Councillors and committees

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF

Contact: Nicola Morris, Partnership Committee Officer  Surrey County Council, Community Partnerships & Safety Team, Epsom Town Hall (2nd floor), Epsom, KT18 5BY

Items
No. Item

OPEN FORUM pdf icon PDF 50 KB

The questions and responses to the matters raised in the open forum are attached to the minutes.

 

1/19

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

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    To receive any apologies for absence and notices of substitutions from Borough members under Standing Order 39.

    Minutes:

    There were no apologies for absence.

2/19

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:

    There were no declarations of interest.

3/19

CHAIRMAN'S BUSINESS

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    The Chairman will update the Committee on any current issues.

    Minutes:

    The Chairman reported that:

     

    ·          The County Council is currently consulting on the Making Surrey Safer Plan which proposes changes to the Fire Service Consultation, until 26th May;

    ·          Members have been asked to provide feedback on Priority 2 Salt Routes;

    ·          The Members Community Allowance of £5000 will be open for applications from 1 April until 31 January;

    ·          A new Chief Constable has been appointed, Gavin Stephens;

    ·          Surrey Police have announced that they will be moving to a new headquarters in Leatherhead;

    ·          Heathrow Airport have announced another round of consultation over the Summer;

    ·          948 Secondary school places have been allocated in Epsom and Ewell. 12428 places in Surrey up 2% on the previous year. 98% of applications were made on line with 81% getting their first choice and 92% getting a choice of their top three;

    ·          The Chairman had attended the Junior Citizen day at Epsom racecourse on the 14 March.  Dan Boneham had asked that his thanks be passed on for the support from Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Surrey County Council and the three Divisional members who co-sponsored the event.

4/19

WRITTEN PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

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    To answer any questions or receive a statement from any member of the public who lives, works or studies in the Surrey County Council area in accordance with Standing Order 69.  Notice should be given in writing or by e-mail to the  Partnership Committee Officer at least by noon four working days before the meeting.

    Minutes:

    There were no public questions.

5/19

PETITIONS pdf icon PDF 92 KB

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    To receive any petitions in accordance with Standing Order 68.

     

    One petition has been received and the officer response is provided.

     

    To consider speed controls on the bend on Woodcote Road adjacent to Sherwood House (no 8)

     

    34 signatures.  Petitioner: Mary Ottey

     

    Decision:

    The Local Committee [Epsom & Ewell] agreed:

     

    To take no further action at the current time, as the divisional member is already considering options to address issues in this area.

     

    Reasons:  To allow the work in hand to continue.

    Minutes:

    Declarations of Interest: None

     

    Officers attending: Nick Healey, Area Highways Manager

     

    Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: 1 petitions was received

     

    The petitioner outlined that the entrance to the car park for the offices where she works is on a bend in Woodcote Road.  The car park is well used and it is very difficult to exit safely on a blind bend, where drivers often drive too fast.  There is also a well-used public footpath adjacent used by parents with buggies and young children and people visiting the hospital who find it difficult to cross the road.

     

    Member discussion –key points

     

    The Area Highways Officer responded that there are many sites which have a worse accident record and that resources have to be directed to addressing issues at these locations.

     

    The Divisional member indicated that she was aware of issues along the length of the Woodcote Road, which has no pavement in some parts and had asked the local Maintenance Engineer to consider options for improvement.  She has prioritised funding from her highways allocation to contribute towards any work recommended.

     

    Members discussed the recommended options in the report.  Two members were in favour of adding this area to the Committee’s prioritisation list in case the divisional member is not able to proceed with the work required, however seven were in favour of taking no further action.  It was therefore:

     

    Resolved:

     

    To take no further action at the current time, as the divisional member is already considering options to address issues in this area.

     

    Reasons:  To allow the work in hand to continue.

6/19

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 88 KB

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    To approve the Minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

    Minutes:

    Confirmed as a correct record.

7/19

MEMBER QUESTION TIME pdf icon PDF 55 KB

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    To receive any written questions from Members under Standing Order 47.   Notice should be given in writing to the Partnership Committee Officer by 12.00 noon four working days before the meeting.

