Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 457 KBVenue: Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames. TW18 1XB. View directions
Contact: Yvette Ortel/Georgie Lloyd, Community Partnership & Committee Officer Room 357, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB
| No. | Item |
|---|---|
|
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
To receive any apologies for absence and notices of substitutions from Borough members. Minutes: Apologies were received from County Councillor Tim Evans and Borough Councillor Maureen Attewell. |
|
|
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
To approve the Minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record. Minutes: Minutes from the Local Committee held on 18 July 2016 were agreed and approved as an accurate record. |
|
|
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: There were no declarations of interest. |
|
|
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
To receive any Chairman’s announcements.
Agenda item only Minutes: London TravelWatch would be holding a Board meeting at the Thameside Centre in Staines-upon-Thames on Tuesday 27 September from 10:30am. The Board would be discussing various issues relating to passengers living in North West Surrey and the Thames Valley. The meeting would be open the public and everyone would be welcome to attend with further information on the London TravelWatch website (www.londontravelwatch.org.uk).
The Chairman updated the Local Committee on the issue of the foot crossing on Staines Moor (Network Rail’s interest in securing a closure of Footpath 18 across the London to Windsor railway). The Local Committee had voted that the footpath should remain open and this would continue to be pursued. |
|
|
PETITIONS & RESPONSE
To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 68. Notice should be given in writing or by email 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, providing the minimum number of signatures (30) has been reached 14 days before the meeting.
A petition has been received from Martin Shortland on behalf of the residents of Celia Crescent which contains 77 signatures and reads:
“We request that the following issues be reviewed in consultation with the residents, reported on and permanently rectified. 1.Flooding – The flooding within Celia Crescent is an environmental issue that presents danger to residents’ property and pedestrians; these dangers are intensified by drivers driving recklessly through the standing water. The flooding issue has been reported to the local authority numerous times by residents in the past with no permanent solution provided. 2.Vehicular Traffic – Traffic calming is urgently required within Celia Crescent to prevent it being used as a ‘rat run’ through road by speeding motorists to bypass the junction at Woodthorpe Road/Kingston Road. Celia Crescent is a small road and is not physically designed to safely accommodate bi directional traffic causing motor vehicles to utilise the footpath as part of the highway presenting an ongoing danger to pedestrians. 3.Anti-Social Driving – A large number of vehicle drivers and motorcyclists make use of Celia Crescent as a race track presenting a very dangerous situation to residents, other road users and pedestrians. 4.Fordbridge Park [NO ENTRY] – The No Entry access point within Celia Crescent requires permanent physical prevention measures to stop drivers from using Celia Crescent as a gateway into the park and disregarding the clear No Entry signs. The anti-social car parking within Celia Crescent of those using the park also requires enforcement.”
The petition response is attached.
Minutes: One petition was received from the residents of Celia Crescent, presented to the Local Committee by local resident Martin Shortland, which contained 77 signatures. The petition set out to deal with issues of flooding, rat running traffic, antisocial driving and illegal traffic movements into Fordbridge Park. Ms Denise Turner-Stewart, the residents’ Divisional Member, informed the Local Committee that there was a perception by residents that their concerns were not being taken seriously and that action was required.
In response, Nick Healey told the Local Committee that traffic studies had been undertaken on Celia Crescent in conjunction with colleagues at Surrey Police to ascertain speed, volume and numbers of casualties. The average was 18mph. Residents could report incidences of antisocial driving to Surrey Police in order to help them enforce the law, as their resources were stretched. Work to alleviate the flooding problem would start to be undertaken in October. Residents are due to be consulted during Autumn 2016 with options to resolve the perceived traffic management concensus.
The petition response report was presented at the meeting. |
|
|
MEMBER QUESTION TIME
To receive any written questions from Members under Standing Order 47.
Agenda item only Minutes: No member questions were submitted. |
|
|
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
To receive any questions from Surrey County Council electors within the area in accordance with Standing Order 69.
