Archived decisions

AGENCY ARRANGEMENTS WITH DISTRICT COUNCILS

The County Council has been engaged in the preparation of new Agency agreements with district councils following the transfer of highway maintenance functions back to the County Council. In general terms, these offer increased responsibility on traffic management and development control with the exception of highway searches and design and supervision of developer provided highways (Section 38). In September 2003, the existing Agency arrangements were extended for six months, at which time discussions were already underway on new draft Traffic Management agreements and a review of the development control function had been undertaken.

To date, new Traffic Management Agency Agreements have been concluded with New Forest District Council and Winchester City Council and separate draft agreements have been sent to district councils covering other functions such as grass cutting and tree maintenance, and also for the delivery of some capital programme schemes. The development control agreement is about to be issued. Many of the district councils have indicated their preference to consider all the agreements together rather than conclude traffic management in advance.

In recognition of this, a decision was taken on 9 March 2004 to extend the existing arrangements, which supports Aim 5 of the Corporate Strategy (Improving services) by ensuring effective continuation of the delivery of services whilst the new arrangements are being finalised. Therefore, the existing arrangements for those functions still undertaken by district councils will continue from 1 April 2004 for a period of three months or until such time as these arrangements are superseded, whichever is the sooner. With regard to development control, the existing agreements will be varied to reflect the return of the land searches from the former island agencies and all Section 38 functions to the County Council from 1 April 2004.

KEITH B. ESTLIN,

Executive Member

for Environment