Agenda and draft minutes

Environment and Infrastructure Select Committee - Monday, 3 July 2017 10.30 am

Venue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN. View directions

Contact: Huma Younis or Sharmina Ullah 

Items
No. Item

1/17

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

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    To note any apologies for absence.

     

    Minutes:

    Apologies were received from Stephen Cooksey, Richard Walsh and Richard Wilson. David Goodwin substituted for Stephen Cooksey and Keith Witham substituted for Richard Wilson.

2/17

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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    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:

    No declarations of interest were received.

3/17

QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS

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    To receive any questions or petitions.

    Notes:

    1.    The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting, Monday 26 June 2017.

     

    2.    The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting,Sunday 25 June 2017.

     

    3.    The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received.

    Minutes:

    There were no questions or petitions received.

4/17

FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 155 KB

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    The Committee is asked to note and review the Forward Work Programme.

    Minutes:

    Key points raised in the discussion:

     

    1.    Members suggested having an item on the forward work programme reviewing the service changes impacted by this years decisions made to the budget. The Chairman explained that budget and finance were no longer included within the remit of the Committee and that issues regarding financial matters were going to be scrutinised and determined by the newly formed Overview and Budget Select Committee (OBSC).

     

    2.    It was noted that the Committee should consider a report on the results of the Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) consultation and the implications of switching off street lights between 12.00am-05.00am as concerns were raised that there is a possible rise in statistics for car related crimes.

     

    3.    The Committee received apologies from the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport for not including an item on the agenda covering the changes to CRCs. The Cabinet Member assured the committee that a further meeting would be organised to review the results of the consultation before it progressed to Cabinet in September.

     

    4.    The Chairman proposed items on flood recovery and income generation opportunities for inclusion on the Forward Work Programme and noted items raised by committee members.

     

    5.    The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport suggested that going forward the Committee would be asked to consider speeding policies. The Committee was advised that speed policies were considered by the select committees and individual road speed limits would be considered by Local Committees.

     

    6.    The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport explained to the Committee that the Quality Impact Assessments in relation to the CRCs consultation had not been carried out and advised that further information would be circulated at a later date following the public consultation and to inform members of its publication.

     

    7.    The Chairman noted all the relevant suggestions for the forward work programme and assured these would be considered and put forward to OBSC.

     

5/17

PROPOSED WINTER SERVICE POLICY CHANGES REQUIRED TO REALISE COST SAVINGS pdf icon PDF 359 KB

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    This report proposes policy changes and process changes that will deliver Winter Service cost savings in 2017/18 and 2018/19. The report also identifies a number of compensating savings to help achieve savings.

     

    Minutes:

    Witnesses:

    Colin Kemp, Cabinet Member for Highways

    Jason Russell, Deputy Director for Environment and Infrastructure

    Amanda Richards, Networks and Asset Management Group Manager

    Kristian Fields, Winter Operation Manager, Kier

     

    Declarations of interest:

    None

     

    Key points raised in the discussion:

     

    1. The Chairman advised the committee that the report proposed policy changes and process changes that will deliver Winter Service cost savings in 2017/18 and 2018/19. The report also identifies a number of one off compensating savings to help achieve savings in 2017/18. The Select Committee are asked to consider the proposals before they are taken to Cabinet.

     

    1. Members were informed of an update to this report by email on 28 June. This was in reference to the table on page 4 of the agenda regarding (Policy Change 1: Reducing season length to 26 weeks) which had two errors. This was in relation to ‘weeks on standby’ for both Knowsley and Bristol City Council. In the original report the ‘weeks on standby’ for both these authorities was 26 weeks. This has now been corrected to 21 weeks on standby.

     

    1. It was noted in the previous Council term, a Winter Maintenance Task Group was set up as part of the old Scrutiny Board. The task group was responsible for updating the Board on winter performance and scrutinising the winter policy for the Council.

     

    1. It was explained three members made up the membership of the task group. Of these, only one member remains on the newly formed Environment & Infrastructure Select Committee, Cllr Stephen Cooksey.

     

    1. Members noted that prior to this meeting, officers discussed report recommendations with Stephen Cooksey and feedback was noted.

