Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 266 KBVenue: Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames. TW18 1XB
Contact: Gregory Yeoman, Partnership Committee Officer Room 357, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB
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Open Forum Questions Questions and responses from the informal open forum session are attached as an Annex to the minutes. |
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies were received from Mr Richard Walsh and Mr Naz Islam. |
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MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
To approve the Minutes of the previous meeting on 10th December 2018 as a correct record.
Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2018 were approved as a correct record. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter (i) Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or (ii) Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting. NOTES: · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest. · As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner). · Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial.
Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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PETITIONS & PETITION RESPONSES
To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 14.1. Notice must 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 or Spelthorne Borough Council’s e-petitions website as long as the minimum number of signatures has been reached 14 days before the meeting. Minutes: No petitions were received. |
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WRITTEN MEMBER QUESTIONS
To receive any written questions from members under Standing Order 13. The deadline for members’ questions is 12 noon four working days before the meeting. Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers attending: Nick Healey, Area Highway Manager.
Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None.
Member Discussion – key points: Two questions were received from Cllr Sider BEM; the questions and responses are included in the agenda papers for the meeting.
Cllr Sider expressed his dissatisfaction with the officer response to the question regarding vegetation overgrowing the shared pedestrian and cyclist route on Walton Lane. The Divisional Member for Sunbury Common & Ashford Common indicated that she would speak directly to Cllr Sider having had a conversation with the Cabinet Member.
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WRITTEN PUBLIC QUESTIONS
To answer any questions from residents or businesses within Spelthorne borough area in accordance with Standing Order 14.2. Notice should be given in writing or by email to the Partnership Committee Officer by 12 noon four working days before the meeting. Minutes: No questions were received. |
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DECISION TRACKER (FOR INFORMATION)
To review any outstanding decisions from the Joint Committee.
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers attending: Gregory Yeoman, Partnership Committee Officer
Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None.
Member Discussion – key points: The decision tracker was reviewed by the committee and the updates were noted.
The Divisional Member for Sunbury Common & Ashford Common asked for the amount of her highways allocation showing as a contribution to the feasibility study on Chertsey Road to be corrected.
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SURREY FOSTERING SERVICE UPDATE (FOR INFORMATION)
An update from the service to raise awareness of fostering and the need for more foster carers in Spelthorne, with information on the campaign to recruit and assess a large number of new foster carers county-wide. Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers attending: Francesca Magnavacca, Fostering & Adoption Recruitment and Marketing Officer, and Mariana Bracho, Fostering Recruitment Officer for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None.
The officers presented their report. Across the county there were approximately 500 children in foster care, and between 300 and 350 foster carers. With a growing need for more fostering families, they stated that they wanted to work more closely with boroughs and explore the responsibilities that councillors have in this area of work. They noted that it was also important to engage more closely with residents, so they consider fostering.
Events were needed to promote awareness of the opportunities to foster, and of the benefits as well. Members were invited to be involved in this, particularly in the role of co-hosts of the events.
Member Discussion – key points: The borough portfolio holder for Community Wellbeing stressed the seriousness with which the borough takes the subject of fostering and corporate parenting. Discussions are being held with leisure centres to provide free swimming and discounts on other services to Looked After Children, and the SCC Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families and the Director of Children, Families and Learning are being kept up to date with the situation in Spelthorne.
Apart from the additional cost involved in locating children from Surrey with foster carers outside the county, the emotional and relationship issues that this can create were noted as children are removed from their peer group and other family members. By recruiting more foster carers the aim was to place children in welcoming homes in the county; in Surrey the conversion rate from those residents who showed an interest to actually applying to become a foster carer was 15% - above the national average. There were a number of misconceptions about becoming a foster carer, and the officers were keen to show what the real situation is in order to encourage more enquiries and interest. With the number of applicants currently working their way through the six-month process it was felt that 2019/20 would produce a good number of new carers.
Surrey has the third-highest number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, after Kent and Croydon. These represent a very specific group (mostly male, 13-18 years old) and bring their own issues, particularly language barriers. The reason the numbers are high is that the individuals are often picked up by police at Cobham or Clacket Lane services on the M25, and they are handed over to the local authority to be looked after. There is a slight downward trend in the numbers, year on year, but there is also a smaller number of people offering to foster this particular group.
