Present:-

Devon County Council:-

Councillors Sellis (Vice-Chairman - in the Chair) and Ball

West Devon Borough Council:-

Councillor Leech

Apologies:-

Councillors McInnes and Sanders (Devon County Council) and Councillor Benson (West Devon Borough Council)

*12 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2013 be signed as a correct record.

*13 Devon Highways Update

The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste on highway maintenance under the Voluntary Joint Venture agreement with South West Highways. Mr G Robinson, Operations Director, South West Highways also attended and spoke at the invitation of the Committee. The presentation covered:

the impacts of winter weather throughout Devon - 1340 fallen trees; 176 bank slips; 4600 reported flooding incidents;

the introduction of a Members Information Pack on: the highways backlog; what s happening in your area?; highways network condition; safety defects and fixing potholes; Bellwin funding; winter damage and maintenance; self-help and community support and other service areas - the pack would also be available online;

building the case for more capital funding - Devon highways budget and road condition index;

pothole repair process - through planning and resource optimisation;

examples of efficiencies - recycling of materials e.g. reedbed treatment of gully waste and surface dressing.

The Committee viewed a DVD on surface dressing by a combi-unit.

The Committee:

welcomed the Place Scrutiny Committee s decision to hold a Spotlight Review on Potholes;

encouraged an imaginative and creative approach involving the local community and others to repairing minor roads closed by storm damage which were beyond economic repair, especially where they served residential properties or businesses;

supported the County Council s strategy for focusing investment on A and B roads and reactive and preventative works in order to preserve a safe and functional highway network to help maintain the economy of the county and region, acknowledging the sound case for, and value for money of, the further Government funding being sought for road maintenance;

acknowledged the need to maintain residential estate roads to a good standard;

suggested that the potential for joint working between District Councils and South West Highways on recycling e.g. on material collected by street sweeping should be explored;

thanked Devon County Highways and South West Highways staff for their unstinting and dedicated service during the recent winter storms.

*14 Market and Coastal Towns Rural Foundation Programme

The Committee considered the joint Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation Environment and the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste (PTE/14/25 - text only | pdf PTE/14/25) summarising the local schemes in the Market and Coastal Towns Rural Foundation element of the proposed Local Transport Plan programme for 2014/15 in the West Devon area and seeking approval for the implementation of a new footway on New Launceston Road, Tavistock.

The Report also commented on the Market and Coastal Towns and Rural Devon Foundation Programme Larger Schemes, the Targeted Capital Investment Programme and the Countywide Foundation Programme as they related to West Devon, and progress on Year 2 (2013/14) of the Local Schemes Programme.

It was MOVED by Councillor Sellis, SECONDED by Councillor Ball and

RESOLVED

(a) that the funding provisions for local schemes in West Devon included in Report PTE/13/55 - text only | pdf PTE/13/55 (Transport Capital Programme 2013/14 - 2014/15: Proposed Allocation) considered by the Cabinet on 10 July 2013 be noted;

(b) that the footway shown on drawing no. B13010 for New Launceston Road, Tavistock be approved for construction at an estimated cost of 60,000, subject to confirmation of statutory undertakers costs and agreement of West Devon Borough Council as owner of the former railway bridge crossed by the footway.

*15 Action Taken Under Delegated Powers

The Committee received the Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste (HCW/14/27 - text only | pdf HCW/14/27) setting out action taken under delegated powers on advertised Traffic Regulation Orders since the last meeting.

*16 Future HATOC Meetings

It was noted that meetings would be held as follows:

Thursday 5 June 2014 (Tavistock)

Tuesday 4 November 2014 (Okehampton)

Monday 23 March 2015 (Tavistock)

(all 11.00am).

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 11.00am and finished at 12.30pm

The Minutes of the West Devon Highways Traffic Orders Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-