Agenda and minutes

To note any apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M Hunter and D Stockton.

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.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 January 2022.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 13 January 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting.

Councillor R Bailey attended the meeting and spoke on item 5 - Referral of Notice of Motion: Second Winter Gritting Consultation.

Town Councillor H Ellwood attended the meeting and spoke on item 6 - Highway Winter Service Mid-Season Review.

Councillor M Warren attended the meeting and spoke on item 6 - Highway Winter Service Mid-Season Review.

To consider a report in response to a Notice of Motion on a Second Winter Gritting Consultation.

Consideration was given to a report responding to the Notice to Motion raised at Council relating to the call for a second round of consultation on the amendments to the winter gritting network, entitled “Further Streamlined Winter Service Consultation.

Councillor J Clowes explained her reasons for bringing the motion to the attention of the Council.  She considered some of the data on the website to be confusing and lacked clarity.  Further to this she felt the information did not provide an analysis of the consultation results which had caused residents to struggle with understanding the scores allocated to certain roads within the borough’s network and which she felt needed addressing.  She welcomed the opportunity to raise the matter with Members of the Highways and Transport Committee, however she felt the report did not address all of the questions raised within the Notice of Motion.

RESOLVED

1.That it be noted the information requested in the Notice of Motion, where missing, had been added to the web page below:

https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/highways_and_roads/road-maintenance/well-managed-highway-infrastructure.aspx.

2.That it be noted a link to the WMHI webpage had been added on the Council’s public consultation webpage.

To consider a report on the implementation of the revised policy for the Winter gritting route network in the borough.

Consideration was given to a report updating the Committee on the implementation of the revised policy for the Winter gritting route network in the borough.

Councillor M Sewart moved an amendment to the substantive motion which was to include a further recommendation that bullet point one, paragraph 6.22 of the report be included with the addition of the words ‘in consultation with Ward Councillors’.  Councillor C Browne seconded the amendment with the proviso that the five bullet points listed under paragraph 6.22 of the report, including the addition of the words ‘in consultation with Ward Councillors’ form part of the final recommendation.

Members made the following comments:-

·         Welcomed the recommendation to develop a network hierarchy;

·         Any future review should consider the fact that the current Winter had been mild and that any future policy decisions should not be based on an abnormal Winter season;

·         The data was not indicative of all the concerns residents were raising in terms of what was happening on the roads within their areas;

·         Whilst it was important to adhere to the national guidelines as far as possible, it was recognised there was potential for interpretation;

·         Rural communities had been impacted and this fact should not be overlooked;

·         Further context was requested on the figures at 6.12 of the report (which set out how many treatments had been undertaken and on what days the treatments had been carried out) compared to the same period over the last three years by way of comparison;

·         Member involvement would be key in terms of gathering and communicating evidence to a centrally agreed deposit.

·         Initially as part of any meaningful review, focus should be on the roads that scored highly but not highly enough to meet the criteria to be included within the Winter gritting programme.

Councillor S Akers Smith asked a question in respect of how much of the budget had been spent on treatment days.  Members were advised that a written response to this question would be circulated after the meeting.

RESOLVED

1.That implementation of the new Winter gritting routes continued to be carefully monitored by the Highways and Transport Committee over the remainder of the Winter season to be carried out in with consultation with Ward Councillors.

2.That a report be presented to a future Highways and Transport Committee which responded to the points raised by the Committee as outlined above and which provided detailed analysis of the impacts of the new routes with consideration being given if any changes would be required to the new policy.

3.That a review would re-score any roads on which there had been significant representations and consideration should be given whether they be included in the gritting programme if they met the criteria after re-scoring.

4.That a review would consider evidence relating to accidents on the highway network during icy conditions to assess any implications of the recent change.

5.That a review would consider whether there should be minor amendments to the scoring matrix in the light of the winter experience.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

To consider a report requesting approval of the first set of Local Transport Delivery Plans, which have been prepared as part of the Council’s transport strategy framework.

Consideration was given to a report seeking the Committee’s approval for the first set of Local Transport Delivery Plans, which had been prepared as part of the Council’s transport strategy framework.

It was proposed by Councillor L Crane and seconded by Councillor S Akers Smith that the substantive motion be approved subject to any reference within the recommendations to the word ‘delivery’ being replaced with the word’ development’.  Prior to the motion being voted upon the following amendment was put forward by Councillor M Benson and seconded by Councillor L Gilbert:-

(i)            That recommendation 3.1.4 become 3.1.1 and the words ‘Note that the’ be removed.

