Item 2

AT A MEETING of the HART HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORT ADVISORY PANEL held at Hart District Council, Fleet on 17 March 2006.

PRESENT :

Hampshire County Council

Councillors :

a P.R.C.Hutcheson

p A.P.Collett

p J. K. Glen ( Chairman )

p D. Simpson

p S.A. Wheale

Hart District Council

Councillors :

N Lambert

p D. Gotel

p Viv Street

p S Parker

1 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 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. Any declaration to be made at the time of the debate. There were no declarations of interest.

2 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2005 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

3 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman made the following announcement :

" As you may be aware Hampshire County Council has been reviewing its democratic structures and processes with a view to improving the way we engage with local communities and in terms of value for money.

As part of this review we have been considering how to create the best balance between the three main elements of the work of County Councillors

· Decision - making

· The local role of Members

· Scrutiny & challenge

At our Council meeting on the 30^th January we agreed to make changes, including a new approach to supporting Members in their local role, which we are calling Hampshire Action Teams and Networks. Our aim is to improve the way we use and share information locally to let us focus on action and adding value in the local community .

In order to resource the new approach some current activities will need to end and it has been agreed that the current Highways and Transport Advisory Panels and Transport Strategy Panels are no longer required in their previous form. Both of these mechanisms will therefore be ended following this round of Highways Transport Advisory Panels making this the last meeting of this group.

The new arrangements for HCC Councillors will be much more informal and focused on problem solving including highways and transport issues. The Environment Department is moving more staff out to area offices, so your Area Manager will be able to cover traffic management, implementation of local improvement projects and developing solutions to local transport problems. It is envisaged that HCC members will specifically meet a couple of times a year to decide which problems are the highest priority to investigate within the staffing and funding available, consider priorities for the following year's capital programme and look back at the things that have been done to see if they have been successful in addressing the priorities for improvement. We also envisage more informal contacts and discussions with Area Managers in the Highway and Transport Service to keep members abreast of developments and progress on local issues.

We want to take this opportunity to thank people for their participation in these groups previously and to assure all our partners about our intentions for the future. We want to be clear that this does not mean District members will no longer be able to give us their ideas about possible highways projects nor that we will no longer provide information about progress on local projects; it simply means that the way we arrange these things will be different, and improved for Members. District Members should liaise directly with their County equivalents and no doubt you will want to act jointly when this involves actions by both Councils.

We will be talking to all our partners about the new mechanisms as they are put into place. We intend to ensure that there will be an improved level of local information provided to Members, and that local discussion of key matters will still take place.

Thank you all for your work with us to date, we hope that we will continue to work together to secure ongoing improvements to the services we provide to the people of Hampshire in ever more effective ways. "

4 DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations

5 UPDATE ON SCHEMES IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAMME

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment ( Item 5 in the
Minute Book providing an update on transport schemes within the 2005/06

Capital Programme, together with schemes for the 2006/07 Capital Programme.

Members praised the good communications and working relationship with the
contractors during the work on Fleet town Centre, which had been undertaken with the least possible

disruption to the public. Councillor Gotel drew attention to the incorrect levels

of the pavements which had caused water to flow back into shops, and this

comment would be fed back to the contractors for action.

Councillor Collett sought information regarding bus stops in Yateley, which

had taken two months to replace. The information was to be given in a written

reply with copies to Councillors Parker and Wheale.

Good progress had been made with the Sandhurst Road, scheme at Yateley.

Developer funding was secure and Councillor Collett was to be provided with

details, but it was understood that the money had been transferred from the

District Council to the County Council.

RESOLVED :

That progress with the schemes in the Transport Capital Programme be noted and

that those schemes approved for inclusion in the Capital Programme for 2006/07

be supported.

6 UPDATE ON HIGHWAY AND MINOR WORKS PROGRAMME

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment ( Item 6 in the

Minute Book ) outlining progress with the 2005/06 Highway Maintenance Programme; 2006/07 Maintenance Budget; the 2006/07 Highway Maintenance

Programme and progress on the 2005/06 Minor Capital works and proposals

for 2006/07 programme.

Councillor Gotel commented on the Hook Way surface dressing programme

that some areas in poor condition had not been picked up. This had been drawn to

the attention of the Director of Environment. The pavement of Oakley Drive was

also in poor condition.

It was agreed that the Handford Lane, Scheme in the Under £10,000 Scheme

Rolling Programme be accorded first priority. It was confirmed that it might not

now be possible to transfer finance from the Fleet Town Centre Scheme to

Oaksleaf, Victoria Road and part of Upper Street.

