Agenda item

To consider the above call in.

Consideration was given to the call in of Cabinet decision-CE19/20-17 Well Managed Highway Infrastructure.

The Chairman introduced the report.  Councillor J Clowes who was the spokesperson then explained the reasons for the call in which focused on the adequacy of the consultation processes conducted prior to the Cabinet decision to approve the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Strategy and the impact on Cheshire East Highways Gritting Policies.  In addition she raised concerns that information which should have been disseminated to partners in a more effective manner was not done so and therefore crucial information was not made available to Members and partners which included the availability of a grit bin policy and the Risk Assessment scoring criteria which determined which roads were to be gritted.

Councillor C Browne, the then Portfolio Holder at the time the decision was made outlined the reasons for the decision.  He explained in detail the consultation processes which had been undertaken from 2018 to present as well as the legal and financial impact on the Council as a result of the delay in implementing the decision made by Cabinet back in February 2020.  Councillor L Crane the current Portfolio Holder supported the case of Councillor C Browne stating that when she had been a Member of the Committee there had been no requests to rerun the consultation process at any point during the periods the Committee had considered the matter.

Members of the Committee then asked a number of questions of Councillor C Browne which were responded to relating to:-

•           The consultation process with particular focus on the removal of gritting routes located near to primary and secondary schools and whether or not local Councillors should have had more involvement in the removal of these routes;

•           General lack of local Member involvement in the consultation process;

•           Lack of a single document containing the methodology;

•           The £230,000 financial pressure within the place directorate;

•           Further scope for Ward Councillors to challenge the scoring criteria which officers used and applied;

•           The criteria for removing winter gritting routes;

•           Cabinet Member awareness of on going consultations;

•           Attendance at Area Highways Group and why Parish/Town Councils         weren’t invited;

•           Possibility of holding further Area Highways Group meetings with invites to these meetings being extended to all schools and Parish/Town Councils to discuss the routes without going out to a full consultation.

Visiting Members, Councillors S Corcoran and D Brown attended the meeting and made a number of comments.  Councillor Corcoran reiterated that each criteria had been assessed in detail and there had been no objections to the consultation process previously.  In addition he stated that the Area Highways Groups had been given the opportunity to make comments and changes had been made as a result of the feedback.

Councillor M Simon, one of the call in Members then made a statement which reiterated the concerns of Councillor J Clowes stating the first she was aware of the consultation process was back in June 2019 which left only one week to feedback any comments before the consultation closed.  She considered that local knowledge was vital and that Cabinet should be urged to contact all those Ward Councillors impacted by the reduction in gritting routes.

Further questions were then raised asking for clarification if there would there be a further delay should the Committee offered advice to Cabinet, how long the consultation process would take, how would it be undertaken if the call in was successful given the current situation with meetings being cancelled and would it be appropriate to make use of CHALC? 

Councillor J Clowes confirmed she was happy to consider a streamlined consultation process, however she emphasised it was critical that people were aware that it was happening.  She agreed that the link with the Area Highways Groups would help to satisfy the need for further consultation.

The matter was then opened up for debate.  The Committee considered the two options available to them, which was to either offer no advice in which case the decision could be implemented, or offer advice, which would be submitted to Cabinet for a decision to be made on the matter.

Following consideration of the issues raised in the call in request, the responses given, Members felt it appropriate to offer the following advice to Cabinet:-

Given the delay already to implementing the policy there would be sufficient time for a further streamlined consultation process with the Area Highways Groups and Town/Parish Councils to be undertaken as part of the Well Managed Highways Infrastructure annual review process.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet be advised to:-

(1) To undertake a further round of streamlined consultation on the winter service element only as part of the annual review of the Well Managed Highways Infrastructure annual review process;

(2) That this annual review process be carried out through the Area Highways Groups, including the involvement of all Parish and Town Councils and relevant community/cycle groups as appropriate, with supporting information to be supplied to the AHG’s in advance of the meetings and shared with all schools;

(3) That a letter be sent to all schools within the Borough informing them of this additional round of consultation as part of the first annual review;

(4) That all schools be given an appropriate amount of time to respond to the consultation as part of the first annual review.

The meeting was adjourned for lunch from 12.20pm until 1.00pm).