Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2017.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2017 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillor Paul Bates – Communities and Health Portfolio Holder

Councillor David Brown – Highways and Infrastructure Portfolio Holder

Councillor Paul Findlow – Corporate Policy and legal Portfolio Holder

Paul Traynor - Strategic Commissioning Manager - Highways

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of the existence of a party whip.

Sue Helliwell from Alsager attended the meeting and addressed the committee on issues connected with the task and finish group report on parking outside schools, which was on the agenda for today’s meeting.

Sue specifically referred to letters she had received from two residents in Alsager in her capacity as a town councillor, which catalogued several incidents of indiscriminate parking by parents outside schools causing private drives to be blocked. On a few occasions this had led to altercations between parents and householders.

Sue also informed the committee that she had personal experience of witnessing buses being unable to travel along Pikemere Road Alsager due to indiscriminate parking in the vicinity of the school.

Finally, Sue suggested that the Council may wish to consider organising an annual event to encourage ‘walking bus’ events to try to encourage more parents to walk their children to school.

To consider a report of the Parking Outside Schools Task and Finish Group.

The Committee considered a report of the Safer parking for Communities Around School’s task and finish group.

The Committee had appointed a task and finish group at the request of the former portfolio holder for Communities to investigate inconsiderate parking of vehicles in the vicinity of schools. The aim of the task and finish group was to investigate innovative solutions to improve access for emergency vehicles and to generally improve safety for children, parents and residents.

RESOLVED

(a)  That the report be received;

(b)  That subject to the following three recommendations being amended as set out below, the recommendations  contained in the task and finish report be approved:

·         That the safer routes to schools scheme be resurrected and safe cycling routes be promoted in accordance with the Cycling Strategy:

·         That the possibility of setting up arrangements whereby local spaces such as pub or community centre car parks can be used at drop off and pick up times, to encourage park and stride, be investigated.

·         That a walking to schools with hero’s campaign be introduced – Police or Fire Officers could be involved in the introduction of walking buses.

(c)  That the final report, as amended, be submitted to Cabinet for consideration.

To receive a presentation form Paul Traynor, Strategic Commissioning Manager - Highways

Paul Traynor attended the meeting and gave a presentation on five options currently under consideration to procure a new Highways contract.

The existing contract was awarded to Ringway Jacobs in 2011 following a competitive dialogue process.

A consultation was currently underway to soft market test the Councils preferred option for the procurement of the new contract and a for al recommendation was expected to be made to Cabinet on 11 April.

RESOLVED

(a)    That the presentation be received;

(b)   That the report containing the final recommendations on the procurement method be presented to the committee prior to it being considered by Cabinet.

To review the work programme.

The Committee reviewed its work programme.

RESOLVED –

That subject to the following changes, the report be received:

Local Plan – delete

Add additional meeting on 6 April 2017 to consider a presentation on devolution and to consider the Highways contract procurement report.

To note the current forward plan, identify any new items, and to determine whether any further examination of new issues is appropriate.

RESOLVED – That the forward plan be received and noted.