Agenda item

To debate the following motion, submitted by Cllr Lord, notice of which was given on 27 June 2023.

 

‘County and district and borough councillors across West Sussex are regularly approached by residents, parish, neighbourhood and town councils about potholes and the state of the highways locally. The transparency of priorities, intervention levels and programming is poor leading to residents believing that their roads are forgotten at the expense of other parts of the county.

 

The cold and wet weather of the past winter has caused huge damage to our roads which West Sussex County Council has struggled to fix in a timely manner. This has led to significant frustration amongst residents and occasional regrettable and unacceptable behaviour towards our hardworking highways officers and the Council’s contractors.

 

Therefore, this Council:

 

(1)        Expresses its thanks to all officers who have worked diligently throughout the winter and spring to repair our roads and deal with resident frustration.

 

(2)        Asks residents to be mindful that the individuals on the frontline are not responsible for the policies that have caused the problems.

 

(3)        Declares that it no longer has confidence in the current model for highways repairs and therefore asks the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to:

 

(a)        Urgently review the contract, oversight and response to emergency repairs to ensure this Council is better able to manage winter pressures and the impacts of climate change.

 

(b)        Ensure that there is no perception of geographical preference in the prioritisation of repairs through greater transparency of data shared with councillors and residents.

 

(c)         Improve engagement with district, borough, town and parish councils on highway matters to aid knowledge sharing and transparency.

 

(d)        Explore how the Council could fund an alternative approach to repairs and pilot this with district, borough, town and parish councils who are willing to work together on this.’

29.1     The following motion was moved by Cllr Lord and seconded by Cllr Condie.

 

‘County and district and borough councillors across West Sussex are regularly approached by residents, parish, neighbourhood and town councils about potholes and the state of the highways locally. The transparency of priorities, intervention levels and programming is poor leading to residents believing that their roads are forgotten at the expense of other parts of the county.

 

The cold and wet weather of the past winter has caused huge damage to our roads which West Sussex County Council has struggled to fix in a timely manner. This has led to significant frustration amongst residents and occasional regrettable and unacceptable behaviour towards our hardworking highways officers and the Council’s contractors.

 

Therefore, this Council:

 

(1)         Expresses its thanks to all officers who have worked diligently throughout the winter and spring to repair our roads and deal with resident frustration.

 

(2)         Asks residents to be mindful that the individuals on the frontline are not responsible for the policies that have caused the problems.

 

(3)         Declares that it no longer has confidence in the current model for highways repairs and therefore asks the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to:

 

(a)         Urgently review the contract, oversight and response to emergency repairs to ensure this Council is better able to manage winter pressures and the impacts of climate change.

 

(b)         Ensure that there is no perception of geographical preference in the prioritisation of repairs through greater transparency of data shared with councillors and residents.

 

(c)         Improve engagement with district, borough, town and parish councils on highway matters to aid knowledge sharing and transparency.

 

(d)         Explore how the Council could fund an alternative approach to repairs and pilot this with district, borough, town and parish councils who are willing to work together on this.’

 

29.2     An amendment was moved by Cllr Boram and seconded by Cllr Elkins.

 

‘County and district and borough councillors across West Sussex are regularly approached by residents, parish, neighbourhood, and town, district and borough councils about potholes and the state of the highways locally. The transparency of Priorities, intervention levels and programming are misunderstood is poor leading to some residents believing that their roads are forgotten at the expense of other parts of the county.

 

The cold and wet weather of the past winter has caused huge damage to our roads which West Sussex County Council, as with all highway authorities, has struggled to fix in a timely manner. This has led to significant frustration amongst residents and occasional regrettable and unacceptable behaviour towards our hardworking highways officers and the Council’s contractors.

 

Therefore, this Council:

 

(1)         Expresses its thanks to all officers and contractors who have worked diligently throughout the winter and spring to repair our roads and deal with resident frustration.

 

(2)         Asks residents to be mindful that the individuals on the frontline are not responsible for the complex set of factors policies that have caused the problems.

 

(3)         Declares that it no longer has confidence in the current model for highways repairs and therefore Asks the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to:

 

(a)      Continue to Urgently review the contract, oversight and response to emergency repairs to ensure this Council is better able to manage winter pressures and the impacts of climate change.

 

(b)      Maintain and enhance the current approach to data sharing with councillors and residents to ensure that there is no perception of geographical preference in the prioritisation of repairs through greater transparency of data shared with councillors and residents.

 

(c)      Continue Improve engagement with district, borough, town and parish councils on highway matters to aid knowledge sharing and transparency.

