Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment – To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation): To seek approval to the Highways Works Plan for 2008/09.

Highways  Works Plan 2008/09 (Director of Urban Environment - Agenda Item 15)

Clarification was sought of what arrangements had been made to consult with Ward Councillors about the plan and feedback to them and whether, in future, Area Assemblies could be consulted.  

We were informed that in terms of the programming consultation was difficult, efforts were being made to draw up a 3 year programme which would facilitate greater consultation. Some consultation had taken place in the summer of 2007, details of which were set out in Section 11 of the report. The Plan was also driven by technical need and the desire in respect of street lighting to adopt an area approach rather than ‘pepper potting’. A balance had to be maintained between technical need and consultation results. The result of the latest National Survey Standard of Roads was still awaited.  

Clarification was also sought of whether if technical need encompassed health and safety issues in respect of damaged street lighting columns and if the programme was sufficiently flexible to accommodate Safe Neighbourhood Unit (SNU) and Police recommendations about improved lighting. We were informed that damaged columns would be subject to inspection and SNU or Police recommendations subject to priority need.

In response to a specific question about delays to the proposed resurfacing of Inderwick Road and why Ward Councillors were not informed of the slippage from 2007/08 to 2008/09, the cabinet member for Environment and Conservation indicated that he would take the matter up with officers. 

RESOLVED:

1.      That the progress on the 2007/8 Highways Works Plan be noted.

2.      That approval be granted to the 2008/09 Highways Works Plan and, where available, the 2009/10 Highway Works Plan subject to financing and review in March 2009 as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 to the interleaved report.

3.      That approval be granted to the consultation type for each scheme as described in Section 11 of the interleaved report and within the agreed processes as set out in Appendices 8 and 9 of the Plan.

4.      That authority to approve the final LIP APR submission for 2009/10 be delegated to the Director of Urban Environment and the Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation with Appendix 7 of the Plan as the basis for the submission but with further schemes added or others removed as necessary prior to submission.

5.      That approval be granted to the inclusion of roads which can be brought forward from the 2009/10 Plan if extra funding is available or if schemes in the 2008/9 plan are delayed due to Utilities work, Consultation or any other unforeseen reason.