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ITEM EN3(b)

ENVIRONMENT SCRUTINY COMMITTEE –
31 OCTOBER 2002

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 10.30 am and finishing at 11.30 am

Present:

Voting Members:

Councillor Biddy Hudson - in the chair

Councillor Alan Bryden
Councillor Mrs Dee Bulley
Councillor Dickie Dawes
Councillor Julian Cooper (in place of Councillor Andrew Crawford)
Councillor Jean Fooks
Councillor Mrs C. Fulljames
Councillor Patrick Greene
Councillor Steve Hayward
Councillor Brian Hodgson (in place of Councillor Terry Joslin)
Councillor Roy Mold
Councillor Jim Moley (in place of Councillor Bill Bradshaw)
Councillor Chris Robins

Officers:

Whole of meeting: D. Mitchell (Chief Executive’s Office); E. Luck (Environmental Services).

The Scrutiny Committee considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting and agreed as set out below. Copies of the agenda and reports are attached to the signed Minutes.

    56/02. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS

    Apologies for absence and temporary appointments were received as follows:

    Apology from

    Temporary Appointments

    Councillor Bradshaw

    Councillor Moley

    Councillor Crawford

    Councillor J. Cooper

    Councillor Hook

    -

    Councillor Joslin

    Councillor Hodgson

    Councillor Sibley

    -

    57/02. CALL-IN OF EXECUTIVE DECISION

CARTERTON, WITNEY AND OXFORD – TRANSPORT LINKS

(Agenda Item 4)

On 15 October 2002 the Executive had decided to:

    1. approve the revised three phase strategy for the A40 for consultation with local councils, local members and interested parties;

    2. ask the Director of Environmental Services to report back via Environment Scrutiny Committee, on the further development of the Strategy in the light of the results of the consultations with an invitation to the Scrutiny Committee to advise the Executive of any changes they consider should be made to the proposed strategy before adoption by the Executive;

    3. abandon the A40 Bus Lane Scheme as previously proposed;

    4. authorise further work on the revised strategy and individual elements, including further consultation with interested parties between now and next Spring with a view to the introduction of an improvement of Wolvercote Roundabout during the next financial year; and

    5. authorise the Director of Environmental Services to implement minor works at Wolvercote Roundabout to improve pedestrian facilities in the current year, subject to them being compatible with the final scheme, following consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management.

On 16 October 2002 the Assistant Chief Executive had received a request signed by five members of this Committee in accordance with the Council’s Scrutiny Procedure Rules in the Constitution in the following terms:

"We request that the Proper Officer of the Council calls in the decision of the Executive taken on 15 October and listed under item 14. The reason for the request is that we believe that the Executive has not addressed the problem of the A40 sufficiently, that they are agreeing to further work on minor unviable matters e.g. suggestions of bus priorities on the B4044, where there are enormous constraints and that the GTE Witney/Oxford link was not given proper priority."

Following debate, the Scrutiny Committee AGREED to accept the Executive’s decision, but expressed their regret that Councillor Hook had not had the opportunity to address the Executive, or indeed the Scrutiny Committee, on the matter.

in the Chair

Date of signing 2002

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