Agenda and minutes

(N.B. In accordance with the County Council’s Constitution, the Chair and Vice-Chair must be County Councillors)

RESOLVED that Councillors Hughes and Hall be elected Chair and Vice-Chair respectively for the ensuing year.

The Chair welcomed Mrs Saltmarsh who was attending the meeting in her capacity as a Co-opted Member of the Council's Standards Committee to observe and monitor compliance with the Council’s ethical governance framework.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 March 2019, attached.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2019 be signed as a correct record.

Items which in the opinion of the Chair should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

Presentation by the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste

The Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste gave a presentation (attached) which covered: the Annual Programme for 2019-20 (Capital Works); Design/Delivery; Cyclical Works; Programmes; and Doing What Matters.

Doing What Matters was a different approach from a largely data-led process to a more stream-lined pragmatic system-thinking approach for highways maintenance. Members welcomed the approach with an emphasis on local Member and Neighbourhood Highways officer input.

There followed discussion with Members and Officers around the responsibility for the provision of correct signage during road closures; the statutory undertaking of Utilities; and the desirability of co-ordinating works where possible.

Members questioned the progress of the programme improvement task group and requested that an update be provided to a future meeting of the Committee.  Members also requested that Parish Clerks be provided with training on the use of the Highways dashboard.

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/19/67), attached.

(Councillor C Burhop (on behalf of Council V Ranger of Newton Poppleford Parish Council) and Sergeant Andy Squires from Devon & Cornwall Police attended under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme and spoke in support of this item.)

The Committee considered the Report of the Chief Officer of Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/19/67) on the safety review of the A3052 at Four Elms Hill.  Previous reports had been brought to the Committee on 30 November 2017 and 12 March 2019.  The latter meeting having discussed reducing the National Speed limit to 40mph and, based on the results of speed surveys, collision data and the Council’s current speed limit policy, the scope to seek an amendment to the speed limit.

Subject to formal approval and a departure from policy, the Report recommended that a Traffic Regulation Order be advertised seeking to reduce the current National Speed limit on the A3052 between the existing 40mph limit at the Bowd junction and the 30mph limit at Newton Poppleford.

Members welcomed the Report and were pleased that Local Members had been heard.

It was MOVED by Councillor Hughes, SECONDEDED by Councillor Channon and

RESOLVED

(a)        that a Traffic Regulation Order be advertised for an extension to the 40ph speed limit on the A3052 from the Bowd to the existing 30mph speed limit at Newton Poppleford, as shown in Appendix I to Report HIW/19/67;

(b)        that, subject to the results of the proposed amendment to the speed limit and consultation with Devon and Cornwall Police regarding the Double White Line System, the revised road markings be implemented as detailed in Appendix II to Report HIW/19/67;

(c)        that the Traffic Regulation Order and amendments to the road markings be funded through the On-Street Parking account at an estimated combined cost of £10,000; and

(d)        that consideration be given to the re-painting of road markings; the use of high friction surface and edge marking at the location set out in (a) above.

Report of the Chief officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/19/68), attached.

The Committee received the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure and Waste (HIW/19/68) on action taken in consultation with the Chair and Local Members.

The County Council Calendar of meetings is available on the website: http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1

The County Council Calendar of meetings is available on the website: http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1