Contact: Philippa Smart [email protected], ext 7336

1. Summary and Purpose

1.1 The scrutiny work programmes for Hampshire County Councils' Policy Review Committees are evolving through identification by those committees of suitable topics from internal and external sources, and endorsement by the Policy and Resources Committee acting in its county wide scrutiny co-ordination role.

1.2 The Environment and Transportation Policy Review Committee has undertaken a number of short life scrutinies since it began meeting in its new form in the autumn of 2006. Members of the committee have also been working to identify and forward plan additional topics.

1.3 At the January 2007 meeting of the committee two topics were identified as of interest with a view to them becoming part of the future scrutiny work programme; these were Speed and Traffic Management, and Climate Change. A report was requested regarding their suitability.

2. Speed and Traffic Management

2.1 The Director of Environment led a review of this subject in 2006, involving members of the Policy Review Committee of the time, on the subject of speed and traffic management.

2.2 Following publication in 2006 of Department of Transport national guidance - `Setting Local Speed Limits' - to local highway and traffic authorities on the setting of local limits, a report was taken to Cabinet from the Environment Department in December 2006 making recommendations regarding reviews of those limits.

2.3 The guidance builds on earlier advice, but also reflects developments in speed management policies and research, such as the relationship between speed and risk of collision and severity of injury, and the actual speeds being driven on rural roads.

2.4 Cabinet decisions were made as follows:

- that the Department of Transport Circular be used as a basis for assessing and setting speed limits on the county network

- that a review of limits on all A and B roads be undertaken as priorities permit to meet the Government's target of 2011

- that 30 and 40 miles an hour speed limits, particularly in villages, be reviewed by Hampshire Action Teams, and urgent consideration be given to 20 miles an hour speed limits at schools that wish such limits, in conjunction with a schools publicity campaign

- that options be explored through the Safer Roads Partnership as to how increased compliance with village speed limits might be achieved

- that the Hampshire Association of Town and Parish Councils be consulted with a view to commissioning a public attitude survey with Hampshire residents to assess the acceptability of lower speed limits and increased enforcement to achieve compliance in villages

2.5 A project Board, led by Councillor Kendal, has begun meeting to implement the review of speed limits, and a `Village 30' Programme and a `20 is Plenty' scheme are being developed. The former is designed to find out expressions of interest by villages wanting changes to their speed limits. It also involves a public attitude survey to gather intelligence about the public's attitude to reduced speed limits and ways to encourage compliance. The latter is about giving schools the chance to participate in a scheme of requesting voluntary reduction of speed during school hours.

Recommendation

In the light of the newness of actions being taken in relation to Hampshire's policy on speed, committee members may wish to defer this as a possible topic for scrutiny until the first quarter of 2008, by which time information regarding progress on implementation will be available and could inform a small scale policy review.

3. Climate Change

3.1 Hampshire County Council is committed to responding to issues associated with climate change through having signed up to the Aalborg Commitments in June 2005. These commitments provide a framework for the County Council to work to achieve sustainable development, looking at environmental, economic, cultural and social issues together, as well as ensuring that efforts to improve quality of life do not jeopardise that of people in other parts of the world or of future generations.

3.2 The Aalborg local government commitment in relation to climate protection is to:

- develop and follow a strategic and integrated approach to mitigate climate change, and work towards a sustainable level of greenhouse gas emissions

- mainstream climate protection policy into our policies in the area of energy, transport, procurement, waste, agriculture and forestry

- raise awareness of the causes and probable impacts of climate change, and integrate preventive actions into our climate change policy

- reduce our impact on the global environment and promote the principle of environmental justice

- strengthen the international cooperation of towns and cities and develop local responses to global problems in partnership with local governments, communities and stakeholders

3.3 The messages from the Stern Report on the economics of climate change suggest that adaptation to climate change is essential. While acknowledging that it is no longer possible to prevent the climate change that will take place over the next two to three decades, it is considered still possible to protect ourselves from its impacts to some extent, for example by providing better information, improved planning and more climate resilient crops and infrastructure. The report asks that adaptation efforts be accelerated.

3.4 At the November 2006 County Council meeting the Leader of the council announced that he planned to set up a commission of inquiry into climate change. Key issues included coastal erosion, rising sea levels, water supplies, other public utility services, housing demand and the impact of the county councils' strategies and development.

3.5 The Commission is due to start work in April 2007; terms of reference are being drawn up and are expected to go to the Executive member on the 5 April. The aim of the Commission is to consider the main areas of climate change impact, and to identify and prioritise action to build more local resilience to these impacts. It is likely that the Commission will report back to the full council in November 2007.

Recommendation

In the light of the setting up of the commission of inquiry into climate change, committee members may wish to defer this as a possible topic for scrutiny, calling for an update from the Commission later in the year, and reconsideration at that stage of the merits of including the topic in the Policy Review Group work programme for 2008.

4. Lyndhurst Bypass

4.3 A proposal for scrutiny has come to the Environment and Transportation Policy Review Committee from the Executive, on the subject of a bypass for Lyndhurst in the New Forest.

4.4 Initial discussion with officers from the Environment Department indicates that scrutiny could add value to work that that Department has in hand in relation to this subject. This would be with reference to making recommendations regarding the inclusion of proposals for a bypass in the 2008 regional transport prioritisation process.

4.5 The history of proposals for a bypass at Lyndhurst goes back many years, and has been the subject of a number of public inquiries. A campaign is currently underway led by Lyndhurst Parish Council. In response to public opinion, the Leader of Hampshire County Council has referred the matter to the Environment and Transportation Policy Review Committee to provide advice to the Executive to assess the probability of the case for a bypass being accepted as a regional priority.

Recommendation

That the Policy Review Committee include the issue of the Lyndhurst bypass as a scrutiny topic in its 2007 work programme.

3. Financial implications

3.1 Expenses associated with the conduct of scrutiny

4. Impact assessment

4.1 None as a direct result of this report

5. Crime prevention

5.1 None as a result of this report

6. Section 100 - Local Government Act 1972 - background information

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied on to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB. The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE LOCATION

Working File Scrutiny Team. Chief Executive's Department. Room 149