Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual meeting with restricted public access

Contact: Jack Bacon on 033 022 25075  Email:  jack.bacon@westsussex.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

33.

Chairman's Introduction

Additional documents:

Minutes:

33.1   The Chairman welcomed Cllr Oxlade as a newly appointed member of the Committee and thanked his predecessor, Cllr Baxter, for her contributions to the work of the Committee, Business Planning Group and Task and Finish Group.

34.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

34.1     In accordance with the Code of Conduct the following interests were declared:

 

Cllr Oxlade declared a personal interest in Item 6 as an employee of the Manor Royal Business District (BID).

 

Cllr Baldwin declared a personal interest in Item 8 as a member of Horsham District Council.

35.

Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee pdf icon PDF 143 KB

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2021 (cream paper).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

35.1   Resolved – that the minutes of the Committee held on 24 November 2021 be approved as a correct record, and that they be signed electronically by the Chairman following the meeting.

36.

Responses to Recommendations pdf icon PDF 63 KB

The Committee is asked to note the responses to recommendations made at the 24 November 2021 meeting from the Leader of the County Council, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change and the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

36.1   The Committee noted the responses to recommendations made at the 24 November 2021 meeting from the Leader of the County Council, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change and the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.

37.

Appointment to the Business Planning Group

The Labour Group to confirm its new representative on the BPG, in replacement of Cllr Caroline Baxter.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

37.1   Cllr Oxlade’s appointment to the Business Planning Group was confirmed as the Labour Group’s new representative, in replacement of Cllr Baxter.

38.

Final Report of the Northern Runway Task and Finish Group pdf icon PDF 150 KB

A Task and Finish Group of this Committee met to scrutinise the Council’s draft response to Gatwick Airport Limited’s consultation on its Northern Runway Project. Due to the time constraints presented by the consultation period, the Group’s agreed recommendations were presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 16 November 2021 where the proposed response was approved.

 

The Committee is asked to note the Group’s report and its recommendations, and consider the response to the recommendations.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

38.1   The Chairman thanked officers and members of the Task and Finish Group for their contributions at the Group’s meeting on 10 November 2021, before the Group’s recommendations were presented at a meeting of Cabinet on 16 November.

 

38.2   The Committee considered the final report of the Northern Runway Task and Finish Group, and the response to the recommendations.

 

38.3     Summary of responses to members’ comments and questions: -

 

·       Mike Elkington, Head of Planning Services, confirmed that the requirement to safeguard land for a runway to the south of the airport is a matter for Government and outside the scope of the consultation by Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL). Any issues relating to the areas to be safeguarded and impacts on the Manor Royal Business District (BID) are a matter for Crawley Borough Council. GAL’s intentions to expand in the future using a full runway to the south is a separate matter. Mr Elkington concluded that the County Council’s response to the consultation suggests that GAL should make it clear that it only intends to expand using the existing runways and that, as a consequence, it will not pursue expansion using a full southern runway.

·       It is expected that GAL will provide an update on its proposals in early Spring, following consideration of the consultation responses.

·       Members expressed disappointment in GAL’s proposals and believed they lacked detail at the consultation stage. Members await clarity about the scheme and its potential impacts.


38.4   Resolved – that the Committee noted the report.

39.

Final Report of the On-Street Parking Management Task and Finish Group pdf icon PDF 123 KB

A Task and Finish Group of this Committee met to scrutinise proposals to amend the Council’s On-Street Parking Management Strategy. The Group’s agreed recommendations were considered by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport ahead of her decision to adopt the revised Strategy, published on 22 December 2021.

 

The Committee is asked to note the Group’s report and its recommendations, and consider the response to the recommendations.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

39.1   As Chairman of the Task and Finish Group, Cllr Oakley gave an overview of the Group’s work and thanked officers for their support.

 

39.2   Introduced by Cllr J Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, the Committee considered the final report of the On-Street Parking Management Task and Finish Group, and the response to its recommendations.

39.3   Ninesh Edwards, Senior Advisor, addressed member concern regarding the rationale for the Task and Finish Group meeting to be held in private and not in public on 2 November 2021. Mr Edwards clarified that the Group’s formation was first advertised in the papers for the Committee meeting on 30 September 2021, and this was the opportunity for members to decide whether or not the Group should meet in public or private.

 

39.4   Summary of responses to members’ comments and questions: -

 

·       Cllr J Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, re-affirmed that the County Council’s decision-making process for determining the threshold of Controlled Parking Zone applications is democratic and representative of local residents by way of consulting the appropriate County Councillors. 

·       It was advised that decisions should clearly communicate how residents’ views have been considered to build public confidence and trust in the decision-making process. 

·       Miles Davy, Parking Manager, confirmed that it is anticipated the strategy will undergo a review in at least two years’ time. Mr Davy stressed to the Committee that the 50% consultation response threshold is an aspiration at this stage, and that the policy has been designed to be flexible.

·       Mr Davy confirmed that the percentage result of all consultation responses will be publicised as part of a detailed statutory decision report.

 

39.5   Resolved – that the Committee: -

 

i.            Asked that in future, members’ attention should be drawn to the option of holding Task and Finish Groups in public or private.

ii.           Agreed that a review of the strategy should be added to the Business Planning Group’s 2023/24 work programme for initial scrutiny in March 2024.

iii.          Noted the report.

40.

Forward Plan of Key Decisions pdf icon PDF 238 KB

Extract fromthe ForwardPlan dated 7 January 2022 – attached.

 

Anextract fromanyForwardPlan publishedbetween the date of despatchof the agenda and the date of the meetingwill be tabled at the meeting.

 

The Committee is asked to consider whetheritwishes to enquireinto any of the forthcoming decisions withinits portfolio.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

40.1   Cllr Urquhart, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change clarified that the street sweeping contract involves the recycling of the sweepings collected by District and Borough Councils.   

 

40.2   The Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport promised to look into the maintenance routine for road signage cleaning and repairs, as previously raised by Cllr Quinn.

 

40.3   Resolved – that the Committee noted the Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

 

 

41.

Work Programme Planning and Possible Items for Future Scrutiny pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Members to mention any items which they believe to be of relevance to the business of the Scrutiny Committee, and suitable for scrutiny, e.g. raised with them by constituents arising from central government initiatives etc.

 

If any member puts forward such an item, the Committee’s role at this meeting is just to assess, briefly, whether to refer the matter to its Business Planning Group (BPG) to consider in detail.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

41.1   The Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport explained that the West Sussex Transport Plan had been due to be scrutinised at this meeting, but has been re-scheduled for consideration at the 24 February meeting as the report wasn’t finalised in time.

42.

Requests for Call-in pdf icon PDF 121 KB

The Monitoring Officer received a request for call-in of the proposed decision by the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport concerning On Street Parking Management in West Sussex HT14 (21/22) – decision published on the Executive Decision Database on 22 December 2021. The Monitoring Officer declined the request and the decision became effective on 6 January 2022.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

42.1   The Chairman noted the recommendations agreed as part of item 7 during the Committee’s earlier discussion.  

43.

Date of Next Meeting

A special meeting of the Committee will be held on 24 February 2022 at 10.30am at County Hall, Chichester. Confirmed agenda items will include:

 

·       A27 Arundel Bypass project

·       West Sussex Transport Plan

 

Any member wishing to place an item on the agenda for the meeting must notify the Director of Law and Assurance by Monday 14 February 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

43.1   A special meeting of the Committee will be held on 24 February 2022 at 10.30 am at County Hall, Chichester.