 

(d)      Explore how the Council could work fund an alternative approach to repairs and pilot this with district, borough, town and parish councils who are willing to work together on alternative practical value for money approaches which meet legislative requirements and our statutory responsibilities across the whole of the countythis.’

 

29.3     The amendment was put to a recorded vote under Standing Order 35.5.

 

(a)         For the amendment – 36

 

Cllr Albury, Cllr Ali, Cllr Atkins, Cllr Baldwin, Cllr Boram, Cllr Bradbury, Cllr Burrett, Cllr Cooper, Cllr Dabell, Cllr J Dennis, Cllr Duncton, Cllr Dunn, Cllr Elkins, Cllr Forbes, Cllr Greenway, Cllr Hall, Cllr Hillier, Cllr Hunt, Cllr A Jupp, Cllr N Jupp, Cllr Lanzer, Cllr Linehan, Cllr McDonald, Cllr McGregor, Cllr Mitchell, Cllr Montyn, Cllr Oakley, Cllr Patel, Cllr Payne, Cllr Pendleton, Cllr Russell, Cllr Sparkes, Cllr Urquhart, Cllr Waight, Cllr Wall and Cllr Wickremaratchi.

 

(b)         Against the amendment - 15

 

Cllr Cherry, Cllr Condie, Cllr Cornell, Cllr N Dennis, Cllr Johnson, Cllr Joy, Cllr Lord, Cllr McKnight, Cllr Mercer, Cllr Milne, Cllr O’Kelly, Cllr Oxlade, Cllr Quinn, Cllr Sharp and Cllr Walsh.

 

(c)         Abstentions – 1

 

Cllr Gibson

 

29.4     The amendment was carried.

 

29.5     The motion, as amended, was put to a recorded vote under Standing Order 35.5.

 

(a)         For the motion – 36

 

Cllr Albury, Cllr Ali, Cllr Atkins, Cllr Baldwin, Cllr Boram, Cllr Bradbury, Cllr Burrett, Cllr Cooper, Cllr Dabell, Cllr J Dennis, Cllr Duncton, Cllr Dunn, Cllr Elkins, Cllr Forbes, Cllr Greenway, Cllr Hall, Cllr Hillier, Cllr Hunt, Cllr A Jupp, Cllr N Jupp, Cllr Lanzer, Cllr Linehan, Cllr McDonald, Cllr McGregor, Cllr Mitchell, Cllr Montyn, Cllr Oakley, Cllr Patel, Cllr Payne, Cllr Pendleton, Cllr Russell, Cllr Sparkes, Cllr Urquhart, Cllr Waight, Cllr Wall and Cllr Wickremaratchi.

 

(b)         Against the motion - 2

 

Cllr Johnson and Cllr Sharp.

 

(c)         Abstentions – 14

 

Cllr Cherry, Cllr Condie, Cllr Cornell, Cllr N Dennis, Cllr Gibson, Cllr Joy, Cllr Lord, Cllr McKnight, Cllr Mercer, Cllr Milne, Cllr O’Kelly, Cllr Oxlade, Cllr Quinn and Cllr Walsh.

 

29.6     The motion, as amended and set out below, was carried.

 

‘County councillors across West Sussex are regularly approached by residents, parish, neighbourhood, town, district and borough councils about potholes and the state of the highways locally. Priorities, intervention levels and programming are misunderstood leading to some residents believing that their roads are forgotten at the expense of other parts of the county.

 

The cold and wet weather of the past winter has caused huge damage to our roads which West Sussex County Council, as with all highway authorities, has struggled to fix in a timely manner. This has led to significant frustration amongst residents and occasional regrettable and unacceptable behaviour towards our hardworking highways officers and the Council’s contractors.

 

Therefore, this Council:

 

(1)         Expresses its thanks to all officers and contractors who have worked diligently throughout the winter and spring to repair our roads and deal with resident frustration.

 

(2)         Asks residents to be mindful that the individuals on the frontline are not responsible for the complex set of factors that have caused the problems.

 

(3)         Asks the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport to:

 

(a)         Continue to review the contract, oversight and response to emergency repairs to ensure this Council is able to manage winter pressures and the impacts of climate change.

 

(b)         Maintain and enhance the current approach to data sharing with councillors and residents to ensure that there is no perception of geographical preference in the prioritisation of repairs.

 

(c)         Continue engagement with district, borough, town and parish councils on highway matters to aid knowledge sharing and transparency.

 

(d)         Explore how the Council could work with district, borough, town and parish councils who are willing to work together on alternative practical value for money approaches which meet legislative requirements and our statutory responsibilities across the whole of the county.’