    Minutes:

    One question was received and the response is included in the supplementary agenda.  Cllr Mason indicated that she did not feel that her question had been answered adequately and requested a response to all of the four points she had made and that it should be sent to all Committee members.  The Edge youth centre should be considered a special case, the only reason it has not been operating satisfactorily and is currently closed, is due to a lack of suitably qualified staff.  It is a much needed resource in an area of high deprivation. The officer would be asked to respond further in writing.

     

8/19

EPSOM & ST HELIER UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST UPDATE [SERVICE MONITORING AND ISSUES OF LOCAL CONCERN]

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    Daniel Elkeles, Trust Chief Executive will provide an update on the latest developments within the Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and answer member questions.

    Minutes:

    Declarations of Interest: None

     

    Officers attending: Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive, Epsom & St Helier University Hospital Trust

     

    Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: Not permitted as not an SCC service

     

    The Trust Chief Executive provided an update on the latest news from the Trust.  The presentation is attached at Annexe A to these minutes.

     

    The new Surrey Downs Health & Care Service would launch on 1 April and it was hoped that this would provide an improved service for residents.

     

    The Trust has the best performing stroke service in Surrey after Frimley park hospital.

     

    The programme to look at the long term future of the hospitals is being run by the CCGs who will carry out a public consultation on which site is preferred.  Government will need to commit to funding of £100m to build the facility.  It is clear that it will not be possible or sustainable to continue to run all services from both hospital sites.  Both hospitals will continue to provide 85% of the current services and a new acute facility will be built on one of three sites.

     

    By 2025 it is anticipated that there will be 2,500 patients a day seen at each hospital, with about 150 patients going to the acute facility.  There is predicted to be around a 7% increase in the population of the Borough by 2025.

     

    Member discussion –key points

     

    Members queried whether there is any binding commitment from Legal & General (L&G) to provide accommodation for over 65’s on the hospital land sold to them and if there is no requirement why the offer of a sale at a higher price was not accepted.  Who agreed not to put caveats on the sale or not to accept a better offer?  The Trust Chief Executive responded that the land had been offered to other public authorities including the County Council and there had been no interest.  Social care in Surrey is either funded privately or by the County Council in private accommodation.  The land was sold to the company who seemed to best meet the brief to provide facilities for social care or affordable housing as requested by residents at the hospital board meeting, but there is no binding requirement for them to provide this.  The best bids came with lots of caveats and were felt to be unlikely to get planning permission or realise the offer being made.  The offer from L&G also includes a subsidised nursery and gym which can be used by hospital staff.  Should L&G decide to sell on the land for a higher price overage clauses will come into effect which will require them to pay additional sums to the hospital.  Once a planning application is submitted the Borough Council will be able to consider additional conditions on any permission granted.  The current proposal is for 150-200 units of accommodation from single rooms to two to three bed flats.  The single rooms will be available for step up and down nursing care and the NHS will be able  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8/19

Annexe A - presentation pdf icon PDF 1 MB

9/19

HIGHWAYS UPDATE [EXECUTIVE FUNCTION - FOR DECISION] pdf icon PDF 360 KB

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    This report summarises progress with the Local Committee’s programme of Highways works for the current Financial Year 2018-19.

    Committee’s delegated Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 have now been confirmed.  Preparations are being made to deliver next Financial Year’s programmes of works.

    Additional documents:

    Decision:

    The Local Committee [Epsom & Ewell] agreed:

     

    (i)       The (revised) strategy for allocation of Joint Committee Highways budgets for next Financial Year 2019-20 as set out in Table 4 of the report.

    (ii)      To note with concern that, since it last met in December, there has been an additional cut to the proposed Epsom and Ewell local highway budget for 2019/20 based on a criteria that does not take into account road usage and which provides insufficient funding to address locally identified need. The Local Committee therefore calls upon the Cabinet to review both the funding of, and the criteria for, the allocation of the Local Highway budget for 2020/2021.

