AT A MEETING of the ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE held at The Castle, Winchester on Wednesday 18 January 2006.

PRESENT:

Also in attendance: Councillors T. G. Knight.

64. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J. K Glen and

S. D. T Woodward.

65. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate declare their interest, and having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

66. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2006 (Item 2 in the Minute

Book) were confirmed by the Committee and signed by the Chairman.

Arising thereon:

Minute 62 - South East Plan.

A Member wished it to be recorded that Hampshire Now Special Edition had note been delivered to every household in the County.

67. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman reported that an article in the Winter 2005/06 edition of the

Public Sector Benchmarking Service (PSBS) News had praised

Hampshire County Council for its improved services and substantial savings

on street lighting and highways maintenance by implementing the findings of

an innovative productivity improvement programme called Construction Lean

Improvement Programme (CLIP). The County Council sees the programme as

a model in meeting the requirements of the Gershon review of public sector

efficiency and that the approach could be used as a model for future projects.

68. MEMBERS' QUESTIONS

No questions to the Executive Member for Environment : North Hampshire

and Spatial Strategy and the Executive Member for Environment :

South Hampshire and Resource Management had been received.

69. PRESENTATION BY THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY ON THE

M27 JUNCTIONS 3-4 WIDENING AND JUNCTIONS 11-12

CLIMBING LANES.

The Director of Environment reported that the Highways Agency had been

invited to attend the meeting to present the M27 junctions 3-4 widening

and junctions 11-12 climbing lanes proposals.

David Stock, Project Leader from the Highways Agency introduced his

colleagues Steve Archer, Project Leader and Bill Wood, Environmental

Co-ordinator from WSP Civils for the M27 junctions 3-4 and Rob Pick,

Project Leader from Parsons Brinckerhoff Limited and Lee Jones

Environmental Co-ordinator from TACP for the M27 junctions 11-12;

David Stock reported that both schemes had been identified in the South Coast

Corridor Multi-Modal Study (SoCoMMS), commissioned by the Department

for Transport. The proposed works would be carried out within the existing

highways boundaries with minimal environmental impact. The programmed

date for the start of works is April 2008.

Steve Archer presented the main objectives for widening, within the existing

boundary, the M27 between junctions 3-4 which related to congestion,

bottlenecks at both junctions and the number of accidents primarily caused by

late lane changing and skidding. The proposed scheme would provide an

additional lane in each direction, the improvement of motorway lighting

between Rownhams Services and junction 3, an upgrade of the

communications system and the opportunity might be taken to replace and

upgrade the central reservation barriers with a concrete safety barrier.

The roundabout at junction 3 would be considered as a separate issue.

Bill Wood explained the environmental constraints of junctions 3-4 in

particular the landscape and land use and the need to retain the existing

vegetation, noise studies and the five sites of Importance for Nature

Conservation which adjoin the motorway at Lymer's Copse,

Aldermoor Copse, Matthew's Copse, Hazel Copse and Chilworth Common.

Rob Pick presented the main objectives for providing climbing lanes, within

the existing boundary, on the M27 between junctions 11-12 which related to

congestion and safety. The proposed scheme would provide a climbing lane in

each direction, replacement and upgrade of the safety barriers and

improvement of motorway lighting and upgrading the existing drainage

system. The additional 1.5 - 2 metres extra width on each carriageway

would aid congestion to alleviate accidents and provide safety.

Lee Jones focussed on the environmental constraints for junctions 11-12 in

particular the air quality, noise and drainage. He advised that as Portsmouth

Harbour was a Special Protection Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest

an appropriate assessment would need to be carried out to ascertain if there

would be any detrimental effect on the Harbour.

During the course of discussions, Members' raised a number of concerns,

inter alia:

- the impact of the proposal for an 4 additional lane on the motorway to the west (J3-4) on Cadnam Roundabout (J1)

- low noise surfacing

- lighting impact on woodland

- the impact on vegetation and wildlife

- the A32 and the need to remove congestion

- the widening of the whole of the junction 11 to 12 route

- safety and the central reservation barriers

- timescale for works

- the cost of the scheme, its value for money and possible alternative transport projects.

Copies of the leaflets on the proposed schemes and environmental constraints

were circulated to Members.

The Chairman thanked David Stock, Steve Archer, Bill Wood, Rob Pick and

Lee Jones for taking the time to attend the meeting and for giving valuable

information on the proposed schemes for the M27.

70. REVENUE BUDGET 2006/07 AND 2007/08

The Committee considered a joint report of the County Treasurer and

Director of Environment setting out the proposed Environment

Revenue Budget for 2006/07, a provisional budget for 2007/08 and a

revised budget for 2005/06, to be considered by the Executive Member for

Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management at his meeting on

18 January 2006.

In the ensuing discussion, Members were informed of information on the

under spends in the forecast outturn. Particular reference was made to the

anticipated under spend in the highways maintenance budget for IT system

development and running costs associated with the implementation of the

Traffic Management Act which was understood to be the result of a delay

by the Government in implementing the legislation. Further under spends

in the disposal of abandoned vehicles budget and management and support

services were recognised and these budget proposals would be submitted to

Cabinet for approval.

