Archived decisions

Contact: Alan Giles, tel 01962 857810 email: [email protected]

Ejner Knudsen, ext 7403 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out a number of proposed changes to the 2007/08 capital programme arising from modifications to schemes as they were developed during the programme year.

1.2 The Environment capital programme supports the County Council's corporate priorities.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the proposed changes to the 2007/08 capital programme, as set out in the report, be approved.

2.2 That the revised 2007/08 capital programme, as set out in Appendix 1, be approved.

2.3 That the Quality of Place sub-programme within the maintenance budget be approved.

3. Overview

3.1 The Environment capital programme is mostly funded through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) in the form of supported borrowing and grants. The LTP funding covers integrated transport schemes (tackling safety, congestion, access and environmental problems) and structural maintenance of roads and bridges. In addition, there is substantial external funding (EF) from developers' contributions.

3.2 Most of the rest of the Environment capital programme is funded from local resources within limits set by the Cabinet. These programmes include a further allocation for highway maintenance, as well as funding for environmental improvements, urban regeneration schemes and waste management (household waste recycling centres and facilities management). In some cases there is also additional funding from external sources, such as district councils, parish councils, developer contributions or grants from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) or other bodies.

3.3 The capital programme has total current approvals (for live schemes) of £117.142 million of which £45.717 million has been spent in earlier years. A total of £56.603 million is forecast to be spent in 2007/08. Over the life of the programme, it is projected that schemes could underspend against their current approvals by £2.659 million, almost exclusively on externally funded integrated transport projects. Annex 1 shows current approvals and anticipated spend profile broken down into service areas.

4. 2007/08 Programme Update and Proposed Amendments

4.1 As part of the regular monitoring and reporting process, this report provides an overview of the progress and amendments since November 2007. A summary of the proposed revised capital programme for 2007/08 is attached as Appendix 1. Five capital programme schemes are proposed to be rescheduled to future years.

4.2 B3272 Eversley - Glaston Hill Road (£100,000 LTP funding)

A trial one-way system and traffic island is underway and showing signs of success. Following an extended trial period, in order to gain sufficient data after Christmas, the permanent works and associated Traffic Regulation Order is proposed to be in place by June 2008.

4.3 A32 Access to Gosport

This heading relates to a number of schemes intended to mitigate congestion on the A32 ahead of the longer term development of a bus based LRT scheme. There are two schemes progressing during 2007/08. These are Peel Common costing £205,000 and A32 signal timing amendments at £30,000.

4.4 The opportunity will be taken during 2008/09 and 2009/10 to further review transportation options with regard to access to Gosport. Consideration of the remaining allocation is dealt with in the report on the Revised Capital programme 2008/09-2010/11.

4.5 Pedestrian Crossing Programme

The pedestrian crossing programme contained three sites. Issues have arisen during the year with all three sites, all of which are proposed to be rescheduled into the main programme in 2008/09. These are:

(i) A337 Toucan Crossing (West of Old Milton Green Road) New Milton, £70,000 LTP funding

Concerns about the original concept for the scheme resulted in further feasibility work being required. The feasibility study will be complete by March 2008, with a possible start on site in summer 2008.

(ii) A343 Penwood Pedestrian Refuge, Basingstoke, £45,000 EF

The design is complete but further consultation was required following the Safety Audit. The consultation with nearby Woolton Hill Junior School is progressing well, with a possible start on site early in 2008/09.

(iii) A3013 Reading Road South, Pedestrian Crossing, £70,000 LTP £50,000 EF

Scheme made up of two crossings, a Zebra and a Puffin. Possible start on site early in 2008/09 for the Zebra. The scheme has been delayed as there has been a change in the access to the nearby school which has altered the desire line for pedestrians and the proposed cycle route. Further survey work and consultation will now be required.

4.5 Forecast expenditure estimates indicate that the carry forward commitment from the 2007/08 starts programme is likely to be in the region of £3 million and this has been accommodated in the proposed programmes for 2008/09 to 2010/11 (see report on the Revised Capital Programme 2008/09-2010/11).

