Agenda and minutes

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Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Cooke, who was substituted for by Councillor Kober.

Apologies for absence were also received from Councillor Jones, who was substituted for by Councillor Egan.

Councillor Newton, as lead call-in signatory was subtituted for by Councillor Whyte.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at item below).

There was no such business.

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A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgement of the public interest.

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i)                    Report of the Monitoring Officer

ii)                  Report of the Director of Urban Environment

iii)        Appendix (For information only):

a)     Copy of the ‘call in’

b)     Draft minutes of meeting of the Executive of 20 March 2007 (Subject to confirmation by the Executive)

c)      Stop and Shop Schemes report from the Executive of 20 March 2007.  The enclosed version of the report contains appendices 2, & 4-6, which were not provided to the Executive at the meeting of 20 March.

A decision on the above item was taken by the Executive on 20 March 2007. The decision has been called in, in accordance with the provisions set out in the Constitution, by Councillors Newton, Hoban, Oatway, Williams and Edge.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is requested to decide what further action it wishes to take regarding the Call In.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee may deal with the Call-In in one of three ways:

i)                    The Overview and Scrutiny Committee may decide not to take any further action, in which case the decision is implemented immediately.

ii)                  The Overview and Scrutiny Committee may decide to refer the decision back to the decision taker, in which case the decision taker has 5 working days to reconsider the decision before taking a final decision.

iii)                The Overview and Scrutiny Committee may decide to refer the decision to Full Council.

It is proposed that consideration of this item be structured as follows:

(i)         A brief outline by the above Members on the reasons for the Call In.

(ii)        Response by the Executive Member for Environment.

(iii)       Debate by Members on action to be taken.

(iv)       Decision.

Note: Under Standing Order 32.6 no other business shall be considered at the meeting.

This special meeting of the committee was convened to consider the Call-In of Executive decision TEX182, Crouch End and Muswell Hill Stop and Shop Schemes – Results of Statutory Consultation.  This decision had been called in by Councillors Newton, Hoban, Oatway, Williams and Edge who stated that:

-          The report agreed by the Executive contained errors in the reporting of responses and petitions which the Committee needed to consider.

-          That the Executive was given misleading information in relation to free parking and that this needed to be considered by the Committee.

-          That a number of proposed pay-and-display bays will be enforceable by CCTV outside of the bays operating hours leading to confusion and the possibility of large numbers of penalty notices being issued.

-          That the Council had brought disrepute onto this process by failing to properly consider the views of the local community.

The Call-In Signatories put forward a compromise proposal would be a period of ‘free parking’, where drivers would not have to pay for a short initial period of time.  It was stated that a similar scheme was operating successfully in the London Borough of Hillingdon. 

The Senior Lawyer, speaking on behalf of the Monitoring Officer, then confirmed that the Executive decision TEX182 did indeed fall within the Council’s policy and budget framework.  He also confirmed that the Executive could not be mandated by the results of consultation.

The Executive Member for Environment and Conservation, Councillor Brian Haley, argued that the Council’s scheme was justified.  He stated that the Hillingdon ‘free parking’ period scheme was a new innovation the results of which were yet to be seen, and noted that a similar scheme in Bristol had been discontinued due to problems with enforcement and abuse.  He argued that the revenue income generated by the scheme would not be significant, and that the aim of the scheme was to achieve traffic movement, which was a problem which was seen as requiring attention in the two areas.

The former Leader of the Council, Councillor Charles Adje, addressed the committee, stating that whilst he was Leader he had received representations asking for the traffic problem in Crouch End and Muswell Hill to be addressed by the Council.

The committee received representations from residents and traders objecting to the proposals and stating their concerns that it would adversely effect business in Muswell Hill and Crouch End.

Members raised concerns over consultation and involvement of ward Members, and questioned whether a more holistic approach to traffic management would have been appropriate.  Officers stated that they had been involved in discussions with ward Councillors, and that the views of residents were discussed at a series of workshops as part of the consultation process. 

Following a discussion and a number of points of clarification given by officers to Member concerns, Councillor Winskill MOVED a MOTION that the decision TEX182, Crouch End and Muswell Hill Stop and Shop Schemes, be referred back to the decision maker, that being the Executive, advising them to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 182.