Agenda and minutes

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

7. TPC775 BALGORES CRESCENT - PROPOSED PAY & DISPLAY PARKING BAYS.

Councillor Frederick Thompson, Prejudicial, TPC775 Balgores Crescent - Proposed Pay & Display Parking Bays

Councillor Thompson disclosed a prejudicial interest advising the Committee that he had formed an opinion on the issue to be considered as he resided very close to the area.

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To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2 May 2017, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2 May 2017

were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman

The report before the Committee detailed a request from businesses of Chesham Close to relocate the recent road closure in Cedar Road to a new position to allow the drivers of larger vehicles to reverse into Chesham Close and sought the recommendation of the Committee whether or not the request moves to public consultation.

The report detailed that an experimental traffic scheme to close Cedar Road to through motor traffic was made permanent, on 14 December 2016, following an Executive Decision (16/137) by the Cabinet Member for Environment Regulatory Services and Community Safety.

Following this decision a request had been received from a number of businesses with access from Chesham Close requesting that the position of the approved closure be relocated further southwest to assist with deliveries to Chesham Close.

The businesses suggested that the relocation of the closure position would allow the drivers of large vehicles to drive past the end of Chesham Close (arriving from North Street) and then reverse into Chesham Close.

Following the request a site meeting was held on 16 March 2017 with representatives from the businesses, the Cabinet Member and staff from the Street Management Service. The meeting covered a range of issues, including the position of the closure.

Officers stated that requests for new schemes not already on the Council’s funded programme were generally added to the monthly “highway schemes requests” report schedule with a standing recommendation that they be rejected because of a lack of funding, although the Committee could otherwise decide to move the request to a “reserved” list.

The report confirmed that works on the Cedar Road closure had not been commenced so there was an opportunity to consult on a new closure location at limited additional cost.

The Committee was asked to consider the request from the businesses’ and then delegate to the Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods to proceed with the consultation with a substantive report brought to the Committee for consideration in the usual way following formal consultation.

During the debate, a Member questioned why the item was being brought back to Committee following a recent committee resolution to proceed with an approved scheme. The Member questioned whether the Committee was now being asked to reverse its original decision following the site meeting.  The Member stated that the whole scheme should be consulted on again.

Officers confirmed that the Committee was only being asked to consider the position of the closure not the principle of the closure itself which had already been decided.

A Member stated that as the businesses were consulted the first time and failed to make representations the request should be rejected.

A Member raised concerns that reversing Lorries into Chesham Close could present dangers. The Member asked for the views of Ward Councillors.

Officers confirmed that two of the three Ward Councillors were supportive of the proposals while one was against the principle of the closure itself.

Officers confirmed that the current position of the closure would prevent an articulated vehicle from reversing into  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107.

The report before the Committee detailed responses to a consultation to formally make the traffic order to accompany existing one-way signs in Quilter Way.

Following clarification that the road was already operating as a one way road, the Committee RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment Regulatory Services and Community Safety that staff proceed to make the necessary Traffic Management Order(s) (TMO) to control vehicular use of the one-way street identified as detailed in drawing QP018/01.A – Quilter Way.

Members noted that the £1000 estimated cost for implementation would be met from the Environment road adoptions revenue budget which included contributions from the developer of Quilter Way.

The report before the Committee detailed responses received to the advertised proposals to change the use of the existing Free Parking bays in Balgores Crescent to Pay & Display parking bays.

The proposals were put forward to help with parking provisions for local businesses, while preventing long term non-residential parking and ensuring a turnover of parking spaces. The report concluded that it was now generally considered that the provision of Pay & Display parking bays was user friendly and accessible to the public.

The report informed the Committee that by the close of the public consultation on the 10 March 2017, 3 responses; a 16.6% return were received to the consultation, 2 were against the proposals and 1 in favour of part of the scheme.

Having identified and assessed the potential negative impact that the parking scheme poses to residents and businesses of the area, the proposal was recommended for implementation.

A Member raised concerns over parking facilities for the residents of the maisonettes and the reduction of residents parking in the area.  

Officers stated that there were resident parking bays further along Squirrels Heath Avenue for local residents. Officers were of the view that the area would benefit from a short term parking provision.

A Member was of the opinion that the proposed scheme would only benefit businesses in the area.

Following a brief debate, a motion was proposed and carried that recommendation 1(a) to introduce pay and display parking should be deferred until residents of Balgores Crescent, the maisonettes at the junction of Balgores Lane and Balgores Crescent and Squirrels Heath Avenue, be consulted on a possible extension of the GP1 residents parking scheme.

The Committee further RESOLVED to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Regulatory Services and Community Safety that: 1(b) the proposed ‘At Any Time’ waiting restrictions proposed for the junction of Balgores Lane and Balgores Crescent, as shown on the Plan, be implemented as advertised and the effects of any implemented proposals be monitored.

Members noted that the estimated cost of the scheme was £4000, which would be funded from the revenue budget from the 2017/18 Minor Traffic and Parking budget.

Councillor Frederick Thompson declared a Prejudicial Interest and left the meeting during deliberation and voting on the matter.

The Committee is requested to consider the report relating to work in progress and applications - Report attached

The Committee considered a report showing the new highway scheme requests in order for a decision to be made on whether the scheme should progress or not before resources were expended on detailed design and consultation.

The Committee had considered and agreed in principle the schedule that detailed the applications received by the service.

The Committee’s decision was noted against the request and appended to the minutes.