Agenda item only Minutes: 1. Mr Andrew McLuskey asked the following question:
“Why, given that Surrey County Council have known about the ‘shell holes’ on the verge in Clare Road since Christmas 2015 and the illegal closure of the footpath between St Anne’s Avenue and Vibia Close (both in Stanwell), has nothing been done?”
Nick Healey, Surrey CC Area Highways Manager, provided the following answer:
“The repair of the verge remains a priority but has been put back until October.”
2. Councillor Quentin Edgington asked the following question:
“'There was a picture of two birds, possibly described as two love birds, on one of the walls which was given by the artist to the cleaner at the time, is this picture in store? Also what is happening to this building?”
Rob Macdonald, Surrey CC Technical Team Manager, provided the following answer:
“The above site was squatted last year and the site cleared for safety reasons, I have no information on the painting. The County Council is currently actively exploring redevelopment options with a number of partners and it is likely a full redevelopment plan for the site will be made available early next year.”
|
|
|
LOCAL COMMITTEE DECISION TRACKER (FOR INFORMATION)
To review any outstanding Local Committee decisions. Minutes: The Decision Tracker was acknowledged. The Local Committee thanked Joanne Jones for her help with solving the parking difficulties at Staines Bowls Club. |
|
|
HIGHWAYS UPDATE (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)
To receive an update from the Highways Area Team Manager (North East) summarising progress with the Local Committee’s programme of Highways works for the current Financial Year 2016-17.
Additional documents: Decision: The Local Committee (Spelthorne) resolved to AGREE: (i) To approve the strategy for allocation of next Financial Year’s budgets as detailed in alternative C in annex D; (ii) To authorise the Area Highway Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member(s) to undertake all necessary procedures to deliver the agreed programmes. Reasons: The recommendations are intended to facilitate delivery of the 2016-17 Highways programmes funded by the Local Committee and to facilitate development of Committee’s 2017-18 Highways programmes, while at the same time ensuring that the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Members are fully and appropriately involved in any detailed considerations. Minutes: Nick Healey explained that the objective of the report was to ascertain the way that the Local Committee wished to allocate its budget for the next financial year, rather than to commit to specific schemes. The Local Committee discussed the possibility of the budget being pooled, or divided into seven. A proposal to approve the strategy for allocation in line with option (c) in the budget was proposed by Mr Richard Walsh and seconded by Mrs Denise Turner Stewart. Seven members of the committee were in favour and six against. The Local Committee (Spelthorne) resolved to AGREE:
(i) To approve the strategy for allocation of next Financial Year’s budgets as detailed in alternative C in annex D; (ii) To authorise the Area Highway Manager in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and relevant Divisional Member(s) to undertake all necessary procedures to deliver the agreed programmes.
Reasons: The recommendations are intended to facilitate delivery of the 2016-17 Highways programmes funded by the Local Committee and to facilitate development of Committee’s 2017-18 Highways programmes, while at the same time ensuring that the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Members are fully and appropriately involved in any detailed considerations. |
|
|
SPELTHORNE PARKING REVIEW (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)
Officers of Surrey County Council’s parking team have carried out a review of on street parking restrictions within the borough of Spelthorne and identified changes which would benefit road safety and reduce instances of obstruction and localised congestion. Additional documents: Decision: The Local Committee (Spelthorne) resolved to AGREE: (i) The proposed amendments to on-street parking restrictions in Spelthorne as described in this report and shown in detail on drawings in annex A, with the following amendments: · STANWELL ROAD J/W WOODTHORPE ROAD, ASHFORD (DRAWING 0186) Double yellow lines to be extended opposite the junction with Chaucer Road. · BRIAR ROAD, SHEPPERTON (DRAWING 0167) Double yellow lines to go around both islands shown on plan. · HAVEN