Environmental Improvement Programme

4.6 This programme comprises the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas Initiatives (ROUAi), the Country Towns Initiative and the Hampshire Villages Initiative. Each initiative is unique in the way schemes are initiated, developed and delivered but all share the common aim of environmental enhancement, partnership working and sustainable development. All are committed to a programme of specific schemes which are being progressed satisfactorily.

4.7 In order to maximise the impact of the Milford on Sea Improved Village Access Scheme, £35,000 is proposed to be added from the Quality of Place budget. A sum of £35,000 from the Planned Maintenance Budget will enable resurfacing work to be brought forward, taking the overall value up to £148,750.

Quality of Place Programme

4.8 Some funding was allocated in the 2007/08 maintenance programme to enhance the extent or quality of programmed schemes, where this would add significantly to the impact of that scheme. The list of schemes is included in Appendix 2.

Waste Management Programme

4.9 The locally resourced programme for facilities management for 2007/08 totalled £64,000. This was increased to £161,000 as a result of funds being carried forward from 2006/07. Works are now progressing satisfactorily at several landfill sites in accordance with the programme.

4.10 The Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) network continues to be a popular frontline public service. These sites receive 4.5 million visitors a year, depositing 250,000 tonnes of waste, but still achieve an average recycling rate above 60%.

4.11 Three major decisions were ratified in 2007 regarding HWRC service provision. Firstly, a new split-level facility will be built in Andover in 2008 on the Walworth Industrial Estate, providing a modern HWRC for local residents allowing quicker and easier access than the current town centre location in Shepherds Spring Lane.

4.12 The second major decision was agreement to tighten trade waste controls at all sites. HWRCs are for household waste only, yet as much as 17% of all waste deposited is thought to be trade orientated. To tackle this, restrictions will be placed on commercial type vehicles using sites, including vans and trailers. A new permit scheme will be enforced from 14 February 2008 allowing householders with a commercial vehicle for their domestic purposes to continue using the sites as before.

4.13 In addition, the contracts for operating the HWRCs on the County Council's behalf were retendered during 2007. Following the extensive process, Hopkins Recycling Limited was awarded the contract for 23 of the county's 24 sites and took over from 1 January 2008 with a remit to further enhance customer service at all sites.

4.14 During 2008 work will continue on feasibility studies for improving HWRCs across the network.

Roads Structural Maintenance Programme

4.15 Delivery is progressing well. All surface dressing schemes are complete and the programme of planned maintenance schemes is ahead of schedule. It is hoped that works programmes will be completed early in the new year to ease the changeover to the new term contractor due to start in May 2008. The major maintenance scheme on the A327 at Minley will be substantially complete in the new year.

Bridge Strengthening and Maintenance Programmes

4.16 Progress across the programme is generally going to plan. However strengthening works at Aldern, Bull Hill and Foxcotte Lane bridges, which have been subject to extensive extra consultation and investigation, will not now start on-site until May 2008, due to Environment Agency and weather constraints. The strengthening of Boars Bridge has been postponed from January to March 2008.

A3 Bus Priority Corridor Scheme

4.17 The A3 Bus Priority Corridor scheme, which was accepted as a major scheme by the Government on 28 October 2003, will be substantially complete by the end of 2007/08. A bid for funding to cover residual costs of the scheme in 2008/09 has been submitted, the result of which is still awaited.

5. Impact Assessments

5.1 The proposals in this report are derived from the departmental service plans and LTP objectives and are in accordance with the budget strategy and the County Council's financial management policy. An impact assessment of the departmental service plans and the financial management policy has been carried out and the proposals in this report are not considered to be discriminatory.

1529Rpt/AG/EK

ANNEX 1 - Current Approvals and Anticipated Spend Profile (2007/08 and earlier starts programmes)

APPENDIX 2

QUALITY OF PLACE FUNDING

Criteria for Assessment

1. Create a street scene which has a wider beneficial public use and adds value to the current public enjoyment of an area.

2. Links to existing/ proposed environmental programmes - Hampshire County Council, District, Parish, private.

3. Remedies known environmental defects.

4. Use of enhanced quality of materials, design approach and features to enhance local distinctiveness and sense of place.

5. Enhancement of a proposed or existing scheme to improve the overall environmental quality of an area.