RESOLUTION :

1 That the report be noted :

2 That the Handford Lane, Yateley be given priority for inclusion in he Minor

Capital Works Programme for 2006/07; and the Executive Member for

Environment : South Hampshire and Resource Management be advised

accordingly.

7 TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

The Panel consider the report of the Director of Environment ( Item 7

in the Minute Book ) covering the main programme of traffic management work

in the Hart District in 2005/06 and 2006/07

It was reported that Decriminalised Parking Enforcement ( DPE ) had been

introduced in 8 of the11 boroughs . County Councillor Pyrnette Dickens had

been appointed Assistant Chairman of the National Parking Adjudication Service

( NPAS ) Joint Committee.

RESOLVED :

That the report be noted.

8 CASUALTY REDUCTION PROGRAMME

The Panel considered report of the Director of Environment ( Item 8

in the Minute Book ) outlining progress on the Hampshire County Council

and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safety Camera Partnership casualty

reduction programmes for 2005/06 together with the proposed shape of the

Second Local Transport Plan ( LTP ) and supported programmes commencing

in 2006/07.

It was explained that the County Council had made £1 million available to

support the low cost / high yield casualty reduction programme. The proposed

level of casualty reduction engineering funding for inclusion in the County

Council's second LTP submission, would if successful enable £13.53 million

to be spent over five years.

The County Council continued to achieve favourably against government

Targets and this aim would be pursued against a baseline of 2004. Successes

were noted with the following awards :

· Prince Michael of Kent Road Safety Awards 2005 - Commendation

· GCap radio - Creative Excellence

· Prime community Safety Award 2006-04-04

The rules for funding were to change from 1 April 2007, when Camera Safety

Partnerships would cease. In future funding would come in the form of supplementary funding through the LTP process.

RESOLVED :

That the report be noted.

9 TRAVEL PLAN PROGRAMMES

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment ( Item 9 in the

Minute Book ) providing an update on the workplace and school travel

planning for the Hart area; and an update on the Hart Safer Routes to Schools

programmes.

The Road Safety Council was to write to Hart District Council urging them to

Encourage schools in their area to engage in the production of Plans for their schools. The Plans would unlock funding for the Safer Routes to School.

RESOLVED :

That progress made with the delivery of the workplace and School Travel Plans and Safer Routes to School programmes in the Hart area be noted.

10 OTHER HIGHWAY RELATED PROGRAMMES

The Panel considered and noted the report of the Director of Environment

( Item 10 in the Minute Book ) covering a range of activities undertaken by

specialist teams within the Environment Department.

It was explained that the County Council had bid for £83 million Private

Finance Initiative ( PFI ) funding for the lighting column replacement .

Consideration was to being given to include replacement of columns owned

by Yateley Town Council. These were not of county-wide standard, and

would cost an estimated £500,000 to £1 million.

Councillor Parker drew attention to two roundabouts at Elvetham Heath with

poor visibility, which had failed a safety audit. He was advised that measures

had been undertaken to reduce or resolve the issues. Officers were requested

to revisit this matter.

Councillor Gotel felt that barriers were necessary at the railway roundabout at

Elvetham Heath.

Councillor Mrs. Wheale requested that assurances be sought from Network

Rail that the previous fence posts at this location would be removed.

11 PASSENGER TRANSPORT REPORT

The Panel considered and noted the report of the Director of Environment
( Item 11 in the Minute Book ) detailing the latest position on concessionary
fares, bus services, bus infrastructure and rail issues.

The latest position regarding concessionary fares was described. It was

reported that the scheme had not worked out as well as expected in that

some districts had received insufficient funding to offer free travel for all 24

periods, although Hart district was not amongst these.

Members raised the following points interalia :

· The Call and Go scheme was not well publicised in Hart district.

· Station development such as Farnborough required additional parking close to the platforms.

· Carriage of cycles and capacity issues.

· Bus services for the disabled access at Farnborough station requires action.

· Service 79 at Yateley - contact press office - photo opportunity.

· Disabled access at Farnborough Railway Station requires action.

12 POSSIBLE TRANSFER OF HIGHWAY WEED-KILLING TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL AGENTS

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment ( Item 12 in the Minute Book ), regarding the possible transfer of weed-treatment to district councils.

It was reported that the District Council had shown little enthusiasm for taking back the weed-killing programme from the County Council.

Further consideration would be required.

RESOLVED :

That further consideration be given to the possible transfer of the weed-killing service to Hart District Council.