Issue - meetings

The Strategic Director for Places and the Portfolio Holder to attend the meeting to discuss the concerns of the Committee regarding road safety in Cheshire East.

The Chairman recapped on the current situation regarding the Committee’s concerns on road safety. He explained that at the last meeting of the Committee, Members had requested the Strategic Director - Places and relevant Portfolio Holder attend a future meeting to discuss Cheshire East’s proposal for road safety and the highways procurement contact.

It was highlighted to members that since the publication of the agenda, the Director – Places had submitted his apologies for the meeting and therefore the Head of Safer and Stronger Communities was deputising for him.

The Head of Safer and Stronger Communities informed Members that an Officer Working Group had been established to devise proposals for how road safety could be dealt with in the future. The work of this group and work on the highways procurement contract would be completed in time for the Committee’s meeting scheduled to be held on 3 March.

The Committee raised strong concerns that the neither the Portfolio Holder or Strategic Director were present at the meeting and agreed that the Chairman write to the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council expressing the Committees dissatisfaction. It was therefore agreed that this item should be deferred until the meeting scheduled to be held on 3 March 2011.

Members highlighted the importance of road safety being in the highways contract and questioned whether or not the authority was currently fulfilling its statutory obligations. It was also agreed that Halton Borough Council should be requested to review its decision not to join the Road Safety Partnership.

The Committee also agreed that it was unable to fulfil its scrutiny role, as it had not received the relevant detailed budget or fees and charges information. The Head of Safer and Stronger Communities agreed that this would be circulated to the Committee.

RESOLVED

1. That the Head of safer and Stronger Communities be thanked for attending the Committee meeting.
2. That the Chairman writes to the Chief Executive and Leader of Council expressing the Committees dissatisfaction with regard to the lack of attendance by the Director – Places and Portfolio Holder at the Committee meeting.
3. That the Director – Places, Portfolio Holder, Strategic Highways and Transportation Manager and Alex Waller from the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Authority attend the meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on 3 March 2011.
4. That the relevant budget information be circulated to the Committee as soon as possible.