     

    1. It was explained a similar report on winter cost savings came to the previous Scrutiny Board in 2016 but the £340k savings pressure from the Winter Service budget could not be achieved and compensating savings from elsewhere in the budget had to be found.

     

    1. The Committee were advised when considering officer recommendations in the report, members needed to take account of the current financial situation facing the council. £340K savings need to be found from the Winter Service budget.

     

    1. Officers explained that the current report was reviewing different solutions which reduce the impacts on levels of service compared to the previous report. Officers gave a summary of the proposed policy and process changes informing members that the proposed changes would enable the service to meet the £340K savings required with the potential to create additional savings.

     

    1. The Chairman queried why the service did not review the option to remove a mini gritter at an earlier stage seeing as one of the mini gritter’s had not been used for the last 6 years. The Kier representative informed members that both mini gritters had been utilised previously however one mini gritter could meet the demand for the whole County and the other could be released under the contract.

     

    1. Members queried the set up costs of the additional depots at Beare Green and Chertsey. The Cabinet Member for Highways explained that these depots belonged to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5/17

6/17

LOCAL HIGHWAY FUNDING 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 105 KB

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    On 12 June 2017, Democratic Services Support Officers received a request from Cllr Eber Kington asking for an item on Local Highway Funding 2017/18 to be included on the next Environment and Infrastructure Select Committee agenda. As a result an officer report has been prepared for the Committees consideration. 

     

    Minutes:

    Witnesses

    Jason Russell, Deputy Director

    Colin Kemp, Cabinet Member for Highways

     

    Declarations of interest:

    None

     

    Key points raised in the discussion:

     

    1. It was noted that on 12 June 2017, Democratic Services Support Officers received a request from Cllr Eber Kington asking for an item on Local Highway Funding for 2017/18 to be included on the next Environment and Infrastructure Select Committee agenda. As a result, an officer report has been prepared for the Committee’s consideration. 

     

    1. Cllr Eber Kington introduced the report by informing members that the report was requested as there were concerns regarding the reductions with the local committee’s highway budget, expressing the view that the impact of these reductions would affect the level of service to residents. Members agreed that the reduction to this budget would impact local decision making at the local committee level.

     

    1. The Cabinet Member for Highways assured members that discussions with local committees was on the agenda going forward to address the situation and discuss what solutions could  be reached. The Cabinet Member stated that although money had been reduced from the local committee highways budget more was being spent on the highways network overall.

     

    1. It was noted that there were other resources available for local committees these included CIL funding and parking funds which could be reassessed to maximise alternative funding for local choice and funding.

     

    1. A member stated that the allocated £40K for Runnymede local committee would not allow members to deliver services at levels experienced in recent years and that there should be scope for fundamental re-assessment of the savings proposals.

     

    1. Officers identified that further reductions were possible within the highways discretionary allocation which would endorse additional savings however members raised concerns this would diminish there role as a councillor further as discretionary funds were managed by the Local Committees and promoted local decision making.

     

    1. Following the reduction in capital investment and on going revenue pressures, members noted that investment would be targeted in line with the available budget to minimise future liabilities and the deterioration of highway assets.

     

    1. It was noted that there was currently a re-structure within the Environment and Infrastructure directorate. The Deputy Director of Environment and Infrastructure assured that this would not cause significant impact upon the delivery of service however would maximise efficiency by utilising officer skills more effectively.

     

    1. Members sought clarification around the term ‘reactive maintenance’ and officers explained that works included in this category referred to grass cutting, safety defects, environmental maintenance, drainage winter service, traffic systems, sign and lines and structures. However members noted that there were delays in this area due to contractual constraints.

     

    1. There was discussion in amending the recommendation to highlight the importance of reassessing the focus on local highways funding. Members supported the view that the report recommendation should be amended to note ‘with concern’ the reduction in the highways funding. The Select Committee requested that Cabinet review the highways funding for local committees.

     

    1. The Cabinet Member for Highways emphasised that local members were empowered with influencing decisions despite  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6/17

7/17

DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY 5 OCTOBER 2017

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    The next public meeting of the committee will be held on Thursday 5 October 2017 at 10.30am in the Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston Upon Thames.

    Minutes:

    The next meeting of the Environment and Infrastructure Select Committee will be held on Thursday 5 October 2017 at 10.30am in the Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames.