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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Bridge Street, Bideford

Contact: Gerry Rufolo, 01392 382299  Email: gerry.rufolo@devon.gov.uk

Items
Note No. Item

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11.

Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2016, (previously circulated).

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2016 be signed as a correct record.

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12.

Items Requiring Urgent Attention

Items which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

Minutes:

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

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13.

Devon Highways Update

Presentation by the Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste

Minutes:

The Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste reported on the Cabinet’s decision to award the  County Council’s Highways Term Maintenance Contract to Skanska Construction UK Limited,  as a single lot bid for the County Council (for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2024, with extension options to 2027); and transitional arrangements would be made at the appropriate time.

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14.

Community Road Warden Scheme pdf icon PDF 704 KB

Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste (HCW/16/70) attached

Minutes:

(Councillor Hackett attended in accordance with Standing Order 25 (2) and spoke to this item outlining his difficult experiences in attaining Chapter 8 accreditation)

 

The Committee received the report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste (HCW/16/70) on changes to the Community Road Warden Scheme in light of feedback since the scheme’s introduction 2 years ago.  The scheme guidance was being simplified and updated, and its scope widened to include the option to undertake minor carriageway surfacing repairs, and a process to apply for financial grants towards materials, labour and equipment introduced.  The intention was to relaunch the scheme through a number of local parish and town council events to be held during November.

 

Members’ discussion points with the Head of Service included:

 

·         the relatively low number of Road Warden Agreements (20 to date, from some 450 Parish and Town Councils) and difficulties in finding volunteers with an ageing population in rural parishes;

·         issues with storage of equipment for use by Parishes with the imminent closure of current County Council depots in Okehampton and Torrington, however Skanska would have operating depots in the western part of the County;

·         the high cost of personal protective equipment/clothing noting the availability of the funding from the County Council; 

·         reported problems in receiving accreditation following completion of Chapter 8 training;

·         continuing issues for volunteer groups in getting public liability cover;

·         arrangements for combined Town and Parish highway conferences (and the DALC Annual Conference arranged for 11 October at the Exeter Race Course) on the updated Scheme; noting that the County Council’s Project Officer was also available to further brief Parish Councils as necessary.    

 

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15.

Request for a One way System- Westward Ho! pdf icon PDF 313 KB

Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste (HCW/16/41) attached

Minutes:

(Councillor Durkin, Northam Town Council, attended in accordance with Standing Order 25 (2) and spoke to this item outlining the history of traffic movements in this area and concerns about visibility splays due to vegetation and impact of impending residential development)

 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development and Waste (HCW/16/41) on the proposed provision of a defined one-way system in Westward Ho! and concerns over the volume of traffic on Stanwell Hill and the potential for vehicle conflict.

 

Following the production of the Northam Traffic Management Plan a Working Party (comprising Town, District, County Councillors and local residents) had recommended that a one-way system on Stanwell Hill and Fosketh Hill should not be progressed.  The main reason for this recommendation had centred on serious concerns over increased vehicle speeds and accidents, especially on corners where drivers currently have to proceed with caution due to the presence of on-coming vehicles.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Boyd, SECONDED by Councillor Eastman and

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the assessment made from the information currently available in the Northam Traffic Management Plan be noted;

 

(b) that further work be undertaken by Officers in connection with the viability of a trial study for a one-way system subject to a breakdown of the costs for consideration at the next meeting and the identification of a source of funding.

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16.

Pedestrian Crossing, A386 Churchill Way, Northam pdf icon PDF 826 KB

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/16/45) attached

 

Minutes:

(Councillor Durkin, Northam Town Council, attended in accordance with Standing Order 25 (2) and spoke to this item in support of the proposal for a controlled pedestrian crossing at the location recommended in the Report)

 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/16/45) on a proposed scheme to introduce a new signal controlled pedestrian crossing adjacent to Torridge Swimming Pool on the A386, Churchill Way Northam.

 

The Head of Planning, Transportation & Environment undertook to circulate a breakdown of the cost of the proposed scheme to Members. 

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Boyd, SECONDED by Councillor Eastman and

 

RESOLVED that the scheme shown on plan DCCP16841-EDG-HGN-40900531-DR-C-001-P1 included in Appendix I, be approved for construction.

 

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17.

Petitions/Parking Policy Reviews

[An item to be taken under s18 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 relating to any reviews of parking policy sought in line with the Council’s Petition Scheme (https://new.devon.gov.uk/democracy/guide/constitutionparts2-4/part-4-section-7-petition-scheme/).

Minutes:

There was no petition from a member of the public or the Council relating to the Torridge District.

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18.

Transport Capital Programme pdf icon PDF 130 KB

The Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/16/43) is attached for information, approved by the Cabinet at its meeting on 14 September 2016 (Cabinet Minute 70 refers)

Minutes:

The Committee received the report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/16/43) approved by the Cabinet at its meeting on 14 September 2016 (Cabinet Minute 70 refers) on the revised Capital Programme for 2016/17 to reflect changes in scheme costs, funding sources and timing.

 

The Head of Service undertook to provide further information to the Chairman relating to the design in respect of the cycle route schemes Meeth Quarry to the River Torridge, Tarka Trail and Torrington to Tarka Trail clarify the programme for funding for traffic calming works at Winkleigh and advised that detailed proposals relating North Devon Link Road would be submitted to the next Cabinet on 12 October 2016.

 

 

19.

Highways Safety Policy

To note the following reference from Cabinet for information.  Report HCW/16/39 can be

found at:   http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=133&MId=160&Ver=4

 

 “(a) that the Highway Safety Policy set out in Appendix A to Report HCW/16/39 be approved and the Head of Highways, Capital Development & Waste be authorised, in consultation with the County Solicitor and the Cabinet Member for Highway Management and Flood prevention, to approve further minor amendments to the Highway Safety Inspection Policy prior to the next full review in September 2018;

 

 (b) that Highways & Traffic Order Committees be made aware of the revised operational policy.”

Minutes:

The Committee noted that Cabinet on 14 October had resolved:

 

 “(a) that the Highway Safety Policy set out in Appendix A to Report HCW/16/39 be approved and the Head of Highways, Capital Development & Waste be authorised, in consultation with the County Solicitor and the Cabinet Member for Highway Management and Flood prevention, to approve further minor amendments to the Highway Safety Inspection Policy prior to the next full review in September 2018;

 

(b) that Highways & Traffic Order Committees be made aware of the revised operational policy.”

 

The Neighbourhood Highway Group Manager reported that the main change now related to a risk assessment process to determine the appropriate response when dealing with defects that meet the investigatory criteria. This amended the existing system whereby response times were dictated by maintenance category, and allowed for the appropriate response time to be assigned taking into account the degree of risk the defect may pose to a highway user.

 

 

 


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