Archived decisions

Contact: Brian Millen, tel. 01256 764444

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers the following issues:

(i) Blueprint Progress, including Progress in Districts/Areas;

(ii) Traffic Management; and

(iii) Development Control and Searches.

2. Blueprint Progress

Progress in Districts/Areas

2.1 Hampshire Highways South

Agency arrangements for highway maintenance in Fareham, Gosport and Havant ended on 1 May 2002 and staff transferred to the County Council.

2.2 Hampshire Highways East

(i) Agency arrangements for highway maintenance in Winchester ceased on 1 May 2002 and staff transferred to the County Council. However, the county-wide Term Maintenance Contract will not take effect in the Winchester Urban Area until spring 2003.

(ii) Highway maintenance in East Hampshire district will continue to be provided by the County Council.

(iii) Agency arrangements for highway maintenance in Eastleigh ended on 1 October 2002, with staff transferring to the County Council.

2.3 Hampshire Highways West

(i) Agency for highway maintenance in Test Valley ceased on 1 May 2002. No staff transferred.

(ii) Agency arrangements for highway maintenance in New Forest ended on 1 January 2003, with staff transferred to the County Council.

2.4 Hampshire Highways North

(i) Highway maintenance in Hart District will continue to be provided by the County Council.

(ii) Agency arrangements for highway maintenance in Basingstoke ceased on 1 October 2002, with staff transferring to the County Council.

(iii) Arrangements with Rushmoor are being finalised, and a target date for ending of the agency arrangements is 1 April 2003, with staff then transferring to the County Council.

2.5 The process of `slotting-in' and selection for the existing staff has followed an agreed protocol with the unions to place staff in the best position according to their experience and location.

2.6 Eventually offices in Basingstoke, Hart and Rushmoor will be staffed to deliver the day to day highways management functions. These include:

(i) routine maintenance - potholes, minor repairs, gully cleansing and drainage, etc;

(ii) special maintenance - planned smaller maintenance works and resurfacing;

(iii) safety inspections;

(iv) maintenance of signs and lines;

(v) utility coordination and sample inspections;

(vi) licensing - skips, scaffolding, road openings, banners, temporary signs, etc;

(vii) notices - overhanging vegetation, unauthorised signs, etc;

(viii) status enquiries;

(ix) vehicle crossings; and

(x) public and local Member contact.

2.7 At Hook additional strategic functions will be carried out. These include:

(i) detailed highway and utility inspections;

(ii) street lighting;

(iii) coordination of winter maintenance and emergency works;

(iv) financial/administrative support and management; and

(v) Member contact.

2.8 The offices will work in an integrated way sharing resources and operating across boundaries to deliver priorities. In this regard Assistant Chief Engineers, in addition to their district or borough responsibilities, have strategic functions across the whole of the area.

2.9 The County Street Lighting Service is included within the Highways North organisation.

2.10 An organisation chart is attached as Appendix 1.

3. Traffic Management

3.1 The offer has been made to district councils to enter into an agreement on the delivery of the Traffic Management (TM) function which would be in accordance with the existing arrangements in the full agency districts. The agreement will include reference to the County Council for reserved matters (see attached schedule - Appendix 2) and issues on county interest roads (see attached map - Appendix 3), together with the agreement of local Members for all traffic management matters (see attached flowchart - Appendix 4).

3.2 A draft Agreement has been prepared for consultation with district councils wishing to undertake traffic management. 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. Where district councils wish to sign up to these arrangements it is hoped that the new Agreements will be finalised so as to allow a smooth continuation of the traffic management function in the former full agency districts.

3.3 Rushmoor Borough Council has indicated that in principle it would wish to continue to undertake the TM function under a Partnership Agreement with the County Council. It is therefore essential that a coordinated approach is adopted for the delivery of this function, together with its other highways related functions. To effect this arrangement regular liaison will continue with appropriate officers.

4. Development Control and Searches

4.1 An internal service review using Best Value principles is presently under way for the activities that are undertaken as part of the Highway Development Control function. The review will cover the main aspects of work, including Land Charge Searches, Major Planning Applications, Minor Planning Applications, Agreements for Highway Works and Contributions, Section 38 Agreements and the Advance Payments Code.

4.2 The work that is being undertaken may ultimately form part of a corporate Development Control Review which could commence later in 2003. A Review Group was set up, comprising engineering and planning representatives from the County Council, New Forest District Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council and Winchester City Council. The group also had links to the Hampshire Chief Engineers' Group (CEG) and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Planning Officers' Group (HIPOG). The group is also linked into a Bench Marking Group from other counties in the south of England.

4.3 The first stage of the review was the preparation of scoping papers covering the various topic areas. These were then the subject of a Challenge Day, involving a range of stakeholders, including Councillors representing County and District Councils, developers, consultants, housing associations, district council representatives and design engineers. Following the Challenge Day the scoping papers were then modified to reflect the issues that emerged.

4.4 The Review Group was reconstituted to consider the options for delivery of the various activities and to provide enhanced links to both the CEG and HIPOG. Its membership has been reviewed and now includes the Chief Engineers from Test Valley and Eastleigh, replacing those from Hart and New Forest, together with the Head of Development Control from New Forest District Council.

4.5 The second stage work is nearing completion and considers various options for delivery and the strengthening of links to the stakeholders and a draft report has been prepared for consultation. On completion, reports will be submitted to the County Council's Environment Policy Review Committee and the Executive Member for Environment.

Recommendation

That the report be noted.

7672/BM