Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Local Highways Panel held on 28 August 2014.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 August 2014 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Progress schedule attached.

The Chairman advised the Panel and County Officers that the 2012/13 Scheme list did not need to be revisited as these schemes were either completed or a decision had been made to not go ahead with the schemes.

            RESOLVED:

That the 2012/13 Scheme Recommendation list did not need to be discussed at this or future meetings as the schemes were either completed or deleted.

Scheme list updated by division for consideration.

The HLO advised that she had pre-meetings with all of the divisional pairs where any outstanding schemes had been discussed. Nothing further was highlighted at the meeting.

Schedule attached for consideration.

The HLO advised that she had pre-meetings with all of the divisional pairs where any outstanding schemes had been discussed. Nothing further was highlighted at the meeting.

Schedule attached for consideration.

The HLO asked the Panel if £3,500 could be held from revenue account for surveys.

            RESOLVED:

That the Panel agreed an amount of £3,500 could be held from the revenue account for surveys.

Potential schemes list for consideration.

The HLO tabled an updated Potential Scheme List for 2015/16 and asked the Panel if they could go through the list and look at the schemes that were in the status of red and for the Panel to agree that they could be removed from the scheme list as they were against policy.

(1)        Epping and Theydon Bois Division

(a)        Item 13 – LEPP132064 – Theydon Road, Epping

The properties known as Holly Cottages were on a bend and had limited visibility when trying to access their properties.

Extending speed limit rejected, as this was against policy.

(b)        Item 14 – LEPP132049 – Bury Lane, Epping

St Johns School has been relocated to Bury Lane and it has been requested that the existing speed limit of 40mph be reduced to 30mph.

The scheme validation process required two speed surveys, which were recommended for funding at the last panel meeting.

The new survey showed good compliance for what already existed.

(2)        Ongar and Rural Division

(a)        Item 39 – LEPP142057 – The Street and Mill Lane, Ongar

Implementation of a 20mph speed / variable limit.

A feasibility study was carried out. The HLO shared the information with the school and the Parish Council and it was agreed that this was not a viable scheme.

(b)        Item 43 – LEPP142061 – The Borough, Ongar

Build out to install a footway between Jackson Close and Ivy Cottage.

Feasibility completed, out of policy.

(3)        Waltham Abbey Division

(a)        Item 56 – LEPP 142034 – Parklands, approaching the B194 roundabout

VAS requested.

Survey shows that it was not within policy.

(b)        Item 57 – LEPP142005 – Outside Wheatsheaf PH, Crooked Mile

Vehicles parking on the footway causing danger to passing traffic and poor visibility.

NEPP comments would not be considered for restrictions. The HLO to discuss with the Engineer and update the ward councillors to consider if there was a way forward.

            RESOLVED:

(1)        That the LHP agreed that schemes 1 – 3 (a) would be removed from the Potential Scheme List for 2015/16; and

(2)        That the HLO would speak with the Engineer to see if there was a way forward for scheme 3 (b).

(1)        Funding

The Chairman advised the Panel that approximately £120,000 from this years budget had been returned to the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Bass who would decide where and what to spend this money on. Although all of this Districts budget was allocated some of the schemes were not able to be completed by Essex Highways and therefore the monies had been reallocated by Councillor Bass.

The Chairman stated that In order for this Panel to keep all of their allocated budget that they should overspend on the schemes and therefore all of their budget would be utilised in this District. Another problem which had arisen in this financial year was that if a scheme or feasibility was estimated at a cost of £30,000 and then came in at a final figure of £17,000 the Panel were not informed by Essex Highways that the feasibility had come in under the amount that had been set aside for that scheme. The Chairman requested that Essex Highways should inform the Panel immediately if this were to happen as there were plenty of small schemes that could then be implemented. The Chairman advised that because of the schemes that were coming in under the estimated cost this Panel was therefore losing the difference which would then be put back into the Portfolio Holders pot to be spent in other districts in the County.

The Chairman advised the Panel that he felt Epping Forest District’s LHP were being let down by Essex County Council and Essex Highways for not completing the schemes within the financial year, not being informed when schemes were coming in under the allocated budget and by the Portfolio Holder reallocating the monies that had not been spent.

(2)        Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs)

County Councillor Metcalfe advised the Panel that the Portfolio Holder, County Councillor Bass had agreed that the Panel could use their budget to fund CPZs.

She advised that she had been progressing a CPZ scheme through the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) which would now be validated as an ECC/EFDC LHP potential scheme. Councillor Waller would be taking this scheme to the EFDC March Cabinet Meeting for approval.

(3)        Abridge Village Hall Path

Councillor McEwen advised that the Abridge village hall, situated on the A113, occasionally used a field which was situated approximately a quarter of a mile from the hall, for over flow parking, in particular for the Halloween fireworks event, which took place after dark.  At present there was no footpath and a resident of the village, who owned the necessary equipment, had offered to level the verge and apply hogging to improve the safety of people, including children, walking back to the village hall, at no cost to ECC or the LHP. She advised that she had taken this scheme to Councillor Bass and he had asked for ratification from Mark Rowe, Service Director, Essex Highways and the LHP to endorse this scheme and then Councillor Bass indicated he would be happy for this scheme to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

D Sprunt, Transportation Strategy & Engagement Officer from Essex County Council to report.

David Sprunt, Principal Transportation Co-Ordinator from Essex County Council (ECC) advised the Panel that Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) would not be funding the administration of future Local Highways Panel meetings.

He advised that the options were to take the meeting to County Hall in Chelmsford where it would be a daytime meeting and asked members if they were agreeable. Members were not agreeable to this as approximately half of the Panel worked during the day.

The Chairman asked the Panel and ECC Officers if they could agree to fund the Local Highways Panel Meetings from their budget. David Sprunt advised that the budget could not be used to fund the meetings.

David Sprunt commented that if Essex County Council were to pay EFDC for the administration of this panel, every other panel in the District would expect to be paid for their services.

Simon Hill, Assistant Director, Governance and Performance Management advised the Panel that the use of the Committee Rooms were available for the LHP to hold their meetings at Epping Forest District Council’s offices.

The Panel asked that County Officers resolve the situation by the next meeting.

Members agreed that the next meeting of the LHP would be held at the Civic Offices on Thursday 26 March 2015 at 5.30pm.

            RESOLVED:

(1)        That the next meeting of the Local Highways Panel would be held at the Civic Offices on Thursday 26 March 2015 at 5.30pm.