AT A MEETING of the HAVANT HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORT ADVISORY PANEL of Hampshire County Council held at the Civic Offices of Havant Borough Council, Havant on 29 March 2006.

PRESENT:

Hampshire County Council

Councillors:

p T.G. Knight (Chairman)

p I.F.E. Beagley a D. Gillett

p Mrs A. Buckley p R.C. McIntosh

p Mrs A. Edwards a John K. West

p E.F. Gale

Havant Borough Council

Councillors:

p R.A.Bolton p J. Hunt

p D.M. Farrow p A. Lenaghan

a B. Gibb-Gray a Tricia Pearce

p T.P. Hart a N. J. Tarrant

District Local Strategic Partnership

a Mrs S. Williams

13. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillor Mrs Anne Buckley declared an interest in the Hayling Island Ferry referred to in Item 12 - Passenger Transport Report.

14. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 November 2005 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

15. CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman made the following announcement in respect of the Highway and Transport Advisory Panels:

"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 and 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."

16. DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations.

17. UPDATE ON SCHEMES IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAMME

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 5 in the Minute Book) which provided an update on transport schemes within the 2005/06 Capital Programme and schemes for the 2006/07 Capital Programme previously approved by the Executive Member for Environment: South Hampshire and Resource Management on 21 March 2006.

The Director of Environment informed Members that Havant Bus Station scheme was ahead of schedule and on budget, with construction work finishing by the end of June. It was the intention to hold an official opening ceremony in July.

The Local Member drew officers' attention to the increasing number of double decker buses used on Service 21 instead of low floor buses, which was causing considerable concern to the disabled.

It was noted that the A3 Bus Priority Corridor scheme was on budget and that developer contributions had been taken into account.

In response to a concern about the open aspect of a bus shelter located opposite Deverell Place, Members were informed that consultations had taken place with local residents prior to the siting of the shelters along the A3 Corridor route. Officers undertook to investigate the situation.

RESOLVED:

That the progress with the schemes in the Transport Capital Programme be noted and those approved for inclusion in the Capital Programme for 2006/07 be supported.

18. HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE PROGRAMMES 2005/06 AND 2006/07

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 6 in the Minute Book) which outlined the progress made on the 2005/06 Highway Maintenance programme and gave details of the Highway Maintenance Budget and Highway Maintenance Programmes for 2006/07.

The Director of Environment expanded on the report and answered questions raised by the Members.

It was noted that resurfacing in Riverdale Avenue had had to be deferred to next year's programme, due to the need to carry out more urgent work at the Hulbert Road roundabout.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

19. CAPITAL MINOR WORKS PROGAMMES 2005/06 AND 2006/07

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 7 in the Minute Book) which outlined the progress made with the 2005/06 Capital Minor Works Programme and gave details of the Capital Minor Works Programme for 2006/07.

After much discussion, the Members agreed their preferred order for the minor works schemes in 2006/07. In respect of their second choice, the West Lane scheme, Members noted that due to financial constraints, it was anticipated there would only be sufficient funding to cover preliminary design and land acquisition.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive Member for Environment be recommended to give priority to the following minor works schemes for 2006/07 in the order shown:

(a) Abbotstone Avenue, Leigh Park £10,000;

(b) West Lane, Hayling Island (land acquisition) £10,000

20. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME 2005/06

The Panel considered the report of the Head of Technical Services, Havant Borough Council (Item 8 in the Minute Book) on the main programmes of traffic management work completed and ongoing in the Havant area in 2005/06.

The Head of Technical Services amplified the report and responded to Members' detailed questions.


RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

21. CASUALTY REDUCTION PROGRAMME

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 9 in the Minute book) on the progress made in the Hampshire County Council and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Safety Camera partnership casualty reduction programmes for 2005/06 and the proposed shape of the Second Local Transport Plan supported programmes commencing in 2006/07. Further to the report Members noted that the corrected provisional figure for proposed funding of the casualty reduction engineering programme was £13.53m, throughout LTP2, not £14m as stated.

The Director of Environment reported that the County Council had successfully negotiated with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister over the setting of the Second Round Local Public Service Agreement stretching targets for road casualty reduction up to 2009. Given Hampshire's particular success in reducing road casualties in previous years, the ODPM had agreed to the stretching targets being calculated as based broadly on the performance achieved in the year 2004.

Members noted that in addition to the two safety awards received by the County Council mentioned in paragraph 3.3 of the report, the County Council, jointly with Hampshire Constabulary, had been awarded a Commendation in the Prince Michael of Kent Road Safety Awards for 2005 for its partnership working in reducing motorcycle casualties on Hampshire's roads. Members congratulated the County Council on its achievements.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

22. TRAVEL PLAN PROGRAMMES

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 10 in the Minute book) which provided an update on the workplace and school travel planning programmes and the Safer Routes to School programme in the Havant area.

Members were informed that up-to-date information on school travel plans for schools in their areas could be found on the County Council's website.

RESOLVED:

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

23. OTHER HIGHWAY RELATED PROGRAMMES

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 11 in the Minute Book) on Street Lighting; Regeneration of Older Urban Areas, Bridgeworks, Intelligent Transport Systems and Development Related Work programmes for the Havant area.


The Director of Environment reported that due to having a larger than average ageing stock of street lighting columns, the County Council had submitted an Expression of Interest to the Department for Transport in relation to a Private Finance Initiative for street lighting maintenance and column replacement.

In response to a query from the Local Member, officers agreed to investigate the necessity for new murals in the Heroes subway in Waterlooville.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

24. PASSENGER TRANSPORT REPORT

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 12 in the Minute Book) on the latest position on concessionary fares, bus services, rail issues and Community Transport.

Councillor Mrs Anne Buckley declared an interest in the Hayling Island Ferry.

The Director of Environment amplified the report and answered questions raised by the Members.

The Local Member paid tribute to the County Council for its efforts in enabling the ferry service to continue for a further ten years.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

25. THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSFERRING HIGHWAY WEED-KILLING TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL AGENTS

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Environment (Item 13 in the Minute Book)on the possibility of transferring highway weed-killing to the Borough Council.

Havant local members expressed their willingness to undertake the weed-killing service, subject to the agreement of their Borough Council. The Director of Environment advised that current five year contract would soon come to an end and the County Council would be writing officially to all the district councils in the summer.

RESOLVED:

That the standard of service and performance measurement arrangements set out in the report be endorsed and Havant Borough Councillors willingness to undertake weed-killing on an agency basis be noted.