Agenda item

To update the Committee on the progress of the asset and risk improvement programme funded by Surrey and Hampshire County Councils.

Declarations of interest:

None

Officers:

James Taylor, Strategic Manager

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Strategic Manager introduced the report and made the following points:

a.    That during the last 10 years there was funding in the capital budget to deal with the maintenance backlog. 

b.    That officers had now successfully reduced the backlog, especially in the Surrey area.  Officers were now focusing work on cyclical maintenance rather than a backlog of deferred maintenance. 

2.    The Strategic Manager provided an overview of the expenditures outlines within annex 1 and 2 of the report.

3.    The Strategic Manager also provided detail on special works which including renewing the Surrey houseboat moorings and the provision of funding for a new cycle route. Further details were outlined within the report.

4.    The JMC had a discussion on funding from Section 106 agreements. A Member expressed that there was a need to agreed how best to look for contributions from developments which were adjacent from the Basingstoke Canal and would therefore impact the Canal. The Strategic Manager explained that when developments were near the Canal then they often had an impact on the Canal and so officers would look to the development to offset impacts due to wear and tear, biodiversity and more. Further to this, the JMC noted that the Canal Management Team were not a statutory consultee for planning and development projects however a number of boroughs did consult Canal management of a discretionary basis and that officers from Surrey and Hampshire, who are statutory consultees, were able to highlight any upcoming projects to the management team. The Strategic Manager also added that it was usual for developers to contact the management team in advance of submitting a planning application to begin conversations.

5.    The JMC noted that the Basingstoke Canal Society also provided the Canal Management Team with a monthly ‘planning tracker’ which provided an overview of any new developments within a certain area of the Canal. Members went on to state that it was important to begin conversations early with developments to ensure the best outcome.

6.    Following discussion, the JMC agreed an action to consider how county, borough and district council planning departments, as statutory consultees, could coordinate their resources to identify upcoming developments within the vicinity of the Basingstoke Canal and seek to receive Section 106 funding to benefit the Canal.

The Chairman, Marisa Health, left the meeting at 12:00pm. It was agreed that the Vice-Chairman, Jonathan Glen, would be chairman for the remainder of the meeting.

7.    Members further discussed issues related to dredging and that the Canal’s dredger was currently unusable.

8.    Rod Cooper moved a motion, seconded by Stephen Parker, to form a working group of Surrey County Council, Hampshire County Council and the Basingstoke Canal Society to consider issues around dredging of the Basingstoke Canal and seek to identify any mitigating actions. The JMC unanimously agreed therefore the motion was carried. 

Actions/ further information to be provided:

1.    JMC agreed an action for the Chairman and Strategic Manager – Basingstoke Canal to consider how county, borough and district council planning departments could coordinate their resources to identify upcoming developments within the vicinity of the Basingstoke Canal and seek to receive Section 106 funding to benefit the Canal.

2.    The JMC agreed to form a working group of Surrey County Council, Hampshire County Council and the Basingstoke Canal Society to consider issues around dredging of the Basingstoke Canal and seek to identify any mitigating actions.

Resolved:

That the Committee note the contents of the report, and delegates final approval of the programmes in each County to the Assistant Director of Natural Environment & Recreation for Hampshire County Council, and the Natural Capital Group Manager for Surrey County Council.