Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 536 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Elmbridge Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, KT10 9SD. View directions
Contact: Cheryl Poole, Community Partnership & Committee Officer Elmbridge Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, KT10 9SD
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Mike Bennison. |
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MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
To approve the Minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record. Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 8th September 2014, were agreed as an accurate record. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
Notes: · In line with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, declarations may relate to the interest of the member, or the member’s spouse or civil partner, or a person with whom the member is living as husband or wife, or a person with whom the member is living as if they were civil partners and the member is aware they have the interest.
· Members need only disclose interests not currently listed on the Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
· Members must notify the Monitoring Officer of any interests disclosed at the meeting so they may be added to the Register.
· Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest.
Minutes: No declarations of interest were received. |
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LOCAL TRANSPORT REVIEW (FOR INFORMATION)
To receive a presentation on the current Local Transport Review which is looking at the County Council’s major spend on local transport. Additional documents: Minutes: Paul Millin (Group Manager Travel and Transport) and Mike Goodman (SCC Portfolio Holder for Environment & Infrastructure) gave the presentation on the current Local Transport Review.
The presentation is attached as Annex A to the minutes.
To date the response to the public consultation had been very good so it had been decided to extend the public consultation period to 2nd February 2015.
SCC Councillor, Rachael I Lake, declared an interest.
Member discussion – key points Members questioned whether the right bus routes were being run at the right times, how the views of elderly people were being captured and whether Section 106/CIL funding could be used for funding bus services.
The officer and Member said they welcomed suggestions on improving routes, explained the aim was to try to reduce costs without affecting services and assured Members that the team was engaging with older people’s groups.
Additionally Members expressed concern that 15 out of the 21 services in Elmbridge are currently fully funded by SCC, suggested that further consultation took place on the proposals which come out of the review and suggested that season tickets were looked at.
The presenters offered to circulate promotional material and paper copies of the survey on request and said a quick follow up consultation could be possible with small groups if real issues arose.
The Local Committee resolved to agree to note:
(i) the contents of the presentation.
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PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
To answer any questions from residents or businesses within the Elmbridge Borough area in accordance with Standing Order 69. Notice should be given in writing or by email to the Community Partnership and Committee Officer by 12 noon four working days before the meeting. Minutes: One public question was received. The question and response are attached as Annex B at Item 8 to these minutes.
As this question was in reference to Item 8 on the agenda, the Chairman decided to take it with that Item. |
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MEMBER QUESTION TIME
To receive any written questions from Members under Standing Order 47. Minutes: No member questions were received. |
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To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 68. Notice should be given in writing or by e-mail to the Community Partnership and Committee Officer at least 14 days before the meeting. Alternatively, the petition can be submitted on-line through Surrey County Council’s e-petitions website as long as the minimum number of signatures (30) has been reached 14 days before the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: Two petitions were received, which are attached as Annex C.
1. Mary Dennis – Request for a Pedestrian Crossing or a traffic island by Ditton Reach.
Chris Gibbs spoke on behalf of the petitioners requesting a safer means of crossing Portsmouth Rd between Ditton Reach and Windmill Lane. He explained that residents need to cross the road to access bus stops, schools and other amenities. For people laden with shopping it is too far to go to either of the other nearest crossings. It is not easy for active adults, but particularly difficult for elderly and infirm people, some of which no longer leave their homes as they find the road too dangerous to cross.
This part of the road is especially dangerous place due to the 2 junctions. One resident has already been knocked over and taken to hospital.
Chris Gibbs suggested that a crossing point outside the City Arms pub, which would help the pub’s customers and could also mean that the congestion in Ditton Reach could be reduced as Ajax Scouts participants could walk instead of travelling by car. He pointed out that according to Local Transport Note 1/95 The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings, the provision of crossings should be targeted at the needs of those people who experience most difficulty and danger, and this location is particularly difficult and dangerous for the residents of City Wharf House.
He ended his presentation by saying that there is real concern among many of the petitioners that there will be a fatality which is why they are asking for a zebra crossing or a refuge island.
