Archived decisions

Contact: Chris Lait, tel: 01329 824485

1. Summary

1.1 This report informs Members of:

(i) reorganisation of the Environment Grouping;

(ii) progress on the traffic management partnership agreement; and

(iii) progress on the Development Control Review.

2. Reorganisation of the Environment Grouping

2.1 The present County Surveyor's and Planning Departments of Hampshire County Council have been moving towards a closer working relationship over the past few years. This has been in the form of an `Environment Grouping' with a common Joint Management Board and common support services. John Ekins, the County Surveyor, is due to retire in early 2003 and the opportunity has been taken to restructure the two departments into a single Environment Department under the control of a Director.

2.2 The new Director is Alison Quant, formerly Director of Environment at the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, having previously held the post of Assistant Director of Environment and Transport at Cambridgeshire County Council. She will take up the post on 28 October 2002. David Tarrant has been appointed as Deputy Director.

2.3 The various branches within the existing two departments will be reorganised, each under the management of an Assistant Director. In addition there will be special project areas with project leaders.

Director

Alison Quant

STRATEGY

Land use/Management

Natural Resources

(incl. Minerals and Waste)

Environment Partnerships

Transport

Development Control (Highways/Land Use)

(Community Strategy/Corporate Strategy Input)

3. Traffic Management Partnership Agreements

3.1 A draft Agreement has been prepared for consultation with District Councils wishing to undertake traffic management on the basis of the offer which has been made by the County Council. A clause has also been included in the draft Agreement to provide for District Councils to undertake the design and implementation of Capital Programme schemes, as allocated by the County Council, in addition to traffic management work. It is hoped that the new Agreements will be finalised so that there is a smooth continuation of the traffic management function in the former full Agency Districts and a suitable date arranged for other Districts.

4. Highways Development Control Service Review

4.1 Progress on the overall Development Control Service Review was reported to the Environment Policy Review Committee on 15 July 2002. The Highways Development Control Service forms an element of this review and includes the various activities of Land Charge Searches, Major and Minor Planning Applications, Agreements for Highways Works, Section 38 Agreements and Advance Payments Code.

4.2 The review which has involved both County and District Council staff is nearing completion, with a report being prepared on a number of options for the delivery of the service with the pros and cons of each including the implications on both District and County Council staff. This report will be presented to future meetings of the Environment Policy Review Committee and the Executive Member for Environment.

Recommendation

That the report be noted.

7394/CL