ROAD (PRIVATE) J/W REEDSFIELD ROAD, ASHFORD (NO DRAWING – NEW LOCATION) Double yellow lines at this junction. (ii) To allocate funding as detailed in paragraph 5.1 of this report to proceed with the introduction of the parking amendments. (iii) To make an order under the relevant parts of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to impose the waiting and on street parking restrictions in Spelthorne as shown on the drawings in annex A are advertised and that if no objections are maintained, the orders are made. (iv)Unresolved objections be dealt with in accordance with the county council’s scheme of delegation by the parking strategy and implementation team manager, in consultation with the chairman/vice chairman of this committee and the appropriate county councillor. An additional member may be invited for comment. Reasons:They will make a positive impact towards: road safety, access for emergency vehicles, access for refuse vehicles, easing traffic congestion, better regulated parking, better enforcement, better compliance. Minutes: The Local Committee was informed by Jack Roberts that the review was a lighter one than in previous years. There had been changes to the way that school keep clear lines were installed and though these were now less onerous, they would nonetheless require Local Committee approval for them to be implemented. The Local Committee was informed that the document was not intended to be exhaustive and could be flexible, to accommodate comments from Councillors and members of the public. At the stage the consultation process was complete, a final decision would be taken at the meeting of the Joint Committee. Three amendments to the recommendations (as below) were made by Mrs Carol Coleman and seconded by Cllr Richard Smith-Ainsley. The Local Committee (Spelthorne) resolved to AGREE:
(i) The proposed amendments to on-street parking restrictions in Spelthorne as described in this report and shown in detail on drawings in annex A, with the following amendments: · STANWELL ROAD J/W WOODTHORPE ROAD, ASHFORD (DRAWING 0186) Double yellow lines to be extended opposite the junction with Chaucer Road. · BRIAR ROAD, SHEPPERTON (DRAWING 0167) Double yellow lines to go around both islands shown on plan. · HAVEN ROAD (PRIVATE) J/W REEDSFIELD ROAD, ASHFORD (NO DRAWING – NEW LOCATION) Double yellow lines at this junction. (ii) To allocate funding as detailed in paragraph 5.1 of this report to proceed with the introduction of the parking amendments. (iii) To make an order under the relevant parts of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to impose the waiting and on street parking restrictions in Spelthorne as shown on the drawings in annex A are advertised and that if no objections are maintained, the orders are made. (iv)Unresolved objections be dealt with in accordance with the county council’s scheme of delegation by the parking strategy and implementation team manager, in consultation with the chairman/vice chairman of this committee and the appropriate county councillor. An additional member may be invited for comment.
Reasons: They will make a positive impact towards: road safety, access for emergency vehicles, access for refuse vehicles, easing traffic congestion, better regulated parking, better enforcement, better compliance. |
|
|
SCHOOL TRAVEL PLANS (FOR INFORMATION)
To raise awareness of the issues local communities face travelling to and from school and the impact School Travel Plans have on reducing congestion, pollution and road traffic incidents. Minutes: The Local Committee noticed that some of the travel plans detailed in the report had been commissioned a long time ago and both the Chairman and Cllr Ian Harvey requested that Members who were governors of local schools could influence them to make sure that travel plans were updated. |
|
|
SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT (FOR INFORMATION)
To update the Local Committee on how Services for Young People has supported young people to develop their employability during 2015/16, which has been the overall goal of Services for Young People since 2014. Additional documents: Minutes: The Local Committee was provided with an overview of work around services for young people in Spelthorne by Nick Charalambous and Alexis Hynds. Sunbury Cross had been a particular focus, facilities were provided for 11-18 year olds at Leacroft cafe and specific provision was being made for those with special educational needs, lesbian gay bisexual and transgender young people and young parents.
