Agenda item

To consider the decisions made by the Executive Member for City Strategy at his Decision Session held on 1 March 2011 in relation to the above item, which have been called in by Councillors Merrett, Potter and Simpson-Laing in accordance with the Council’s Constitution. A cover report is attached setting out the reasons for the call-in and the remit and powers of the Scrutiny Management Committee (Calling In) in relation to the call-in procedure, together with the original report to and decisions of the Executive Member.

Members received a report which asked them to consider the decisions made by the Executive Member for City Strategy at his Decision Session on 1 March 2011 in relation to a report setting out the funding sources for the City Strategy Capital Programme and the proposed schemes to be delivered in 2011/12.

Details of the Executive Member’s decision had been attached as Annex A to the report and the original report to the Executive Member attached as Annex B. The decisions had been called in by Cllrs Merrett, Potter and Simpson-Laing, on the grounds that:

-     The programme is insufficiently strategically focussed in the current climate of significantly reduced capital funding, and current schemes’ benefits should be reassessed to ensure key changes are delivered, removing the ‘nice to do’ aspects.

-     There is a lack of prioritisation on air quality/a Low Emission Zone; bus priority measures; improvements to bus services and a city-wide 20mph residential area speed limit.

-     There is an absence of a commitment to a partnership approach with other organisations to deliver smaller schemes, eg. like Rawcliffe Recreation Path.

-     The Library Square scheme has been retained resulting in the loss of disabled parking spaces and is no longer affordable in the current climate.

Members were asked to decide whether to confirm the decisions of the Executive Member for City Strategy (Option A) or to refer them back to the Executive Member for re-consideration (Option B).

Councillor Merrett addressed the Committee on behalf of the Calling In Members, expressed concern that with scarcer resources the programme needed to be more strategically focused. He again referred to residents’ top priority of improving local bus services. The priorities being the introduction of bus priority measures, improving air quality, working with parishes and local groups to deliver smaller off road cycle schemes and with approaches to the University in terms of additional road contributions.

Officers confirmed that this was a transitional year, which was reflected in the block funding for schemes. Due to reduced funding the programme had been developed to support the strategic aims of LTP3 and the Corporate Strategy and schemes prioritized in order to make the best use of available funding. Details of a city centre accessibility study were also reported which would be included in the City Centre Action Plan.

After a full debate, Councillor Simpson-Laing moved, and Councillor Horton seconded, that Option B be approved and the decision referred back to the Executive for reconsideration, on the following grounds:

• That the programme was insufficiently focused in the current climate, and current schemes’ benefits needed to be reassessed to ensure key changes were delivered, removing the ‘nice to do’ aspects.
• Lack of prioritization on air quality/a Low Emission Zone; bus priority measures; improvements to bus services and a city wide 20mph residential speed limit.
• Absence of a commitment to a partnership approach with other organizations to deliver smaller schemes.

Three Members voted for this proposal and four voted against and the motion was lost. It was then

RESOLVED:             That Option A be approved and that the decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy be confirmed.