Peter Hickman, County Councillor for The Dittons, said the petitioner had provided a good summary of the issues.
A response will be provided at the next meeting on Monday 23 February 2015.
A response to the Petition concerning Walton Park Lane was tabled at the meeting and is attached as Annex D.
2. Bob Swaddle – a request to repair Walton Park Lane to a standard suitable for all existing users including waste collection vehicles. Bob Swaddle spoke on behalf of the petitioners explaining that residents are very concerned about the deteriorating state of Walton Park Lane, with the north end of the lane, extending approximately 150 metres from Rydens Rd, providing vehicular access for the owners of the 3 bungalows and garaging for 11 houses in Rydens Park, giving most concern.
He continued that the lane is well used by commuters accessing Hersham railway station, cyclists, mothers with buggies and accompanying school children to and from school, as well as recreational and dog walkers.
He added that the condition of the lane had worsened to such an extent that they felt there was serious risk of injury to cyclists and pedestrians.
Prior to 2001 Bob Swaddle said Elmbridge Borough Council had tried to maintain the lane and since then although some potholes had been repaired overall the condition had deteriorated. He confirmed that Land Registry had no record of registration ... view the full minutes text for item 54/14 |
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PETITION RESPONSE: DORCHESTER ROAD. WEYBRIDGE (FOR INFORMATION)
This report provides a response to a petition received at the meeting of 8 September 2014, requesting the introduction of a resident permit parking scheme in Dorchester Road, Weybridge.
Minutes: Rikki Hill, Parking Project Team Leader, explained that the outcome of the request in this petition depended on the decision to be taken on the proposed longer term Parking Strategy at the Local Committee meeting in February 2015.
The Local Committee (Elmbridge) resolved to note:
(i) the contents of the report. |
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PETITION RESPONSE: ESHER ROAD, EAST MOLESEY (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)
This report updates Members following a petition from residents to the September 2014 meeting of the Local Committee concerning pedestrian crossing safety, and speed of traffic along Esher Road, East Molesey, in particular between the two bridges.
Decision: The Local Committee resolved to agree to:
(i) defer the decision until the next meeting of the SCC Local Committee (Elmbridge) on 23rd February 2015, by when Members will be more fully informed on details of the options.
Reason for decision: to ensure the most appropriate well informed decision is made. Minutes: Nick Healey, the Area Highways Manager, explained that there 2 options in response to the petition brought to the previous meeting of the Local Committee.
They were either to (i) allocate funding for a feasibility study, if Members considered this a priority scheme or (ii) await the construction of a new bridge over the River Mole.
Stuart Selleck, SCC Councillor for East Molesey and Esher, said he was reluctant to ask the Local Committee to spend money on a feasibility study only to find out that the options resulting from it were too expensive to carry out. He proposed that the decision be deferred until he had met with officers in January 2015 to find out more detail. Cllr Steve Bax supported Stuart Selleck, but added that he thought a new bridge could increase traffic speeds. SCC Councillor Christian Mahne said any solution must include a pavement on the west side, which would eradicate many problems. SCC Councillor Ernest Mallett said his concerns were more with the fact that the bridge cannot accommodate both a car and a lorry.
The Local Committee resolved to agree to:
(i) defer the decision until the next meeting of the SCC Local Committee (Elmbridge) on 23rd February 2015, by when Members will be more fully informed on details of the options.
Reason for decision: to ensure the most appropriate well informed decision is made. |
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A307 PORTSMOUTH ROAD SCHEME UPDATE (FOR INFORMATION)
This report updates Members following the removal of the footbridge at Tartar Hill, on the A307 Portsmouth Road, Cobham. A scheme of pedestrian refuge islands was implemented to assist pedestrians in crossing the road.
Additional documents: Minutes: The resident David Bellchamber asked a question in relation to this item which is attached as Annex B.
He asked as a supplementary question whether high visibility jackets had been worn by staff carrying out the speed surveys in 2014 and therefore whether this would have reduced the speed of the traffic, as the drivers would have been indirectly warned and whether a regular review can take place.