Members recognised the additional pressures on the public transport support

budget due to re tendering and service de registrations.

A Member requested that evening transport for youth in parts of the County

other than in Andover be considered by Cabinet.

Councillors A. S. Carew, M. G. Cooper, K. House, Sam Payne and

David Simpson wished it to be recorded that they had voted against the

recommendation.

RESOLVED:

That the proposals for the Revenue Budget 2006/07 and provisional budget

for 2007/08, that have been prepared in consultation with the Executive

Member for Environment: South Hampshire and Resource Management,

prior to formal approval of the budget proposals by the Executive Member

for submission to the Cabinet be endorsed.

71. REVISED TRANSPORT CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2005/06 AND

PROPOSED ENVIRONMENT CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2006/07

TO 2009/10

The Committee considered a joint report of the County Treasurer and the

Director of Environment (Item 9 in the Minute Book) proposing amendments

to the 2005/06 Integrated Transport Capital Programme together with a

revised programme, as well as an Environment Capital Programme for

2006/07 to 2009/20, considered by the Executive Member for Environment:

South Hampshire and Resource Management at his meeting on

18 January 2006.

The Local Member urged Members of the Committee and the Executive

Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management to

strongly support the funding for the Whitehill/Bordon Market Towns Project.

The Local Member requested that the scheme for the A3090 Winchester Road/

Cupernham Lane Romsey Traffic Signals be brought forward to 2006/07.

RESOLVED:

That the report having been presented, Members offered comments on the

proposed changes in the 2005/06 Integrated Transport Capital Programme,

as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, which were noted by the Executive

Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management.

72. LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN 2006-11

The Committee received a report of the Director of Environment (Item 10 in

the Minute Book) recommending the approval of the full Local Transport Plan

(LTP) which has to be submitted to the Government by the end of

March 2006, to be considered by the Cabinet at its meeting on

23 January 2006.

Members noted that the Government had only awarded the County Council

£6.27million for integrated transport compared with Hampshire County

Council's planning total of £69.52million (2006-07 and 2010-11).

Members were advised that it was possible to gain additional reward funding

of up to £12.35 million during this period, though securing the maximum

award each year would be very difficult top achieve in practice.

RESOLVED:

That the report having been presented, Members offered comments on the

Local Transport Plan 2006-11, which were noted by the Executive Member

for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management.

73. RENEWAL OF THE SOUTH WESTERN RAIL FRANCHISE

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 11 in

the Minute Book) on two consultation documents; The South Western Main

Line Route Utilisation Strategy and The South Western Franchise Consultation

Document in its role as a rail industry stakeholder, to be considered by the

Executive Member for Environment: South Hampshire and Resource

Management at his meeting on 18 January 2006.

Members noted that the two main issues of concern were the proposals to

discontinue the Romsey to Totton service via Chandlers Ford and the

curtailment of through services from Reading to Brighton.

A Member requested support for the provision by the successful Train

Operating Company of a bus service from Farnborough to Yateley.

RESOLVED:

That the report having been presented, Members offered comments on the

Renewal of the South Western Rail Franchise, which were noted by the

Executive Member for Environment : South Hampshire and Resource

Management.

74. STREET LIGHTING - COLUMN REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 12 in

the Minute Book) examining the background to the current situation, setting

out the findings of a technical study of Hampshire street lighting data together

with the results of a financial feasibility study, to be considered by the Cabinet

at its meeting on 23 January 2006.

Members noted that 11,000 street lights were not in the County Council's

ownership but were predominantly owned by New Forest District Council,

East Hampshire District Council and Yateley Town Council. All Town and

Parish Councils had been informed about the proposals and Local Members

would be kept informed of discussions between their local Parish Council and

the Highway Authority.

Members supported the recommendations to Cabinet as amended and set

out below:

(i) That the Director of Environment be authorised to prepare and return an

Expression of Interest to the Department for Transport based upon

Scenarios 2 and 4.

(ii) That the Director of Environment shall consult with District, Town and

Parish Councils on the opportunity to benefit from a Hampshire Private

Finance Initiative and engage with other authorities outside Hampshire to

develop a joint bid, if this would be beneficial to the County Council and

the residents of Hampshire.

(iii) That the Director of Environment be authorised to appoint the necessary

resources, as required, to develop the project, in the event that the

Expression of Interest is approved.

RESOLVED:

That the report having been presented, Members offered support for the

approach on Street Lighting Column replacement set out in the report.

75. ENVIRONMENT POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE -

FORWARD PLAN

The Committee received and noted a report of the Chief Executive and

Director of Environment (Item 12 in the Minute Book) setting out issues for

future consideration.