Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED

That Councillor Jamie Macrae be appointed Chairman for the meeting.    

To note any apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received on this occasion.   

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda

Councillor T Beard declared a personal interest in the business of the meeting as his daughter was employed by the Highways Service.  

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos.11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the Committee.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

In order for an informed answer to be given, where a member of the public wishes to ask a question of a Cabinet Member three clear working days notice must be given and the question must be submitted in writing.  It is not required to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision, however, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours notice is encouraged.

No questions had been submitted from members of the public. 

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2010.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2010 be approved as a correct record. 

To consider progress to date on the highways procurement project.

The Sub Committee considered the report of the Strategic Director, Places which updated Members on progress achieved since the last meeting in respect of the Highways Procurement Project.  As a precursor to the discussion; the Sub Committee was reminded of the timeframe set out for completion of the project.

Of the nine bidders who had submitted Pre Qualification Questionnaires, five had since been short-listed.  The organisations concerned were to be invited to participate in dialogue to develop outline solutions to meet the requirements of the authority.

Arrangements for managing the transition period from ‘today’ through to the expiration of the current contact and the mobilisation and commencement of the new contract were discussed; the Head of Environmental Services outlining the steps which had been put in place to manage the risks involved in such a challenging period.  As this was not the only impending issue to affect the service, assurances were sought that the potential impact of changes to the Transport Structure and Local Transport Plan Settlement would also be taken into account as part of the process.     

The Sub Committee went on to discuss the potential risks to the Council should the programme slip. On the proviso that the evaluation of solutions was completed on time, officers were confident that the project would remain on track.            

For those directly affected by the changes, a Staff Stakeholder Group had been established to improve the flow of communication.  A Member commented that it was equally important for Councillors to be advised of progress on a regular basis and it was agreed that monthly briefings would, in future, be circulated. 

A Highways Contract Group had been established comprising six members of the Corporate and Environment and Prosperity Scrutiny Committees to monitor the work of the Sub Committee.  Meetings dates for the Group had been scheduled but not widely circulated and as this body was seen as the most appropriate forum at which to consider Members’ questions and concerns, it was proposed that the dates be included in future reports for completeness. 

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.           

Members are asked to note the following meeting dates which have now been set in order to fit in with the procurement project timetable.  Other meetings will be arranged as and when required.

• Tuesday 4 January 2011, 2.30 pm - Committee Suite, Westfields, Sandbach
• Wednesday 30 March 2011, 10.00 am - West Committee Room, Municipal Buildings, Crewe
• Monday 6 June 2011, at the Rising of the Cabinet meeting, Committee Suite, Westfields, Sandbach

Dates for future meetings of the Sub Committee had been set in order to fit in with the procurement timetable i.e. 4 January 2011, 30 March 2011 and 6 June 2011. 

Subsequent to this, it had transpired that the January meeting would not be quorate and the Chairman proposed that the meeting be rescheduled to 20 December to be held on the rising of Cabinet.  To ensure that future meetings were also quorate, the Chairman requesting that the dates set aside be confirmed at each meeting.