Present:-

Devon County Council:-

Councillors Ball, McInnes, Sanders and Sellis

West Devon Borough Council:-

Councillors Benson and Leech

Also in Attendance: -

Mr A Steemson, Head Ranger, Dartmoor National Park Authority (for Agenda Item 5 - Proposed Cattle Grid Installations - Chagford Area)

Mr B Pyle, Operations Director, South West Highways (for Agenda Item 6 - Devon Highways Update and Agenda Item 7 - Community Self-Help and the Road Warden Scheme)

*17 Election of Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor Sanders be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

*18 Election of Vice-Chairman

RESOLVED that Councillor Sellis be elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

*19 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2014 be signed as a correct record.

*20 Proposed Cattle Grid Installations - Chagford Area

(Councillor G Gribble attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item)

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste (HCW/14/77 - text only | pdf HCW/14/77) on proposals by the Chagford Commoners Association to install cattle grids at two locations in the Chagford area and representations received in relation to the proposals.

The Report indicated that the Chagford Commoners Association had applied to install cattle grids and bypass facilities for the purposes of controlling the passage of animals along the highway at two locations, namely south of Stiniel Cross in Chagford Parish within the West Devon Borough Council area and south of Langaford Bridge in North Bovey Parish within the Teignbridge District Council area. The Committee was advised that the proposal relating to Langaford Bridge would be considered by the Teignbridge HATOC at its meeting on 27 November 2014.

The proposals had been advertised in November 2013 under Section 82 and Schedule 10 of the Highways Act, 1980 and a total of 32 representations had been received, which were summarised in Appendix III to the Report, together with officer responses to the issues raised.

The Head of Service commented that the issue to be determined by the County Council in accordance with the Highways Act, 1980 was solely whether it was "expedient" to install the grids and bypasses for the purposes of controlling the passage of animals along the highway.

He pointed out that:

the grids would allow greater control of livestock in the area, particularly through preventing livestock wandering towards the B3212, and thereby help to enable an effective grazing regime to be re-established on Stiniel Common;

installation of the two proposed grids would result in significant ecological benefit to Stiniel Common;

grazing of this habitat was essential in order to prevent/reverse succession to woodland and to create the conditions required by species such as the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (a UK priority species);

there was no justification for the County Council as Highway Authority to withhold permission for the installation of cattle girds and bypasses as proposed at these two locations on the minor rural road network, which were of standard design and had been subject to site specific safety audits.

Representations received from Mr R Vines against the proposed cattle grid installations were reported at the meeting.

Exceptionally, in the spirit of the County Council s Public Participation rules and with the consent of the Committee, the Chairman invited persons now present to speak on this matter. Mr B Norris, Mr D Ingram, Mr R Holt, Mrs E Holt and Mrs G Macfadyen spoke objecting to the proposed cattle grid installations. Mrs A Willcocks (Chagford Commoners Association), Mrs G Hill (Chagford Parish Council) and Mr Boyer spoke in support of the proposals. In addition and with the consent of the Committee, Mr A Steemson, Head Ranger, Dartmoor National Park Authority, attended the meeting and spoke to this item at the invitation of the Committee).

In response to the issues raised at the meeting by members of the public:

the Head of Service confirmed his view that the cattle grid proposals were legally sound and that the cost of future maintenance of the proposed cattle grids and bypasses would be subject to negotiation with the Commoners;

the Head Ranger of the Dartmoor National Park Authority confirmed that the Authority supported the proposals and was satisfied with them from the environmental/ecological point of view.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (financial, environmental and equality considerations) set out in the Head of Service s Report and/or referred to above having been considered, it was MOVED by Councillor Sanders, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes and

RESOLVED that the installation of a cattle grid south of Stiniel Cross in Chagford Parish be approved, subject to:

(a) the proposed cattle grid bypass being dedicated by the landowners as public highway;

(b) all installation costs being met by the applicant;

(c) the applicant agreeing to pay a commuted sum to cover the cost of future maintenance.