While there was a suggestion that the public perception of the provision of services for children in the county may not be as positive as it might, the committee recognised the good work that the Fostering Service was doing and thanked the officers for their report. |
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HIGHWAYS UPDATE (EXECUTIVE FUNCTION)
To receive an update from the Highways Area Team Manager (North East).
Additional documents: Decision: The Joint Committee (Spelthorne): (i) Agreed the (revised) strategy for allocation of Joint Committee Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 as set out in Table 4 (paragraphs 2.1.9 to 2.1.12 refer); (ii) Approved the proposed programme of Local Structural Repair (LSR – large scale patching) for next Financial Year 2019-20 described in paragraph 2.2.2 and Table 6. (iii)Agreed to the removal of 33 schemes from the prioritisation list in Annex A (paragraph 2.2.4 refers); (iv) Authorised the Area Highway Manager to commission two feasibility studies – the first for an amendment to the one-way system in Walton Lane, Shepperton, and the second to investigate pedestrian crossing improvements in Walton Bridge Road, Shepperton, as part of the Walton to Halliford Transport study (paragraph 2.6.2 and Annex B refers) (v) Agreed to the Area Highway Manager using part of the £30,000 Parking Surplus funding set aside for the re-validation of Staines Town Centre SCOOT region to arrange traffic surveys to design a new scheme of signs and road markings in the Staines Town Centre area (paragraphs 2.6.4 to 2.6.10 refer); (vi)Agreed to the Area Highway Manager using part of the £30,000 Parking Surplus funding set aside for the re-validation of Staines Town Centre SCOOT region to arrange traffic surveys to understand the pattern of traffic movement into, out of, and through Staines, in preparation for a review of the arrangement of roads within Staines (paragraphs 2.6.4 to 2.6.10 refer); (vii) Authorised 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 for recommendations: Recommendations are made to facilitate development of Committee’s 2019-20 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. Specific recommendations are made to facilitate a rationalisation of Committee’s Integrated Transport Scheme (ITS) prioritisation list, to facilitate the development of schemes emerging from the Walton to Halliford Transport Study, and to facilitate development of a potential major Staines Town Centre Scheme. Committee is asked to provide the necessary authorisation to deliver its programmes of work in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Member without the need to revert to the Committee as a whole.
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers attending: Nick Healey, Area Highway Manager
Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None.
Member Discussion – key points: The Area Highway Manager presented his report, pointing out that there would be liaison with the Ward and Divisional members to agree the prioritisation of Local Structural Repair works in each area. Verbal corrections were made to Table 6 (Recommended Joint Committee funded capital LSR programme for 2019-20) where some roads had been placed in the wrong Division. In respect of the Staines Town Centre Scheme and associated SCOOT region revalidation project, it was noted that Cllrs Harvey and Mooney disagreed with the Area Highway Manager’s record of the meeting held on 28th January 2019.
The Joint Committee (Spelthorne): (i) Agreed the (revised) strategy for allocation of Joint Committee Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 as set out in Table 4 (paragraphs 2.1.9 to 2.1.12 refer); (ii) Approved the proposed programme of Local Structural Repair (LSR – large scale patching) for next Financial Year 2019-20 described in paragraph 2.2.2 and Table 6. (iii)Agreed to the removal of 33 schemes from the prioritisation list in Annex A (paragraph 2.2.4 refers); (iv) Authorised the Area Highway Manager to commission two feasibility studies – the first for an amendment to the one-way system in Walton Lane, Shepperton, and the second to investigate pedestrian crossing improvements in Walton Bridge Road, Shepperton, as part of the Walton to Halliford Transport study (paragraph 2.6.2 and Annex B refers) (v) Agreed to the Area Highway Manager using part of the £30,000 Parking Surplus funding set aside for the re-validation of Staines Town Centre SCOOT region to arrange traffic surveys to design a new scheme of signs and road markings in the Staines Town Centre area (paragraphs 2.6.4 to 2.6.10 refer); (vi)Agreed to the Area Highway Manager using part of the £30,000 Parking Surplus funding set aside for the re-validation of Staines Town Centre SCOOT region to arrange traffic surveys to understand the pattern of traffic movement into, out of, and through Staines, in preparation for a review of the arrangement of roads within Staines (paragraphs 2.6.4 to 2.6.10 refer); (vii) Authorised 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 for recommendations: Recommendations are made to facilitate development of Committee’s 2019-20 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. Specific recommendations are made to facilitate a rationalisation of Committee’s Integrated Transport Scheme (ITS) prioritisation list, to facilitate the development of schemes emerging from the Walton to Halliford Transport Study, and to facilitate development of a potential major Staines Town Centre Scheme. Committee is asked to provide the necessary authorisation to deliver its programmes of work in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and relevant Divisional Member without the need to revert ... view the full minutes text for item 67/18 |
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PARKING REVIEW (FOR DECISION)
The recommendations in this report follow a comprehensive review of requests for new restrictions overseen by the Spelthorne Parking Task Group and will be presented by members of the Surrey County Council parking team.
