to take account of new road layouts to show where there are any increases in noise.  If increases are beyond prescribed levels over a period of time, officers will design acoustic barriers where possible.  If landowners experience a perceptible increase in noise levels there is a process through which they can submit a claim for loss of property value. 

44.9     Data is collected on the wider impact of the network prior to a scheme and after its implementation.  Monitors are set up to see how traffic patterns have changed on the A-road network.  Complaints about rat-running that were received prior to the completition of the A259 project have now fallen away suggesting traffic is using the main road again.

44.10  Resolved – That the Committee:

1.   Welcomes the report and presentation.

2.   Expresses concern at the wording around the robustness of contracts in paragraph 8.2 and welcomed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

The Committee is asked to agree its current draft work programme (attached at Appendix A and B), taking into account the Forward Plan of key decisions within its remit (attached at Appendix C) and any suggestions from its members for possible scrutiny taking into account the attached scrutiny checklist (attached at Appendix D).

45.1     The Committee reviewed the Work Programme and the Forward Plan of key decisions and:

45.2     Noted that the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 2024-27 (CAAP) scheduled for the March meeting would now come to the June 2024 meeting.

45.3     Chairman and officers to consider whether all or part of the Major Events – Lessons Learned item should be considered in a Part II meeting.

45.4     There was no date yet for the Committee to review the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

45.5     Active Travel Strategy – in consultation now.  Officers to review timing for the Committee to review.

The Committee is asked to agree the appointment of a minority group member to the BPG, in place of Cllr Sharp.

46.1     Resolved – That the Committee agreed that Cllr Quinn be appointed to the Business Planning Group.

The Monitoring Officer received a request for call-in of the proposed decision by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change concerning Recycling Centres - Extension of Booking System to all sites OKD34 (23/23) – decision published on the Executive Decision Database on 12 December 2023.  The Monitoring Officer declined the request, and the decision became effective on 22 December 2023. 

47.1     The Committee noted that there had been a call-in of the proposed decision by the Cabinet member for Environment and Climate Change concerning Recycling Centres – Extension of Booking system to all sites IKD34 (23/23) – decision published on the Executive Decision Database on 12 December 2023.  The Committee also noted that the Monitoring Officer had declined the request and the decision had become effective on 22 December 2023.

The next meeting of the Committee will be held on 4 March 2024 at 10.30 am at County Hall, Chichester.  Probable agenda items include:

·       Performance and Resources Report Quarter 3

·       Safer School Streets Pilots

·       Review of additional £4.5m expenditure 2023-24

·       Major Events – Lessons Learned

·       Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 2024-27 (CAAP)

Any member wishing to place an item on the agenda for the meeting must notify the Director of Law and Assurance by 21 February 2024.

48.1     The next meeting would be held on 4 March 2024 at 10.30am.