In response Nick Healey, the Area Highways Manager, replied that high visibility jackets had not been worn and he was very confident about the speed surveys, that feasibility studies will take place if more improvements are required and that casualty reduction groups review sites where accidents take place.
SCC Councillor Mary Lewis explained that she had observed the road on the morning of the committee and that it would not be sensible to put a refuge near to the location of the Health Centre and adjacent bus stop as it is far too busy, but we should be encouraging pedestrians to use the refuge, with a buggy space, 10 paces away.
The report was information only. |
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HIGHWAYS UPDATE (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)
This report summarises progress with the Local Committee’s programme of Highways works for 2014-15, asks Members to identify their Divisional Programmes for 2015-16, to consider the introduction of 2 new bus stop clearways and to agree the necessary legal order to implement a 30 mph speed limit in Fairmile Park Road. Additional documents: Decision: The Local Committee resolved to agree to:
(i) Authorise the Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member, to advertise the necessary Legal Order to establish a 30mph speed limit in Fairmile Park Road, and to implement the change in speed limit if there are no significant objections (paragraph 2.6 refers); (ii) Approve the introduction of two new Bus Stop Clearways in Hurst Road, East Molesey (paragraph 2.8 refers); (iii) Authorise the Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, to decide Divisional Programmes for next Financial Year, in the event that individual Divisional Members have not indicated their priorities by 31st December 2014 (paragraphs 2.17 to 2.20 refer); (iv)Authorise the Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member(s) to undertake all necessary procedures to deliver the agreed programmes.
Reason for decision: to enable the 2015-16 Highways programmes funded by the Local Committee to be decided in good time to facilitate timely delivery of those programmes. Minutes: Stuart Selleck and Tony Samuels left the meeting.
Nick Healey introduced the report.
He encouraged members to send through their priority schemes for the financial year 2015/16. SCC Councillor, Rachael Lake, requested a meeting with the Highways team to resolve issues with this year’s schemes, which was agreed to, before making decisions on next year’s.
Referring to Operation Horizon, Mary Lewis expressed disappointment at the way work had been advertised as taking place and then not happened.
Cllr Jan Fuller commented how well SCC Highways had dealt with a very difficult summer in Oxshott which had undergone both highway and gas works.
The Local Committee resolved to agree to:
(i) Authorise the Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member, to advertise the necessary Legal Order to establish a 30mph speed limit in Fairmile Park Road, and to implement the change in speed limit if there are no significant objections (paragraph 2.6 refers); (ii) Approve the introduction of two new Bus Stop Clearways in Hurst Road, East Molesey (paragraph 2.8 refers); (iii) Authorise the Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, to decide Divisional Programmes for next Financial Year, in the event that individual Divisional Members have not indicated their priorities by 31st December 2014 (paragraphs 2.17 to 2.20 refer); (iv)Authorise the Area Team Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member(s) to undertake all necessary procedures to deliver the agreed programmes.
Reason for decision: to enable the 2015-16 Highways programmes funded by the Local Committee to be decided in good time to facilitate timely delivery of those programmes. |
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Elmbridge Borough Council undertakes on-street parking enforcement in Elmbridge on behalf of the County Council under a formal Agency Agreement. This report details the performance of the Agency during 2013/14. Minutes: Rikki Hill introduced the report. Anthony Jeziorski, Head of Environmental Services at Elmbridge BC, was also present.
Members’ comments included that more detailed statistics were required and also that some Civil Enforcement Officers require more training.
The Local Committee (Elmbridge) resolved to
(i) note the report. |
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LOCAL COMMITTEE BUDGETS (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION - FOR INFORMATION)
This report provides an update on the projects that have been funded by the Local Committee and Members’ Allocation funding since April 2014. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chairman reminded the Members that the allocation funding must be spent by the end of February 2015.
The Local Committee (Elmbridge) resolved to note:
(i) the amounts that have been spent from the Members’ Allocation and Local Committee capital budgets, as set out in Annex 1 of this report. |