Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting Members present were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Merrett declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of Agenda item 5 (City Strategy Capital Programme – 2010/11 Outturn Report) insofar as it referred to cycling as the York Cycling Champion.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2011.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the Decision Session – Executive Member for City Strategy, held on 1 March 2011 be approved and signed by the Cabinet Member as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak at the meeting can do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Monday 27 June 2011. 

Members of the public may register to speak on -:

·                  an item on the agenda

·                  an issue within the Cabinet Member’s remit

·                  an item that has been published on the Information Log since the last session. Information reports are listed at the end of the agenda.

Please note that no items have been published on the Information Log since the last Decision Session.

It was reported that there had been 2 registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme. The Cabinet Member had also granted a request to speak from a Council member.

A Howard Link resident spoke in relation to Minute 66 – Evening and Sunday Bus Services to Rawcliffe and Skelton considered at the last meeting of the City Strategy Decision Session held on 1 March 2011. She disputed a number of comments made at the meeting in respect of the frequency of bus services in the Rawcliffe/Skelton area. Reference was also made to the new 50p charge for residents with bus passes for P & R journeys and it was suggested that some of the money raised should be invested in the provision of regular bus services. She requested the Cabinet Member to reverse the earlier decision made in relation to tendered bus routes to allow fair and open consultation on bus services.

A organiser of the petition spoke in respect of Agenda item 4 – Petition Concerning Existing 20mph School Safety Zone on Haxby Road. He confirmed that he lived adjacent to the school safety zone and experienced noise and ground borne vibration from the speed table. Noise and vibration from heavy vehicles was alarming and had intensified following the breaking up of the surface and increased traffic. He confirmed that there had been more than a slight increase in noise levels and he requested the Cabinet Members approval of Option 2 to progress the petitioners suggestions.

Councillor Douglas, as Local Member, also spoke in relation to Agenda item 4 and thanked Officers for their comprehensive evaluation of the options. She confirmed that she strongly disagreed with the Officers recommendation to do nothing. She referred to the nuisance factor for residents and to damage caused to adjacent property. Heavy vehicles were able to straddle the speed cushions on their approach to the table which resulted in them bumping off the table. She went onto question the data collection and produced photographs of damage to an adjacent residents property. She requested the Cabinet Member to support Option 2 to remove the speed table and create a signalised crossing. This would provide a safe crossing point for pedestrians with the loss of only one residents parking space.

This report is in response to a petition from residents requesting the removal of existing road humps within the Haxby Road Primary School Safety Zone and the introduction of a signalised pedestrian crossing to benefit the school and local shops. The report examines background issues and evaluates the requested actions.

RESOLVED:             That the Cabinet Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i) Note the contents of the petition but agree that no further action should be taken at this time.

ii) Request Officers to reply to the lead petitioner.

REASON:                   i) To maintain a safe road environment around Haxby Road Primary School and the nearby shops.

ii)          To inform them of the Cabinet Member’s decision.

The Cabinet Member considered a report which had been prepared in response to a petition received from residents, requesting the removal of existing road humps within the Haxby Road Primary School Safety Zone and the introduction of a signalised pedestrian crossing to benefit the schools and local shops.

In respect of the speakers comments Officers confirmed that the speed measures in place within the school safety zone had been proven to be the most effective in reducing speed. Although these measures had been in place since 2004 it was only recently that residents had raised issues. She went onto reiterate the results of the analysis of each of the options considered. It was confirmed that Officers had visited adjacent homes to inspect damage however it had not been clearly shown that this was due to vehicle vibration. 

Officers confirmed that following the meeting they would re examine the profile of the speed table and undertake repairs if found necessary. ^1.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that although he sympathised with residents he had to take account of both financial and safety considerations. He did however state that if property damage was found to be caused by vehicles Officers would re examine this issue. He then went onto consider the following options:

Option One – note the contents of the report but take no further action;

Option Two – request that Officers progress one or more of the suggestions made by the petitioners.

RESOLVED:             That the Cabinet Member for City Strategy agrees to:

i) Note the contents of the petition but agree that no further action should be taken at this time.

ii) Request Officers to reply to the lead petitioner. ^2.

REASON:                 i) To maintain a safe road environment around Haxby Road Primary School and the nearby shops.

ii)          To inform them of the Cabinet Member’s decision.

This report informs the Cabinet Member of the outturn position for schemes in the 2010/11 capital programme, including the budget spend to 31 March 2011, and the progress of schemes to date.

RESOLVED:            That the Cabinet Member agrees to:

i)              Note progress achieved in delivering schemes in the capital programme as indicated in Annexes 1 to 3 of the report.

ii)            Approve the proposed carryovers as outlined in paragraphs 25 to 30 of the report, subject to the approval of the Cabinet.

REASON:                  To enable the effective management and monitoring of the council’s capital programme.

The Cabinet Member considered a report, which detailed the outturn position for schemes in the 2010/11 capital programme, including the budget spend to 31 March 2011, and the progress of schemes during the year. Annexes 1 to 3 of the report detailed scheme progress and outturns.

It was confirmed that the actual in year spending was £4,875k from an approved 2010/11 Planning and Transport capital programme budget of  £5,926k giving an underspend of £1,051k. Further details of the financial implications including funding sources and carryovers were set out in paragraphs 25 to 32 of the report.

The Cabinet Member commented on a number of issues including:

• Property Capital Programme (paragraph 31 of the report), which was no longer within his portfolio. Officers confirmed that they would clarify how this budget would be dealt with in future.
• A19 Roundabout Improvements (Annex 1 paragraph 8) questioned details of the increased works required and final cost. Officers confirmed that as yet they had no firm details as the works had only recently been completed.
• Blossom Street Multi-Modal Scheme (Annex 1 paragraph 9) issues had been raised regarding the new traffic arrangements at this junction. In particular to the length of time between the pedestrian phases, which resulted in pedestrians crossing before it was safe to do so. Officers confirmed that the scheme was shortly due for review and would ensure that this issue was included and consider whether any further action was required. Officers also stated that there were early indications that the accident levels at the junction had reduced but the full implications of the scheme would only become apparent in the fullness of time.
• Bus Location and Information Sub-System (BLISS) (Annex 1 paragraph 23) raised the issue of ‘ghost buses’ which disappeared from the information displays at the Rougier Street bus stops which he felt reduced the credibility of the system. Officers confirmed that they would examine this issue.
• Minor Cycle Schemes (paragraph 48) questioned possible changes to barriers on off-road routes to accommodate disabled tricycles.

Following further discussion it was

RESOLVED:            That the Cabinet Member agrees to:

i)              Note progress achieved in delivering schemes in the capital programme as indicated in Annexes 1 to 3 of the report.

  ii) Approve the proposed carryovers as outlined in paragraphs 25 to 30 of the report, subject to the approval of the Cabinet.  ^1.

REASON:                  To enable the effective management and monitoring of the council’s capital programme.