Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Local Highways Panel held on 21 November 2013.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 November 2013 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to amendments to the following paragraphs:

Item 29 (1) paragraph 1 to read as follows:

Councillor Jackson advised the Panel that his division would not be prepared to pay for a junction improvement scheme. He advised Members that as he had previously advised, the junction needed marking with white lines and the signage restored as part of a maintenance scheme, Councillor Jackson felt this was now an urgent matter to be considered.

Item 31 (1) paragraph 2 to read as follows:

Councillor Jackson queried why the Panel had to request Highway Rangers works through the Highways Department. The HLO reported that, as agreed with Essex Highways who provide the Highways Ranger service, that the requests had to be logged through Highway Enquires or the HLO. Councillor Jackson advised that the Local Highways Panel had the power to direct its liaison officers to instruct the Highways Rangers.

Progress Schedule attached.

(1)        Chairman to agree 20% Scheme Increase               

The Chairman advised the Panel that at a recent meeting with the Cabinet Member, Councillor Bass, it was agreed that he, as Panel Chairman, would be able to agree a 20% increase on schemes up to a maximum of £10,000 to avoid schemes being further delayed.

(2)        Scheme Delays         

The Chairman expressed concerns regarding schemes that had been approved and given completion dates, which had either expired or were due to expire, but had not yet been started, he questioned why the feasibility studies had not been seen by Members. He advised County Officers that a better information system was needed and asked if they could explain why there were so many delays.

Peter Wright, Essex Highways Officer advised that there had been delays with schemes all over the County, this had been due to staff shortages with the Contractors, Ringway Jacobs which had now been addressed.

County Officer Jon Simmons advised that he would meet with each of the divisional pairs before the next meeting of the Local Highways Panel to update them on the current situation with the schemes.

            AGREED:      

(2)        That County Officers would circulate the reports as and when they became available and meetings would be held with each division before the next meeting of the Local Highways Panel.

Scheme lists updated by division for consideration attached.

Members noted the Scheme Recommendations schedule for 2013/14 and asked County Officers when these schemes would be started and completed.

County Officer David Sprunt advised the Panel that the Schemes for 2013/14 would only go as far as the design and would be implemented in the year 2014/15.

County Councillor Johnson advised the Panel that schemes were running approximately a year behind schedule.

The Chairman wanted it noted that Item 5 LEPP133014 on the schedule was not a Loughton Scheme as recorded but a Chigwell Scheme. County Officer, Jon Simmons said that this would be amended and shown correctly on the updated schedule.

            AGREED:

That County Officers would amend the scheme list to show Item 5 LEPP133014 as being a Chigwell Scheme.

Schedule attached.

The Chairman asked the Panel to consider the New Scheme Proposal Schedule and asked if they had any concerns. He advised Officers that Members needed to know that the proposed schemes would happen and when the feasibility studies would be completed.

Councillor Bassett requested that the Chairman liaise with County Officers to make sure the feasibility study list was ready for in time to be published in Agenda for the next meeting of the Local Highways Panel.

County Officer, David Sprunt advised the Panel they would not have enough budget for all of the scheme proposals.

Councillor Church stated that the Panel would need all of the feasibility studies by the next meeting so that they could decide which schemes were priority.

            AGREED:

That County Officers would ensure all feasibility studies on the New Scheme Proposal Schedule would be available at the next meeting in order that schemes could be prioritised.

To agree the proposed dates for meetings of the Local Highways Panel, meetings to commence at 6.30pm in Committee Room 2 at the Civic Offices in Epping:

·         17 April 2014;

·         23 July 2014;

·         30 October 2014; and

·         5 February 2015

The programme of future meetings was noted.

Members expressed concerns that they were still not clear on what S106 monies could be used for. At the last meeting of the LHP K Blackburn the S106 Officer for ECC advised that he would report back.

            AGREED:

That County Officers would contact Mr Blackburn and ask him for an updated report.

(1)        Controlled Parking Zones

County Councillor Metcalfe asked County Officers if schemes for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) could be included in the remit of the LHP monies.

County Officers advised that the Cabinet Member would need to be consulted on this and that they would seek his advice and report back to the next meeting.

            AGREED:

That County Officers would consult with the Cabinet Member and report back to the next meeting.

(2)        Footpath Repairs

Councillor Watson asked where would the monies come from to repair footpaths as Buckhurst Hill had major problems with holes in tarmac on many footpaths.

County Officer David Sprunt advised that this would come from the maintenance budget and that a Maintenance Engineer would be invited to come to a future meeting.

            AGREED:

That a Maintenance Engineer would be invited to a future meeting.

(3)        Flooding Issues in the District

Councillor McEwen asked County Officers about the recent flood issues concerning the district and what steps had been put into place to deal with them.

County Councillor Johnson advised that £1 million had been put into a budget to deal with flooding and each district had been asked to submit a list of the five worst areas which would be dealt with as priority.

Kim Durrani advised that he would supply a list which is attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes.

            AGREED:

That a list of the worst flooding issues in the district be attached to these minutes to be dealt with as priority.

The date of the next meeting was Thursday 17 April 2014. Officers advised that the feasibility studies may not be completed by that date and that it would be advisable to meet at the end of April. The Committee Secretary would liaise with the Chairman and County Officers for a suitable date around the end of April and circulate to members.