29 November 2013

Present:-

Devon County Council:-

Councillors Croad (Chairman), Brazil, Gilbert, Rowe and Vint

South Hams District Council:-

Councillor Coulson

Apologies:-

Councillors Hart, Hawkins and Mumford (DCC) and Hannaford (SHDC)

*14 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2013 be signed as a correct record.

*15 Highways Virtual Joint Venture (VJV) Update

The Committee received and noted a presentation by the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste on the Highways Virtual Joint Venture agreement with South West Highways. Mr Ben Pyle, Managing Director of SW Highways, also attended and spoke at the invitation of the Committee.

The presentation covered: the diminishing proportion of funding for highways (both capital and revenue) and the maintenance backlog; different service delivery models (including the current voluntary agreement to the Virtual Joint Venture with SW Highways); the retendering exercise to be carried out by 2017; on-going initiatives with SW Highways and continuous drivers towards improving efficiency and effectiveness (with an emphasis on prevention) within constrained and reducing resources; the Asset Management Plan principles; and policy developments in respect of surface treatments, gully cleaning and grass cutting.

The Managing Director of SW Highways referred to the close and transparent working relationships with the County Council to help drive efficiencies and performance and recent reductions in the SW Highways workforce. The Head of Service commented on discussions taking place with the Environment Agency on ways of reducing the significant costs involved in meeting its strict environmental requirements relating to the disposal of gully waste etc.

It was noted that before any new contract was procured the service delivery models and options, as outlined in the presentation, would be fully investigated and recommendations submitted to Cabinet. Given available resources Devon compared favourably with many other authorities in the 2013 national highway and transport satisfaction survey.

During discussion, the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste acknowledged the need for effective communication with local County Councillors, Town and Parish Councils and the public on the local maintenance programme/activities, the severe pressures on the highways budget and the reasons why under the preventative road surface treatment regime and the associated value for money principles, the worst road surfaces were not always given priority for repair. He commented that improved communication should help manage expectations and reduce the large number of representations received to which hard pressed highways staff had to respond. The Head of Service drew attention to work taking place on the development of a strategy for better communicating Highways Asset Management policies and programmes to local councils and the public and the recent Parish Conference at which delegates had understood the difficult situation facing the Highway Authority and the need for greater emphasis on self-help .

The Head of Service confirmed that the views of local councils on the relative importance of minor roads in their communities and on those roads which they felt could be left unmaintained and abandoned would be taken into account in a review of the local highway network hierarchy.

The Chairman thanked the Head of Service and the Managing Director of SW Highways for their informative presentation.

*16 Market and Coastal Towns Rural Foundation Programme/Devon and Torbay Local Transport Plan 2011 to 2026: Proposed Programme 2012/13 to 2014/15

The Committee received and noted the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation Environment (PTE/13/99 - text only | pdf PTE/13/99) summarising the 2013/14 and 2014/15 transport capital programme schemes relating to the South Hams HATOC area which had been approved by the Cabinet in July 2013.

The programme would be funded through a combination of sources including the Local Transport Plan Integrated Block, Pinch Point and Linking Communities funds secured following successful bids to the Department for Transport and developer contributions.

Schemes in the South Hams which were expected to be constructed or designed in 2013/14 and 2014/15 (in addition to the local schemes identified in the report to the July 2013 HATOC meeting) included: the A38 Deep Lane Junction; bus shelters at Ivybridge; highway improvements in Totnes town centre; and a new section of the South West Coast Path at Strete. Work was also taking place on several countywide schemes such as the South West bus travel smartcard project which would benefit the South Hams.

The Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste:

reported that the scheme for bus shelters in Ivybridge had been progressed through funding from the Ivybridge Town Council and the local County Councillor s Locality Budget;

undertook to look into and update Members on matters relating to: Redworth Junction, Totnes; Section 106 funding; Plymouth Road, Totnes; highway improvements in Totnes town centre; local sustainable transport funds; Avonwick traffic calming scheme and masonry wall alongside A381 north of Halwell.

*17 Action Taken Under Delegated Powers

The Committee received and noted the Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste (HCW/13/72 - text only | pdf HCW/13/72) setting out action taken under delegated powers on advertised Traffic Regulation Orders since the last meeting.

*18 Future HATOC Meetings: Start Time

RESOLVED that future meetings start at 10.00am instead of 9.30am.

DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 9.30am and finished at 10.40am.