*21 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 B Pyle, Operations Director, South West Highways also attended and spoke at the invitation of the Committee. The presentation and discussions covered:

the new improved, internet based system for the reporting by members of the public and staff of, and providing information on, highways problems such as potholes, flooding and blocked drains, street light defects, ice hazards etc. The system could be accessed by mobile phones, tablets etc. Individuals could track the response to the reported fault, were not required to give their personal details and could remain anonymous. If an email address was provided, the reported fault was acknowledged automatically and information given on the progress of remedial action. The design and operation of the system had been subjected to tests involving use by Parish Council clerks. Parish and Town Councils had been notified of the introduction of the new reporting system;

the overview on the County Council s website of the County Council s highway repair and maintenance responsibilities and policies and the circumstances in which action is taken (e.g. repairs are only carried out on potholes which are over 40mm deep and greater than 300mm in any horizontal direction);

Members requests for links to the following on the County Council s website: the highways Report a Problem page, and the Highways Funding page with the link to the Highway Structural Maintenance Works Programme:

(NB. The links are as follows:

https://new.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/report-a-problem/

https://new.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/maintaining-roads/highways-funding/)

the Blackberry smartphones used by highways staff were not compatible with the new reporting system - although the Head of Service anticipated that suitable replacements would be provided in due course;

the importance of highways staff being able to use the reporting system and the need for investment in IT devices that would facilitate access;

the backlog in the number of potholes recorded and repaired following last winter s severe weather (which had peaked at over 4500 per week) had greatly reduced with numbers having returned to around the same levels experienced last autumn;

the quality/durability of pothole repairs depended on factors including the need to meet statutory obligations, status of the road, weather conditions and work levels;

jetpatching (using high pressure air to prepare and fill potholes) was being trialled and was demonstrating a high level of productivity and good repair standards - however, this method could not be used in wet conditions;

photographic records were kept of repairs and re-repairs but it was not always possible to identify with certainty what constituted a re-repair given that potholes and their repairs sometimes overlapped;

generally speaking the County Council was not liable for insurance claims for vehicle damage if it could demonstrate that a robust inspection regime was in place and identified or reported safety defects were made safe within policy timescales;

no reductions were currently proposed in the highway staff responsible for safety inspections;

the County Council had received a Severe Weather Recovery Grant of 7 million from the Government and had been awarded 9 million following a bid to the Government s Pothole Fund, the highest award in the country. Members congratulated highways staff on the successful bid;

the contribution which the new reporting system and associated maps had made to improving efficiency through better targeting of manpower and funds and helping to make the case for extra funding.

*22 Community Self-Help and the Road Warden Scheme

The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste on Community Self-Help in undertaking minor highways works such as vegetation clearance and sign cleaning and the Road Warden Scheme. The presentation and discussions covered:

the two recent Parish and Town Council Conferences held to promote and explain Community Self-Help and the Road Warden Scheme and raise awareness of the support available from the County Council in terms of training, advice and supply of materials etc which had been attended by approximately 70 local council representatives;

the role of the Road Warden which was - after training - to act as the community co-ordinator of the self-help scheme, undertake risk assessments, organise and supervise a minor works programme and volunteers and liaise with the County Council as appropriate;

a leaflet distributed to householders/landowners to encourage them to help manage roadside hedges and trees and a request for local councils support on this initiative;

the revised operation of the Parish Lengthsman service which was now focused on the annual clean of drainage features, and the action taken by local councils to purchase additional lengthsman services from South West Highways or employ other operatives, with some using the Town and Parish Fund;

a successful example of Community Self-Help where landowners in Harcombe near Sidmouth had undertaken basic repairs to a minor road damaged in last winter s storms with materials provided by the County Council;

the Community Payback scheme where low skill, high impact work such as weed clearing was undertaken by offenders under supervision and the need for more information on the scheme for local councils so that they could make their own arrangements with the Probation Service;

the County Council would provide public liability insurance for voluntary maintenance work undertaken on the highway/footpath under the Road Warden scheme, subject to it being undertaken in a safe manner according to the County Council s advice, but would not provide any other form of insurance cover for volunteers who undertook these activities at their own risk - however, local councils could extend their own insurance to cover volunteers at relatively low cost;

training to various levels had been provided for local council volunteers and funding for this was in place for the current year;

a balance needed to be struck between adequate training and health and safety awareness for volunteers and too much red tape ;

more information for local councils on the materials and equipment available from the County Council for Community Self-Help;

community groups that wished to appoint a Road Warden should pursue the matter either through their local council or direct with the County Council;

a possible role for disabled persons in Community Self-Help.

*23 Action Taken Under Delegated Powers

The Committee received the Report of the Head of Highways, Capital Development Waste (HCW/14/78 - text only | pdf HCW/14/78) setting out action taken under delegated powers on advertised Traffic Regulation Orders since the last meeting.

*24 Future HATOC Meetings

It was noted that meetings would be held as follows: Monday 23 March 2015 (Tavistock); Tuesday 14 July 2015 (Okehampton); Thursday 5 November 2015 (Tavistock) and Tuesday 22 March 2016 (Okehampton) (all 11.00am).

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 11.00am and finished at 1.05pm

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