    (iii)    To the implementation of three options to invest the £50,000 s106 funding in pedestrian, cycle, and public transport improvements in Waterloo Road:

    a.           Implement a new shared pedestrian / cycle route connecting Station Approach to the alleyway leading to Pound Lane;

    b.           Implement the street lighting improvements underneath the railway bridge in Waterloo Road;

    c.           Consult the local community on an experimental closure of the end of Horsley Close;

    (iv)    To approve thirteen new bus stop clearways as detailed in Annex C of the report.

    (v)     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:  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.  The Committee wished to draw the attention of the Cabinet to the level of funding provided for this area and the criteria used.  Specific recommendations are made to facilitate the investment of a £50,000 s106 sum that must be spent on pedestrian, cycle, and public transport improvements in Waterloo Road.  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 Highways Manager

     

    Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: None

     

    Member discussion –key points

     

    The Area Highways Manager reported that since the last meeting the Cabinet member for Highways had decided not to divide the capital funding for Local/Joint Committees equally as in previous years, but to use different criteria.  This had resulted in a roughly 20% reduction in the funding available to this Committee.  The capital programme can go ahead as planned as the Borough council have given agreement to the release of some s106 funding which can be used to fund some of the work planned on East Street.

     

    Members were unhappy with the reduced level of funding and the criteria used which includes the number of divisions and the length of road in each area.  The County Council has challenged Government on using road length rather than usage to determine funding, but is now applying this criteria to its own funding.  Epsom & Ewell now have the lowest level of funding anywhere in Surrey despite having some of the most used roads.

     

    Members queried whether if it is not possible to use the CIL funding for tree planting in East Street whether the funding will be returned.  The Area Highways Manager confirmed that £1,800 has currently been provided to carry out radar surveys to see if there are any suitable sites for planting.  The Borough can ask for the return of any unused funding at any time.

     

    It was reported that the original plans for the Stoneleigh Park Road cycleway had proposed converting the footway outside the shops to shared use, but this was not now suitable on safety grounds.  An alternative solution is being sought.

     

    It is not possible to say what level of funding will be available in future years to fund central maintenance schemes via Project Horizon.  Noted that the resurfacing in East Street had been postponed as a result of the requirement to replace the gas main for which SGN currently have a tendering process taking place.

     

    Members queried whether High Street East would be resurfaced.  It is not currently on any programme, although if the Committee wished to do so it could consider pooling resources to carry our this work.

     

    The Ward member thanked the Area Highways Manager for the work carried out in Noble Park.

     

    The zebra crossing originally proposed in Waterloo Road to use the developer funding from the station had not proved acceptable as a result of the loss of too many parking spaces by the shops.  However, it was felt to be important that this funding does not have to be returned.  The proposal currently under consideration is not to close Horsley Close but to consult more widely to gauge if there is any support for this option.

     

    Noted that the dropped kerbs planned along the Chessington Road are to improve accessibility and won’t add any new cycle facilities.

     

     

    The Local Committee [Epsom & Ewell] agreed:

     

    (i)       The (revised) strategy for allocation of Joint Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9/19

10/19

LOCAL COMMITTEE DECISION TRACKER [FOR DECISION] pdf icon PDF 73 KB

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    This item provides an update on previous decisions and actions agreed by the Committee.  The Committee is asked to agree that the items marked as complete are removed from the tracker.

    Minutes:

    Members were disappointed that the final yellow lining from the last parking review had still not been completed.  The Chairman reported that he had raised the matter with the Cabinet member for Highways as the timings of the past few reviews have all resulted in lines being laid down in the winter, when there are often delays as a result of bad weather.  The next review would begin in September which would mean that lines would be painted in Spring, so that the work should be completed more quickly.

     

    The Committee noted the progress made with items in the tracker and agreed that those marked as complete could be removed.

11/19

FORWARD PLAN [FOR INFORMATION] pdf icon PDF 52 KB

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    The Committee is asked to note the forward plan for the Committee and propose any items which they would like to see added.

    Minutes:

    Noted the forward plan.

12/19

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

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    Monday 24 June at 7.00pm at Bourne Hall, Ewell

    Minutes:

    Monday 24 June 2019 at 7pm, Bourne Hall, Ewell.