(ii)          That recommendation 3.1.1 become recommendation 3.1.2 and would have the inclusion of the words ‘subject to satisfactory feedback’ at the beginning of the recommendation.

(iii)         That recommendation 3.1.2 become recommendation 3.1.3.

(iv)         That recommendation 3.1.3 become recommendation 3.1.4.

This amendment was debated, voted upon and lost.

Members debated the substantive motion which was approved subject to any reference within the recommendations to the word ‘delivery’ being replaced with the word’ development’.

RESOLVED

1.That the Local Transport Development Plans as in Appendices A – E, which would become part of the Councils policy and programme planning framework for transport be approved.

2.That it be noted the individual projects in any Development Plan would be subject to programming of the annual highways and transport capital budgets.  Projects would be progressed only after funding had been agreed and subject to all necessary scheme design and development works including consultation with stakeholders.

3.That it be noted each Development Plan could be reviewed periodically to take account of any significant changes to either national guidelines or relevant local policy context.

4.That it be noted that the Development Plans would be shared with Ward councillors and town/parish councils, who would be engaged in meetings and workshops to develop programmes to deliver relevant transport projects.

To consider a report on the Council’s Enhanced Partnership (EP) Plan and Scheme and to seek the Committee’s endorsement prior to its submission to Department for Transport.

Consideration was given to a report on the Council’s Enhanced Partnership (EP) Plan and Scheme.

Concerns were raised the report did not make it clear there would be Member involvement in the Enhanced Partnership Governance arrangements.  An amendment to the substantive motion was put forward by Councillor M Sewart and seconded by Councillor J Clowes that an additional recommendation be included which confirmed Member involvement in the Enhanced Partnership Governance Structure. In response to the amendment, Mandy Withington, the Principal Lawyer advised that such an amendment would be unconstitutional. 

A further amendment was then put forward by Councillor L Crane and seconded by Councillor C Browne which included an additional recommendation stating that the views of the Committee regarding the importance of Member involvement with the Enhanced Partnership Governance Structure be reported to Members of the BSIP Advisory Panel for their consideration. 

RESOLVED (Unanimous)

1.That the draft Enhanced Partnership Plan (EP Plan) and Scheme (EP Scheme) documents be noted.

2.That the Director of Highways and Infrastructure, in consultation with the Bus Services Member Advisory Panel be authorised, to finalise the draft Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme documents.

3.That the finalised draft EP Plan and Scheme documents be approved and submitted to the Department for Transport before the end of April, in accordance with their deadline.

4.That it be noted the final version of a Cheshire East Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme would be reported to a future meeting of this Committee for approval.

5.That the comments of the Committee regarding the importance of Member involvement in the Enhanced Partnership Governance Structure be reported to Members of the BSIP Advisory Panel.

To consider a draft report on the capital and revenue budgets available for the highway service for 2022/23 and the allocation of those budgets to the various programmes of work.

It was noted that as the information from the Department for Transport (DfT) had been submitted within the last 24 hours, it was agreed that the item should be deferred to an additional meeting of the Highways and Transport Committee scheduled to be arranged for the end of April.

RESOLVED

That the item be deferred to an additional meeting of the Highways and Transport Committee.

To consider the following request:-

Central Bedfordshire Council have adopted new legal powers that could result in fixed penalty notices being issued to drivers who are found to be parked whilst their engine is running.  The Council had said the aim was to improve air quality and support its sustainability plan. 

Councillor L Gilbert would like officers to consider bringing forward a similar scheme for Cheshire East and has requested the matter be debated by the Highways and Transport Committee.

Consideration was given to Councillor L Gilbert’s request for an item relating to idling vehicle engines to be included as a future item on the work programme.

Initial comments from some Members raised concerns that the impact on the workload of the enforcement team potentially could be significant and that educating members of the public perhaps would be a more appropriate approach to adopt. 

Members debated the request and it was agreed that the item should be included on the work programme for further discussion.

RESOLVED

That a report which included a feasibility study on the matter of idling vehicle engines be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

To consider the Work Programme and determine any required amendments.

Consideration was given to the work programme.

RESOLVED

That the work programme be noted.