Safer Cheshire East partnership Response to NI47 - Road Safety
To receive an update from A Waller (Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service) representative of the Safer Cheshire East Partnership
Minutes:
Further to the meeting held on 25 March 2010, Alex Waller, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, attended the meeting to update Members on National Indicator 47 – Road Safety. He informed the Committee that since the last meeting the Department for Transport had announced that there would be significant budget cuts and that Cheshire East Council had also not committed to any funding. Therefore it would not be possible to deliver the objectives set out in the Strategic Plan beyond October 2011.
It was noted that both the Corporate Plan and Sustainable Community Strategy refer to road safety as an issue to be addressed and that the Road Traffic Act states that the local highway authority has a statutory responsibility for road safety.
It was also noted that the Cheshire East Casualty Profile Report highlighted that although there has been a reduction in those killed or seriously injured on the roads the Highway Agency was responsible for; there had not been a reduction on the roads Cheshire East Council was responsible for and that rural roads were a particular issue.
The Committee agreed that this was a serious issue for the authority and that the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Safer and Stronger Communities should be requested to meet with Alex Waller as a matter of urgency, to discuss how to address the issues highlighted above. Alex Waller would then report back to the Committee on the outcome of that meeting.
Emily Lam requested that she be informed if there was anything the Police Authority could do better to assist with this issue.
RESOLVED
1. That the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Safer and Stronger Communities be requested to meet with Alex Waller as a matter of urgency, to discuss how to address the issues highlighted above.
2. Alex Waller report back to the Committee on the outcome of that meeting.
3. That Emily Lam be informed if there was anything the Police Authority could do better to assist with this issue.