Apologies were received from
Cllr Luke Bennett, Cllr Mark Sugden who was unable to attend in
person, Cllr Liz Bowes (substituted by Cllr David Harmer), Cllr
Cameron McIntosh (substituted by Cllr Helyn Clack), and Cllr Buddhi
Weerasinghe (substituted by Cllr Ayesha Azad).
To
agree the minutes of the previous meeting of the Communities,
Environment and Highways Select Committee held on 12 February 2025
as a true and accurate record of proceedings.
All Members present are required to declare,
at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter:
1.
Any disclosable pecuniary interests; or
2.
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.
The public retain their right
to submit questions for a written response, with such answers
recorded in the minutes of the meeting; questioners may participate
in meetings to ask a supplementary question.
Petitioners may address the
Committee on their petition for up to three minutes. Guidance will
be made available to any member of the public wishing to speak at a
meeting.
NOTES:
a.The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00
pm four working days before the meeting (Friday, 4 April
2025).
b.The deadline for public questions is seven days
before the meeting (Thursday, 3 April 2025).
c.The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the
meeting, and no petitions have been received.
Four written questions were
received from Councillor Catherine Baart prior to the meeting. A
copy of the questions and answers was included in the first
supplementary agenda distributed before the meeting. The Chair
invited supplementary questions from the questioners if they wished
and asked the relevant Cabinet Member to respond.
Councillor Catherine Baart
asked, in relation to question M1, who could be applicants for the
process in place, asking if they were internal County Council units
or if they could include parish councils. In reply, the Assistant
Director for Network and Asset Management said that the process was
open to anyone.
Councillor Lance Spencer, in
relation to question M2, asked if the number of trees planted was
the net number, the percentage that died, and whether councillors
or tree officers reported dead trees on curb sides. The Cabinet
Member for Environment said that tree officers surveyed and
monitored the trees with partners. She did not have exact figures
on trees planted or survival rates but would provide a written
response. She also confirmed that non-surviving trees were replaced
and overall, the programme was performing well.
Councillor Catherine Baart, in
relation to Question M3, asked if the major walking routes being
planned as part of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure
Plans would be reviewed, if the response times of the pedestrian
crossings would be reviewed to encourage walking, under what
circumstances standalone crossings set for 30 seconds could be
reduced to 20 seconds, and how that reduction happens. In reply,
the Assistant Director for Network and Asset Management said that a
written answer would need to be provided.
ACTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
A written reply on
whether if the number of trees planted was the net number, what is
the percentage that die, and whether councillors or tree officers
report dead trees on curb sides.
Assistant Director
for Network & Asset Management: A written reply on if whether
the major walking routes being planned as part of the Local Cycling
and Walking Infrastructure Plans would be reviewed, if the response
times of the pedestrian crossings would be reviewed to encourage
walking, under what circumstances standalone crossings set for 30
seconds could be reduced to 20 seconds, and how that reduction
occurs happens.
The Chairman asked
whether the primary aim of improving strategic engagement and
information sharing with utility providers had been achieved and
inquired about the key areas of success or priorities for further
work. In reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment reported
improved engagement with Thames Water and SES Water, focusing on
data sharing and local area energy planning. Relationships and
connections had improved, with good engagement from SES Water,
contributing to discussions on water pollution as part of the
environmental strategy. The Strategic Energy Lead added that
meetings and workshops had provided useful data for planning,
involving neighbouring county councils to improve connection costs
and timescales. The SAB Implementation Manager highlighted that
engagement with water companies had significantly improved, leading
to better responses to flood risk and supply inquiries, especially
from engineers on the ground.
A Member asked if
greater collaboration on demand management and demand reduction,
including leakage reduction, customer metering, and education,
remained a goal and inquired about the progress made so far to meet
this goal. In reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment stated that
reducing water demand was crucial due to water stress in the
Southeast, with water companies taking action and the government
setting reduction targets. The council supported these efforts
through messaging, consultations, and social media. The SAB
Implementation Manager said that Surrey's water usage was higher
than the national average, but metering improvements were helping
reduce usage and detect leaks.
A Member asked if the
Council was studying water quality matters and, if so, how. In
reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment stated that water quality
was a concern due to sewage in waterways. The Environment Agency
played a significant role, but the Council included this in the
Nature Recovery Strategy. The Council measured and monitored water
quality, worked with community organizations, and collaborated with
utility companies and businesses to trace pollution sources and set
KPIs to improve waterways. Infrastructure upgrades were needed in
areas like Horley.
A Member asked about
the progress made in the development of KPIs for water companies to
drive improvements and encourage local authority collaboration and
inquired about what more could be done to press for change. In
reply, the Cabinet Member for Environment stated that not much
progress had been made in the development of KPIs for community
improvement and collaboration around water supply and mentioned
that officers had met with Ofwat, representatives from Water UK,
and Blueprint for Water to discuss better transparency in the water
industry.
To receive a report from the Strategic
Contract Group Manager, Highways and Transport, on the Highways
Term Maintenance Contract delivered through Ringway Infrastructure
Services over the past two years.
Matt Furniss, Cabinet
Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth
Owen Jenkins,
Executive Director for Highways, Infrastructure and
Planning
Lucy Monie, Director
for Highways, Transport and Network Management
Amanda Richards,
Assistant Director Highways for Network & Asset
Management
Richard Bolton,
Assistant Director for Highways Operations and
Infrastructure
Paul Wheadon,
Strategic Contract Group Manager
Lewis Bridgeman-Wren,
Service Director, Ringway
KEY
LINES OF DISCUSSION
The Chairman asked
whether the Directorate could outline the work done over the last
couple of years and provide a breakdown of the cost of the contract
and what work had been achieved to date. In reply, the Cabinet
Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said that the
contract was different from the previous one, focusing on quality
over price. He mentioned that the contract included reactive,
routine, and planned works. He detailed maintenance activities such
as fixing 144,000 potholes, winter gritting, 350,000 gully cleans,
227 miles of road resurfacing, and 94 miles of pavement works. He
noted that the budget had been anticipated to be up to
£80 million but had been £120 million per
annum over the past two years. He added that additional benefits
included increased spending on local matters, grass cutting, and
street cleaning.
A Member asked about
the inspection process in place for the work done over the last few
years and Ringway's assessment of its own performance. In reply,
the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth said
that the quality control system included timestamp data and photos
that captured before, during, and after the work, allowing desktop
reviews. He mentioned that their laboratory checked the material to
ensure it was correct and applied properly. The Service Director
from Ringway said that the team prioritised safety and conducted
strict governance and inspection regimes. He emphasised the team's
commitment and pride in their work, especially during challenging
times like winter.
A Member asked what
the key risk areas with Ringway's performance were and what steps
the Council was taking to mitigate these. In reply, the Strategic
Contract Group Manager said that the key risk areas were the
quality of schemes and the outcome of routine drainage work. He
mentioned that the quality score assessed various factors and that
any part failing resulted in the scheme failing. He noted that
parked cars and the gully system often affected drainage work
outcomes. He added that sudden bad weather and additional budget
allocations also impacted performance.
A Member asked about
the proportion of increased expenditure that was inflation-linked
versus incremental expenditure approved to address poor road
maintenance. In reply, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport
and Economic Growth said that the increased expenditure was due to
additional budgeting and enhanced spends, including the Horizon
programme, task and finish groups, Members' budgets, and enhanced
maintenance. He confirmed that the Council's decision to spend
significant capital on the highway network had led to a reduction
in the average number of potholes.
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