Mr Richard Walsh, Chairman of the Youth Task Group overseeing services for young people in the borough, noted that the work done by youth workers in Spelthorne was appreciated and that strong cooperation was in evidence. Mrs Carol Coleman said that the report was useful, particularly the case studies included in it, but asked if there were capacity problems with regards to apprenticeships. Nick Charalambous told the Local Committee that there had been an increase in the number of young people applying for them, that the right sized businesses needed to be encouraged to offer them and that the Leader of Surrey County Council was exploring how to increase provision. Cllr Richard Smith-Ainsley noted that young people from Elmbridge were accessing services in Spelthorne.
|
|
|
JOINT COMMITTEE UPDATE (FOR INFORMATION)
Agenda item only Minutes: Mr Richard Walsh provided an update on the Joint Committee, which had been unanimously agreed at a meeting of Surrey County Council’s Cabinet on 20 September. The Chairman invited those sitting on the Local Committee to visit the Woking Joint Committee, to get an idea of how the Joint Committee in Spelthorne would operate. Documents had been circulated detailing the functions that the Joint Committee would include, James Painter advised that it would be similar to the Local Committee but with an enhanced remit and full voting rights for Borough Councillors. Enhanced advisory functions linked to education, community safety and youth work would also feature. The Chairman concluded by saying that the Joint Committee would be a method of working more closely together using scarcer resources. |
|
|
COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP FUNDING (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)
The Local Committee has a delegated budget of £3,000 for community safety projects. The report recommends the introduction of a simple process enabling the local Community Safety Partnership and other organisations to outline their planned spend for projects that meet the criteria outlined in the report. Decision: The Local Committee (Spelthorne) resolved to AGREE: (i) The delegated Community Safety budget of £3,000 per Local Committee for 2016/17 is to be retained by the Community Partnership Team, on behalf of the Local Committee, and that the Community Safety Partnership is invited to submit proposals that meet the criteria and principles for funding, as defined at paragraph 2.6 of this report. (ii) Authority is delegated to the Community Partnership Manager, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Local Committee, to authorise the expenditure of the Community Safety budget in accordance with the criteria and principles stated at paragraph 2.6 of this report. (iii) The Committee receives a report detailing the projects that were successful in being awarded the local community safety funding and the outcomes and impact they have achieved. Reason: A recent analysis of how the local committees’ community safety funds were spent in 2015-16 revealed a mixed picture. While there were some notable examples of good practice, much of the funding was spent on activities that could have otherwise been delivered either through existing partnership work or by closer synergy with Surrey’s established, strategic community safety projects. This report makes recommendations that are intended to secure greater oversight of the committee’s expenditure and better value for money for projects that help to achieve the County’s community safety priorities. Minutes: Cheryl Poole introduced the proposal and explained that if agreed, funding would be held by the Local Committee and the Community Safety team would then come forward with bids.
The Local Committee (Spelthorne) resolved to AGREE: (i) The delegated Community Safety budget of £3,000 per Local Committee for 2016/17 is to be retained by the Community Partnership Team, on behalf of the Local Committee, and that the Community Safety Partnership is invited to submit proposals that meet the criteria and principles for funding, as defined at paragraph 2.6 of this report. (ii) Authority is delegated to the Community Partnership Manager, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Local Committee, to authorise the expenditure of the Community Safety budget in accordance with the criteria and principles stated at paragraph 2.6 of this report. (iii) The Committee receives a report detailing the projects that were successful in being awarded the local community safety funding and the outcomes and impact they have achieved.
Reason: A recent analysis of how the local committees’ community safety funds were spent in 2015-16 revealed a mixed picture. While there were some notable examples of good practice, much of the funding was spent on activities that could have otherwise been delivered either through existing partnership work or by closer synergy with Surrey’s established, strategic community safety projects. This report makes recommendations that are intended to secure greater oversight of the committee’s expenditure and better value for money for projects that help to achieve the County’s community safety priorities. |
|
|
FORWARD PROGRAMME 2016/17
To review the Forward Programme 2016/17, indicating any further preferences for inclusion. Minutes: It was agreed that an item on education would be added to the Forward Plan. |
|
|
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To be held on Monday 5 December 2016 at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber, Spelthorne Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB.
(6.30pm – 7pm: Informal Public Question Time)
Minutes: The first meeting of the Spelthorne Joint Committee to be held on Monday 5 December at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber, Spelthorne Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB. (6.30pm – 7pm: Informal Public Question Time) |