Additional documents: Decision: The Joint Committee (Spelthorne) agreed that:
(i) the proposed amendments to on-street parking restrictions in Spelthorne as described in this report and shown in detail on drawings in annexes A - F are agreed; comments arising from the advertisement of the proposals in Spout Lane (Stanwell Moor) and Horton Road (Stanwell Moor), together with the Parking Engineer’s subsequent recommendations, will be referred to the Joint Committee at its next meeting; requests for parking restrictions in Staines South and Ashford West will be resubmitted to the Parking Engineer for further consideration, and if it is deemed necessary to propose additional parking restrictions in this division, then they will be included in the 2019 parking review advertisement. After such time, approval would be sought at the Joint Committee meeting in July 2019, prior to the making of the traffic orders.
(ii) the intention of the county council 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 annexes A - F are advertised and that if no objections are maintained, the orders are made.
(iii) if there are unresolved objections, they will 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: It is recommended that the waiting restrictions are implemented as detailed in Annexes A - F. 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
Further review by the Joint Committee of the proposals in Spout Lane (Stanwell Moor) and Horton Road (Stanwell Moor) will allow full consideration to be given to comments received from the local Residents Association. There are a number of requests for new parking restrictions in Staines South and Ashford West which need to be considered. Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers attending: Jack Roberts, Parking Engineer
Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None.
Member Discussion – key points: The officer presented his report. There was specific discussion about proposals affecting Stanwell Moor and Ferry Lane in Shepperton. Jack Roberts agreed to meet the chairman of the Stanwell Moor Residents Association, along with the Divisional Member, once advertising of the proposals has taken place.
A discussion was had regarding resolving situations when residents’ views do not match officers’ recommendations, and how to arrive at a balance of representing their wishes and managing the overall list of recommendations according to the priorities recognised by the officers.
The Divisional Member for Staines South and Ashford West asked for the proposals suggested by residents in her Division to be re-assessed, as none appeared in the Parking Engineer’s list being put to the committee.
The Joint Committee (Spelthorne) agreed that:
(i) the proposed amendments to on-street parking restrictions in Spelthorne as described in this report and shown in detail on drawings in annexes A - F are agreed; comments arising from the advertisement of the proposals in Spout Lane (Stanwell Moor) and Horton Road (Stanwell Moor), together with the Parking Engineer’s subsequent recommendations, will be referred to the Joint Committee at its next meeting; requests for parking restrictions in Staines South and Ashford West will be resubmitted to the Parking Engineer for further consideration, and if it is deemed necessary to propose additional parking restrictions in this division, then they will be included in the 2019 parking review advertisement. After such time, approval would be sought at the Joint Committee meeting in July 2019, prior to the making of the traffic orders.
(ii) the intention of the county council 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 annexes A - F are advertised and that if no objections are maintained, the orders are made.
(iii) if there are unresolved objections, they will 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: It is recommended that the waiting restrictions are implemented as detailed in Annexes A - F. 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
Further review by the Joint Committee of the proposals in Spout Lane (Stanwell Moor) and Horton Road (Stanwell Moor) will allow full consideration to be given to comments received from the local Residents Association. There are a number of requests for new parking restrictions in Staines South and Ashford West which need to be considered. |
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FORWARD PROGRAMME 2019/20 (FOR INFORMATION)
To review the forward programme 2019/20, indicating any further preferences for inclusion. Minutes: The Committee Officer was asked to invite the Cabinet Member for Children to address the committee, and also the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care. Other contents of the plan were noted.
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To be held on Monday 15th July 2019 at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber, Spelthorne Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB.
(Meeting to start with informal Open Forum.)
Minutes: The next meeting is scheduled for Monday 15th July 2019 at 6.30pm.
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