Agenda and minutes

No substitute members had been appointed to the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Local Highways Panel held on Thursday 28 February 2013.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 28 February 2013 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no matters arising.

There was no further business brought forward at the meeting.

To discuss the Scheme List for 2013/14 (details to follow).

(1)        The Chairman advised Members that all Schemes for the current year had to be submitted by 25 April 2013 so they could be initially validated before the next meeting on 6 June 2013.

(2)        County Officers explained if a feasibility study came back and advised not to go ahead with the scheme then the monies put aside for that scheme would be lost.

(3)        County Officers reported that the budget for 2014/15 would not be available until Autumn 2013.

(4)        The Chairman advised the County Officers that a detailed monitoring report of all the new schemes that had been brought forward should be available at the next meeting.

The Works Programme Monitor is attached for consideration.

Members expressed concerns regarding the general lack of progress of the Schemes that had been put forward in September 2012.

It was agreed that the Chairman of the Panel would request that a meeting be arranged between all LHP Chairmen and the County Cabinet Member to be held as soon as possible after the elections.

Updated schedule attached.

Members expressed concerns that there were no answers from County as to whether the S106 monies could be used for other schemes in the area, particularly the Buckhurst Hill area.

The Chairman agreed to write to the ECC Cabinet Member about concerns of the speed of delivery of schemes.

Members advised County Officers that they would expect a report at the next meeting to include detailed delivery dates of each scheme with an explanation of why the scheme had not been carried out.

County Officers suggested inviting S106 Officers to the next meeting to discuss the use of S106 monies.

Schedule of Rangers works attached for consideration.

The current programme of rangers works was noted.

(1)        The Chairman suggested that Parish Councils should become more involved with the Highway Rangers and that County Officers should write again to Parish Councils to advise them of what the Highway Rangers could do for the district.

Members were advised of signage problems within the district.

(1)        Councillor Bassett advised the Panel that the sign for the weight restriction in Dobb’s        Weir Road, Nazeing was wrong. This had been noticed approximately 2 years ago and to date had not been changed.

It was agreed that County Officers would contact Hertfordshire Highways and report back at the next meeting.

(2)        Councillor Lea advised the Panel that the sign on the Crooked Mile Roundabout indicated that the M25 Motorway would be the 2^nd turning on the left. This was not correct the 2^nd turning on the left was Monkswood Avenue which was a cul-de-sac. Daily HGV lorries turn into Monkswood Avenue and when they had realised it was a cul-de-sac and they could not turn around they would then have to reverse back down the road onto a very busy junction.

It was agreed that County Officers would investigate and report back at the next meeting.

(3)        The Chairman asked Highways Officers to circulate a contact list of County Officers sharing the new organisational structure to aid liaison.

To agree the dates as previously circulated, set out below for future meetings. All meetings to be held with a 7pm start.

6 June 2013

18 July 2013

5 September 2013

31 October 2013

30 January 2014

27 March 2014

It was agreed that the next meeting would be held on Thursday 6 June 2013 at 7pm in Committee Room 2 at the Civic Offices.