Agenda item

In October the Guildford Transportation Task Group (TTG) met to consider budget priorities for 2016/2017, with recommendations coming to this committee meeting. 

The Local Committee (Guildford) AGREED to:

(i)            Agree the capital and revenue allocations recommended by the Transportation Task Group and described in this report to a total value of £345,000. This reflects 50% of the value of the current year budget in anticipation of reductions in the highways budget devolved to this committee in the coming financial year.

(ii)           Note that the Transportation Task Group will convene if necessary once the Local Committee budget is known in the Spring of 2016.

(iii)          Authorise the Area Highway Manager (AHM) to progress the schemes included in the programme in consultation with local elected members and associated task groups.

(iv)         Subject to approval of recommendations (i) and (ii) authorise the Area Highway Manager to consider and determine any objections submitted following the statutory advertisement of the traffic orders and notices associated with the programme of schemes, in consultation with the Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman of the Local Committee and relevant local councillors.

(v)       Delegate authority to the Area Highway Manager in consultation with the Chairman and Vice- Chairman and locally affected Members to amend budgets throughout the year if required to ensure the budget is allocated in a timely manner.

(vi)       Agree that Community Enhancement Fund is devolved to each County    Councillor based on an equal allocation of £5,000 per division

Reasons:

The committee is asked to agree 2016/17 allocations so that scheme design can start at the earliest opportunity, increasing confidence in delivery

In October the Guildford Transportation Task Group (TTG) met to consider budget priorities for 2016/2017, with recommendations coming to this committee meeting.  The chairman gave an update on the recent meeting of the Transportation Task group looking at the Highways budget.

Members asked whether the upgraded crossing for St Joseph’s School, Aldershot Road could be increased to a high level scheme in the prioritisation framework looking at the evidence that had been presented to the Committee as part of the petition. 

Action:

The Highways Manager to look into whether it was possible to introduce a voluntary crossing patrol as parents had been told that this wasn’t permitted as there was a crossing in place. 

Members asked whether the Transportation Task group (TTG) saw it as prudent to set a 50% budget in anticipation of reductions in the Highways budget devolved to the Local Committee in the coming financial year. The Chairman explained that based on advice from Highways, the Prioritisation Framework and the schemes the Committee could fund setting a 50% budget had seemed advisable and the TTG had agreed that any additional funding provided could be spent on other schemes.

The Highways Manager to look at re-prioritising this scheme and check if the Police Road Safety Team were involved when the site was checked.  The Road Safety Group Guildford is continually monitoring accidents where there are 3 or more in one area and has its own budget. The Members agreed to formally request from the County Council funding for capital safety schemes.

Action:

the Chairman to write to the Leader and Cabinet Member of Highways to request capital funding for ITS safety schemes.

Members queried whether value for money is being achieved from jetting expenditure and whether there was a list of gullies and drains in the area.  Members were informed that there is a list of gullies and drains on the Surrey County Council web site.  Covers are now marked with red dots where gullies/drains have been cleared and by February 2016 the drain back log should be cleared.

The Local Committee (Guildford) AGREED to:

(i)            Agree the capital and revenue allocations recommended by the Transportation Task Group and described in this report to a total value of £345,000. This reflects 50% of the value of the current year budget in anticipation of reductions in the highways budget devolved to this committee in the coming financial year.

(ii)           Note that the Transportation Task Group will convene if necessary once the Local Committee budget is known in the Spring of 2016.

(iii)          Authorise the Area Highway Manager (AHM) to progress the schemes included in the programme in consultation with local elected members and associated task groups.

(iv)         Subject to approval of recommendations (i) and (ii) authorise the Area Highway Manager to consider and determine any objections submitted following the statutory advertisement of the traffic orders and notices associated with the programme of schemes, in consultation with the Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman of the Local Committee and relevant local councillors.

(v)       Delegate authority to the Area Highway Manager in consultation with the Chairman and Vice- Chairman and locally affected Members to amend budgets throughout the year if required to ensure the budget is allocated in a timely manner.

(vi)       Agree that Community Enhancement Fund is devolved to each County    Councillor based on an equal allocation of £5,000 per division

Reasons:

The committee is asked to agree 2016/17 allocations so that scheme design can start at the earliest opportunity, increasing confidence in delivery